Are humans able to feed the new chicks without momma bird completely going ballistic?
When I took the photos of her nest and eggs, she was gone. She came back in the interim, and sat in the tree and pitched a huge fit.
I don't want to jeopardize the nurturing effect by feeding the newly hatched. I also don't want to run the mother off by getting too close to her babies. Can I successfully feed the babies without her abandoning the newborns and the nest? Have you ever done this before successfully?
Unless she abandons them for some reason, and you have no other choice, I would leave them alone. There are reasons why momma birds regurgitate their food for their babies and not just to make it easier for them to eat. Enzymes, immunities, and hormones that the mother has are very helpful and healthy for her new little ones, just like when human mothers feed their babies.
And, unless you're willing to mash up the live mealworms, mix it with special baby bird formula and then use a plastic syringe to put it down their throat, I'd suggest leaving them alone :) Not to mention it's very easy to overfeed a baby bird and make them sick.
Sorry - working in the Veterinary industry has made me very adamant about letting nature take it's course unless absolutely necessary.
Thank you for the great advice. I was always under the impression of "better off left alone." She has not abandoned the nest, in fact she is fiercely protective of it; and rightfully so. I'm hoping she will not abandon them.
I did do something yesterday that I hope she will overlook and forgive me for. Believe it or not, I went out into the front yard yesterday, and under our tree; there was a perfectly round, blue robin's egg. Unbroken, and still warm to the touch. (I'm hoping from just being moved, and not the sun beating down on it for hours upon hours.) I did the only thing I could think of. I added it to Stella's nest. So, now she has 4 eggs to nurture. I hope she will just do her thing.
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When I took the photos of her nest and eggs, she was gone. She came back in the interim, and sat in the tree and pitched a huge fit.
I don't want to jeopardize the nurturing effect by feeding the newly hatched. I also don't want to run the mother off by getting too close to her babies. Can I successfully feed the babies without her abandoning the newborns and the nest? Have you ever done this before successfully?
Reply
And, unless you're willing to mash up the live mealworms, mix it with special baby bird formula and then use a plastic syringe to put it down their throat, I'd suggest leaving them alone :) Not to mention it's very easy to overfeed a baby bird and make them sick.
Sorry - working in the Veterinary industry has made me very adamant about letting nature take it's course unless absolutely necessary.
Reply
I did do something yesterday that I hope she will overlook and forgive me for. Believe it or not, I went out into the front yard yesterday, and under our tree; there was a perfectly round, blue robin's egg. Unbroken, and still warm to the touch. (I'm hoping from just being moved, and not the sun beating down on it for hours upon hours.) I did the only thing I could think of. I added it to Stella's nest. So, now she has 4 eggs to nurture. I hope she will just do her thing.
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