# Found on it's back...



## JerseySi (Jun 27, 2007)

Hi all, new here..

First - have been reading the site, seems a lot of knowledgable people here, congrats on a decent community!

Now to the point... This evening as i was heading upstairs, I looked out of my window & saw a pigeon, lying on its back, on my 2nd-floor level flat roof.. saw it was still alive as it's beak was moving, so i figured I couldn't really leave it there..
Unfortunately I can't get out onto the flat roof (and it wouldn't take my weight if i could!), and I can't reach the roof from the window (only the top section opens)..
Long story short, I pushed it back onto it's feet with a long stick, and it continued to do nothing. sadly the only way for me to get the pigeon was to push it off the edge of the flat roof, to the floor below.
As I did this, it made no effort to fly away..

Ran downstairs, & it was stil alive! phew! 
Picked it up and gave it a visual examination - seems ok, nothing obvious broken and no bleeding or other external damage..
It tried a couple of half-hearted flaps of the wings, but there was no way it was going to take off.. it seems to be breathing in through it's mouth (out through the nose), and its eyes are closed most of the time (occasionally opening them when handled).

I've brought it in and found it a box.. Got a couple of warm towels and popped them in the box, as it seems colder than it should be (been reading up on here already, and i know their body temp is warmer than ours.. it feels colder than me)

Have got a sock & some rice to warm up (have no heat pad), once he/she's warm I'll try with some water & wholemeal bread (have little else in the house at the mo - tomorrow is shopping day!)

Just posting on here to see if anyone's got any advice etc as to what i can & should do..
There's plenty of vets here (Jersey, Channel Isles, UK) but I can't afford the bills, and the animals shelter over here would just put it to sleep ("It's just a pigeon")

Currently he/she's just sat in the box, seems like it's asleep.. Hasn't moved really from where i put it, and appears happpy enough - jst sleeping. It doesn't care if I pick it up, looks at me briefly then goes back to sleep in my hand, so I know all's not well.
Couple of pics I got when i brought it in..
How it was lying when i found it (albeit 2 floors higher & on a roof)








An apparently rare eyes-open shot:


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Thanks for taking in this bird. He doesn't look so good but for right this moment you are doing what you can. We have many members that can help you. I will send a message to some of them. Hold on for just a bit if you can...........


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Beautiful bird but extremely close to death. It could be due to very labored breathing because of an obstruction, a systemic infection or Heaven only knows. Don't even try to feed him, it would probably hasten death. Rehydration is important but this bird could easily breathe in the rehydrating fluid in his state. That would usually mean either tubing the liquid directly into the crop (gavage) or giving it as a shot or IV.

And if it's an infection (more likely bacterial but fungal is also possible) then he'd have to be on the right medication ASAP. In that condition, you'd usually pick an injectible one for speed of delivery as taking it orally might not get it absorbed systemically.

There is the possibility that he flew into something, got knocked senseless and has been dehydrating ever since. If you can safely get liquid in, that's usually the most spectacular recovery. But it's only a chance that that would be the right diagnosis.

Pidgey


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Warm the bird for 20-30minutes and make up a cup of warm water w/a pinch
of sugar and a pinch of salt. Very slowly dribble it drop by drop along the side
of the beak and see if the bird will respond by trying to draw it in and swallow.

This of course barring that someone locally can immediately intervene. We'll
help you to try and get the bird stabilized and hydrated initially if possible.

fp


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

No whole meal bread for now, only the hydrating solution please. We need to know that the bird is responding well to that before giving h/her body actual
food. Thanks for everything your doing for the bird.

fp


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

How long has the bird been warming in the box now?

fp


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## JerseySi (Jun 27, 2007)

sorry I've not been back - I did read your replies, got in touch with someone local who knows pigeons and they came round to take a look..

Tried what you said feralpigeon - warmed it up for half hour.. went & made some warm water solution but when I got back it had stopped breathing.. 
As PIdgey said, a bit too close for this one. Unfortunately the local guy didn't get here in time either, felt bad getting him to come out for "nothing"

Sorry guys


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Thanks for giving it your best shot, that's all we can do. I'm sorry this one
didn't make it but not for a lack of effort on your part.

fp


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

I felt pretty bad just reading the title of the thread and even worse when I saw the pictures. I mostly wrote what I did to help ease you for what I felt was going to happen within the next few minutes--I had virtually no hope, I'm sorry.

Pidgey


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Yeah, just hate to not try....

fp


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Man, this is so sad. You only had to look at his picture to know he was very ill. You did a wonderful thing to bring him in and at least let him pass in a more peaceful way than lying on his back.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Thank you so much for trying to help this poor pigeon. As Pidgey said, he appeared close to death when you found him. What a shame; he was a beautiful bird. Bless you for trying to help.


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## stach_n_flash (Mar 15, 2006)

Im so sorry it passed on . You did your best and its on its way to a better place all we can do is to thank you at least it died in the comforts of home instead of a roof top.

Thank you for your efforts even if the out come was negative.


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

Thanks for trying to save him.

He doesn't seem to have much white, chalky-looking ceres on the top of his upper beak. Can we assume this was a young pigeon? He was such a beautiful bird.

Larry


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Larry, all...



Yes, I would say this Pigeon was only recently fledged...


He was very beautiful...and appears so far as I can say frm his appearance, to have been well nourished, possibly untill some recent mishap.

Being on their back is odd, and not consistant in my experience anyway, for death by starvation or poison...and would be unusual for perishing from just about any illness also.

He may have been starving and then had a injury mishap.


Might have been hit by a Car...at least that is consistant with things I have seen, when finding them this way - on their back.


They can end up in odd even high places sometimes from that...especially when glancing off a windshield/windscreen.


Phil
Las Vegas


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