Feeding Mom & Babies (1 Viewer)

[do re meep meep]

What is the best way to supply mommy bird with calcium for egg-laying? Calcium enhanced suet, eggshells, ...?

What is the best way to supply baby birds with protein for healthy growth? Mealworms, other live food, suet containing insects, ...?

How to ensure that baby birds get enough moisture? Juicy earthworms or caterpillars (can you buy that in a store?), no dried mealworms, no dehydrated insects in the suet, ...?

In more general terms, what is a balanced diet for the mommy and baby birds? And how to best present the balanced diet to them?

 

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi,

Please try not to worry about mom and chicks. Nature is a wonderful thing and has been providing all the right food since time began. There will be an abundance of caterpillarsl, grubs etc, in spring when baby birds are fledging. Moms know by instinct (unlike humans) what is needed and when.

Water is most important though for the parents to bathe and keep their feathers in good trim and it is thirsty work making all those trips to feed the young ones.

Mealworms are a good idea but can become expensive (I know) unless you breed your own. If you use the search facility on the forum you will find many tips and answers to your questions.

Good luck with your birds and I for one look forward to receiving regular updates. My garden birds seem to have deserted last year, all I have visiting are what I call my regular "gang" 2 Blackbirds, a few Sparrows, Robin and a Dunnock.

Please write and tell us what birds you have in your garden.

Ann :t:

 

[do re meep meep]

Please try not to worry about mom and chicks. Nature is a wonderful thing and has been providing all the right food since time began. There will be an abundance of caterpillarsl, grubs etc, in spring when baby birds are fledging

I am trying to entice a black-capped chickadee nest in my nest box. My backyard is barren, and I need to enhance the natural resources in as many aspects as I can research. Not all backyards are plentiful of the right natural resources for mommy (and daddy) bird to pick the right food for her chicks.

I have done searches, here and elsewhere, and there is obviously a lot written about birdfeeding in general, but there is not much written about providing a balanced diet during the breeding season (apart from veterinary papers on commercially raising poultry and the like).

It would be nice, if we could discuss this issue (balanced diet for mom and chicks) in a more practical way more suitable for backyard birds.