Baby Baby Barn Swallow

[spideysmom]

Well, it happens every year. We have a flock of barn swallows that come to the barn every year to have their babies. Their nests are in the rafters about 20 ft up, and when the babies fall out onto the concrete floor, they don't make it. Found one yesterday that survived the fall. Cannot get up that high to get her back into her nest, no parents anywhere in sight, and we have a few feral barn cats that hang around, so I brought her home. Figured she wouldn't make it through the night, but I gave her some warm, soaked cat food through a syringe, and let her sleep in a box in the garage. Well, she made the night, and has eaten twice since i woke up this morning. Our local wildlife rehab is overwhelmed, and isn't too keen on taking any more birds in right now. Need to find her some formula. Is it just me, or is she looking WAY underweight? She looked the same way yesterday when I found her. She has 'gone potty' 4 times in about 20 hours. How often should I be feeding her? I've been stopping when she looses interest and stops bobbing her head up and down. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[QP4CAG]

that poor little baby!!! I am completely clueless!! Someone will come along soon i hope to give you some advice! Good luck though, and thank you for trying to give this little guy a chance at life

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Did you contact the wildlife rescue and ask what to feed her? If you feel you can cope with raising her, just find out what she needs to help her survive and continue feeding her. I think cat food would be too high in protein and fats not to mention the added vitamins. You may need an insectivore bird food mix. Barn swallows are insect eaters. You could also go to the pet store and buy wax worms and meal worms for her. I had to either freeze the mealworms to kill them or crush their heads so they wouldn't eat through my starling baby's crop, but she loved them and thrived very well.

I started using a parrot handfeeding formula (Harrisons) and as she weaned went to wax and meal worms and then small crickets (refrigerate or freeze them for a painless death). Call the rehabbers to find out what to feed.

 

[spideysmom]

Thank you for the advice. Any clue how old she may be so I'll have more information when I call the wildlife center back? I may have just caught them at a bad time, but they rushed me off the phone pretty quickly. We have 15 animals, so at this point, what's one more to feed? LOL If I am able to help her thrive, do you think I would be able to release her once she can fly? Thanks again.

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Just tell them she is growing quills on her wings and tail and they will know how old she is. My starling never joined a wild flock and preferred to live with me. But many wild but hand raised birds will return to a flock of their species. My uncle used to rescue birds at his farm and then let them decide if they would join the flocks around the barn. If they stayed with him, he fed them and sheltered them in the winter indoors.

You will need, of course, to keep her isolated from your flock. No telling what mites, etc she has right now. Talk to your vet about parasites and mites.