What Should You Feed A Baby Bird? (And What You Shouldn’t Feed?)


baby bird feeding

A Baby bird has fallen from the nest. Its mother is nowhere in sight. What do you tell someone who has found a fallen bird and wants to help it?

So, what should I feed the baby bird? Here are some of the food you can feed the baby bird to help it gain consciousness.

  • Dog food (Moist)
  • Raw liver (no seasoning)
  • Boiled eggs
  • Moistened dog biscuits

If this isn’t available, get some egg food from your local health store, which generally consists of peas, corn, and oats.

If these have been suspended in gelatine, do not give them to the bird as they contain no nutritional value whatsoever.

In the event of a baby bird falling from its nest, several foods can be provided to a wild fledgling. The best option is a ready-made commercial product called “Just for Birds.

This is available in most pet stores and is the same food you would buy if you had a finch or canary at home.

20 Best Foods To Feed a Baby Bird

baby bird eating grains and other food

Here Are 20 Best Foods to Feed a Baby Bird

1. Bread and milk

Bread and milk are good sources of protein for baby birds. Feed it to them as an alternative if the bird food doesn’t contain enough protein or vitamins.

Avoid feeding your pet store-bought bread. It contains harmful chemicals such as benzene derivatives, which can eventually cause cancer, congenital disabilities, and death.

2. Boiled Peas

It would be best if you mashed the peas before giving them to the bird so that it’s easier for them to eat.

You can also mix mashed bananas with boiled peas and serve it as a fruit-flavored baby food mixture for your pet bird too.

3. Pumpkin Seeds and Sunflower Seeds

Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are typically included in most bird food. However, these nuts should only be given as a treat to your pet rather than a daily or even weekly source of food.

Seeds are high in fat, and too much intake throughout the day can lead to obesity problems.

4. Egg Yolk

Feed egg yolk once a week but make sure you remove the egg white part since it contains albumin, which is harmful to birds if ingested excessively.

Egg yolks provide protein that’s essential for solid bones, good vision, and healthy brain functions! Your baby parrot will love this tasty meal.

5. Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is another item included in most parrots’ diets, but just like chicken eggs, feeding this dairy product excessively can cause health issues like obesity.

6. Yogurt

Yogurt contains beneficial bacteria that can promote healthy digestion in your parrot’s body. Make sure it is given to the bird after asking a vet for advice to prevent any stomach upsets from occurring.

7. Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is a good source of protein and vitamins that baby birds need, but you should never give too much since it can cause obesity issues. It must be fed only as a treat rather than a meal replacement.

8. Fresh Vegetables and Fruits

Veggies and fruits are essentially dietary supplements for babies but make sure they are adequately cleaned first before serving them to your pet bird because pesticides can cause cancer or even kill them eventually!

9. Mealworms, Wax Worms, and Earthworms

A live source of protein is a recommended diet for baby birds but be sure to supervise your pet’s activities whenever you let it eat these products because their hard outer shells can cause choking hazards if swallowed wrongly.

10. Canned Fish (tuna)

Canned fish contains proteins that strengthen bones, muscles, and tissues in baby parrots’ bodies. It must only be fed as an occasional treat, though!

Eventually, too much intake can pose mercury poisoning risks to your bird, so avoid providing this product more than twice a month.

11. Dried Insects

Dried insects can be mixed with other ingredients in bird food to add protein and minerals that may be lacking in their diets.

Make sure these products are fresh and free from pesticides before giving them to your pet so as not to harm it in the long run.

12. Cooked Eggs

Cooked eggs must be fed occasionally because too much intake can cause egg binding due to the high cholesterol content of this product.

It is only safe for adult birds since feeding this item excessively will increase the risk of heart disease, obesity, or even death.

13. Canned Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables must be well-strained before feeding them to your pet bird so that the pulp is removed completely.

It must also be cooked or steamed beforehand to ensure the vitamins in these products won’t be lost when ingested by your pet.

14. Cooked Meat (chicken, beef)

Cooked meats should only be given occasionally since it contains high amounts of saturated fats which can cause obesity issues if consumed excessively in a week.

15. Eggplant and Pumpkin

Eggplants and pumpkins are good sources of nutrients, but you should never feed this vegetable product raw because it can contain solanine.

This alkaloid has the potential to cause diarrhea, vomiting, and other stomach aches in birds.

16. Sunflower Seeds (unsalted)

Sunflower seeds are high in oil but make sure they come from the unsalted variety, or they can be very salty for your pet’s health.

Just like peanut butter, only give sunflower seeds as occasional treats and not as full-meal replacements.

17. Beef Jerky and Poultry Jerky

Beef and poultry jerks provide nutritional benefits like proteins and minerals.

Still, they never feed more than a strip of this product every week since it contains sodium nitrate, which is harmful to parrots’ health if given excessively.

18. Cheese Whiz

Don’t allow your little friend to indulge in this cheese product because it contains starch, salt, and sugar, which are not beneficial to your pet’s health at all.

19. Dried Fruits (raisins)

Be sure to give these dried fruits in moderation because too much intake can cause obesity issues, while too few servings may lead to nutritional deficiency problems in the long run.

20. Cereals (Rice Krispies)

You should avoid giving rice Krispies because it contains high amounts of fiber which is difficult for birds to digest if given regularly. It must only be an occasional treat for your pet bird instead of a dietary staple.

What Not To Feed A Baby Bird?

man feeding bird

There are multiple things that you should avoid feeding your baby bird. The time they becomes mature, they gets ability to digest more foods.

Here are some of the foods that you must not give to your baby birds.

  • Water (very often)
  • Bread or bread products
  • Birdseeds
  • Kitchen scraps
  • Milk
  • Pet bird food bought from stores
  • Worms

Here Are Some Tips To Feed Your Baby Birds

If you think its necessary to feed your baby bird or if you saw them not eating anything. Here are some tips you can try:

  • Don’t offer dry food to your baby birds. Soften them first before feeding them to baby birds.
  • Don’t offer warm or refrigerated or chilled food. Offer food that are kept at room temperature.
  • Cut or crush the food in bits. Make sure to make the food appropriate for their tiny bites.
  • Never try to feed them by force.

Summary

Feeding a baby bird is not difficult; all that is needed is plenty of patience and milk. They will take about two tablespoonful at each feed, but if there are intervals of thirty minutes between them, this means giving him twelve tablespoons full every day, which soon mounts up.

So always keep his food bill down by cutting out all extras such as bread soaked in milk or sultanas. Only give him fresh drinking water three times a day, before each meal.

Have you seen bird flying at night? If yes, you must have wondered why do birds fly at night.

Sources:

• “20 Foods To Feed A Baby Bird.” Pets4Homes. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.

• “Baby Parrots: Safe Food Items to Give Your Pet.” Birds & Blooms, Spring 2004 Edition: Birds and Blooms Magazine – Home

• “Beef Jerky.” Petsmart. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.<ref name=”Rice Krispies”>”Rice Krispies.” PetSmart. N.p., n.d.< /ref>. https://www3u .petsmart .com/cPath/441_1019_1078/_Melissa-and-Doug-Chewy-Stix-to-Eat_-Split-Chicken_-6–Oz_18986874

• “Foods To Feed A Baby Bird – Pets4Homes.” Food To Feed A Baby Bird – Pets4Homes. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.<ref name=”Foods To Feed A Baby Bird”>”Foods To Feed A Baby Bird.” Pets4Homes . N.p., n .d . Web.</ref> https://www.pets4homes.co.uk/pet-advice/20-foods-to-feed-a-baby bird_134835661

Donald Bergeson

I have always been fascinated by the skill, strength, and beauty of birds.They help in maintaining a balance of ecological environment. At Best Bird Guide, I share all of my experiences and discoveries that I have got so far and inspire more devoted fans.

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