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house martins (1 Viewer)

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xtrutx

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Hi all,

I have been looking after 6 baby house martins who's nest was destroyed by the bad rain we have had. I have split them into 2 nests that I made for them so I could make sure they all got fed evenly!!. They are in the bottom of a bird cage at the moment and stay in their nests, I have been feeding them for a week now and they are fully feathered ( except 1 which was really tiny but is doing great now ) and are starting to get the stripe above their eyes, but can anyone tell me how I will know when thy are ready to fledged as I have only raised 2 sparrows before and we waited till they were feeding themselves off the bottom of the cage but hour martins feed on the wing don't they and I don't want to let them go to early. I would really welcome your advice.x
 
Hi xtrutx

you're doing a grand job if you've been hand feeding for a week. I've no experience with hand rearing, but if they are fully feathered then they are fledged. However, I'd double check if they have all the flight feathers well developed , if so I'd take them out of the cage and put them in the nests on a high shelf outdoors so that they can flex their wings and take off when they are ready.
 
Hi Keith,

Thank-you for your advise,I didn't now if I should let them out in doors first as I'm scared they end up in a neighbours garden and not be able to help them if they get into difficulty and with there being 6 of them it will be tricky to keep an eye on them all!!!!! X
 
If they've got their flight feathers then it is in the hands of what ever deity you pray to. This is what happens naturally of course, they cannot hop around flexing their muscles in those tiny little cups so that first flight has to be the one ...so to speak.
Take credit for getting them this far, without you they'd have been 6 little corpses, at least now they've got a good chance.
again - kudos to you!
 
Hi xtrutx and a warm welcome to you on behalf of the Staff and Moderators.

I can't really add anything to what Keith has said. Please let us know how they get on.

D
 
Hi xtrutx and a warm welcome to you.

Keith's idea is a good one. You could also try putting the cage outdoors with the cage door open and let them figure out when they want to give it a try.
 
Welcome to BirdForum! I am sure you will find lots to interest you here, and I hope that you enjoy your visits. You have been given some good advice here - good luck!
 
Hi all,

Thank-you for the warm welcome I will be sure to let you all know how they get on,its great reading the blogs on here what a lovely site xxx
 
Hi all,


I have had the shock of my life!!!!. The 6 house martins I was hand rearing are actually 6 sparrows, we can't believe it!!! We watched the house martins feeding these chicks? Has the sparrow turned in to a nest raider and then let the young be fed by house martins? Is that why there is a decline in house martins? I can't get over the shock of it!!!
 
House sparrows often take over empty house martin nests, I was watching this yesterday at Spurn Point. There's a house there with several house martin nests at the eaves, at least 3 occupied by martins but there were several were hosting sparrows. There didn't seem to be any disputes between the two species.
As to the martins feeding the sparrows, the chick's gaping can overwhelm birds of the 'wrong' species. Think about cuckoos, their chicks are accepted by dunnocks, meadow pipits and reed warblers to name but three species.
 
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