Baby robin

[thndrdancr]

Hi all,

I rescued a baby robin that fell out of a tree late this evenin, during high wind gusts. The mom stayed with it for about an hour, til it hopped around back of the house, and then she gave up, as she has another in the nest.
It was for sure cat food tonite, so I figure nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I was hoping to have dh put it back in the nest tonite. Can anyone tell me, do momma robins sleep in their nest with the babies and how do I go about this?
The nest is a lil higher than I can reach, so I am hoping dh wants to climb a tree tonite after work after dark with one hand. Yes, babe, sure I will do that.....this from the man from South America who wanted to EAT everything that moved when he first came.
Well, at least he has experience climbing trees!

So...will there be any chance momma will take the baby back, since its only late tonite it fell out? And will we "disturb" momma? I dont have a clue, except that they eat a LOT of worms...
Help....

 

[barg]

Yes, the mother will never know the difference, although I belive there is a chance it could get scared and abandon the nest altogether if disturbed at the wrong time.
Most birds cant smell or count so as long as its put in while the mother is away, no problem.

 

[thndrdancr]

So would tonite be a good time to put her in, or will momma be "sitting' on the nest? Thanks for your help

 

[barg]

The chick will die of not fed frequently and kept warm, its a hard call really but I dont think you have alot of time to decide what to do... i'm pictureing a mostly bald , eyes closed baby bird... is it older then that?

 

[barg]

just reread your post and you said it hopped, so it must be older... ide wait then till mama leaves

 

[MTchick]

Momma Robin will be on the nest all night, and not feeding her babies at night. A good strategy might be to wait until very very early in the morning (I'm talking 4:30am or so) and place the baby back in there while mom is out to hunt for her first worms.

The quicker and sooner the baby relocating is done, the better. If the baby robin was that mobile, it should be old enough to survive the night with just a dark place and a heat lamp. Good luck with that.

-MTchick

 

[thndrdancr]

Sorry, I was out picking up hubby. Ok, yes, the "baby" is probably only about 4 days away from "flying" on her own....she actually flew about 20 feet(right into a busy traffic street), but cant fly UP to get back in the nest. Momma is sitting on the nest right now, but the wind is still gusting up to 50 mph and hubby says he is not climbing a tree in THIS wind to get his eyes pecked out. lol

I agree with the wind part. So another problem is...if I put her in the nest whilst its daylight, she will probably be panicked enuff that she flies right on out, unless I have her perhaps "wrapped loosely in a paper towel"???? or something that would come undone once she realizes she is safe again? I just dont know. Its a really hot night, 90 degrees, so I dont have a heat lamp on her, cuz she panicks in the lights and I thot she might beat herself to death, so I have her in a darkened box with a t shirt she can cuddle up to. She is darling lil thing, she tried to bite me when I got her, and her lil beak just wasnt big enuff. I do hope I can get her back "home" safe tomorrow early.

Or...do you think it would be better if I could just give her worms until she is able to fly on her own, she is eating them whole, I saw momma give her whole worms while she was out there, so she is probably only a week or so away from being out of the nest...?

 

[barg]

Ive never raised a baby robin(just parrots), but if it will eat a whole worm and is willing to, i'm not sure I can see any harm in it.
And yeah, with your weather I dont think additional heating is nessisary for such an old chick.
best thing to do is, keep its stress level down as much as poissible.

GL

 

[thndrdancr]

yea, but how do I teach her how to find worms? I can see me out there pecking in the grass.....

 

[barg]

I'm thinking your chick is way beyond the point of useing you as a role model

But id'e love to see the pics of that