Help!

[Sara Louise]

First of all... hello!

Secondly, we had a blackbird chick about a week old fall out of it's nest yesterday morning, after putting him back in the nest twice he stayed for the rest of the day and night.
About an hour ago he fell out again. We tried to put him back in but there's two other chicks in the nest and absolutely no room for him. He's sitting on one of the branches at the moment but it's only a matter of time before he comes down to the ground again. Mum and dad are back and forth feeding the ones in the nest, we can't tell if they know he's out.

What should we do? There's a lot of crows and magpies around here (thankfully the neighbourhood cats are scared off by our pup) and I'm worried that should 'Fallout Boy' be spotted by them that'll be the end of him.

Please help

[Sara Louise]

As predicted, he is back on the ground

[Ollie]

Hi Sara Louise, welcome to WAB.

I realise it's difficult to do but the less you can intervene the better. I'm sure mum and dad Blackbird will realise this youngster is out the nest, it's all a natural part of nature. They will still feed him/her for quite a while after leaving the nest. I appreceate your concerns about the local cats but apart from keeping an eye out for them there isn't much else you can do because no matter how many times you put the bird back in the nest it will most likely get out again. If it can sit on a branch unaided it must be much more than a week old and just about ready to leave the nest anyway.
Roger

[Dogghound]

Not sure there is a great deal you can do for the little chap, its a natural part of being a bird the other two chicks are more dominant even if it stayed in the nest it would find it hard to get fed, it is the runt of the litter so to speak,it brothers & sisters are probrably pushing it out so they get more food. I know that if you looked after a chick like this it is a massive job and there is not a large deal of success. welcome to the forum sorry to sound so negative.

[Sara Louise]

Thank you both for your replies.

He had a hard fall out of the nest just now, it doesn't look good

He's still alive but not as lively and neither is he chirping.

I shall let you know...

[Dogghound]

yeh, how big is he/she? is their any plumage?

[Sara Louise]

Here's the links to photos I took of him, hope they work.

100_0631.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


100_0634.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

[Dogghound]

Well first of all it is alot older than a week old, it doesnt quite look ready to fledge yet, i would probrably place it in or near the nest, you could potentialy rear it yourself but this is a hard task to undertake, and involves very regular feeding.

P.S perhaps it would be an idea to contact your local wildlife sanctuary

[Vixen]

blackbirds are the easyest chicks to hand rear.

It not ready for fledging as his wing feathers are still in there quills. I will say stop putting him back, as he will just continue to fall out, and damage himself.

I would phone your local wildlife hospital/rescue, as they may have hand rearers that can help you out. Or you could do him yourslef, but it ar this age at most hourly feeding from dawn to dusk.

where are you in the country are you, as if your in or around south Wiltshire I will happily take this guy for you.

This goes for any young bird in this area.