Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
 


       Downsizer Forum Index -> Poultry
Barefoot Andrew

Injured bird

An unhappy start to my day.

I was out and about earlier when a bird flew in front of my car and was unfortunately struck. I stopped to have a look, and the poor robin was lying in the gutter blinking at me and breathing quickly. I wasn't sure whether it was just stunned or had sustained injury, but I was suspicious of the latter.

I briefly pondered the idea of an animal rescue centre. But the nearest one is several miles away and at 7 in the morning wouldn't have been open. And completely selfishly the idea of taking the bird home for a while, and then whisking it off the rescue centre later in the day was at odds with the busy schedule today has lined up for me.

I briefly considered the idea of running it over to end its suffering, but couldn't quite bring myself. And then the decision as to what to do was made for me: it fluttered about and hopped rather lamely into the hedgerow out of sight. So I left the poor thing to it, possibly to rest and recover but more likely to die. A most unhappy thought as I type.

What should I have done?
A. Sad
Treacodactyl

I tend to think leaving it be to be the best thing.
bernie-woman

I am not saying it would be definitely ok but I have seen birds which I have thought are definitely injured and going to die who have just sat and sat for ages and then flown off Very Happy
@Calli

I would have done the same and left it. The trauma of being handled is far worse. And how many times has a bird flown inot patio doors and stunned itself only to fly off later.
Tradbritfowlco

it might have just been stunned - if you get one like that nearer to home you could try putting it in a dark place to keep it calm and maybe give it a tiny little bit of 'rescue remedy' which works wonders for birds with shock in ym experience.
Went

you did exactly the right thing - most stunned birds will recover in their own time - taking home would have caused more stress.

Came home the other night a stunned house martin had crashed into the terrace - surrounded it with trainers and left it - following morning I went out it was pooing in the trainer and took flight......nice to see (taking flight not the poo!)

Quote:
give it a tiny little bit of 'rescue remedy'


What is rescue remedy?
dougal

Tradbritfowlco wrote:
it might have just been stunned - if you get one like that nearer to home you could try putting it in a dark place to keep it calm and maybe give it a tiny little bit of 'rescue remedy' which works wonders for birds with shock in ym experience.

Good advice.
Stunned/shocked birds are best placed in a (not hot, not cold) closed (dark) box in a quiet place. A dish of water is a good extra.

With broken bones, its more difficult.
Broken wings never do mend well enough for flying. However legs are somewhat optional.

Action regarding a hopeless case is more of a moral rather than a factual question.
I think the kindest, yet natural thing to do - if it really is hopeless - is to 'finish the job' and then leave the carcass to feed the ecosystem. (But I do know of one veggie that now wants quality roadkill to be brought in for eating... Shocked )
dougal

Ian and Luis wrote:
What is rescue remedy?

See http://www.bachflower.com/Pets.htm for example
Barefoot Andrew

I used to use Rescue Remedy years ago as a daily moisturising hand cream. It worked well for a while, and then I decided it was exacerbating the dry skin problem rather than fixing it.
A.
Barefoot Andrew

This happened again this moring Sad

A corvid of some sort flew in front of me and was struck. I went back to have a look, but another vehicle's tyre struck it and finished him off.

Sad

A.
Nell Merionwen

This happened again this moring Sad

A corvid of some sort flew in front of me and was struck. I went back to have a look, but another vehicle's tyre struck it and finished him off.

Sad

A.
Crying or Very sad
windyridge

Sorry this happened again.. it is so sad.. and we can do nothing for them

Is it a very birdy area.. or is your car a colour they dont notice so much

jaki
Mrs R




Is it a very birdy area.. or is your car a colour they dont notice so much

jaki




Laughing
Barefoot Andrew

Laughing

Not especially birdy. They just have this thing for flying out of hedgerows at engine grill height Confused
A.
Lorrainelovesplants

Ive rescued birds from the cat and just put them somewhere safe and sheltered...

they have nearly always died of shock, but at least I felt I was doing something.
Katieowl

Horrid... I hit a robin last year - I felt like I'd killed christmas Crying or Very sad

I remember Gervase saying that when they are cold and tired they don't have the 'lift' to fly, which is why they are so low and infront of the cars at this time of year....

I've done my pennance, bought bird feeders...our garden birds are incredibly well fed. Mind you OH says some of them must be too fat to fly!

Kate
       Downsizer Forum Index -> Poultry
Page 1 of 1
Home Home Home Home Home