Baby crows are dependent on their parents for survival, as their parents provide them with food and a safe place to grow up.
Unfortunately, they become orphaned on occasion, and for us humans, it becomes necessary to know what they eat.
This post provides information regarding the diets of baby corvids, but if one has come across a juvenile and parentless chick, it is best to contact a professional or sanctuary.
Crows are omnivores and have a reputation for eating just about anything. Baby crows, however, require a slightly more specialized diet.
What do baby crows eat?
Baby crows need plenty of protein as this best emulates the food they would typically receive from their parents. Eggs, meat, cereal, dog or cat food, nuts, seeds, and grains are healthy protein sources for juvenile crows. Their food should be served softened until they reach maturity. Furthermore, crow chicks need water to survive.
What Proteins Baby Crows Eat
Very young crows will have the best chance of survival if their diet comprises 40% to 50% healthy protein, preferably animal protein.
Options in this regard include scrambled or soft-boiled eggs mixed with chicken, fish, soft beef, or turkey. Alternatively, eggs can be combined with cat or dog food soft treats.
All meat products must be deboned.
Baby cereals are also a fantastic addition to the diet plans of infant crows, as they are chockful of nutritious supplements.
If this is not an option, oats or rice can be combined with meats and eggs.
What Nuts, Seeds, and Grains can Baby Crows Eat
In the wild, crows will eat just about any nuts, including almonds, acorns, peanuts, cashews, and walnuts.
Baby crows are not able to source or crack nuts open by themselves just yet, so they may require assistance in this regard.
Oats, sunflower seeds, corn, and pumpkin seeds are easily accessible for many crows and form a part of their diets. These seeds can be included in a chick’s diet, within reason.
In terms of grains, crows enjoy millet and wheat.
Like seeds, these should be fed in lesser quantities to protein, as protein intake is most vital for baby crows below six weeks of age at least.
How to Prepare Baby Crow Food
In the wild, parent crows regurgitate food for their young, so it is vital that any food served to baby crows be soaked and softened first.
If they are very young, they will not cope with food that is not mashed up and easy to digest. As they get older, they can process more solid foods on their own.
This usually occurs when they turn four or five weeks old and become nestlings.
Like almost all animals, crows need water to survive, and the same is true for their chicks.
When they are still very young, they receive their water through their food, and it is not necessary to offer an additional water source until they are a few weeks old and fending more for themselves.
How Often Baby Crows Need to Eat
Newborn baby crows need to eat at least every thirty minutes, beginning at sunrise and continuing until eleven or twelve PM.
As they move through the stages of adolescence, these timeframes will increase to every forty-five minutes and eventually every hour as they become more independent.
After one month, they can be given access to dry food and chopped foods like fruit to encourage them to learn to eat on their own.
Irrespective of this, they generally only stop hand- or parent-feeding at three months of age.
Overfeeding can be dangerous for birds, so take careful note of their body language. A young crow will turn around and refuse food when it has eaten enough.
Should Baby Crows Take Supplements: The Answer
Naturally, supplements are not available to baby crows in the wild.
However, if an orphaned crow is hand-reared, they can benefit from small doses of vitamins, calcium, and probiotics.
Supplements should not be included in more than two of their feeds per day.
Frequently Asked Questions About What Baby Crows Eat
What kinds of foods do crows eat when they’re in the wild?
Crows enjoy a wide range of foods, and aside from fruit, nuts, seeds, and grain, they will also snack on many small creatures and insects in the wild. Lizards, frogs, mice, crickets, and mealworms are examples of sustenance that crows will catch and eat. They also feed on carrion when it’s available.
How do I know if a baby crow is scared or stressed?
Crows are wild animals, and in most cases, are not accustomed to humans at all. Baby crows have only ever known their parents and are even less likely to understand what humans are. It is not surprising that contact with a human can be hugely stressful and downright terrifying for a baby corvid. A young bird turning its head towards its back and gaping its mouth is generally in distress. Try not to over-handle orphaned birds. If you are entirely unsure about what to do, consult a professional.
Can I keep an orphaned baby crow?
As lovely as they are and as attached as one may become to them, it is illegal to keep baby crows or adult crows as pets. You can take care of them temporarily, but the best course of action is to get them to a licensed facility that can provide them with the protection they require.
Conclusion
Baby crows are funny, awkward, and so easy to love. For the most part, they have voracious appetites and are pleasantly unfussy.
Needless to say, they do best when their parents are in charge of providing for them at mealtimes, from the ever-varied restaurant of nature.
As much as we may want to care for them, crows young and old do best with other crows.