# Cold claims first victim of the year



## Eriduardo (Aug 28, 2006)

The cold claimed the life of one of my young today It was about 3 days old. I went out to the loft this morning and it was alive, then I went out a second time a few minutes later and I found it motionless and cold, I tried bringing it in to see if it would warm up and come back to life again but it was useless. The temperature is 9F and probably just above that in my loft. Or it could be that maybe it was just sick, it was the smallest of the 2 in the nest probably the most vulnerable. This makes me sad. 

I do have a question though, just incase I need to bring some young in and hand feed them: where can I get the formula to feed them, how do I feed them, and every when should I feed them? I've never done it before.

Another question, this is regarding to one of my hens who laid 1 egg 4 days ago and she hasn't laid the other one yet, could she be eggbound? What syptoms do I look for?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I'm so sorry to hear about your baby pigeon.

You can buy baby bird formula at pet stores and also at pigeon supply stores.

If you have a hen who is egg bound, you certainly would know, depending where the egg is stuck at. They act like they are sick, fluffed up sometimes, and they hold their tails down in a very distinct manner. They may or may not eat.

If she usually lays 2 eggs, you should isolate her and check if she is pooping, sometimes the egg blocks the plumbing and they can't poop. It is a very serious issue, that needs the attention of a vet.

I had a hen in the other day that had all the symptoms, except she was pooping fine, I put her on heat, gave her Neem oil, 1/4 of an alfalfa tablet, a cod liver oil cap, and some oily seeds in the mix, and a drop of Colloidal silver, and garlic capsule of course. She layed that night, and is back in the coop. Sometimes when the weather is real dry she has these issues.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I am so sorry about your little squab!

This is a link to a post about various methods of feeding squabs, the amount and frequency of feeds is included in the comments for each picture.

http://pigeons.biz/pigeons/index.html

This is a link to a video of the "syringe and balloon" method of feeding. You have to make certain that the squab comes up for breath and wipe down his beak and nostrils carefully to avoid inhalation.

Watch the crop and avoid overfilling is. I have been told that there are two white dots on an unfeathered squab's back that will show up when he has enough.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bin7rhSLQss&mode=related&search=
Cynthia


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## Eriduardo (Aug 28, 2006)

Trees Gray said:


> I'm so sorry to hear about your baby pigeon.
> 
> You can buy baby bird formula at pet stores and also at pigeon supply stores.
> 
> ...




She dosen't seem to be eggbound because she is very active she eats well and her droppings seem normal. I went out to the loft and I didn't see the egg yet, do you think she'll lay it at all at this point? This is her 5th day since the 1st egg was laid, I don't think it has anything to do with calcium deficiency because she has access to grit and mineral supplements at all times. Does this just happen sometimes? I was just wondering because something similar happened to her not too long ago, she laid 1 egg and then laid the 2nd 3 days later but now it seems like she's not going to lay at all. Thanks for your help.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

cyro51 said:


> I am so sorry about your little squab!
> 
> This is a link to a post about various methods of feeding squabs, the amount and frequency of feeds is included in the comments for each picture.
> 
> ...


Really, Cynthia? Don't think I've ever seen that mentioned on the site before. Can you give some more information??


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Eriduardo said:


> She dosen't seem to be eggbound because she is very active she eats well and her droppings seem normal. I went out to the loft and I didn't see the egg yet, do you think she'll lay it at all at this point? This is her 5th day since the 1st egg was laid, I don't think it has anything to do with calcium deficiency because she has access to grit and mineral supplements at all times. Does this just happen sometimes? I was just wondering because something similar happened to her not too long ago, she laid 1 egg and then laid the 2nd 3 days later but now it seems like she's not going to lay at all.


 How old is she?

I have a hen who only lays one egg, but since your bird has laid two eggs in the past, I would keep a very watchful eye on her. Don't let her lay for now. Supplement her to keep her healthy. I don't think it is an egg shell problem either, but nutrition will keep things at optimum, and you can't fool around with a bird that may have an egg issue.

Calcium plays other roles then just supplying egg shell, it helps strengthen their muscles and allows the egg to push/move along. Also, a little oil in the diet keeps things moving, as dry weather, or lack of moisture can cause problems too. Make sure she has all the nutrition she needs, and allow her access to bathing.

I would give her a drop of colloidal silver just in case there may be an infection.

If she has laid two eggs in the past, and now only one, then it has to be somewhere. It is better to correct things now, then later when it can possibly back up. Then again, maybe she has one egg, but I'm just warning you, of the posiblities.


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

I am so sorry to hear about the baby Eriduardo.  



cyro51 said:


> Watch the crop and avoid overfilling is. I have been told that there are two white dots on an unfeathered squab's back that will show up when he has enough.
> 
> Cynthia



I haven't had a 'baby, baby' around for so long, but that's really interesting Cynthia. Thanks for sharing that bit of information.

Cindy


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Eriduardo said:


> Another question, this is regarding to one of my hens who laid 1 egg 4 days ago and she hasn't laid the other one yet, could she be eggbound? What syptoms do I look for?


Sorry to hear about you loosing a baby. Thank God, we've not lost one this year, but we've got a VERY cold spell coming, starting tomorrow. Highs in the 20's and down to 7 at night. I've got babies hatching every day for the next 5 days......I guess all you can do is pray everyone survives.
About your hen......how old is she? Hens will do this when they are about "laid out".........I sent a member here a female bird, to live out her days. Two years ago, she laid one egg and that was the last one she ever laid. She was a 2000 hatch. I've got a 2002 bird this year, that only laid one egg. Raised the baby just fine and hasn't laid any more eggs. I guess she's done to. I have slipped some eggs under her so she can raise one more pair for me. Even if the hens stop laying, if you have the room to keep pumpers, she will still make an excellent mother. If you've got a pair of birds you want a few extra young from, give your "non-laying" hen a set of dummy eggs at the same time the other pair lays. Once you know the eggs are fertile, move them under the pumper hen and let you fertile hen lay another set. The hen I sent to Cricket had raised babies for me for 5 years and she loved her mate so, I decided to let her and her mate go somewhere, where they could be together always.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

4 to 7 days old is an age young birds are not coverd as well by the parents depends on breed type. Now at this age pin feathers are just developing And the bird gets chilled easyer. More young birds do not make it at this time when temps drop as you have said. Far as feeding out the young its not all that hard ,and Can be done safely. As for the hen laying just 1 egg this happens at times And some hens they lay just 1 egg very often. Others do it at times. then lay 2 the next round. Nothing health wise wrong. When it is very cold Feed and water helps kepp the birds covering the young when the water is not frozen they can drink and get back on the nest. Frozen water thirsty birds they leave the nest longer hoping to get a drink.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> Really, Cynthia? Don't think I've ever seen that mentioned on the site before. Can you give some more information??


That's all I know. really. Karen told me when she was handraising Maddie (the squab at the end of the syringe and balloon series of photos in my webshots). I have never raised a squab, the only one I had I handed over to a pair of pigeons to raise for me.

Cynthia


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## Eriduardo (Aug 28, 2006)

Thanks this is all very helpful info! The hen is a 2000 hatch so she's approximately 7 yrs. old, maybe she's maxed out on her production as some of you said or or it might be something else. By the way my first babies (the 3 that are left) are 4 days old today and are doing fine so far, they haven't gotten to the point where the parents can't cover them I hope the cold moves on by the time they are too big to be covered.


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## naturegirl (Nov 7, 2005)

Talking on the subject of pigeons laying eggs Pesto laid 3 eggs once now how weird is that one? 


Cindy


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Eriduardo said:


> Thanks this is all very helpful info! The hen is a 2000 hatch so she's approximately 7 yrs. old, maybe she's maxed out on her production as some of you said or or it might be something else. By the way my first babies (the 3 that are left) are 4 days old today and are doing fine so far, they haven't gotten to the point where the parents can't cover them I hope the cold moves on by the time they are too big to be covered.


If she is a 2000 bird chances are she is done, I have a 2000 bird who recently stopped laying also, and she is just fine. That is why I asked about her age.

Please pamper her and allow her to raise anothers babies, she will still make a great mom.


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## Eriduardo (Aug 28, 2006)

Trees Gray said:


> Please pamper her and allow her to raise anothers babies, she will still make a great mom.


If she did max out then I think that's what I'm going to do. She's such a beauty and she's a great mother as well, which is something I think she passed down to her daughter who acts and looks exactly like her.


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