Expert: Roger Lederer - 3/24/2010

Question
urjent please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i found  baby robins and the parents are dead one got hit by a car and one got killed by a crow the babys is a hatchling that just hatched. I'm feeding them wet dog food and I'm wondering if i can ever feed them earthworms when he gets feathers. if you have any other info please tell me we do not have reliable vets anywhere so please help me because i understand you have good knowledge. thanks ,

            benji

Answer
The best thing to do is call your local wildlife rehab center or wildlife official for advice and help.

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.

If you decide to try raising a baby bird yourself, and it is VERY HARD to do so successfully, here's what you're in for:

The nestling must be fed every 14 - 20 minutes from sunrise to sunset
an adult robin makes about 400 trips every day to feed its young
if the nestling is a few days old, it will take several weeks before it can be released
adult birds teach their young where to look for food and how to
avoid predators - things impossible for humans to do.
You will need to provide a proper diet, clean suitable living quarters, and fresh water
every day. Still, despite your best efforts, most hand-raised birds will die. This is the
fate of most young birds in the natural world, where 90-95% perish before they're old enough to breed themselves. Call your local vet with bird experience for advice.

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 teaspoon cottage cheese 1/4 cup canned dog food 1/4 hard-boiled egg yolk 1 teaspoon sand or fine dirt 1 teaspoon 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.

Good luck and thanks for your concern, but a vet or a wildlife rehab center is the bird's best chance.