Another baby quaker!! help

[Lynjupiter]

Oh dear guess what someone brought me today. A baby quaker that had fallen from the nest just today. It was brought to the local wild bird rescues. They were going to put it down when it was suggested that they call the local bird club. They called the prez and she said oh if anyone can deal with this baby it is Lynda. So she shows up in my driveway cage in hand.

Before it left the rescue gave the baby IV fluids and antibiotics. It took only five CCs of formula at 4:30. I put it in a very padded box on a heating pad and covered the box. I think heat and isolation is what it needs right now and soon i will try to feed it again. I am watching to make sure it does not get to hot.

Now as to age I am baffled. I have a six week old baby quaker. This wild baby has a few diffrences that make me unsure as to age. My baby has many pin feathers on it's head and more body feathers. This baby has a wel feathered head and not as many feathers on the body. First glance made me think it was about four weeks old with a well preeened head. But then I felt the beak.
Where as my six week old baby's beak is soft the wild baby's beak is harder.
Why is the wild baby less feathered with a harder beak?

Any ideas? suggestions from our experts? When I do the feeding I will take a good pic .
Lynda

[The Outlaw]

Lynda:

I know absolutely nothing about baby quakers other than they are too cute, but I'd guess it has to do with being parent raised and subsisting on a natural diet.

THE OUTLAW

[Lynjupiter]

Thanks Outlaw,

After further examination ( I waited a bit as not to stres out the baby to much)
I have found the few "dings" the rescue said the baby had are severe. They are actually holes, around the holes the skin is swollen and yellow in color.The baby is alert, pooping and eating. Though not eating alot. I am calling the vet first thing in the AM and have the vet evaluate the baby.
Lynda

[Monica]

Sounds to me like the difference between parent raised vs handraised.... chicks usually do tend to differ in these aspects when only in captivity, and I'm sure with weather as well that would affect how much a chick will grow. My guess however is that the wild chick may be younger, it's just growing faster than Quinn may be because it was 'born in the wild'???

You are making me jealous! I would love to have a quaker, and I know I can't, atleast not right now, but geeze all this talk about quakers is gettin me so jealous! Maybe I should just move in with some of you quaker owners instead! lol j/k

[Tiki]

After all the horror stories about baby Quakers being thrown out of nests and killed, I am just so happy this one will have a chance to live and be loved. Are you gonna keep him, Lynda? I bet you are, you are just like me-get attached to easy!

[Lynjupiter]

Originally Posted by Tiki

After all the horror stories about baby Quakers being thrown out of nests and killed, I am just so happy this one will have a chance to live and be loved. Are you gonna keep him, Lynda? I bet you are, you are just like me-get attached to easy!

This baby has some serious wounds. I will take him tomorrow to be evaluated by the vet. I did not find the most serious wounds until after I wrote the first post.
I really hope this baby lives. it is quite the fighter and very alert. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Lynda

[Lynjupiter]

Thanks everyone,
We saw the vet first thing this morning. She saw the baby free of charge. Said the wounds were more than likely from a nest teardown. The sticks punctured the baby. But she said none of the wounds went all the way through. One is pretty deep and she pulled some debris from it but said it was already healing amd just to keep the area clean. Otherwise the baby looks like a healthy four to five week old. She is not exactly sure of the age since this is the first time she has treated a wild quaker baby.

Tiki this baby will probably go up for adoption in four to six weeks. We will see how it does. I can't keep it if I want to keep taking in quaker babies for rehab and rehome. It does make me feel good about being able to save one baby. Even if it means it will never fly free.
Lynda

[CKD]

You are so great for taking this baby in . I am so jealous !

Christy

[Chariclo]

Good news Lynda - what a cute little bugger you have there!
And in good hands too :eusa_clap !
Good job!

[willowbirdy218]

He is so lucky to be saved by you!! And boy is he cute!!