Help please - What to do with a very young swallow/swift

Just found a very young swallow/swift in my grange. It cannot stand on its little legs and is about 5 cms. long.

I've put it in a box with a tea towel, a saucer of water and a saucer of bread mixed up with water. I presume it is normally fed with insects and maybe worms, but it has not opened its little beak so even if I find some live food it will be difficult to feed the little bird.

What should I do to try to keep it alive? Is there any way I could feed it?

If it were a kitten I would know what to do, but I have no experience in saving young birds whatsoever. Any advice welcome.

Hi Myriam
this may help. http://britishwildlifehelpline.com/swift_rearing.html
Can you see the nest up in the eaves? If you can get it back there, the mother should come back.
Good luck, let us know how it goes.

Hi Inkflow and thank you very much for the link, vey useful, especially the video. The swift has survived the night and I have just fed it with worms and water with the help of a girlfriend.

Will keep you informed how things go. If there is a nest in the eves it is too high up (8 meters), so that is no option. Will keep feeding it if I can.

Myriam wrote:Hi Inkflow and thank you very much for the link, vey useful, especially the video. The swift has survived the night and I have just fed it with worms and water with the help of a girlfriend.

Will keep you informed how things go. If there is a nest in the eves it is too high up (8 meters), so that is no option. Will keep feeding it if I can.

Sounds promising if it's eating Myriam. Good luck, I hope you can rear it.

Our little swift was too small and weak and has not survived its second night with us . Still, we did our best and the next time I will know what to do...