Dr Mac's - Should I Feed Dr Mac’s Exclusively?

As we don’t know the complete nutritional requirements of every pet and aviary bird, no commercial diet should be fed in isolation.  There are benefits to feeding fresh produce and birds will enjoy a treat of nuts and seeds occasionally.  However, it is important to feed these out in small proportions or otherwise you risk diluting out the valuable nutrients in the pellets.  Do not mix Dr Mac’s Organic Origins with other commercial products.  Dr Mac’s Organic Origins have been formulated to feed as 80-90% of the overall diet based on the ‘as fed’ weight.  For larger parrots, no more than one peanut per day should be offered and only a spoonful of seeds.  Macaws can be offered up to 10 small nuts per day.  Fruit and vegetables contain valuable fibre, carotenoids and phytonutrients.  Choose brightly coloured red, orange and yellow produce and dark green leafy vegetables.  Avoid fruits high in vitamin C for species susceptible to iron storage disease (ISD).

Hand Rearing Neonates

The hand rearing of baby birds is a science all of its own and challenges even the most experienced of breeders.  The health of the hatchling is only as good as the diet provided to the parents so a nutritionally balanced hand rearing diet in the absence of good dietary management for adults will not produce healthy, viable chicks.  The development of the immune system and vital organs will commence in the egg and continue development post hatch.  It is imperative that nutritional husbandry is optimised at all stages.  Feed adults Breeder diets 6-8 weeks prior to the breeding season to enable them to accumulate valuable reserves of vital nutrients.

Hand rearing

These diets have been formulated to meet the demands of a growing chick post hatch.  Higher in calcium, protein and fat, they are suitable for birds from day 1 to weaning.  The amount of food a chick will need at any stage of growth will vary across species and breeding conditions.  Monitoring the daily weight of your chick provides the best indicator of adequate weight gain but do not be tempted to accelerate growth rates as this can lead to fatty liver disease as adults.
A general guide for feeding neonates is:

• Hatch to day 3: 10% solids
• Day 3 to 2 feeds per day: 25% solids
• 2 feeds per day to weaning: 30% solids.

Dr Mac’s Organic Origins hand rearing diets contain a number of digestive enhancers that will accelerate digestion and clear crops at a faster rate.  This may necessitate a greater number of feeds per day but will ensure optimum nutrient intake.  Studies indicate that hatchlings do well on feeds of Dr Mac’s Organic Origins every 2-3 hours.