Emergency - How to rescue an baby bird

[MariusStegmann]

This morning, I saw that my baby starfinch was on the ground and in a bad way. When I checked, he was very cold and weak. I think that he might be too weak for the parents to feed him. How do I do an emergency feed? I am scared to use a syringe to feed it. The last time I have tried that the bird died immediately, I think the food went into the lungs.

[lovezebs]

MariusStegmann

Marius
Mix a batch of hand feeding formula.
Pick up baby and take him indoors
Keep him warm
Pry open his beak gently, and place tiny amounts of warm formula into his mouth with the flat end of a tooth pick
It will take forever, but it won't asphyxiate him this way.

[lovezebs]

The important thing is to keep him warm.
Small cage under a warm light bulb.
Small feedings, as often as you can.

[Sally]

I don't know if they use the same type banding tool in South Africa as we have in the U.S., but that is what I often use, after the baby is about one week old. It also makes it harder to aspirate. I really dislike using syringes, I don't have enough control over my hands to supply the food properly. I often push too hard, too much formula comes out, and the baby gets food in its longs and aspirates.

This link about bird bands shows the type banding tool I use:

http://www.efinch.com/banding2.htm

[MariusStegmann]

Thx Sally and Elana. I managed to a bit of food into him, and left him in the sun. It was 30 celsius today. When I looked a bit later, he was a lot stronger. Tonight, I remembered to put him back into his nest before dark. Last night I forgot and it seems to be too cold on the ground. He just left the nest way too early. He can't fly yet, but jumps out of the nest every day.

[lovezebs]

MariusStegmann

I'm very happy and relieved to hear that your baby survived .

I know what it's like when you suddenly have an emergency. With these little guys, time is of the essence.
Warmth and frequent small amounts of food, seem to work wonders.

I hope he pulls through .
Are the parents still feeding him?

[Sally]

I really think those early jumpers are a pain! They usually will go back in the nest, or at least stay in the nest when I put them back in. I will put an early jumper back in two times. The third time it comes out, then I assume that it won't stay in, so I will start hand feeding.

[MariusStegmann]

The little bugger is still very much alive, every afternoon Iput him back into his nest. Sometimes I have to do it twice. Parents still feed him. Part of the problem is that the hen has started to lay eggs in the same nest again. Last time I checked there were 4 eggs inside the nest. I wonder if the pair will start to sit tight, while they are still feeding little sh#*

[Babs _Owner]

MariusStegmann

Thats great news they are still feeding him. Hopefully they should still feed him until the eggs hatch. That buys you some time for him to get weaned.