Most recent updates are listed towards the bottom of the page.



This is what a Blue Head Pionus will look like when fully developed.
Approximate wean date of these Blue Head babies was around December 30, 2002

2002 Baby Blue Heads

One of the Blue Head Chicks has a broken leg due to the mama bird sitting on her chick too firmly.  This happens sometimes and the baby was taken to the vet  and had a splint put on the leg.  The baby will be some what normal when the leg heals.

October 4th, 2002 - This poor baby Blue Head Pionus has had a hard 1 month of life with his leg broken.  We have had a great amount of difficulty on trying to keep the leg straight.  With such a small bird it is very hard to work with. At the First Vet we went to we tried a masking tape type splint, but it didn't work for long and the chick started using it too much and then it started bending where the break is.

Now we have taken him to well known Avian Veterinarian
Dr. Hannis Stoddard in Norco, CA - their staff there is much more into the avian procedures then the other avian vet was, as he said we should go to someone with more expertise.
This splint actually consists of  the leg being padded and with a syringe tubing cut open at the one end and  the syringe placed beside the leg and also on the bottom of the foot and wrapping over the tubing and leg, this will hopefully help to keep the leg straight and so it won't move or bend at the break.

 

The other baby Blue Head is in great shape, no problems with him what so ever.  They are both active chicks, even with a broken leg on the one chick, he still acts normal in all other areas.   →

Here you see the two 7 week old Orange Wings Amazons in their box looking at the little Blue Head chicks in their tub.

The two Orange Wings are doing well and are being quite playful now.

~ October 10, 2002 ~

I am going to call these babies #1 and #2
#2 being the one with the broken leg and #1 is the other one.

     
                                                                                                                                   #1 Chick has been sold

               
               Just six days since the last photos were taken.  They have grown quite a bit.
            Now eating 12cc's of formula per feeding at about 4 times a day. #2 chick with
            the broken leg was not doing too good for a few days, he was very uncomfortable
            with his leg. Now he seems to be doing better, a lot of it was he was not strong
            enough in the legs and could not support himself very well.  But now I noticed
            he is starting to stand a little so that means his legs are getting stronger.  I do not
            think that his leg will heal perfectly straight.
            As for #1 chick he is doing well in all areas.  They are both always very eager
            to eat. In their tub I have the two separated, #2 with is in a smaller container inside
            the larger tub. The two have contact somewhat and see each other.   I will be back
            here in a few days for more updates.

Oct. 12 - I put the leg band on the left leg of #2 with the broken leg being that I could
            not put it on his right leg on the 10th. #1 chick  was banded on his right leg on the
            7th, just the three days difference of waiting to band him it almost did not want to go
            on too easily, that shows how much they can grow in that short of time. 
            Also other good news with #2 is that he is doing better all the time, he is standing
            enough with his rear end completely off the nesting material.  He looks happier now
            compared to when he was not doing so great.  I am going to be able to put them both
            directly together now in the same area in the tub, meaning that #2 won't be confined.

Oct. 15 - I took #2 chick to the vet yesterday to have his leg looked at, the vet said it
            was doing good.  By the time the chick is 2 years old it should not even be noticeable
            that the leg  had been broken.  The leg was re-splinted and when he has his next
            weeks visit to the vet it will be able to come off.  The chick is supporting himself well
            with both legs. 
            #1 chick is doing good too, they are both eating about 16cc of formula per feeding.
            They are well alert of their surroundings. 

                                                                    This Row is both chicks together.

                  
                                                                      #1 Blue Head Chick

                                       
                                                                         #2 Blue Head Chick

                       
                                   Here is the two Blue Heads with the two young Orange Wing chicks. 

October 23, 2002 ~

       
                                                                             # 1 Blue Head Chick

                  
                                                                            #2 Blue Head Chick

                                  

                                
                                                             Both #1 and #2 Blue Head Chicks

The chicks are doing very good since the last update.  They are now eating 20 cc of formula.  The blue is starting to come in on the head.  #2 chick will have a little red on the front of the head which is only a baby trait and will not be present after the first molt.  #2 chick was at the vet this past Monday and we decided that the splint will be left on until next Monday just to be sure that the leg is good and strong enough.  #1 chick goes to the vet also just to go for a ride to be with his buddy!

            October 28, 02
       
        #1 Baby Blue Head                        #1                           #2                                                #1                     #2

~ Both doing well.  #2 was at the vet on 10/28, Dr. Stoddard took the splint off.  You can see a little bit of a crook in the back of the leg, but as he grows more and gets stronger you will not see or notice it that much, if at all.  His little back toe is not laying properly. None of this will keep him from having a normal life.  These photos do not show their true beauty.  The red that you see on #2 will not be present after the first molt, #1 does not have any red on the head at all. They are both eating close to 25cc of formula per 3 times a day. #1 is wanting to climb out of the tub, but hasn't made it out yet!  #2 will have to be watched carefully to see that he does not fall and hurt his leg, he still needs to let that leg get stronger.

                                                                             November 11, 02
                                                Here's the little critters in the sun light, colors are much better!

                                        
                                                                                                                              #1

                        
                              #2                                   #1                                                 #2                             #1

                                                                 
 Blue Head #1 took his first good flight today among three other flights
 that he did after the first one. As you can see these photos are much
 better with the sunlight on them it helps bring out their colors better, although
 there are some shadows. My little digital camera is not too good, so the
 right light helps.
 Blue Head #2 has not even attempted to take a flight yet, with his leg the
 way it is, he is much slower or behind on doing things compared to #1.
 They are really cute and the blue is coming in more on the head. #2 has
 quite a bit of red on his crown, as mentioned before he will loose it after
 first molt.  They are being hand fed three times a day and eating 25cc each.

                         

             ↑November 23, 02
Here are the two Blue Heads with the Orange Wings, #1 Blue Head is sitting up on top next to the Orange Wing eating out of the bowl.  He is just now starting to sample food items, you see #2 Blue Head sitting on the bottom in the right hand side of the photo.  They are almost ready to be put in a cage, they have been hand fed three times a day, but soon to be cut to twice a day. 

The wings were clipped a couple of weeks ago, I did not clip all the flight feathers on #2 so that he won't drop quite so hard when he falls due to his leg.  They are both very sweet and are developing nice personalities.

 #1 Chick
←November 24th 

November 26, 2002 ↕

                            
                              #2                       #1   As you can see #2 Blue Head chick can perch pretty well.
                                                                The flash from the camera has them a little too green looking on these two pics.

Baby Birds Page   
Baby Orange Wing Updates ~ Baby Orange Wing Updates Page 2 ~  Baby Maximilian Updates

11/26/02