EMERGENCY! Orphaned hatchling!

[chippy99th]

My brother found a baby bird in the lawn this morning and thought it was dead. About an hour and a half ago, he realized it was alive and informed me of it just as the family was leaving. There is no way to get it back up into the nest, my pine tree is too tall. With its age, the weather and my neighbors' cat, there's also no way I could leave it there. So I brought it inside.

It was very cold. I put it under my chicks' heating lamp, not knowing what else to do, and adjusted until it seemed comfortable. Since it's warmed up, it has been moving around more and occasionally giving faint, barely audible peeps.

It cannot seem to get comfortable and prefers lying on its side. It has a small circular wound with no skin on its knee (not hock) where it landed. I attempted feeding it Kaytee Exact formula, as I read about online, and am not sure how much made it in as all I could find was a syringe to feed it with. Its crop does feel roundish, but very squishy.

I have emailed the local network of wildlife rehabbers and am waiting on a response to see if I can find someone more experienced to take it. I've got to get it placed soon as I have work early tomorrow.

Anyway, it is mobile (wiggly) and seems to be doing better under the heat lamp, which I check every 30 seconds to make sure it's not too hot. I just want to know what to do with it until I can get it to a rehabber, especially if I have to keep it overnight. (I don't know what I'll do then. I can't take it to work.)

Here's a picture:

 

[LittlePip21]

i dont know much about this kind of bird sorry, but maybe it would like something to nestle down in like straw?

 

[GoldenFlight]

It looks like a baby morning dove. What you are feeding it sounds good. You could maybe do this with the formula, I think it should drink some up then.

 

[Talithahorse]

with doves, they generally will stick their beaks into mothers mouth and mother will regurgitate. you can simulate this by putting its beak between your fingers. This may stimulate an opening of the mouth making it easier to feed. Once it is warmed up it should be fine without direct heat (assuming your house is within normal temperatures). When I rehabbed baby birds I fed them about every 2-3 hours during the day and fed them well just before bed. As a teacher, I just had a little basket that I used to carry them to school. They were quiet and unobtrusive (unless I told the kids about them). You are doing well. Once they get used to you, it is not that hard.

I hope this helps a little bit.

I just used a washcloth as bedding and changed it often.

 

[ChickNanny13]

with doves, they generally will stick their beaks into mothers mouth and mother will regurgitate. you can simulate this by putting its beak between your fingers. This may stimulate an opening of the mouth making it easier to feed. Once it is warmed up it should be fine without direct heat (assuming your house is within normal temperatures). When I rehabbed baby birds I fed them about every 2-3 hours during the day and fed them well just before bed. As a teacher, I just had a little basket that I used to carry them to school. They were quiet and unobtrusive (unless I told the kids about them). You are doing well. Once they get used to you, it is not that hard.

I hope this helps a little bit.

I just used a washcloth as bedding and changed it often.

Yes, use a wash cloth for traction & absorbtion or something that isn't smooth (splayed legs). You could also use a syringe with the formula, tape it's beak & it will open then insert the syringe but feed slowly so as not to "drown" it. You're on the right tract. Good luck, I've raised Mynah babies (found a nest in my attic), used baby cereal (high protein) with mixed baby fruits while I looked for someone to take them.

 

[chippy99th]

All the comments helped, thank you! I managed to get a little food in it and turned the light off once it didn't seem to need it anymore. And I managed to contact a local bird rescuer who said she could take him (her?). I would have kept him, but I really couldn't take him to work (I'm a nurse assistant). I'm just glad to have found him before it got dark, even with the mild weather I don't think he'd have made it overnight. For bedding I used an old soft rag from a towel (not with too many loopies so his feet didn't catch), I put him in a little ice cream dish as he seemed to prefer being cupped. The rescue woman had these ingenious little knitted nests for the babies to sit in.

Again, thank you. I don't know why, but I get nervous with baby doves. I've raised orphaned lovebirds with no problems at all. Too many memories of finding baby doves that passed away soon after, when I was a kid. Anyway, it's good to know there are people here who can give advice when needed.

 

[GoldenFlight]

All the comments helped, thank you! I managed to get a little food in it and turned the light off once it didn't seem to need it anymore. And I managed to contact a local bird rescuer who said she could take him (her?). I would have kept him, but I really couldn't take him to work (I'm a nurse assistant). I'm just glad to have found him before it got dark, even with the mild weather I don't think he'd have made it overnight. For bedding I used an old soft rag from a towel (not with too many loopies so his feet didn't catch), I put him in a little ice cream dish as he seemed to prefer being cupped. The rescue woman had these ingenious little knitted nests for the babies to sit in.

Again, thank you. I don't know why, but I get nervous with baby doves. I've raised orphaned lovebirds with no problems at all. Too many memories of finding baby doves that passed away soon after, when I was a kid. Anyway, it's good to know there are people here who can give advice when needed.

I'm very glad to hear that you found someone to take it in, I can see how hard it would be to bring that little baby to work with you when you're a nurse. You're very welcome, I was glad I could help a little bit. Yeah, it's very sad how many doves fall out of their nests before they can ever fly and most of them are never found by someone like you.

 

[laughingdog]

If syringe feeding, make sure your putting on right side, or it could go down windpipe (I'm assuming you know but just have to say a lot so no offense). If it's trying to feed between fingers make corner pocket from plastic bag cupped in hand warmed and dip it's beak in moist paste like loose runny cottage cheese curds (also substitution for those who cannot get baby dove food, matter exact, chicken layer soaked, soaked mushed dry dog food if nothing else around at time). Good job n good luck helping it. Morning doves can be tricky especially if get "sour crop" common called from feed getting cold in crop (sometimes needing to be helped regugitated), where doves themselves can get pretty cold and recover strong fast. Use NON plus pain medicine like triple antibiotic ointment (WITHOUT the "plus pain"/pain medicine) for injuries before or not requiring gluing shut.