help! poor little bird!?

Question

I found a little new born bird that fell out of its nest in my back yard. It is still moving a little bit, but it is almost dead. Please, how can I nurse it back to health? Hurry! A life is in your hands, and literally in mine!

Answer 1

Three years ago, I had the same thing happen to me. I picked up the bird and took it inside, and had to train myself on how to raise a hatchling. Here is what I did:

First I warmed the bird up in my hands, until it stopped chirping so loudly, then I got some dry cat food and soaked it in hot water, until it was mushy enough to offer the bird to eat. (baby birds need a lot of protein to develop properly, so catfood is actually an adequate substitute temporarily). The bird went to sleep, and I set about trying to find an incubator. Several websites tell you how to build one using a warming light--but I didn't have any of the supplies. So for my incubator, I used a electric heating pad in an old shoe box. I made a nest out of toilet paper and paper towels to protect the chick from the direct heat of the heating pad. (The nest needs to be changed frequently, as the baby poops frequently.) I also got a cheap digital thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature of the incubator. [ You can find some in the automotive department that have a cord on them, so you can keep constant track of the internal temperature, without opening the box.]

Whenever the bird would cry--I knew it was hungry. I know that in the wild, parents would be bringing it crushed insects and worms to eat, so I dug up a bunch of worms, and would chop a section off when my baby was hungry, and feed it to her. I did this for awhile until I discovered that my local hardware/pet supply store carries infant bird formula. It has all the nutrients your baby needs, and can easily be mixed with hot water. A lot more pleasant that squishing worms!

My bird did not have any feathers at all, yet, so I had to be careful about her skin. The salt from our bodies can dessicate (suck out the moisture from) the baby bird, if handled too much. I ended up buying alcohol-free, sensitive-skin type babywipes, to wipe down the baby bird, after handling. Also be sure that you bird is getting some moisture in its diet, especially if you stick to feeding worms and insects from outside. Another important thing to remember is that the insects need to be dead, or at least headless, before feeding them to the baby. The bird will swallow whole whatever you feed it, and if the insects have mouths, they can actually chew through your baby bird's crop.(The crop is located in the neck, and it's where the food is stored before being passed down to the stomach.)

My bird turned out to be a sparrow, but she has a twisted leg and cannot fly very well, so I still have her. She is full-grown, now and quite peppy--also a LOT easier to care for than when I found her.

Although I do think it is important to contact a veterinarian about finding any wild animal, do not be surprised if the most they can offer you is a humane euthanasia. I love my veterinarians, but that was all they told me, and basically gave me a "Good Luck." However, now that my bird is full grown, they have given her a health check-up and treated her for a muscle strain in her leg.

Basically it is a very difficult task, but just remember to keep the baby warm, hydrated, clean, and fed! The brand of Baby bird formula I found is "kaytee exact Hand Feeding Formula For All Baby Birds." Once your baby is old enough that you can figure out what kind of bird it is, you will want to learn what its natural diet consists of, and begin weaning it onto that food.

Good luck! I hope it isn't too late.

Answer 2

Well, if it is almost dead, it will probably die. Just put it back in its nest. Birds will attack and neglect defective offspring. Birds cannot smell well and can't possibly pick up on the human scent. The parents will either take care of the bird or reject it because of defects in which the bird will not survive under any circumstances. It is survival of the fittest. This life is in Nature's hands, not ours. Have a great day and know that death is not the worst fate of living things including us.

Answer 3

You will not be able to feed the birds on your own. It is extremely hard and illegal. Call around to vets in your area and ask if they have a number for a wildlife rehabilitator. Most big animals hospitals will, or can direct you to who does have the number.

This bird best chance is with a trained professional who is knowledgeable in the care of orphaned and abandoned birds. Also the mother not accepting it back is a myth, I remember hearing once it was made up to keep people from poking their noses where they did not belong(ie-bothering mother birds)

In the mean time put it in a box, heating pad underneath, towels and then call around.

Good luck

Answer 4

If at ALL possible, but the bird back in the nest for the parents to care for. This is it's best chance of survival. If you absolutely cannot find or reach the nest even with a ladder you should get his chick to a wildlife rehab in your area.

Answer 5

1. Put it in box with newspaper in it, in a warm place. Not a cage, but a box. he needs to feel safe, and seeing you around stresses him. Cover the box with a wired thing, like a shelf from your fridge.
2. To give him some water, take a wet cotton piece or an eyedropper and carefully drop a few drops on his nostrils. They lead to the inside of his beak, so you will probably see him swallow. Don't drop anything other than water through the nostrils though, you don't want to block them.
3. To feed him, take some kitten dry food and soak it in water. when it is soft, mash it and put it in a syringe, without a needle. Then try to open the bird's nose quite wide and put the food with the syringe deep into his mouth, not in the beek, but deep. Careful, don't choke him though.
4. ATTENTION: In order to do all that feeding etc, the bird must be quite lively. You can't feed a bird that is almost passed out, you'll choke him. he needs to be a bit revived first, with some water and a nice sleep. It is hard to care for a baby bird, it needs special care. If you have a wildlife rescue centre in your area call them. Good luck.

Answer 6

most birds can not be feed by humans it just really isnt a good idea, Take the baby and put it back in the nest, it is an old woves tale that the mother wont care for it if you touch it.

Answer 7

Hello..sorry there is nothing you can do to feed & save this bird... bout all you can do is put the chick back in the nest when you can & it's safe to do ( like not too high up in a tree or bush ) & see what happens, as it often is in Nature, things can be cruel, parents push out bad or weaker chicks, as do the siblings @ times..Take Care :)

Answer 8

I'm not an expert but it sounds like this bird might have broken some bones.Carefully wrap him up in a blanket,make sure to always keep him warm,and get a little medicine dropper and a bottle of water.Don't give him water or food yet as he might have a broken neck and can't swallow.Bring him to the closest vet or doctor.This is the best advice I can give.Good Luck,and remember keep him warm, at all times.Also you will probably have to keep him since the mother will not accept him back.

Answer 9

You should never attempt to feed or give water to a baby. They breath through a hole on their tongue and by dropping things in there you are aspirating them. Which means you are putting food and water into their lungs. Its only a matter of time before you kill him. Please find a licensed rehabilitator and give him a real chance to live. If you are interested in taking care of baby birds I suggest you ask them about volunteering so you can help and learn to do things properly.

www.wildliferehabber.org
or
www.wildliferehabber.com

Answer 10

aww, do u know where the nest is? most little birdies die after such a thing as getting pushed from a nest, i found one last year and sat him in a box on my porch and he eventually took off. but you need to find this bird somethig to eat, worms.. a little bread water.. he will most likely pass, but that is nature. its a creul creul world..