Hand feeding problems?

[~Ray~Gingerich]

Did you ever try to hand feed a downed martin and it won't open it's mouth? So you try to pry the beak open only to have it clamp tightly shut again.
Well I tried a little experiment with one of mine and it's working. I hold the bird with my left hand then I place a cricket or bug between the thumb and index finger on my right hand and hold it back from the bird about a yard, I bring my other fingers together and move them up and down as a group like a wingbeat as I bring the bug up to the bird.The bird opens up and the bug goes down the hatch.

[ToyinPA]

Ray:
That only works if the chick will open it's beak.

I place chick on hard surface. Place my left hand over chick & slip my fingernail gently in the side, then try to get another finger in there to hold it open. I use long bent tweezers to hold/place cricket in it's beak. Then I let go & let the chick swallow it. NEVER force food down the throat, as you can force it into the lung opening.

Toy in PA

[CMF]

Key is a long thin fingernail. I hold bird in hand, index and thumb gently squeeze jaw at the hinge, finger nail from opposite hand lifts the upper mandible to catch lower and pry open. Roll pinching fingers inward partially in the mouth. This will hold the mouth open as long as you need. Insert cricket or mealworm and release the pinch but maintain covering the outer joint so the bird won't shake or lose the food. A gentle throat stroke with index finger will result in a swallow. I often use a syringe with water to place a drip into the open mouth which is immediatly followed by a swallow. I had lots of practice this year feeding 11 during the heat wave. I feed every 4 hours enough that they refuse to swallow and let the mealworms crawl out of their mouths or they close their eyes. With every martin I fed, when they close their eyes, they are full. They will soon learn to open their mouths automatically when they understand the human grip results in food. Some catch on better than others. If you can't place them back in a nest, they will become VERY ATTACHED to you and make a bond. One of my rescues was released in the morning and returned to me the same evening for feeding. Following days it would fly around the yard and return to my shoulder and get rewarded with mealworms. Eventually released at its natal colony with more martins to encourage and escort.
CMF

Very comfortable perching on my finger while walking about the yard.


Drinking by itself


Cruising around the back yard and returning to me.


As rewarding as it is, it is very time consuming and I have great admiration for martin parents.

CMF

[Dave Duit]

That is a great feat. Thank you for the info. I think your technique in feeding is better than my efforts. Next year I will try your method. Thanks.

[Robert McCallum]

Please say why you are feeding them. Are you having cold weather?

[CMF]

Ray & I are 40 miles apart and we both have had sustained oppressive heat over 100 & humidity causing many to jump. I didn't want to lower my rack and find foster parents until the heat subsided and the young stayed off the porches. The bird in the photos needed to gain strength before it would stay up in the air.
CMF