Masked Owl - Nswfmpa.org

• A nestling’s first meal after hatching must be only match-head size bites that aresmall, soft and easily digested. (Olsen 1990).• The first two days the food consists of little pieces of mostly heart and some liverapprox. 1 - 2 g (Holland G). Pinkie mice can also be fed to young. Chicks shouldbe fed 5 times a day.• Food should be dipped into calcium Sandoz. As you feed owl only dip every fewpieces into calcium Sandoz as to much calcium is not good for owl.• At 3 days chicks should be able to consume a full crop and keeper can introducesmall pieces of bone to muscle but not fur or feathers. One – day – old chicksneck vertebrates are ideal.• From the third day on, one needs to feed the young only four times a day e.g. 7:00am, 12:00 am, 5:00 pm and 10:00pm.• Small quantities of fur and feathers can be introduced in the diet in the 2 nd or 3 rdweek. (Olsen J, 1990).day old chicks cut into manageable pieces are ideal.• At two to three weeks chicks should be old enough to feed themselves as well asstill being hand fed, place usual food items into a bowl where chicks are housedand they will discover it and start to feed you will find that the bowl emptiesquickly and you can fill it up three times a day.• Once owl refuses to take food from your hand, place food in bowl and leave inbox as parent would leave food in nest box for young to learn to tear up food.• At five weeks of age owl should be offered a greater variety of food items. Size offood can also be increased as owl should start to tear and break up its own food.48