Help! Found 5 birds laying on the ground

[Birdydeb]

Would add....I did nearly everything wrong with a nest of kestrels one time but even at that managed to keep them alive and to a rehabber. 3 months later I got the opportunity to release them back to the wild. Absolutely amazing. You just never know....

 

[MetalFarm]

I left a voicemail with the local rehabber. They seemed to be drinking the water to me and I've raised a ton of baby chickens. They even seemed to be eating the chick starter but I was breaking it up very small. Their eyes seem to be just barely open.

I can try putting them in a tree tomorrow but the nearest tree has no leaves. There is a short skinny evergreen type tree near where I found them. I can try putting them in that but seems like mom wouldn't be able to tell if I did.
I have 3 dogs 1 of which was outside all day they're lucky they've made it this far

 

[Birdydeb]

If there isn't a safe place to put them in a tree, then a rehabber hopefully. It is spring and rehabbers are super busy right now. You're doing all you can. IF they are starlings do you realize some people raise them as pets. They can talk. They are related to mynahs. I knew a lady who raised a starling, he was a character.

 

[MetalFarm]

With 30+ chickens and 3 dogs I don't need any more pets lol. They looks pretty stressed out in the garage. If they can make it till they start to fly I'll be very happy. Can I feed them sugar water?

 

[MetalFarm]

I just checked on them and as soon as I walked in they started begging. I gave them water droplets off my finger they drank a ton. There was a big peice of evergreen in the nest so I guess they did fall out of that small tree.
Can I try putting them back in the tree tomorrow??

 

[Birdydeb]

You could give it a try. Can you stay around and watch to see if mom appears? They will need some protection until she shows up. She may just be somewhere close by since you had a storm. I have heard of people who had luck returning the nest to a tree. It is an old myth that mom will abandon them if they smell like humans.

 

[MetalFarm]

How long will it take her? I can probably hang around and give them an hour before work. It's still raining right now but no more wind.

 

[MetalFarm]

It wasn't raining when I found them but very windy. Obviously.

 

[Birdydeb]

If it were me, I'd give her the hour that I could and if she didn't appear in that time frame put them back safely inside and renew my efforts to find a rehabber.

 

[MetalFarm]

I gave her 40 minutes. I had them in a Tupperware with hay. I just put them back in the real nest (which they barely fit in and there is one less of them) and put them back in the tree. I figure maybe if I'm inside out of sight for an hour she'll come back? I guess if I just walk up to the tree and see if a bird flies away?
They're low to the ground below eye level. That's probably why they survived the fall.