feeding the expectant parents

[Rick]

Hi again to everyone, was just wondering what you all have found best to be feeding the parents with about a week to go before hatching is expected. Currently they are on fresh apple, stone fruit, grapes and corn every 2-3 days with greens daily plus small parrot seed mix available at all times. Does this sound adequate and should there be anything else in there.

Thanks Rips, all five eggs are showing good signs of development, is it possible that 5 with fulkly develope and hatch or is it just wishful thinking on my part. This is her first clutch

[Scully]

Egg food, baby formula, and a pinch of extra vits. I fed a mix of this all the way through, and in turn they fed that to the babies. I made a batch up once a week, with boiled egg, egg food, a pinch of vits, formula, and a pinch of porrige oats, then froze it in ice cube trays Apart from the first two days when it was fresh. When the chicks were starting to feed by themselves, they ate it as well. Just make sure it defrosts right through, and is room temp as you dont want cold crops.
Its got all the good things to bring them up healthy.
I personally wouldnt bother with the grapes, as they are full of water, and that will fill them up with what you dont want.
I fed broccolli, grated carrot, and apple in a mix with a pinch of dried parsley every day. so all they way through they had both mixes available as well as normal seed.
I dont know if this was overkill, as it was my first time, i just did what i thought best, as ive only bought up lambs and puppys, never birds ;D

The hen needs to be a little on the plump side, to feed her babies, it can take quite alot out of her, when they get going. The male will help, but i found my hen did most of the feeding when they were tiny. My hen is tiny anyway, so i felt she may have needed it.