# baby bird formula



## natasha81harris (Aug 24, 2011)

hello all we have found a baby pigeon and need to know what we can feed him as an emergency until monday when we can go get to a pet shop to get kaytee exact... 

many thanks


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

How old is he? Can you post a picture?


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## natasha81harris (Aug 24, 2011)

he is between 12-15 days old, we have been observing him for about 4days now, just to be sure his parents werent about and still feeding him, but today we decided to bring him home as we hadnt seen parents come back at all. We want to feed him a.s.a.p so are trying to find a formula we can make at home today...

thanks


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

You shouldn't have taken him. At this age the parents have likely started another nest somewhere, but they do come back to feed. Pigeons are normally good parents. You wouldn't know that they are coming back just by observing them. You can't possibly be there 24 hours a day watching. You should return them to their nest or the parents will think them gone and not come back.


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## natasha81harris (Aug 24, 2011)

i dont understand these sites that are supposed to offer help, i come to ask a question and get lectured..... The bird was under a bridge on a main very BUSY road, there are 3 dead pigeons already in the road, one hop and he wud have been in the road and dead.... Im trying to help a helpless little bird that i believe needs it. There is not a chance i am going to go and put it back to only ride pass tomorrow and see it dead in the road... Ill go elsewhere for my advice then... thanks!


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## jondove (Nov 17, 2011)

natasha81harris said:


> he is between 12-15 days old, we have been observing him for about 4days now, just to be sure his parents werent about and still feeding him, but today we decided to bring him home as we hadnt seen parents come back at all. We want to feed him a.s.a.p so are trying to find a formula we can make at home today...
> 
> thanks


You don't have to see the parents, you should feel his crop. If it was not empty when you took him from the nest, also if the poo was normal, and the baby was in good shape, then he was surely getting food from his parents. Your post doesn't say anything about him being very ill, if I didn't miss something, but after 4 days of not being fed he would be either dead or dying. 

It is unlikely that something happened to both parents and even if one of them died the other one would keep on feeding the babies.

Anyway you should feed him something before returning him, if you don't have baby bird formula, you can try with baby cereal, or some kind of porridge, (anything containing cereals but NOT bread, unless in an emergency if you really don't have anything else to feed; no rye also), add some raw egg yolk, some yogurt (but NO milk).

See also: http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/whattofeed.htm also http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/howtofeed.htm


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## jondove (Nov 17, 2011)

natasha81harris said:


> i dont understand these sites that are supposed to offer help, i come to ask a question and get lectured..... The bird was under a bridge on a main very BUSY road, there are 3 dead pigeons already in the road, one hop and he wud have been in the road and dead.... Im trying to help a helpless little bird that i believe needs it. There is not a chance i am going to go and put it back to only ride pass tomorrow and see it dead in the road... Ill go elsewhere for my advice then... thanks!


Sorry, just read this, if you are sure he needs help, then by all means don't return him to what might be a very dangerous place. You should have explained this in your first post.

But I still think that if after 4 days the baby was still alive, he must have been fed somehow by his parents.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

You said nothing about the bird being by the road. Many people bring them home from where they are nesting, because they don't see the parents around and assume they are not being fed. They mean well, but in reality are causing more harm than help. No one is lecturing you. Just concerned about the baby. I doubt that he has gone 4 days without food or he would be very ill and weak now. Can you post a picture?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

natasha81harris said:


> i dont understand these sites that are supposed to offer help, i come to ask a question and get lectured..... The bird was under a bridge on a main very BUSY road, there are 3 dead pigeons already in the road, one hop and he wud have been in the road and dead.... Im trying to help a helpless little bird that i believe needs it. There is not a chance i am going to go and put it back to only ride pass tomorrow and see it dead in the road... Ill go elsewhere for my advice then... thanks!


sorry you feel that way, jay3 is right and only giving info to you as she would be remiss not to say that. pigeons do not sit on their babies at that age and the cock pretty much takes over the feedings a few times a day..so it does SEEM like the baby is abandoned but is not. but you did not know this. soooo to feed your youngin I would say defrosted peas and corn at room temp 30 to 50 pieces at a time and then again when the crop goes down.. it works out ot be a 2 or three times a day.. rest at dark.. he can move to regular grains in a week or so by putting them in front of him and pecking at it like the parent bird would with your fingers to get him interested and perhaps pop a few down his throat to swallow to get him started.. they tend to pick them up first and not know what to do..but you want to get him picking them up at that point and then they figure out they need to swallow them..once that happens your on your way.. dipping the beak in a deep dish so he can suck water if he wants is good to do at that point as well..


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## natasha81harris (Aug 24, 2011)

many thanks for all your advice i got some baby porridge in the end and he/she is feeding just fine, a proper little squiker .x.


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

Why does everyone seem to jump to conclusions and answer negatively in the first instance ?
While the advice may be correct in certain situations, A question was asked but then not answered.
Sometimes those that find young birds are more concerned about how/what to feed as they know that is more important in the first instance, rather than post a novel about how everything came about.
Whether it was right or wrong to take the bird, it still needs fed !!!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Quazar said:


> Why does everyone seem to jump to conclusions and answer negatively in the first instance ?
> While the advice may be correct in certain situations, A question was asked but then not answered.
> Sometimes those that find young birds are more concerned about how/what to feed as they know that is more important in the first instance, rather than post a novel about how everything came about.
> Whether it was right or wrong to take the bird, it still needs fed !!!


I think it IS important information for IF there is a next time and for others to see..so they are not thinking these youngins are abandond. but also get the whole story too... all sounds well with this one for sure.


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

spirit wings said:


> I think it IS important information for IF there is a next time and for others to see..so they are not thinking these youngins are abandond. but also get the whole story too... all sounds well with this one for sure.


I'm not disputing its important, but surely the original question could have been answered in the first instance, along with the advice rather than a 2 1/2 hr dialog before someone else chimed in.

I myself somehow missed this topic when it first appeared, but with a distinct lack of some of the normal members who respond quickly we really need to help positively as best we can.

I also know that Jay3 prob didnt mean it as a lecture, but with no advice on the feeding then its easy to take it that way.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Quazar said:


> Why does everyone seem to jump to conclusions and answer negatively in the first instance ?
> While the advice may be correct in certain situations, A question was asked but then not answered.
> Sometimes those that find young birds are more concerned about how/what to feed as they know that is more important in the first instance, rather than post a novel about how everything came about.
> Whether it was right or wrong to take the bird, it still needs fed !!!



I wasn't being negative. I told them to return the baby, as the information they gave was that they took him because they didn't see the parents feeding him. Do you know how many people mistakenly assume that a baby is not being fed because they don't see it happening? Pigeons are normally great parents, and do come back to feed, even if you don't observe it. By taking a baby that doesn't need rescuing, you are taking him away from the parents raising him, and teaching him what he needs to know to survive out there. And then becoming human bonded, and maybe not releasable. Many times, in trying to help, people are causing more harm than good. I answered to the information I had been given. And others who read these threads need to be made aware.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Quazar said:


> I'm not disputing its important, but surely the original question could have been answered in the first instance, along with the advice rather than a 2 1/2 hr dialog before someone else chimed in.
> 
> I myself somehow missed this topic when it first appeared, but with a distinct lack of some of the normal members who respond quickly we really need to help positively as best we can.
> 
> I also know that Jay3 prob didnt mean it as a lecture, but with no advice on the feeding then its easy to take it that way.


I understand. perhaps she was thinking it could be returned to be fed by his parents.?


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

Jay3 said:


> I wasn't being negative. I told them to return the baby, as the information they gave was that they took him because they didn't see the parents feeding him. Do you know how many people mistakenly assume that a baby is not being fed because they don't see it happening? Pigeons are normally great parents, and do come back to feed, even if you don't observe it. By taking a baby that doesn't need rescuing, you are taking him away from the parents raising him, and teaching him what he needs to know to survive out there. And then becoming human bonded, and maybe not releasable. Many times, in trying to help, people are causing more harm than good. I answered to the information I had been given. And others who read these threads need to be made aware.


Jay, I fully understand where you are coming from and dont disagree with what you originaly said. I know there are lots of people who do what you said, but you cant just assume that is what has happened, you didnt actually answer the posters question


natasha81harris said:


> hello all we have found a baby pigeon and need to know what we can feed him as an emergency until monday when we can go get to a pet shop to get kaytee exact...


Now, lets suppose the original poster followed your advice and immediately returned the bird to where it was found...It would probably have been run over.
Yes, the OP did not give circumstancial info as to how it was found, but as I said, their normal first priority was to realise that the bird needed to be fed.

I'm not trying to get at you, just pointing out that athough we need to ask questions, we also need to answer the original question at the same time.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Quazar said:


> Jay, I fully understand where you are coming from and dont disagree with what you originaly said. I know there are lots of people who do what you said, *but you cant just assume that is what has happened, you didnt actually answer the posters question
> *
> 
> I didn't assume anything. I answered according to what they had said.
> ...


Please don't tell me how to answer, and I won't tell you. I don't always agree with everything you post either, but I don't tell you what I think you should have said.


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

Jay3 said:


> I didn't assume anything. I answered according to what they had said..


Sorry, I must be blind, I dont see anywhere where you answered the question about what to feed them. 

Anyway, no point in arguing, I was just making a point for future consideration.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Quazar said:


> Sorry, I must be blind, I dont see anywhere where you answered the question about what to feed them.
> 
> Anyway, no point in arguing, I was just making a point for future consideration.


No need to be sarcastic. I didn't say that I answered the question of what to feed. I said that my answer was what it was because of the info they had given. I don't owe you an explanation. And again.........do not tell me how to answer a post.


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## drifter (Oct 7, 2009)

natasha81harris said:


> i dont understand these sites that are supposed to offer help, i come to ask a question and get lectured..... The bird was under a bridge on a main very BUSY road, there are 3 dead pigeons already in the road, one hop and he wud have been in the road and dead.... Im trying to help a helpless little bird that i believe needs it. There is not a chance i am going to go and put it back to only ride pass tomorrow and see it dead in the road... Ill go elsewhere for my advice then... thanks!


Touchy, touchy, touchy


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