Do baby barn swallows count as menagerie when you try to save them?

[starhorse]

We have many swallow nests in our barn, but two days in a row, I found a baby on the ground. I put him up again and it lasted the night and morning chores but he was back on the ground at noon today. He is way too small to be out of the nest but seems to be getting the boot, presumably because mom bird knows better than I do.

I can’t leave him on the concrete floor and can’t bring myself to just leave him to die, so now he’s in my kitchen. It will eat crushed bugs off a dropper when prompted but really just seems to want to rest on a warm towel. Not a lot of neck coordination yet. Feathers but pink skin is visible.

I’ve done some reading but curious if anyone has a system/regimen that they’ve found that works well. Help us!

[rubygirl1968]

I have no tips but I hope he makes it!! Cute little thing.

[Fiesta01]

I know nothing about hand-raising them, just wanted to thank you for trying to help him. Jingles to you both.

[starhorse]

Thanks so far, we have tried crushed up cricket and mealworms and the baby seems to be open to those. It just seems so pathetic and small and weak, but maybe that’s just baby birds. If he doesn’t make it, I will feel better knowing he had a meal and a warm “bed”.

[rubygirl1968]

Are there any wildlife rehabilitation places near you? Even if they couldn’t take him they should have lots of information.

Jingles for him!!!

[OzarksRider]

Are you sure that he’s a baby barn swallow? Cowbirds will lay an egg in another bird’s nest. The cowbird baby is bigger than the other nestlings and will hog all the food. Could be that the mama bird noticed something not right about your baby bird.

[2DogsFarm]

2nd contacting local Wildlife Rehab.
Maybe PM @wildlifer ?
I read if you can put fledglings somewhere (relatively) safe in your barn, parents will feed it.
I’ve done this with the Eternally Stoopid Starling babies. Put them on the top layer of stacked hay & after a day or two they’re gone.
These were mostly fledged, so either they were able to fly or passerby vermin got them (I don’t have a barncat, but have seen passersby)

[wildlifer]

Yes, Google will direct you to your local wildlife rehabilitator. Also, the poster that mentioned nest parasites is correct, cowbirds (exotic) and cuckoos lay their eggs in other birds nests. Then those young will push the other chicks out of the nest to hog all the resources. Brilliant survival strategy but sucks for the original kids.

[Minxitbabe]

Alternatively is a cowbird chick pushing the swallow chick out of the nest?

[starhorse]

I am pretty sure it’s a barn swallow in a barn swallow nest. No luck on getting in touch with a rehabber unfortunately. I’ll keep trying. Maybe they’ll get back in touch after the weekend?

[rubygirl1968]

Is he still eating good? I’m so glad he made it through the night.

[starhorse]

I think so? I am not sure how much I should be feeding but today it chirps every 2 hours or so, and I just feed tiny amounts (like less than a pea) servings on a syringe tip repeatedly until it stops opening its mouth like that. So, hopefully that’s enough! Last night it had its last feeding around 930 and first one today around 530.

If it makes it til Monday, I think I have to bring it to work

[Djones]

Well duh. Of course you do. In a little basket

[starhorse]

I’m leading staff PD for our newly hired staff. A bird in a basket would really set the tone

[starhorse]

Just an update - the little thing came to work with me for half the day before getting dropped off at a vet’s office (who also does wildlife rehab). She said he didn’t seem well but they’d evaluate and humanely euthanize if they couldn’t help. The vet also got a hummingbird and baby racoon today, so… busy place!

Feeling a little sad but I am sure they’ll do what they have to do to help it, regardless.

[rubygirl1968]

Thank you for helping him.

[Alpha_Mare]

my trainer does her best with the not-flying baby birds out of the nest. We put them in a feed bucket on a handful of straw, clip high up on a stall door so the cats can’t reach. Mama bird will typically feed in there if it is quiet enough.

I had read that sometimes the fledglings will leave the nest if it is too foul (could be poop or parasites). ???

[chestnutmarebeware]

I raise Lady Gouldian finches and they only ever toss a chick out if they sense that there’s something wrong with it,

I used to warm the baby up and then put it back in the nest, but the parents would immediately pitch it out again. All my pairs have raised plenty of chicks, so they’re not just tossing babies for the hell of it. And I pick up all the chicks at least once to make sure their cops are full, so smelling human scent on the babies isn’t the cause.

This could be the reason your chick was out of the nest.

I hope it survives under yours vet’s care!

[starhorse]

I read this somewhere too. I do think something was off about it. I figure the vet will know best.

As an aside, they did say that wildlife rehabbers (like those certified through the state) get no reimbursement for their work. It’s totally volunteer, which to me is crazy. It must be financially difficult to help all the animals that must come to them.

[rubygirl1968]

Wow, I don’t know how they do it. I would love to but I don’t think I could afford to all the time.