Hi all,
Well the baby is 8 weeks old now! Woohoo! And is starting to eat soft foods, fruits and veggies, but lots of formula still. My question is what is the average age that baby birds may wean off formula? I would never attempt to handfeed and breeder doesn't let babies go till they are weaned, but I am wondering what the timeline is before he comes home. Thanks all!

Scarlett came home at about 14 weeks weaned. She had only been weaned for a week though. And she started eating food on her own at about 10 weeks, so your baby is a little ahead of her.

It is different for different types of birds, and even between individuals.

I have only had one baby come from a breeder. My scarlet macaw. She was abundance weaned and came home at 5 months old.

Ollie took f-o-r-e-v-e-r to wean. I did it myself though, and I had no prior experience. She probably would have weaned a lot faster in the care of her breeder, but unfortunatly the breeder was willing only to pass her off to me as quick as she could. I didn't write down the exact time that she weaned, because its a process, it doesn't happen in one day. She was probably nearing 5 months old though when she was completely off of formula. I'm sure it won't be that way for your baby! But you do need to remember that all babies are different!

The baby may be eating mashed fruits etc off a spoon. It maybe a week or 2 till the baby actually picks up food and eats it on its own. They treat food as toys in the beginning. The baby has to be able to eat a fair amount of other foods before the quantity of formula can be reduced. They eat comfort formula once a day for about a week and then they should be kept by the breeder a week after weaning. Getting your baby is at least four weeks away from now maybe more. Two to eat enough, one for comfort formula and one post weaning week. As other have said all babies are different, you cant really say for sure till the baby takes enough by himself.

Camille - Ollie was spoilt but she enjoyed her babyhood anyway. I never force wean so I do get them that choose to hang on a bit sometimes. My 8 month old sun still likes to get his share of formula, even though I know he does not need it.

Tuki came to live with me at 12 weeks old and was still on formula 1 or 2x a day. Like Camille, I had no experience but the breeder convinced me I could do it with her guidance.
Almost immediately, I cut down to one evening formula feeding and mushy/soft/baby food other times a day. I had pellets always available and veggies and fruits available 1-2x a day.

Tuki was full weened (by HIS choice) by about 16 weeks. Meaning he completely rejected his formula. Well, he liked to play with it...