Caring For Newly Hatched Robin Chicks: A Guide

Robin chicks are born altricial, meaning they require immediate care and feeding from their parents. In their first few days, robin chicks are born with their eyes closed and only a few tufts of fluff. Their eyes will open at around five days old, and by 10 days old, their bodies will be mostly covered in feathers. Robin chicks will leave the nest around 13 days after hatching, but they will stay close by with their parents for up to three weeks post-fledging. If you come across a robin's nest, it is best to avoid disturbing it. If you find a robin chick, it is best to contact a wildlife centre or rehabber for advice and support.

Baby robin chicks need to be kept warm

Baby robin chicks are born altricial, meaning they are born undeveloped and require parental care. They are born without feathers and are mostly pink, with a few tufts of fluff. It takes around three days for feathers to start showing, and about 10–14 days for the body to be mostly covered. This layer of soft feathers helps keep the chicks warm when their mother is away.

If you find a baby robin chick, it is important to know that they require heat to stay warm. You can create a nest out of soft materials, such as crochet or dog fur, to keep them insulated. However, it is important to note that nestlings and hatchlings belong in their nests, and it is illegal in some places to possess any wild native birds in captivity. If you do find a chick, it is recommended to contact a local wildlife centre or a bird rehabber as soon as possible.

In the wild, baby robin chicks are kept warm by their parents, who create cup-like nests with mud foundations, lined with grasses, twigs, and other plant materials. The chicks stay in the nest for about 13–16 days before fledging. During this time, the parents feed the chicks and regurgitate food into their mouths for the first four days. After this, the parents begin to feed the chicks earthworms, breaking them into small mouthfuls before eventually giving them whole worms and large insects.

Their diet should include insects, fruit, seeds and grains

Robins have a varied diet, and their chicks will benefit from a mix of insects, fruit, seeds and grains. In the wild, robins are ground feeders, so it is best to replicate this when feeding hatched robin chicks. A flat-topped feeder placed on the ground is ideal.

Insects

Robin chicks, like adult robins, enjoy insects. Beetles are a favourite, but they also eat worms and mealworms. You can buy dried mealworms, which can be soaked in water to give the chicks some extra moisture.

Fruit

Fruit is another important part of a robin chick's diet. You can chop up fresh fruit and place it on a feeding tray or platform for the chicks to eat.

Seeds and grains

Robin chicks can also eat seeds and grains. You can buy bird seed or use seeds such as sunflower hearts, which are a particular favourite of robins. You can also make your own bird food bars or cakes using a mixture of seeds, raisins and nuts, held together with melted suet or lard.

It is important to remember that robins should always have access to fresh water and that milk should never be put out for them, as it can make them very ill.

They should be fed by their parents

It is important to remember that baby robins require specialised care and can be easily killed by improper feeding. They are prone to aspiration and can grow up deformed from an improper diet. Therefore, it is best to leave the care of baby robins to their parents.

Robin chicks are born altricial, meaning they are born undeveloped and require feeding and care from their parents. For the first four days of a robin chick's life, the parent birds regurgitate partly digested food into the baby's mouth. From the fifth day onwards, the parents begin to feed the chicks small pieces of earthworms, eventually progressing to whole worms and large insects. Each young robin may eat 14 feet of earthworms during their two-week nest life, in addition to a variety of insects and fruit.

Both parents play an active role in feeding their chicks. A robin might make 100 feeding visits to its nest each day. The chicks know that their parents have arrived with food by the "bounce" they feel on the nest, and on a sunny day, by the shadow their parents cast over them. This is their signal to pop up with their mouths open.

After leaving the nest, robin chicks will stay with their parents for up to three weeks. During this time, the chicks are predominantly cared for by the male bird, as the female will begin preparing for the next brood.

They can fly a few days after leaving the nest

If you have found a robin's nest with hatchlings, it is best to observe from a distance and avoid disturbing the nest. Both robin parents feed the young, delivering 100 to 150 meals a day to the nest. Each baby robin may eat its weight in insects, worms, and berries daily. Robins typically raise up to three or more broods a year, especially in the southern United States.

If you have found a robin hatchling away from its nest, it is crucial to understand that nestlings and hatchlings belong in their nests. They require specialized care and are prone to aspiration and dietary deformities if fed improperly. If you have brought the hatchling inside, it is essential to provide warmth and a suitable diet. This includes insects, fruit, seeds, and grains. You can also feed them mealworms, but these lack nutritional value. Any insects fed to the hatchling should be 'gut-loaded' by feeding them fruits and vegetable scraps for 24 hours beforehand.

It is illegal in many places to care for wild birds yourself, as they can easily become imprinted on humans and be unable to survive in the wild. If you cannot return the hatchling to its nest, contact a local wildlife center or a bird rehabber as soon as possible. They can provide the necessary care and help the bird return to the wild.

Robin chicks typically remain in the nest for about 13 days after hatching and require several more days of parental care after leaving the nest. During this time, they are still dependent on their parents for food and protection. A few days after leaving the nest, robin chicks develop the ability to fly. This marks a significant milestone in their development and increases their chances of survival in the wild.

If you are observing robin chicks that have recently left the nest, it is important to give them space and avoid interfering with their natural development. Continue to provide a safe environment by ensuring the presence of food sources, water, and shelter. Observe from a distance, as human interaction should be minimal to prevent imprinting.

They stay with their parents for up to three weeks post-fledging

It is important to note that baby robins require specialised care and can be easily killed by improper feeding. They are prone to aspiration and can grow up deformed from an improper diet. Therefore, it is best to leave the care of baby robins to their parents.

Robin chicks typically fledge the nest 14-16 days after hatching. During the first few days outside of the nest, you may see fledgling robins hopping about and practising their flight with short efforts. They are unable to fly straight away and can take a couple more days to do so.

In the days immediately following their departure from the nest, baby robins remain close by and stay with their parents for up to three weeks post-fledging. During this time, they are predominantly cared for by the male birds, as the female will begin preparing for the next brood. Both parents continue to feed the fledglings during these three weeks. The diet of the baby robins during this time consists of regurgitated food from the adults, as well as a mix of invertebrates, seeds, and fruit.

After the three weeks, the juvenile robins will move away from their natal sites, usually in May, but they rarely move far—only a few miles or kilometres.

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