pinklady, don't fret and torment yourself, it could have gone either way. You did what you thought was right. Sometimes all a fish needs is a little TLC and it will come around. On the other hand sometimes the TLC isn't enough and you lose the fish. Winter is hard on the fish when they slow right down, not hibernating, but not moving to far or too fast.They can sort of tip over from time to time, making it look like they are in trouble. There again they may just be in trouble! It is a judgement call, there's times you win and other times you don't. Your okay! "Horton"

update on this bad boy. I noticed this weekend that this poor thing was not doing so well. Some of the branches started to droop and some of the living flowers completely died and fell off. A quick touch of some branches showed that they were mushy...i moved into action and quickly got it out of the soggy soil and into new drier and better draining mixture soil. i also clipped off more of the damaged branches. Am I too late in noticing its poor condition? is it done for? is there anything i can do to revive it? nurse it back to health?

Thanks everyone, I am still hoping the leg will get better. This morning she had her foot (of her bad leg) sitting properly on a branch but when she flew into the feeder it really looks like she cannot move the foot. She isn't holding it as tightly to her body anymore so it must be healing but not sure if she can regain use of the foot or not, there doesn't seem to be any movement of the foot, it just kinda hangs there. Toes are not tightly curled at all just loose but not flopping if that makes sense. She is starting to get her rusty breast along with the other two fledglings. I feel so bad for her, I hope she will be ok and regain some use of the foot/leg but it has been almost a week now since I noticed this. Still hoping and praying though. Donna

** They catch bugs with their beaks, not their feet.** I sure hope this was meant to be informative and not sarcastic. I know they catch bugs with their beaks but they totally need their feet for dropping down and landing properly to catch that bug. A bluebird is a drop feeder as they perch and watch for bugs then drop down and catch them (yes, with their beaks). This one will probably miss a few as it will have to concentrate on how it is landing too and not just on grabbing that bug. Slower bugs should be fine but anything fast may get away from it. Hopefully too by the time they migrate it will have all the issues worked out and be ok wherever it goes for the Winter. Donna