I found a baby robin in the street, flightless and being attacked by a cat. Can you help?

Question

The robin (marvin) is now in a box and has survived 24 hrs with birdseed and water. I let him out into my backyard and another (momma) robin attended to him for several hours providing him with worms and such. His only apparant disability is a rather large wing feather which is bent severely aside. I don't know whether to pluck it, place it back in line, or leave it be. Further, all birds of differing specie left Marvin alone today but I have no idea what to do with him ultimately. I know that him becoming dependent on me is out of the question so I have not interacted except to save him from the cats and to place him back into the box from the backyard (I have a German Shepherd and I can't imagine them getting along) after dark. Right now I need emergency wild bird tips and exit strategies.

Ok, thank you to all the "call the vet" people but here in Texas it's the Saturday night before Father's day. Realistically, a vet call is $100 and I believe we're (you and I) smart enough to figure this out. I'm listening, help me save Marvin. First real test of this system. Let's do it.

Yes, now that he is in my backyard cats are no problem. Sara's on the watch.

BTW, Michelle you suck. You already know why so I won't waste the type to explain. Ok I will...YOURE A FRIGGIN ANIMAL!! FIGURE IT OUT.

Answer 1

Ive raised allot of baby birds before
you need to get him a towel and keep him warm and feed him wet bread they cant drink water at that age.
he needs to eat about every 3 hours you can tell when hes full by the sack on his neck you can see it fill up,
no worms chopped up!

let me know if you you need some more info OK

Answer 2

Last year I found a baby Blue Jay. We fed him pureed canned dog food with a baby medicine syringe. He had to eat every two hours for the first couple of months. It was a loooong time before he learned to feed himself, but he finally did! I kept him thru the winter and turned him loose when the other birds began to come back. He was about 8 months old. He still lives here by my house in a big oak tree. I put food out for him. He loves the soft dog food morsels!

Robins are about the same. Don't pull the broken feather, just leave it be. Within a couple of days he may be able to fly again. The mama Robin will most likely continue to care for him, if you can find a safe place to put him, up high, away from the dogs and cats. Do you have a tree or somewhere high where you can put him, box and all?

Good luck. He's very lucky you rescued him!

Answer 3

That's strange... I rescued a baby robin today as well. No cats in sight, but he was sitting there, no other birds or nest around, cooking in the 95 degree sun. I was worried that he'd either cook, get stepped on, or found by a cat or hawk. Anyway, my recommendation is to call the humane society. They should come and pick him up, and if he's healthy enough to have a chance at survival, they'll normally deal with getting veternary help. If you're just looking at a few damaged feathers, it sounds like he has a good shot. I'd leave the feathers where they are until a vet sees him. I believe that some feathers have an active blood vessel in them, and you need to be careful around those ones... Good luck.

Answer 4

GET THIS BIRD TO A VET or animal rehaber ASAP!!!

Cats have bacteria in the mouths that can kill a bird no matter what if not treated this bird will have about 24 hours to live if not treated plese get him to a vet asap.

Also you can feed it this baby bird formula.

1 boiled egg

1 tums mint is ok

some dog food more veges than corn purina is good.

and some apple sause about 2 spoon fulls.

Mix till soft or let it sit first.

Please take it to a vet fast.

Good luck.

Oh yes do not feed it worms because worms can carry worms I am raising a baby robin actualy right now 2 for about 3 weeks now so listen to what I told you.

Answer 5

That is a very noble thing you did by saving the poor defenseless bird. If you can't find help by the answers of other ppl on here, just take him to a vet. They will more than likely be able to fix the problem and then you can set him free after a certain period of time.

Just don't let the $ thing get to you about going to a vet. If you were that bird you'd fight for your life and try to make it back out to nature as well.

Answer 6

Baby birds are usually taken care of by the parents...they usually leave them in a bush and feed them there until they are able to fly. If the bird fledged from the nest naturally and is quite fully feathered it should be fine...unless it is eaten by a cat. Is there a way to keep the cat away from it? If it is not feathered and was forced out of the nest early, or has a broken wing...then it needs to be taken to a wildlife rehab.

Answer 7

Robins are bird meant for the wild. In due season, the bird will fly off. Do not try to make it a pet. It sounds like you have done a stellar job already. Keep exposing it to other Robins, and a miracle will happen. One day it will fly off. I have a sparrow nest in front of my house, and a ground dove nest in the back. You have done a excellent job up to now and need to be commended.

Answer 8

Try calling local authorities, and ask them for the number to the wild life association. They should give you info, or come get him. Hope this helps.

Answer 9

Take it to the vet and get it checked out. Then, you may want to keep it, or take it to the Humane Society.

Answer 10

You need to call a wildlife agency now.