Preliminary efforts on hand-rearing three species of flamingos

Citation

Maslanka M, Ward A. 2005. Preliminary efforts on hand-rearing three species of flamingos. In Graffam W, Hellinga D, Maslanka M, Ward A, Eds. Proceedings of the Sixth Conference on Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition, AZA Nutrition Advisory Group, Omaha, NE.

Abstract

Between 2002 and 2005, the Fort Worth Zoo has hand-reared 37 flamingo chicks: nine Caribbean (Phoenicopterus ruber ruber), seventeen lesser (Phoeniconaias minor), and eleven Chilean (Phoenicopterus chilensis). The chicks were raised from hatching to the point of self-feeding. Body weight and formula consumption were measured daily. Feeding schedule transitions (from ten feedings per day to weaning) were based on body weight and growth rate for each chick. The nutrient content of the formula was compared to a target nutrient range for growing flamingos, and the nutrient content of actual crop milk samples collected from free-ranging Caribbean flamingo chicks.

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