❗ Care Routine for Baby Barn Swallow?

[MGG]

Baby barn swallows or swallows in general are nearly impossible to raise, rehabber or not. They can't have oats, or dog food, or cat food, or even baby bird food like other birds. Their parents feed them bugs, non-stop. Constant live bugs. And hundreds of different kinds of bugs. It's just almost impossible to replicate that. I tried with two babies once that nested in a livestock trailer that was being relocated. Even setting up a black light in the yard and catching loads of bugs, supplementing with a soaked insectivore diet, they still didn't make it. Many rescues won't even take swallows. I'm in the "do what you feel is right" corner, and have also raised countless baby birds and animals that needed help. I'm not saying it's right legally, but at least try to educate yourself first. Most rescues are overflowing this time of year and euthanize any animals that don't have a great chance or they don't have time for. If you can find a rescue that will take them, by all means that would likely be their best shot. But it's difficult to do.

Just prepare yourself that this swallow most likely won't make it. But all you can do is try. Can you post a picture of it? Can you find anyone at all to climb up there and put it back? And cover the chimney while they're at it? Prevention is the best cure.