Baby bird with deformed leg

[HippieG]

Hello I am a new member and I do have chickens and turkeys but I have an emergency question about a wild baby bird I came across in my yard. It is a fledgling as far as I can tell (i don’t know too much on wild birds) but it has a severe injury or a birth deformity and u was trying to see if anyone could help me with it. I have been feeding this poor guy however it’s apparent this baby would die in the wild and that is the only reason i intervened. I post all this pictures I can of this poor babies leg. I just want to see if there is anyone that may know what is wrong with it and what to do for it. Thanks soo much I want to do all I can for him or her! So one leg is perfectly normal
But the other leg is bending backwards but it can still move the feet(toes) so I know there is circulation and nerves that are firing. It don’t seem to be in pain but it looks horrible for the little thing.

 

[HippieG]

I am sorry for the bad grammar and spelling my phone changed it on me and I posted without realizing it

 

[DemeterAD9]

Nature can be cruel as it is survival of the fittest. This little guy cannot be fixed, a deformity like that could have possibly been fixed as a hatchling but it’s too late to correct it now.

Little guy is not going to make it in the wild. You can try finding a wildlife rehabilitation center but other than that there isn’t much to be done. Legally you probably can’t even have it in your possession but I’ve been in your shoes.

 

[LBL]

It would probably benefit from having a bird friend about the same size.

If you have the patience to feed it ... I would be offering rotten bananas, apple sauce etc. to the tip of its beak, careful not to cover the airholes.

I think the best working assumption is that, The Animal wants to Live. So, treat it accordingly, unless/until it dies.

I had a Silkie with a bum leg that learned to get around on one leg, a kind of hopping/ flying that she became quite proficient at.

I named her "Ralphie" after the Ralph Macchio character in Karate Kid. At the end of the movie, he is getting around on 1/2 a leg.

I had her for about 2 years and then re-homed her. She loved being with the other birds. She would hop to a roost 4 feet off the ground, to be near the birds 10 feet off the ground.

 

[HippieG]

Nature can be cruel as it is survival of the fittest. This little guy cannot be fixed, a deformity like that could have possibly been fixed as a hatchling but it’s too late to correct it now.

Little guy is not going to make it in the wild. You can try finding a wildlife rehabilitation center but other than that there isn’t much to be done. Legally you probably can’t even have it in your possession but I’ve been in your shoes.

Yes i finally got in contact with wildlife rehabilitation and they also said nothing could be done without surgery and being quite expensive and yes it’s a federal protected bird so we will have to put it down. Thanks for the fast reply. I wish things could have been different for it. But I did try my best to help the little one out. Thanks again

 

[DemeterAD9]

So u think i will be ok just continuing doing what I am currently and hope he or she will make it?

The choice is ultimately yours to make. I think wild animals should be given every chance to remain wild, and if they can't due to physical ailments then letting nature do the selecting is never a wrong decision. Some things to think about, how do you intend to continue the care of this bird? How will it be housed and fed as an adult? What will you do if you get caught keeping a protected species? It is good to consider all possible outcomes.

Lending a helping hand is fine and well but if there is clearly no hope of rehabilitation then yes I feel euthanizing is best. This coming from a lover of the outdoors and avid hunter, I am all for helping wildlife when human activity (or often their pets) leads to them being in trouble. But when nature is just doing what nature does sometimes a hands-off approach is better. This little one was never meant to pass on its genes, but a meal for a hawk and/or its own brood of chicks? Such is the way of life.

As a side note. I'm not sure what species of bird that is but to me I'd say it is a robin. If that is the case I do not suggest a fruit-only diet. Most baby birds are fed protein packed food (bugs) which is how they grow so fast. I know for a fact that many a baby wild bird has been raised on dog food soaked in water.

 

[Altairsky]

You should have left the bird where it was. If it made that far, it means the parents were feeding it. I also had one legged canaries that did perfectly fine with just one leg. If it died, then let it be. Predators and scavengers need to eat too. Sometimes for a wild animal it's better to die free than live alone in a cage.
Anyway now you have it, so you need to keep it. It looks an insectivore species. If you don't have access to specific baby bird food, high protein kitten food is your second best option. Make it wet and give it little bits. Remember that some insectivore species don't have a crop.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Migratory Bird Treaty Act

A reminder...

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act prohibits the taking, killing, capturing, transporting, harboring of the birds or hatching eggs, that which are Native to the United States of America. All are protected by state and federal agencies.

https://www.fws.gov/law/migratory-bird-treaty-act-1918

Any threads started on this subject will be closed and/or posts deleted.

Thank you for your understanding.

-BYC Staff