When the Bengalese don't do their duty, almost invariably as the Pin-tailed Parrot Finch chicks fledge, the only option is to hand feed

With Pin-tailed Parrot Finches, keep the fledglings being hand-fed with the Bengalese as sometimes they resume their fostering duties after a few days

The syringe

A 5ml syringe is the most convenient
Drill the exit hole to at least 2.5mm, 3mm is better, to minimise clogging.

Sand, file or scrape the inner ridge at the inside top of the barrel which is designed to stop the plunger coming right out
(shown by the green line in the photograph)

You need the plunger out to fill the barrel with eggfood 
To stop the rubber end coming off the plunger adhere it to the plastic plunger handle with silicon sealant
A teaspoon handle makes a good spatula

The mix

Take a heaped teaspoon of your eggfood, remove large seeds and crush to minimise large lumps which will clog the syringe 

Add more water to get a moist paste which is quite wet but when stirred doesn't run (click thumbnail above for a better idea)

Add a pinch of protein boost and probiotics

Keep this mix in the fridge
Don't use the same mix for more than a day

Mix with water until mix is quite sloppy
Leave for 2 or 3 minutes as the water is absorbed

Fill the syringe with about 1ml per chick
Dip the part of the syringe containing eggfood in hot water to warm it
for 5 minutes

How much/ How often?

4ml is probably the daily maximum, 2ml the minimum
This varies as the chicks age (less as they get older)

Once they are self-feeding you might supplement with only 0.5ml per chick last thing at night until day 10 or even 12

Maximum is probably better for first two days,
thereafter a slightly hungry chick is better as it will call to the Bengalese
and will seek food from the dishes

Watch the chicks - they will let you know
1 - 1.2ml is probably the maximum at any one time 
Less than 0.5ml isn't worth doing

Judge your feeding from the chicks.  If they are active they are fine

If any close their eyes after you have stood still in the bird room for a minute or two then feed

The evening feed is the most important

Try to get at least 1ml in, even if it takes two feeds close together
so the chick lasts the night

Be a bit ruthless in the morning once they are fledged for a few days,
to encourage begging and self-feeding

The more frequent the feeds the better but we have fed 1.2ml at 7.30am;
1ml at 4pm and 1.5ml at 8pm.   The chick was fine

How

Chicks vary right from day one.  There are the beak clenchers, the chokers,
the regurgitators, the fidgets and the blissful - let's get this ml in ASAP!

I open the beak with sideways pressure from the end of the syringe
My wife somehow opens the beak with her thumb

Once the syringe is in, the food needs to fall behind the lip
at the back of the tongue
Don't depress the tongue as the flap at the back is used like a paddle
to swallow the food

Try to have the syringe entering slightly from one side to keep an air hole open

Don't keep filling if the mouth is full and food is oozing out the sides

Stop for a minute to let the food go down
Judge the speed from the chick
Judge if the chick shows distress

I've only ever choked one chick out of probably 30 or 40 being hand fed

But that's one too many