What do I do now. So upsetting

[Sassy]

Hi Everyone:
On Sunday evening I noticed that Papa BB was not around much and I did not see him at all in the evening, but the weather has been wet and cold, so I figured I was just missing him. Well all day yesterday he never showed up and the babies chirped all day and into the evening. This morning the same thing so I assume like Mama he disappeared, so I called two rehabilitation centers only to find out the first was too full and the second does not take birds. I was given the name of another place but that would be a 70 or more mile trip one way and in a very unfamiliar place, and I had too much to do with company coming from out of state and a picnic with the whole family this coming weekend at our camp to spend hours trying to find this place.
I have been feeding them mealworms and even removing fecal sacs, they are hanging out of the box begging for food. My heart is breaking for I know I cannot take food to them once they fledge which should be this Fri. or Sat. nor can I teach them how to find food.
Now my question is, what do I do, continue to feed them as best I can and hope for the best, or do I just let nature take its course. A difficult question to ask, but one I need guidance on. I am sure some of you have run into the same situation.
Connie (PA)

[nhhawk6]

I do not have a good answer. This is a very difficult situation, and I am so sorry for you and your blues. How near to fledge are they? The reason why I ask is that their chance of survival IN the box, without a food supply, is zero; their chance of survival outside of the box is very slim, BUT NOT ZERO. IMHO, I would consider staging mealworms and other food items (suet, crumble, dried cranberries, etc.) nearby, and get them to leave the box at the very last moment prior you no longer being able to feed them. I completely get the notion that premature fledge/no idea how to hunt/predators serve to stack the deck against them, but there is no such thing as a good outcome for babies without food in a nest box. I will be praying for your baby blues.

Randy
Bedford, New Hampshire

[Sassy]

Hi Randy:
Fledge should be either Friday or Saturday. I will be leaving here on Sat. so if they have not fledged by then there is nothing I can do, as much as it pains me to say that, but I also know even with all I can do in the meantime their chances of survival are slim to none.
Have no idea what happened to either parent but maybe Papa got lonely and just decided to go look for a new mate, or maybe his attachment to them was not too strong or the work in bad weather was just too much for him to handle. They are calling to me right now to be fed again.
I have no idea what they do for water, I am sure the food the parents supplied had enough moisture for them. All I have is mealworms, and I do have some dried cranberries. I hope this works out for the best.
I thank you and if they could they would thank you for the prayers.
Connie (PA)

[nhhawk6]

It’s hard, Connie, I know. Just do everything you can do, then take solace in the fact that you did everything you could do. It is wonderful that you have done so much to help them, already. When you are up to it, please remember to try again. That’s what we do, right?!

Randy
Bedford, New Hampshire

[verachuckdave]

Hang in there, Connie. Like Randy said, you are doing everything you can do. I will pray that your tiny ones pull through. Think positive. They still may surprise you.

Susan
Pennsylvania

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Connie, this is really tough & sad – you can only do what your “gut” and heart tells you. Like Randy said, their chances are zero without your help & probably next to nothing without it. I had something similar once when I lost a mama about 3 days prior to hatching, and those things hatched without NO incubation for about 3 days. I couldn’t believe it, but they had to be kept warm and they perished within about 2 days. I too tried to find a rehabor and the closest was in Kansas City, about 70 miles away, and she said they would probably not make it up there. Sorry.

[tamsea]

I’m so sorry. If only they were younger you could possibly foster them in other nests (in your area). I bet the male found another female. I wish we could help.

Tammy

[Sassy]

Thanks for your prayers encouragement Susan. I am trying to roll with the flow. I made it through yesterday with one feeding after another. Today I fed this morning and then had to be out for a few hours. I came home to find one of those little buggers sitting on a brick edging we have down near the box chirping for food. I put him/her back in the box, the other one is smaller and not as active and I am not sure that one will make it. I know I have done all I can, and nature will have to take it course.
Connie (PA)

[Sassy]

Hi Carol:
I know from your experience you know how I feel about losing these little BB’s, but in nature without us, it probably happens more than we realize. I have done all I can and they will either survive or not. Maybe I will be lucky enough to get another pair before the season is over, and if not I will be thankful for seeing the Mama and Papa working together and the little ones hatching. I was worried about the cool weather never thinking worse things were going to happen.
Connie (PA)

[verachuckdave]

Sounds like your the best surrogate they could ask for at this point. Keep plugging away. I know everyone here is pulling for you. :-)

Susan
Pennsylvania

[Sassy]

To be honest with you Tammy I do not know if anyone has a nest of BBs in my area. I do know a house down the road from me has two boxes up, one on a fence post and another on a telephone pole. I know both areas are wrong so I doubt they have successful hatches, but then again maybe they lucked out better than I did.
I actually thought I saw him sitting on the wire a day or so before he disappeared with another BB but I was not positive. I thought Mama returned, but I never saw it again but maybe it was a new mate.
Connie (PA)

[Lisa]

Prayers for your babies! I cried so hard when I had to bury two from my first nest this year :(

[dogsandbirds]

Connie, I have been reading this with my heart breaking. When they fledge, they won’t be able to hunt and they won’t last long.

It seems to me like every season presents itself with unique problems to solve and yours is certainly one of those. I’m usually pretty good at finding solutions, but this one is nearly impossible. What they need is rehab with a flight cage and a gradual intro to hunting their own food. That doesn’t sound like something you can do.

Oh honey. I am so sorry.

Gin
Atlanta, GA

[Sassy]

Thanks Lisa and all. It has been a roller coaster, but try as I may I will never be a Mama or Papa BB. I lost the smaller one today. I fed him a few times but later when I came down to feed again, he/she was expired. So sad but then I sort of expected that to happen.
Tonight after dinner I went into the bedroom to get something and I heard this bird chirping and knew it was my other baby. I guess he fledged and ended up in the flower garden sitting on the rocks. I could not leave him there, so I brought him back around and put him back in the box. I think tomorrow morning he will be gone but maybe he will get himself into a tree. From there I don’t think he has too much chance but I have to leave it up to nature to take it’s course.
Thanks for listening to me.
Connie (PA)

[Sassy]

Gin, as you have probably read I lost one of my babies today and the other one fledged but only to the front of the house in the flower bed on the rocks. I put him back in the house for tonight but I am sure he will take off again tomorrow, and then I know things will not work out for the good. If I had the time and was not expecting company to arrive tomorrow from NY, I would make the trip to the rehab center, but there is no way I can do that. It breaks my heart but I have to hope if and when I get another set of blues things work out better. I gave it my best but my best in this case is not good enough.
Connie (PA)

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