Baby Robins, Day 6

Their eyes open.

robins day 6

 

The nest is getting full. I’ve read that the babies will toss out the smallest chick. We’ll see if that happens.

Comments:

  2. I’m a little concerned because the head of the one chick seems quite a bit larger than the other three, but it could be a camera angle. I hope you don’t have a brood parasite in there who will push out the other three.

    • The robin lays one egg a day. Once the clutch is up to 4 or so eggs, she sits and incubates. But, the first egg laid will be the first chick hatched, and then the next day another chick hatches, etc. So, one is older and larger. It sounds awful to dispatch the runt, but the system ensures that there will be plenty of large and sturdy chicks surviving.

  3. Hmmmm… being the youngest of four, I’m getting flashbacks of sibling attempts to do the same….

  5. I’m raising a baby cockatiel,who’s 10 days old …..not as advansed as yours…still has baby fluff no feathers showing eyes just started to open…..

  6. We had a clutch of 3 robin chicks on our deck support. Great viewing through the slats. We noted a VERY full nest too. After a particularly bad windstorm I went to check..saw a missing chick… and sure enough he was on the ground. A quick web search told us that we should put him back on the deck beam. We did, but he came off again shortly. Next we stapled a pint-sized produce basket to the beam with some grass in it. Mom went back to the nest after eying it for a bit. The next day, all of the chicks opted for the comparatively spacious pint basket!

  10. i noticed that one too. thinking ahead to who’s going to get thrown out by the other three, i’m afraid he’ll get the shove. i hate nature and birds are such little – well, – almost cannibals
    well, not hate, exactly, and i know it makes sense, but still . . . . !

  11. Emily Dickinson’s words are an inspiration. I just can’t always let Nature take it’s course.
    If I can stop one heart from breaking,
    I shall not live in vain;
    If I can ease one life the aching,
    Or cool one pain,
    Or help one fainting robin
    Unto his nest again,
    I shall not live in vain.