Found a baby bird, help!!!!

[catchick247]

I just got home and went out to the run to check on the girls when I see a little baby bird chirping away at my chickens. She was running over there and opening her mouth when she was near a chicken. I almost have no doubt that her mother was killed. She is not weak, and she flutters around a little bit. She even strayed over to me and opened her mouth. I want to feed her, she's a little cutie. By no means am I planning on raising her, but I don't think dinner would hurt. Can I feed her chicken feed mash?

 

[LordUria]

What breed of bird is it. If it is a flying wild bird then you have only 2 options, take care of it till it cam fly on its own, or let her be and pass on. If you feed her once then you have to take care of the baby bird till she is strong enough to fly and leave the nest. Its cruel but there really is no other choices unless you know a person who can raise it.

 

[catchick247]

I agree. She can fly a little bit, but she is really struggling for a meal. She's not wounded from what I can see. Any suggestions as to what I could feed her?

 

[LordUria]

Wild bird seed, insects, anything small and most that can fit in the birds beak will do. Mix the chicken mash in some water and feed it through a dropper.

 

[casportpony]

You could maybe soak dry cat food in water and give her small pieces of that. Or make a paste out of chick crumbles.

-Kathy

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I just got home and went out to the run to check on the girls when I see a little baby bird chirping away at my chickens. She was running over there and opening her mouth when she was near a chicken..... I want to feed her, she's a little cutie. By no means am I planning on raising her....

Are you sure this bird is not a recent fledging or a bird that has just left the nest? Baby birds often appear helpless and alone to us but in fact the parent birds know where each of their fledglings are and feed each in its own turn. Baby birds' begging responses are intended to get a parent bird's attention so the mommy or daddy will stuff a juicy grasshopper, or squirt a crop full of pigeon milk into its mouth. It doesn't matter how long it was since the last feeding, the begging behavior seems unchanged.

 

[cafarmgirl]

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Are you sure this bird is not a recent fledging or a bird that has just left the nest? Baby birds often appear helpless and alone to us but in fact the parent birds know where each of their fledglings are and feed each in its own turn. Baby birds' begging responses are intended to get a parent bird's attention so the mommy or daddy will stuff a juicy grasshopper, or squirt a crop full of pigeon milk into its mouth. It doesn't matter how long it was since the last feeding, the begging behavior seems unchanged.

X2. When I find babies that are able to fly a bit and seem strong I just leave them be, the parents know where they are. Or if they are near or in my chicken pen I put them in the nearest tree or bush, closest to where there were and let the parents do their job.