Lafeber Instant Nutri-Start Hand-Feeding Formula 1 lb
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Description
An instant hand-feeding powder for baby conures and cockatiels. It reconstitutes with hot water — no cooking, no cooling period — into a creamy pudding consistency, built on rice flour for digestibility with hydrolysed soy protein and dried whole egg for protein, plus chelated minerals, stabilised vitamins and balanced omega-3 and omega-6.
Not for insectivorous birds or raptors.
Read this before you feed a chick
Hand-feeding kills more baby birds than it saves in inexperienced hands. The two ways it goes wrong are formula that is too hot, which burns a hole through the crop, and formula that goes down the windpipe, which drowns the chick. Both are quick and both are avoidable. If you have not done this before, do not learn on a live chick — get an experienced breeder or an avian vet to show you first.
Mixing
| Ratio | 2¼ parts hot water to 1 part powder |
|---|---|
| Water | Distilled, or previously boiled |
| Water temperature | About 122°F |
| Serving temperature | 104°F to 106°F — warm, never hot |
| Consistency | Creamy pudding; thicker for older chicks |
Add the water gradually while stirring. Use a thermometer — "feels about right" is how crops get burned. Lafeber state plainly that excess heat may damage the digestive tract.
Never microwave it. Microwaves make hot spots: the spoon reads 104°F and the mouthful behind it is 160°F. A double boiler is the safe way to hold temperature through a feeding session.
Do not reuse mixed formula — mix fresh at every feed. If you prepare a 24-hour batch, cover and refrigerate it immediately and reheat only what you need.
Crop safety
Check the crop before every single feed. It should empty in about four hours; a crop that stays full or empties slowly means something is wrong and needs a vet. Lafeber's own warning is worth quoting in full force: overfilling the crop can push food back up the oesophagus, into the throat and down the windpipe, which can kill the chick. Underfilling starves it. If food backs up into the mouth, stop immediately and clear it before doing anything else.
Feeding schedule by age
| Hatch to 1 week | Nothing for at least 12 hours after hatching. First feed at 12 hours is one drop of water. Then a few drops of thin formula every 2 hours, round the clock. |
|---|---|
| 1–2 weeks | Every 2–3 hours round the clock. Night feeds after midnight may be dropped if the chick is kept warm, resuming at 6am. |
| 2–3 weeks | Every 3–4 hours, 6am to midnight. |
| 3–4 weeks | Every 4 hours, thickening the formula as frequency drops. At 4 weeks move to a cage with low perches and water bowls. |
| 5–6 weeks | Twice daily. Introduce Lafeber pellets and Nutri-Berries in the cage. |
| 7 weeks | Large cage, food in cups and scattered on the floor. Fresh fruit and vegetables at no more than 20% of the diet. |
Weaning
Do not wean before 7 weeks; 8 is more usual. Up to 10% body weight loss during weaning is normal — more than that is a problem. Confirm the bird is eating properly on its own before you stop hand-feeding. Weigh daily on an accurate gram scale throughout; the scale will tell you what is happening days before your eyes will.
Brooder and hygiene
85–90°F for unfeathered chicks, reduced gradually toward room temperature as feathers come in. Clean formula off the skin, beak and feathers with warm water after every feed — dried formula on skin causes real damage. Clean utensils immediately. Check the vent for build-up.
Guaranteed analysis
| Crude protein (min.) | 17.2% |
|---|---|
| Crude fat (min.) | 8.0% |
| Crude fibre (max.) | 1.5% |
| Moisture (max.) | 10.0% |
Ingredients
Rice flour, hydrolysed soy protein, corn flour, oat flour, corn oil, dried whole egg, dicalcium phosphate, ground limestone, iodised salt, DL-methionine, potassium chloride, L-lysine, choline chloride, copper lysine, and a full stabilised vitamin and mineral pack.
Questions we get asked
Can I hand-feed a chick I bought at the pet shop?
Please do not, unless you have been taught. Buy a weaned bird. It is better for you and far better for the bird.
What if the crop is still full at the next feed?
Do not feed on top of it. Slow crop has several causes, some serious, and it needs an avian vet the same day.
Can I use it for a wild baby bird I found?
No — this formula is not for insectivorous species, which is what most garden fledglings are. Call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
Shipping & returns
Shipping is free on every order, worldwide, and every parcel ships with a tracking number. You'll get the tracking link by email as soon as your order leaves us. Insured shipping is available at checkout for $4.95 if you'd like added cover.
Most orders arrive within 7 to 14 business days. The estimate shown above this section is for your location.
Returns are open for 45 days. If something isn't right, email support@farooze.com and we'll sort it out. Full details in our shipping policy and refund policy.
Lafeber Instant Nutri-Start Hand-Feeding Formula 1 lb
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