My new friend..

[alisonkal]

A week and a half ago when I was gardening a robin landed next to me. He was in a bit of a state, open wounds and kind of punk rocker feathers, he had obviously been scragged by a cat. I was impressed by his bravery , went to the garden centre and treated him to some meal worm and robin food mix. He is always by the kitchen door every morning and I feed him. What I want to know is, will the poor chaps feathers ever recover and lie flat ? He looks like a guest from the Jeremy Kyle show..... and my garden is rather nice, I would like him to smarten up a bit and is it true that if I persist he may well eat the worms directly from my hand. I think I love him.

[Robinia]

haha, oh bless him, if he's survived this long I'm sure he'll keep going until it's time for the late summer moult (I assume robins moult the same as most birds, I'm sure the experts will be along to tell you).
Keep feeding him to build up his strength & hopefully he'll come back all fine & dandy. Don't worry if he's gone a while, we always think ours have deserted but they usually come back in the autumn, often with an attitude though....must be the new new designer look that does it.
I love robins, I've had some real characters over the years. One used to sit & scowl at me if I took my lunch into the garden...thing is, he hadn't quite mastered the art of camouflage - he alway sat in a bright yellow flowered shrub & stood out like a sore thumb!

[zabo]

maybe you could apply some hair gel on his feathers lol

so if he does not 'smarten up' to match your nice garden, you will chase him away from your garden?

[alisonkal]

NOOOOOO !! I would never chase him away ! The reason his poor feathers are in such a state is because of his injuries, just wondered if they would stay like that, poor little so and so, don't think I could get close enough for the hair gel...well not yet anyway. I suppose if his feathers do stay all sticking out in different directions he will never be mistaken for another robin. I think I might call him Mr Gibb after the famous toothy warbler...

[Veebird]

I think robins and blackbirds are very intelligent and know that you are helping them, therefore becoming quite tame and trusting. I have several blackbirds now who all love raisins and there's a bit of territory management going on as one cheeky female comes in from another patch and calls to me on my doorstep or looks through the kitchen window until I go out. Sometimes she's waiting on the barn roof when I open the bedroom curtains! As soon as I throw a few raisins, the local gang appear and see her off, so I have to follow her to the gate and feed her seperately. I love them all. The downside is I have to swill my yard sometimes (a result of the rich diet no doubt), so if you want a 'perfect' garden be prepared. My garden wouldn't be perfect without birds tho.

[alisonkal]

Oh, I don't mind him pooing, or any other bird for that matter, I have an 8 stone white boxer called Stan who does quite enough of that ! And when I said my garden was rather nice... there was a bit of tongue in cheek going on there, I was just meaning Mr Gibb could do with a bit of preening help.
I must say Veebird, I think it sounds great having a gang of birds who come everyday. I find myself looking for Mr Gibb every time I go into the kitchen or outside into the garden.
Wonder if I could teach him some tricks..................

[Sir Alec]

Since I found out that mild cheese attracts robins, I've been putting out tiny cubes of Edam every day - how sad is that! The robins seem to have stayed away, but I've made friends with a blackbird that I've named Jacques, because he is so tatty. (after the old French actor Jacques Tati). He now waits for me every morning. If I make a soft clucking noise, he appears. I've also found out that he loves apples, raisins/sultanas and grapes! He is eating me out of house and home and I know I'm mad for doing it, but he's irresistible in his battered state!

[alisonkal]

Sir Alec, I think it's fantastic that we care about our bashed up birds, maybe I'll make Mr Gibb a sort of organic penthouse.... you could do the same for Jacques

[whiffey]

I have been feeding robins for years, with berry-flavoured food from a garden centre. They get incredibly tame and come in the house all the time. As soon as I pull back the bedroom curtains in the morning they land on the windowsill to remind me to feed them. I've even had one fly in the back door and up the stairs into the bathroom while I was in there. It perched on the side of the bath, then flew out the window.

[madboutcats]

sounds like mr gibb has landed on his wings with you to look after him and no doubt he will become friendlier with you. ive got a starling friend that ive nick named bronson as he has a death wish as he will keep coming into the porch and stealing the cats grub from under his nose..

[bensmum]

They are lovely friendly little birds - sounds like you have a lodger there. They don't usually get along with other robins though and can fight very fiercely.
I have one particular one now who likes to sit on the rotary clothes line while I'm hanging out the washing - he obviously thinks it's a roundabout. Mine get lots of different food too - they love grated cheese, apples, raisins and scones!
I especially like the company if I'm gardening. I know they are only hanging around in case I dig up any tasty grubs but it's as if they actually enjoy being there.

[madboutcats]

bensmum my feathery friends got a whole out of date cherry cake to themselves, i sliced and diced it and it was gone in minutes.

[alisonkal]

I like the idea of experimenting with different foods for Mr Gibb,particularly cheese, wonder if he would like gorgonzola... I soaked a whole load of meal worms for him earlier, he liked. I'm going to try to take a close up photo of him tomorrow. Wonder if he would like Baa baa baa, baa baby belle, my son does.