Author Topic: Can I train Olly the starling? (Read 6455 times)

Fleecewife · « **Reply #15 on:** November 11, 2016, 12:50:42 am »

What a lovely story Eeyore. My Ollie eventually flew off - we'll see if he comes back in the spring. Looking forward to the pics.

in the hills · « **Reply #16 on:** November 11, 2016, 08:07:41 am »

What a lovely story, Eeyore. I will share with my daughter when she gets home from school. She loves birds and that will bring a smile to her face.

Hope that you can find the photos.

Eeyore · « **Reply #17 on:** November 12, 2016, 06:40:44 pm »

I hope these pictures work.....

Eeyore · « **Reply #18 on:** November 12, 2016, 06:42:17 pm »

This one is a week or so later.

Eeyore · « **Reply #19 on:** November 12, 2016, 06:43:03 pm »

This one when they were learning to fly.

Eeyore · « **Reply #20 on:** November 12, 2016, 06:44:22 pm »

This one is when Bubbles returned the following year.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #21 on:** November 13, 2016, 12:55:44 am »

Most babies are so cute, but that first shot is just such an ugly duckling

Poor mum, imagine having a whole nestful of those squabbling to be fed

. But then isn't Bubbles so beautiful when he comes back. I love the colours of adult starlings. Well done you for raising them to adulthood Eeyore

in the hills · « **Reply #22 on:** November 13, 2016, 01:34:25 pm »

Awwww, brilliant! Well done you.

We've loved looking at your photos. My daughter thought that it was such a happy story.

What did you feed them on? Did they have heat?

I'd have thought that the success rate with very young birds was reasonably low.

Eeyore · « **Reply #23 on:** November 13, 2016, 09:53:26 pm »

Thanks Fleecewife & in the hills.

I found one baby once that had fallen quite a height out of the nest. It was completely bald - and it's eyes weren't open, so probably only a couple of days old. When I picked it up it was soo cold and no movement, I thought it was gone but something told me it was alive. I took it in, put it in a little cardboard box. I have a round heat pad that you put in the microwave for around 5 minutes and it keeps warm for about 6 hours. So I put the little bird on this and snuggled it in fleece to get it warm. After around 2 hours in this it showed better signs of life. You should never syringe water into their mouths, but from experience I knew this little soul needed hydrating, so I got a little paint brush with a drip of water on and I sat the drip along the outside of it's gape. After doing this I asked it to open it's beak and it did and when it did the little drip of water went into it's mouth and it naturally swallowed it.

After this I'd chop some dried meal worms and soak them in warm water I'd use a long pair of tweezers to feed the little baby (I always make sure to dab away any excess water before giving to the baby). At first it was a struggle to get it to take them but eventually he got the idea - it sometimes takes alot of patience. I was determined not to let it die. In the first week I fed every hour - night time too.

Then every 2-3 hours the older he got. And once he started to feed for himself I didn't feed at night as they are strong enough. I also fed scrambled egg (obviously only egg, nothing added). I'd chop it into little pieces to feed him.

I taught myself to do this as I love animals soo much. The internet helps alot too. Where I live now, it's frogs and toads I seem to be rescuing and learning about.

in the hills · « **Reply #24 on:** November 14, 2016, 03:57:14 pm »

Just loved reading your rescue stories, Eeyore.

Keep up the good work. Such dedication to the little souls.

Thank you for the photos. My daughter loved them!