I found a baby robin

[bndranch]

Okay I need anyone and EVERYONE's help LOL.....
Today I found a baby robin under our van body. She fell out of the nest which is in the rafters of my barn. Our tractor is not here and we have NO way at all to get her back into the nest. We tried placing the baby bird higher up to encourage the mother or father bird to feed it but they ignored it and went to the other three in the nest.
I found this baby because it was being INCREDIBLY vocal. It saw me and went bonkers with its mouth wide open, obviously very hungry. So Dan went down and bought some earth worms and I have fed it some watermelon (what I read is to feed it some fruit).
I have read some different things but was hopeing someone here has had luck raising wild birds. The article said to let it out during the day and call to it and feed it while its outside but I am terrified that my cat will find it. Right now he is in the house in a makeshift nest. He seems content.
He is still pretty young. Eyes are open but he is not fully feathered. He still has alot of downy feathers on him. The feathers he does have are very tiny. I will take some pictures tomorrow of him.
Please if anyone knows anything please let me know!
Thanks,
Brittany

[lilpondarosamini]

Dont have any advice but want to wish you luck. My the feathers be with you. God bless you in you adventure with the baby bird.

[patty dukes]

I don't have any advise about the care of the bird but I was told and have read that wild birds carry scabies something that you might want to google. My family hasn't had scabies but my sister-in-laws kids had it and it was very expensive to treat and painfully itching oh yea it was very contagious also.
There was also someone that said her brother raised wild birds and couldn't figure out why he was ate up and itching all the time..............he had scabies.
I just wanted to tell you so you will be careful because I would hate to hear your good deed in saving this little feller turned into pain and itching for you........

[bndranch]

Thank you Patty for that little bit of information. I just looked it up as I had no idea. But according to the CDC animals become infested with a different kind of scabies mite. If your animal is infested with scabies, (also called mange) and they have close contact with you, the mite can get under your skin and cause itching and skin irritation. However, the mite dies in a couple of days and does not reproduce.
Also according to the CDC the only way you can get scabies is by direct, prolonged, skin-to-skin contact with a person already infested with scabies. It goes onto say that contact must be prolonged as in a quick handshake or hug will not spread the investation.
I tried to type in Robins and scabies but had no such luck.
Again thank you for the warning. I do know that birds get nasty mites and we are able to treat the chickens but I have no idea how you would treat a wild bird. This little guy doesn't appear to have any mites on him, and I can plainly see them on the chickens.
Thanks
Brittany

[akalinda]

This site has a lot of info Brittany.
www.ornithology.com/rehab.html

Despite the fact that different birds eat different foods, the diet of the young is remarkably standard. Like human babies, birds need protein and lots of it to help them grow at such an incredibly fast rate. For most land birds (robins, cardinals, bluejays, swallows, and woodpeckers) the basic food is meat. Raw kidney, liver, or canned dog food have been used with good results.

Preparation of the meat depends somewhat upon the size of the bird - if it is very small, then the pieces of the meat must also be small. As the bird grows the size of the pieces can be increased. You may cut the meat into strips when fresh and place it in small packages in the freezer to be thawed and used as needed.

Vary this diet with the white of hard-boiled egg cut into strips; and mash the yolk with milk to a thin paste. Raisins soaked in water and drained when plump or dog biscuits soaked in milk may be given to young birds.

Another excellent diet can be provided by mixing the following formula:

1/4 cup lean ground beef 1 teashoohoo cottage cheese 1/4 cup canned dog food 1/4 hard-boiled egg yolk 1 teashoohoo sand or fine dirt 1 teashoohoo dried turtle food

Keep out enough of the mixture at room temperature for a couple of feedings, refrigerate enough for the day. The remainder can be frozen for later use. As the bird grows, gradually add finely cut worms, grasshoppers, crickets, and other insects. A good source of insect can be obtained by collecting the insects beneath an electronic "bug zapper." Fruit-eating birds can be fed grapes and berries.

Feeding Baby Birds

The food should be at room temperature and fed to the bird by hand or with dull tweezers or forceps. Place one hand over the bird's back and wings, raise the head into an erect position, and tap the base of the bill lightly to signal that it's time for feeding. Drop a small amount of food into the gaping mouth. If the bird will not open its mouth, gently force it open. Drop the food well into the throat, being careful not to puncture skin in the throat. Do not force feed liquids. Feed the bird until it's full and no longer gapes. Keep handling to a minimum.

Housing Your Charge

Nestling should be kept in a warm shoe box. Line the box with paper towels that can be changed frequently, and place in a warm place. Keep the bird out of drafts to avoid respiratory infections. Sick or injured birds should be taken to a veterinarian. As the bird grows, a larger cage will be needed. Old window screens can be fashioned into an aviary.

Releasing the Baby Bird

Test fly your bird indoors; a screened-in porch is ideal. As soon as the bird can fly and gain altitude it can be released back to the wild. The shorter the bird is in captivity, the better. Release your bird in an area with abundant natural food where you've seen other birds of the same species.

A Warning

It is against the law to keep wild birds in captivity without proper state and federal permits. Call your nearest game warden or conservation officer for advice before caring for wildlife. Licensed wildlife rehabilitators have been trained to care for injured, sick, or abandoned birds. For information on becoming a licensed wildlife rehabilitator contact your state fish and game agency or write the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council, 4437 Central Place, Suite D-4, Suisun, CA 94585.

[birds75]

First of all, the best thing is to try and keep baby around the mother. I have used a plastic butter tub, put several holes in the bottom of the tub (for drainage) and then put tissue, or paper towels inside it to line it. Nail the tub as high as you can near the original nest. The mother bird will feed the baby if she can hear him. If after 24 hours momma is not feeding the baby, which is doubtful, I would call your local vets office and find out the number of your local wildlife rehabiliator. Momma bird should feed the baby if the dish is near the other nest, it is like a baby on a different branch than the rest of the brood. She should take care of him.

[darbyponygirl]

I know this off topic and i am sorry Bnd but i need to ask you about the mites on chickens how do i treat them and what age should i start?

Good luck with the bird

[bndranch]

Its not a problem Darby! I look for mites on mine. If I see mites on them I dust them, just lightly. You can go to the feed store and buy mite dust but make sure it is approved for chickens as there is some that is for horses and cows.

[darbyponygirl]

ok so how would i tell would there be little bugs on them

[bndranch]

look on their heads around their eyes or on their legs. You will see little greyish little bug they are tiny. Those are the mites. Another way to get rid of mites on their legs is slather them in vasaline but that gets really messy. When you sprinkle the chicks you also sprinkle some of the mite dust on their bedding and this will prevent the mites from returning! We generally have to do it in the spring on our chickens.

[darbyponygirl]

ok when i am feeling better and aloud out of the house i will check them out

[bndranch]

So the little robin is doing really well!! It eats well and is doing his buisness like he should! He (keep calling it a he but I think it might be a female) had an eye that was kinda sealed shut so I got a warm Q-Tip and rubbed it on his eye lid and now he can open it just like the other one! YEAH!! He is eating his worms, watermelon, and cooked egg whites like a champ. Right now we are playing it day by day and hopefully he will come through it! I don't handle him at all unless its to change his makeshift nest. I just go in and feed him and leave him be.
Birds75 we tried to put him as close to the nest as possible but the two adult birds just ignored him and went to the other three babies. Not only that I have a cat that LOVES to hunt and I am terrified he would eat him. I have not called any vets about rehabilitaion, guess I am at the point if he survives great and if he doesn't I did all I could and didn't leave him out for my cat to eat. Probably sounds like a horrible person for that but that is just how it is. But again I thank all of you for the information!!! I took pictures and I will get them posted of him!

[wisteriafarms]

aw, I hope the little guy makes it
we found a baby robin once that had also fallen out of the nest...luckily we did have a wildlife rehabilitator nearby that specialized in birds so we took the baby to her. So I've never had the experience of saving one, all I know is don't give them raw hamburger, it is bad for them.
So good luck to you and the little robin

[bndranch]

Well we made it through another night and this morning he is perching on the side of his "nest" which he hasn't done before. I have him in the window sill of my bathroom so I can open the window during the day and he can hear all the other birds and make him feel he is more outside. He was in the eaves of my barn so the window is almost like that as far as the sounds and sun and such. So far he is doing well.

[kitcat0601]

Im a little curious about something Akalinda.. What is a teashooooo?