5 AM on July 2: The first keeper to arrive in the department checked the hatcher. It was a special day, because they found our first hatched flamingo!!
July 2, 5 AM: The first flamingo chick hatches
Flamingo chicks hatch out covered with very thick white or grey down (they are the softest chicks we have ever had). Their legs are pinkish and they have completely straight beaks. They look so very unlike adult flamingos that the first time you see one in person it is a little shocking.
The first two flamingo chicks. As you can see, they don't look like you'd expect.
After the chick dry off from hatching, we check their umbilicus site (basically a bird’s belly button) and make sure it is clean. We also weigh the chicks. The first chick weighed about 85 grams or 3 ounces – this is about half the weight of an I-phone.
The chick's belly button. Look at those little feet!!
For the first 24 hours of a baby flamingo’s life, it gets nutrition from its yolk sac (the yolk part of the egg is absorbed into the digestive system). Just to make sure the chick stays well hydrated while it continues to absorb its yolk, we provide the chick some warm fluids about 8-10 hours after it hatches. Then it goes back into the brooder box until its first feeding the following morning.
The chick getting warm fluids about 8-10 hours after hatching
When the chick has absorbed its yolk fully, we begin to feed it a diluted formula. This formula is specially made for flamingos out of shrimp, fish, baby cereal, egg yolks and vitamins. The formula smells awful, but is very good for the growing chicks. So finally, about 12 – 24 hours after the chick hatches, we give them their first taste of that food.
The little one after it's first feeding.
Please come back to read and see what’s next in the life of our flamingo chicks!
Editors note: Please let us know what you think of these little beauties in the comment section. And please share their story on your Facebook and Twitter accounts. We’ve made it easy for you to do; simply click their links just below!
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Soooo cute! When will we be able to see them?
Wow — just wonderful! Keep up the great work, can’t wait to see these little guys when they get big enough so show off to the public.
Are the baby Flamingos on display yet?
They are so cute. I can’t wait to see them at the zoo next week! Any names yet?
These chicks are so adorable! When will the public be able to see them?
They will be out in the exhibit for exercise, spending part of their day on public view, hopefully in a few weeks. Keep checking back here, and on Facebook and the website as we will surely let it be known!!