The new hand rearing law in the Netherlands!

[Sapphire]

I am not really sure that I agree with this law that has been enforced in the Netherlands! What are your thoughts on it?

http://cityparrots.org/journal/2014/3/2/new-law-prohibits-hand-rearing-of-parrots-in-the-netherlands.html

[Sondra]

I think it's a fantastic law. I think it will help cut down on phobic birds as they will now realize they are birds rather than humans. It will have the greatest impact on the breeders as far as how many clutches will be sold in a year as some species of parrots aren't weaned until they are about a year old, such as cockatoos. Birds are still allowed to be hand tamed while chicks, but IMO I believe the chicks will have improved mental and physical health compared to a bird that is force fed by breeders.

[grey782163]

Ok, Sondra, I have to disagree with you. There is not a single breeder that I know of that "force feeds" baby birds. There is also no evidence that hand fed birds don't think they are birds. I have handfed birds and they fly: do you?  As far as cutting down on phobic birds, there are no documented, peer reviewed studies that point to a direct correlation between hand feeding and maladaptive behaviors. The thought that breeders make tons of money selling hand fed birds is ludicrous: I challenge every one who thinks that breeders are getting rich by breeding birds to hand feed one clutch: document the amount of time it takes and the cost of supplies and if you are lucky you break even. Most breeders are in it for the love of the hobby. As far as those who spout horror tales of bad breeders, there are just as many bad owners and bad rescues. Those who quote Parrot Confidential, open your eyes and see that it is a slanted piece of propaganda designed to make you feel a certain way: it is in no way objective or neutral. It might as well have been made by Fox News or MSNBC (both networks widely known for their slanted journalism)

[Sapphire]

I don't agree with this new law at all and I certainly hope it does not come into force in the UK.

I know many breeders and the love they have for their birds is second to none! Most of them that I know  do NOT force feed their birds!! What about all the kittens and puppies who are bottle fed by their owners? this certainly does not stop them from running, or doing anything that comes natural to them! I certainly don't believe that chicks will have better improved mental or physical health by being parent reared!

We, as a human race have chosen to take birds out of captivity and bring them into our homes, which in many peoples eyes is not natural! There is no better way to bond with a baby bird than to handfeed it yourself  My new baby has been handfed from 8 days old and is now 6 weeks old. The breeder I am buying him from is one of the nicest and most caring people I have ever known! Her birds are her life 

[Sondra]

George, I'm sorry but when any breeders I've come in contact with feeds their babies they fill the crop so full that it is just shy of bursting it isn't a good thing, these breeders fed only 6 times a day, they also keep the babies away from the parents. I have helped hand feed babies that the parents didn't know how to feed. I didn't fill the crop so full it was almost ready to burst, we fed enough to slightly enlarge the crop, fed every 2 hours round the clock. We also got extremely lucky in that two other birds were willing to take over for us after the first week. We had 60 birds turned over to my friend from a breeder, 8 pair had eggs, every baby was handled several times a day. These birds were hand tame by the time they were weaned, and found great homes.

The larger the bird the longer it takes to wean them. Too babies are force weaned by 8-12 weeks, in the wild it's a year before they are weaned. Birds learn flock dynamics by being left with their parents until they are weaned. These are birds, not cats and dogs who are weaned at 6-8 weeks.

I agree that the expense to hand feed babies is unreal, that it's time consuming, but why do it IF the parents can feed them? Is it because it takes too long to wean them that way & you have to provide more & a better quality food for them? Or maybe it's because you want another clutch more quickly than if you waited for the babies to be weaned?

George I know you are breeding to keep a species alive, I also know that you are an ethical breeder who doesn't overbreed your birds. If ALL breeders were as ethical as you I wouldn't have a problem, except the way hand feeding is done by many breeders I have come across. IMO, this will cut down on the back yard breeders who have birds that have babies, those babies are removed from the parents and the parents go about laying another clutch immediately. These females are lucky to live 4-5 years because of over breeding.

[grey782163]

Sondra

The number of unethical breeders I have come in contact with over 35+ years of breeding (small scale) in Florida is miniscule and those problems were handled by the avicultural community. First with a serious dose of education, or if needed a call to animal welfare organizations. I have also never seen a cockatoo wean at 3 months of age, with the exception of one very precocious Goffin's.

I do take exception when anyone throws out generalizations. Generalizations are inherently false and are a weak basis for an argument.

Hand-feeding is an art that must be learned. Parent birds feed less often as the chick gets older and the consistency becomes thicker. None of my pairs fed at night, and this seems to be the rule with everyone I've talked to over the years (which is why we check chicks in the morning to ensure crops are empty and not impacted).