Good work there, but I think you should take it to a rescue centre now (maybe not the same one you've had dealings with before!). The trouble with hand-rearing intelligent birds like corvids is that they become too habituated to human contact and may never be safely releasable. A rescue is likely to have other Jackdaw chicks in their care and yours would then be able to get used to hanging out with its own kind.
My blog: http://mazzaswildside.blogspot.co.uk/
My Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/124028194@N04/
In reply to aiki:
Thanks Aiki but I think he's too habituated with us now. We don't mind keeping him but would like to know if the food he's getting is sufficient for this species at this age? Some of his wing feathers are white interspersed with black. I wouldn't be comfortable leaving him with any centre now to be honest.
In reply to Pauline L:
White patches on the long wing feathers indicate dietary problems - a similar condition is sometimes seen in juvenile Carrion Crows in towns/cities, when the adults don't have access to enough natural food when rearing their young. (More rarely it may have a genetic cause.) The weak spots without pigment can mean flight is impeded. I've not been able to find out for certain what the nutritional specifics are - probably a protein shortage.
It's unfortunate that you have had bad experiences with one rescue centre. By and large they do amazing work, and certainly offer the best chance of this bird making a successful return to the wild.
ETA - a bit more research has come up with folic acid deficiency and calcium deficiency as other possible causes for the feather depigmentation.
Hi Pauline, great to hear that you have been successful with this rescued chick but I am no expert ... however I have sent a PM to a former fellow poster on CF who has a great deal of experience with Corvid rehab & asked if she would advise!
Edit:. Have received reply & this person not available to help until later this evening! In the meantime could you let me know if you are on Facebook?
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
In reply to WendyBartter:
WendyBartter said:however I have sent a PM to a former fellow poster on CF who has a great deal of experience with Corvid rehab & asked if she would advise!
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
Hi Wendy. Yes I am on FB. Pauline Lewis. Profile pic (blonde head shot)....... Let me know if you are struggling to find me. If so I'll change the pic.
Thank you again aiki. Looking on you tube at videos of chicks it appears the white feathers are standard in the chicks. He had them when we got him and they are still there although not as many as originally. We'll do anything we can to help him survive and have grown very fond of him already.
Thanks Clare for helping too & yes, Maisie who I had lovely chat with but at work today!
Ah, maybe you're talking about the unopened feather shafts? The keratin sheaths are sort of whitish. Like this: https://blashfordlakes.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/p1050162.jpg
The actual feathers should be uniform black, as on this juv Jackdaw.
If the fully grown feathers look more like those on this Carrion Crow, there's a dietary problem: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IxbPTJjEYxw/TJk1NNhOyFI/AAAAAAAAOrk/7-2hnxXal1M/s1600/IMG_0448CarrionCrow.jpg
Likely found you Pauline, have sent a message!