LOL, baby bird...UPDATE - Run of the House

Post by **Bev** » Tue May 23, 2006 4:46 pm

This is off-topic... big time, unless you consider one of my beagles brought it to me. Dolly, the bitch that helped me raise the orphaned litter about 5 years ago, brought me this baby sparrow. The bitch thinks all babies can be raised.... I should have given it back to her and said "go for it". It had fallen out of a nest built up in the eave of my garage. I tried to put it back, but couldn't get my fingers through to the nest.

Like Sally (Oakhill) said, I need another project...

It will more than likely die, but if it doesn't, I guess Black Gold has another feather in it's cap. (no pun intended)

Here's the video of this little hog.
http://www.espomagazine.com/bev/babysparrow5-23.wmv

wright boy · Post by **wright boy** » Tue May 23, 2006 5:25 pm

Hi Bev

Keep us posted of it`s progress. It would be great if it makes it!!!

SouthernBeagles · Post by **SouthernBeagles** » Tue May 23, 2006 6:20 pm

ROFL are you stuffing that bird for thanksgiving??????

Post by **Bev** » Tue May 23, 2006 6:25 pm

I dunno why I'm even foolin' with this bird, lol. I did hear him cheep just a few minutes ago. Now the stupid thing has a voice. If it makes it through till tomorrow, I'll be giving it a name. By the end of the week I'll be giving it a soul...

I read where it's 18 days from hatch to first flight on sparrows, and I can't tell how long he's been hatched.

(BTW, the nesting material I just added is a big clump of winter hair that I brushed out of the dog who saved it. I hope it appreciates that. lol)

Bunny Runner · Post by **Bunny Runner** » Tue May 23, 2006 8:04 pm

Bev,

I am a wildlife rehabber and your little fellow appears (from the video) to be a couple of days old. The eyes should open at about 10 days and they will be covered with fuzzy "feathers" on the body and head by about a week old and pin feathers on the wings. They need to eat about every twenty minutes at this stage and meal worms (with the head cut off) or a kittened chow soak in water and mushed up.
If you feel a bit overwhelmed, call a rehabber. I am raising a Mockingbird orhan now and he is VERY demanding! Good thing I have an understanding boss! He goes to work with me every day.

Good luck to you and the little feller!

BJK · Post by **BJK** » Tue May 23, 2006 8:39 pm

Only you Bev,

You go girl!

Windkist · Post by **Windkist** » Tue May 23, 2006 9:33 pm

Bunny Runner wrote:Bev,

I am a wildlife rehabber and your little fellow appears (from the video) to be a couple of days old. The eyes should open at about 10 days and they will be covered with fuzzy "feathers" on the body and head by about a week old and pin feathers on the wings. They need to eat about every twenty minutes at this stage and meal worms (with the head cut off) or a kittened chow soak in water and mushed up.
If you feel a bit overwhelmed, call a rehabber. I am raising a Mockingbird orhan now and he is VERY demanding! Good thing I have an understanding boss! He goes to work with me every day.

Good luck to you and the little feller!

Also, I believe that birds store food in their crop and the food needs to be a certain temperature for them to be able to digest it? I have done some reading on raising birds but, am by NO means even remotely knowledgable about them. I know you can buy commercial baby bird mush you can mix up and feed with a syringe. Bird hand feeders get NO sleep!!

best of luck with it.

Leah

Post by **Bev** » Tue May 23, 2006 9:45 pm

His(her?) belly's is popped out fat, lol.... and he pooped twice - a good amount, in my hand. I can suffer thru this just for the experience. He peeps a lot since I got him warmed up a bit. Can't decide whether or not to call him Mr. Peeps, or Mr. Poops. Let's see if he makes it to morning. Oh yeah, he has a good-sized lump on his neck - looks pus-filled, but doesn't seem to bother him. He's plenty energetic... and noisy. Can't tell if it came from his original fall, or if it's something mombird saw and pushed him out, or if Dolly inadvertantly bit too hard carrying him.

Thanks Bunny Runner and Leah! I'll keep y'all updated.
(I need a life)

Post by **Bev** » Tue May 23, 2006 10:05 pm

Here, while I'm at it. Here are some pics of the bird in my hand as a size reference. This is a sparrow chick. It seems awfully large to just be a day old, but I'm no judge. Maybe they don't grow a lot more, but just "hair out" at this point. If you look at the 3rd pic, you can see the big yellow lump on his neck.

Windkist · Post by **Windkist** » Tue May 23, 2006 11:17 pm

Bev wrote:His(her?) belly's is popped out fat, lol.... and he pooped twice - a good amount, in my hand. I can suffer thru this just for the experience. He peeps a lot since I got him warmed up a bit. Can't decide whether or not to call him Mr. Peeps, or Mr. Poops. Let's see if he makes it to morning. Oh yeah, he has a good-sized lump on his neck - looks pus-filled, but doesn't seem to bother him. He's plenty energetic... and noisy. Can't tell if it came from his original fall, or if it's something mombird saw and pushed him out, or if Dolly inadvertantly bit too hard carrying him.

Thanks Bunny Runner and Leah! I'll keep y'all updated.
(I need a life)

The yellow Lump on his neck is his "crop" This is a storage pouch in the birds throat.

Here is a good link that describes it and how to feed a baby bird.

http://www.quakerparrots.com/qtips/hand ... tips_1.htm

Leah

Post by **Bev** » Wed May 24, 2006 12:10 am

Good info, Leah. Thanks! I went to the site and read up. I'd never have known such a thing otherwise. From the looks of his crop, I'd best back off a bit.

Awww. He looks so comfortable in there.

I switched from the dog hair to a soft kleenex on top of the dog hair, then a kleenex loosely covering him. Seems to retain the heat from the lamp better (his skin is same temp as my hand now instead of clammy), and the kleenex acts like a pee pad - I can better tell how his elimination process is functioning, it's got to feel softer on his little bottom, and it makes cleanup easier.

Did I ever tell anyone that back in the day (1976 - 1980) they had pampers, but I used cloth diapers on my boys anyway bc I KNEW soft, clean cotton had to feel better next to their little bottoms than paper?

I wonder if anyone has ever diapered a bird. I don't think I could find pins small enough...

(LOL, Nate. what can I say?)

Bunny Runner · Post by **Bunny Runner** » Wed May 24, 2006 4:52 am

Not discounting the info that Leah provided, there is quite a difference between "domesticated" birds and wildlife. Not all birds are created equal when it comes to diet, rearing, growth, etc.
The crop is actually on the front of the throat, just above the breast bone. The "lump" does appear to be from injury, infection, etc.

Post by **Bev** » Wed May 24, 2006 6:36 am

The lump went down,and when I fed him this morning I watched what I gave him go into that "pocket" then it disappeared (I'm assuming into his belly) so it sure enough must be his crop, even though it's more on the side of his neck. He seems a bit reluctant to eat today compared to last night. He's eating - just not at the rate he was. Still has plenty of strength to flop around, tho'.

I figured out the age-old question, "What is the white stuff in chicken poop?"
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>>>>>It's chicken poop, too.

Windkist · Post by **Windkist** » Wed May 24, 2006 10:17 am

Bunny Runner wrote:Not discounting the info that Leah provided, there is quite a difference between "domesticated" birds and wildlife. Not all birds are created equal when it comes to diet, rearing, growth, etc.
The crop is actually on the front of the throat, just above the breast bone. The "lump" does appear to be from injury, infection, etc.

I agree there is a difference but, if that was a pus filled sore he'd be 70% infection by the size of him and he'd be dead ;-) I have been watching the eagles on infotec (not sure if anyone here has been watching them) The eaglets usually always have big full crops.

If your interested here is a link to them. http://www.infotecbusinesssystems.com/w ... efault.asp

When I got my parrots we visited them when they were just brand new babies. The hand feeder woman kept them in dixie cups in an incubator. Not sure what she used for bedding.. I think it might have been soft tissue like Bev is using though.

Leah

Post by **Bev** » Thu May 25, 2006 6:51 pm

LOL, this little guy refuses to die. I've named him Scrapper, but call him Crapper most of the time. He's still hanging in there, and is growing some nubbins of pin feathers on his back and wings, and some fuzz on his butt. Eyes look like they're about to open completely soon. I see little black pin-dot shininess there.