Look what I got! UPDATE: May 23 pics on page 13

[AgileOllie]

5 days ago, I was at my friend's barn with my boys when they came screaming to me "it's hurt, mommy!! You have to help it!!" So we went running, thinking it was one of the horses.

Once we got out there, we saw a baby bird, eyes barely opened, and badly sunburned. She had almost no feathers and obviously fell from the roof of the barn, where there are DOZENS of nests.

I watched for about an HOUR, thinking the mom would come back, but by then, the baby was almost hoarse from crying and you could barely hear her :( So I picked her up and put her in my hat. Not 5 minutes later, the boys come screaming again and in the EXACT same place was another one, a bit bigger. I knew what the outcome would be, so I scooped him up right away, to reduce risk of sunburn. He had a bit more feathers, and was apparently a few days older than the other.

I was told by everyone who thought they knew everything that the babies would die and that I should have just left them for the cats :/ But you all know me, and know that's NOT me, so I decided I'd rather have them go out fighting rather than a snack for a feral.

I did quick, but indepth research and spent about 200.00 to get the proper nesting and incubating things I would need to keep them alive for as long as I can. I fully expected they would die the next morning. I was feeding them EVERY 30 minutes, 12 hours a day, for their first 3 days. Finally, as they grew, I've been able to go down to every 1.5 hours, 12 hours per day. For the first 3 days, I brought them everywhere with me to help keep them warm and their bellies full.

Now, though, they chill out in their nesting box, in the bathroom. Tomorrow I am getting a very large "flight cage" for them, as at this point, they need to spend at least 6 hours outside to get vitamins from the sun. (obviously not IN the sun...), so they will spend 6 hours in the day in the 10x10 covered rabbit pen, on top of the rabbit's hutch. VERY SAFE.

They are still being hand fed, though Big Bird is starting to peck at things that move and he fluttered his wings today for the first time. He is 11 days old today. Tweety Bird is about 8 days old. They are Carolina Wrens and are VERY small birds.

They will be released at 8 weeks and I'm trying really hard not to imprint on them, but Tweety is very needy for a bird. She hops over to me and covers herself with my leg.

Big is more independent, and likes to perch on my finger. Technically, he is considered a fledgling, but has several more weeks before he's ready to be on his own. They both have BIG appetites and while I was so worried about Tweet at first, she is catching up to Big and has no problem scrapping for her food There is actually a baby-bird formula out there, and they LOVE it!

So, the moral of the story: Tell me I can't do something, and I'll work my butt of proving that I can. Twice.

Here are the babies:

Both babies, day 1: You can see how burned Tweety is



Day 2


Big, Day 3



Tweet, Day 3



Big, Day 5


Tweet, Day 5


Tweet, Day 5, aprox. 8 days old



Big, Day 5, aprox. 11 days old

[K2]

"Thumbs up!!" (Elbows back, feet apart.....I know you'll get that!
So proud of you!!!
And happy for the babies!!

[Mama S.]

You. Are. A. HERO!

[Tex]

Oh my goodness! They're so tiny!!!! Of course you had to save them, that's what you do

[AgileOllie]

LOL Karen! Now it's stuck in my head!!! LOL

[Frzframe]

awwwww. So sweet! for da babies and for you.

[AnnMarieK]

Jen, my daughter, raised 2 cardinals a couple of years ago... their mama got killed and left the babies with not a feather yet...everyone told her they were too young and she could not successfully raise them. She too did her homework, she is a jr high librarian,she took them with her to school each day and with mealworms, dog food and a heating pad under a lined box she raised them !!!! God willing they are still out in Pearl River somewhere !

[Ivan]

Well done, mama T. They all deserve a chance to live. Yay!

[Lisa]

You are awesome!

[Opaleyz]

been following the birdies on fb -- so glad you've been sharing this journey with us!