Expert: Roger Lederer - 6/10/2007

Question
I had a nest of 4 baby robins and watched the mother get killed by another bird.  I estimated the babies were 4 or 5 days old.  Have been feeding them since 5/24 (about 2 weeks).  They are all perched in a tree and I feed them 3 or 4 times a day, puppy chow with a plastic plunger and water.  They need to start looking for food on their own, but not sure what I should do next.  Can you help?

Answer
A complicated question. If you have a bird or wildlife rehabilitation center in the area, contact them. If not and you want to continue feeding them, feed them crickets, mealworms, earthworms, etc. Especially insects. Puppy chow does not have enough protein for them, although it is ok to supplement their diet. Add a drop of Vitamin D. Try to get them to feed on their own - feeding by hand will only make them tame and unable to go into the wild.For more information go to www.ornithology.com/rehab.html. Thanks for your consern. Roger Lederer