making nests 
 for wildlife 
 in care 

When young birds, chicks or ducklings come into care they need to be kept warm and quiet. WIRES carers often use home-made nests for them.

These nests can be used for many different animals in care. For knitted pouches and pouch liners we do have a requirement that only breathable natural materials can be used with wildlife, that means 100% wool or 100% cotton. For the wildlife nests they are open not enclosed and therefore while our preference is for natural materials we can accept acrylic wool nests as well.

Crocheted Bird Nest

Size H or 5mm crochet hook

Starting ring: crochet 3 chains using 2 or 3 threads of pure wool or cotton yarn held together, slip stitch last chain to first chain to make a ring.

Round 1: Chain 2 ( this counts as your first stitch), work between 10-15 single crochets into the ring ( depending on the thickness of the yarn). Slip stitch the last single crochet to the top stitch in the chain 2 that started this round.

Round 2: Chain 2. Single crochet into the next two stitches, then do 2 single crochets into the next stitch, single crochet into the next two stitches, then 2 single crochets in the next stitch. Repeat this around the circle. Slip stitch your last single crochet into the top of the chain 2 that started this round.

Round 3, 4, 5, 6, and on: Repeat round 2 until your circle is at least 7cm to 15cm, for each following round crochet ONE single crochet into each stitch. You will see the sides begin to form. Crochet until the sides are about 5-7cm high. Bind off and weave in the loose ends.

Download instructions here

Knitted Bird Nest

Directions:

On size 5 dpn’s cast on 54 stitches using 2 or 3 strands of yarn so the nests are tightly knit and will stand up in a bowl shape on their own (divide sts up into 18 sts/needle). Work in knit (stockingette is automatic on dpn’s) stitch for approximately 7 cm. Begin decreasing for the crown as follows:

Next row: *K 7, k 2 tog* repeat to end

Next row: *K 6, k 2 tog* repeat to end

Next row: *K 5, k 2 tog* repeat to end

Nest row: *K 4, k 2 tog* repeat to end

Next row: *K 3, k 2 tog* repeat to end

Next row: *K 2, k 2 tog* repeat to end

Next row: *K 1, k 2 tog* repeat to end

Clip off yarn leaving a tail of about 15 cm.

Using yarn needle, slide yarn needle under all stitches on needles, and draw tight to close up the end. Knot 

You can make your nest with a bottom as small as 7 cm big, up to maybe 15 cm big.

The sides should be about 5 – 7cm high. Bind off and weave in loose ends.

Make sure the nest can stand up in a bowl shape on its own.

Completed nests are gratefully received at our Head Office and distributed to branches.

Please include your mail address when you send in your nest so that we can thank you and email about our work with wildlife and when we have other knitting/sewing projects that you may be able to help with.

WIRES, PO Box 7276, WARRINGAH MALL  NSW  2100