Poorly bird, please help

Barmaid | 23:16 Fri 26th Nov 2010 | Animals & Nature

26 Answers

About 4pm I found a badly injured moorhen in my garden. Almost certainly has a broken leg, and an injured wing. My FH caught it and put it in a bucket in the downstairs loo. I phoned a charity for help (2x) and they can't get anyone out til the morning. I can't go to the vets (no money and ever so slighly pissed so I can't drive). Bird is calm, warm and safe (from my 4 marauding cats who have now decided that the downstairs loo is VERY interesting).

The charity I spoke to has suggested I give it water and some soaked bread and they "might" be able to get out in the morning. My father suggested that if it is so badly injured I do the decent thing (I am not so beyond pulling a bird's neck). I can't kill it if it might survive, but on the other hand, I don't want it to expire in pain. I've packed the bucket with towels and given it some food and water but I am really upset now. There is potentially an animal dying in my house. If it needs to die I want it to be quick and without pain.

Just don't know what to do. Poor thing.

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ttfn

Bless you BM. I would consider the bird to be safer than if you had not found it. I would not disturb it too much tonight and just see how things are in the morning. Easier said than done, I know.

NOX

Leave it overnight and see what happens, you'll regret ending it's existance otherwise and will always wonder if you did the right thing. As it is you have, you've done your best by it and hopefully the charity will be along in the morning.

dotty.

have you been able to feed it much because I think it will need to eat alot

lankeela

May well die of shock anyway. Broken leg will be difficult to mend and it will probably end up being put down, so I think I would help it on its way so its not in any more pain.

Barmaid

Question Author

Just been in - steeling myself to have to do the "decent thing", its eaten a little and had a little to drink and seems quite calm. Think I will leave it over night. If it dies it dies - there is sod all else I can do. If it lives - great!

NazNomad

Hmm, if the wings not broken, I'd see how it is in the morning. Not often they perk up, but it might.

If it survives the night and it's no better tommorow, I'd perform the ''quality of life'' task.

I don't like doing it, but sometimes it's the kind way.

Barmaid

Question Author

No I don't like doing it either Naz, and it's several years since I had to. But if needs be, pulling its neck will not be too difficult. All I will have to do is set it against the suffering it may encounter and have a large one beforehand (to be fair, dad did say he would come and do it for me if I couldn't - he could tell I was upset).

So far though it seems OK. Fingers crossed.

mrs.chappie

Sorry to be pessimistic BM but in my experience very few survive.

I've taken many injured birds to the vets and they seem to perk up, but then I find them dead the next day. I think they die of shock and the stress of being handled.

Sincerely hope your wee bird will make it though. x

Barmaid

Question Author

Well my little bird is really quite perky right now. Let's see what the morrow brings.......

wolf63

Is there a chance that some nasty cat has been playing with the birdie?

I hope that it is okay in the morning and it can fly off back to its friends.

Barmaid

Question Author

Poorly bird was quite chirpy this morning. he is on his way to the wildlife hospital now.

NOX

for some reason that's really cheered me up barmaid, glad he's doing okay so far:)

MickyMacgraw

"Poorly bird was quite chirpy this morning. he is on his way to the wildlife hospital now."

Great news! I'm with nox and to be honest was a bit apprehensive in reading this thread in case I read the worst had happened, Good on you barmaid.

ruthann58

good on you barmaid for giving it a chance xx

wolf63

He was chirpy? It *is* a bird - did you expect it to meow.

I hope that he is okay and that the vet will be able to sort him out and eventually release him.

Where was FH during your attempts to save Tweety?