# found a baby pigeon



## jwerta (Oct 9, 2012)

Hi guys i found a baby pigeon today at work crying out for its mum so i left it there to see if its mum or dad would come feed it, but i did not see them come so i bought it home and am planing on keeping it as a friend.

i will post a picture of it asap i think its probably about 22 days old going of pictures on the net so what i need is some tips  i bought some baby bird feed stuff and gave it a meal tonight and it was falling asleep on my lap so i stoped feeding it and let it go to bed.

any help would be appreciated 

thanks, jwerta


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Jwerta...pigeon babies that age are left by mom and dad when they are about 10 days old because the parents go off and start a new nest. Mostly the dad continues to feed the babies or baby, returning morning and late afternoon. Likely the new nest is near by.
The very best for this baby would be to take him back and check is crop for food to make sure the mom and dad are feeding him.
The dad reached the babies where to find food and water and about predators. Once a baby has been removed from mom and dad, the odds of later survival is greatly diminished because they haven't learned the right skills.
Pigeons are very social, mate for life and can live to be 20 years old. That is quite a commitment to take on. 

If dad doesn't feed him you can feed him by following these instructions. The pigeon you have is ready to wean and the formula mom and dad are feeding is a chunkier version and so this works well.



You can hand feed defrosted peas. Run some hot water over them until they are defrosted and slightly warmed. Put the bird on your lap and hold it next to your body. I f it helps, you can wrap a towel around it or put it in the sleeve of a tee shirt, with the head out the wrist. That confines them without hurting them and makes it easier to handle. With babies that have been hand raised, this won't be necessary. Gently open the beak and pop the piece of corn and peas at the back of the mouth and over the throat. You will need to feed 40-50 per feeding and every time the bird’s crop empties until you know it is eating on their own. 
This is a wonderful method for teaching babies to eat because they feel the whole food in their mouth and it’s soft and easy to pick up and hang on to. The next step… seeds. 
The crop is located right below the throat and with food it fills up like a little balloon. The peas it lumpy and squishy.
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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

You should have left him where he was. As was mentioned, the parents of the youngster don't stay with him at this age. And he is almost ready to wean and go out on his own. To take him from that isn't really fair to him. I would return him to his life ASAP. Many people find babies birds and assume that they need help, when in reality, they will do just fine left alone. Please bring him back so the parents can finish raising him. They must be frantic wondering where he is. Also, as was mentioned, his chances of survival go way down if you finish raising him yourself. And if you decided to keep him, that is quite a commitment for a long time. He would also be happier in his own world, with a mate and a flock. If you keep him, he will be alone, without a natural life. Unless necessary, this should never be done to a wild bird, or any other wild creature.


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## jwerta (Oct 9, 2012)

Wow I didn't realise it was such a bad thing to do.... Sorry

I did however observe him most of the day and did not see any parents and he seemed quite thin


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## jwerta (Oct 9, 2012)

Oh and I wasn't planing on releasing him back as there are no pigeons close to my house plus I've read that most pigeons realised back into the wild nearly never survive as they don't have the necessary skills


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

jwerta said:


> Wow I didn't realise it was such a bad thing to do.... Sorry
> 
> I did however observe him most of the day and did not see any parents and he seemed quite thin


I understand you didn't mean to do a bad thing. You were acting out of kindness and concern. The dad comes morning and late afternoon. Feeding is so quick you could have easily missed it.
When did you bring the baby home?


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## jwerta (Oct 9, 2012)

yesterday afternoon...

i fed him peas today and he could not get enough lol

if im going to keep him should i buy another one as a companion or will he be fine on his own?

edit: oh forgot to mention pigeons are a big pest here so that's also a reason not to realise him


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Take one day at a time, until this baby is fully grown I wouldn't be thinking of another one quite yet.

Make sure you follow the directions carefully, warm peas only, and make sure baby is warm and ONLE feed it when crop is empty, simple rules but if you don't follow them it can be disastrous for baby.*


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## jwerta (Oct 9, 2012)

thanks

mum will be looking after it while im at work so i shall tell her this

is feeding it just peas okay or should i give it a bit of pigeon milk aswell? also when should start giving it water?


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