# what is a healthy feral??



## psychopomp (May 5, 2008)

what's an ideal healthy feral like? what weight range? other than wing slaps, growling and generally being bright eyed and feisty!

how can you tell if a feral is healthy enough for release if you were recuperating one?

is there a good book that covers this?

Jen


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## kippermom (Jan 11, 2006)

I have a feral I am trying to decide whether to release...other things to check is a recent worming so it is worm-free when released. Acustomed to weather conditions and night time temps where it is scheduled to be released. Good poops. Strong enough to fly well...no disease symptoms...since different breeds will have different weights, look for the keel, good breast muscle, fully feathered, varied eating habits so it knows to scrounge for food sources...etc...but ultimately releasing is always a gamble. You do your best and then make a decision. Some released ferals will just not make it and you can't often tell that before hand. Ferals will generally have a shorter life span...is it better to fly free for a shorter time, or live longer in an aviary where you get all your needs met...but in a cage? Each of us has to make the best of it...and then live with it. I tend to be overprotective...if there is a question, I err on the side of preserving the bird's safety and health and longevity, which makes me all the more careful to take as good care of the caged aviary flock as I am able....


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

psychopomp said:


> what's an ideal healthy feral like? what weight range? other than wing slaps, growling and generally being bright eyed and feisty!
> 
> how can you tell if a feral is healthy enough for release if you were recuperating one?
> 
> ...




Hi Jen,



Be sure they can fly well, and strongly...


If they can fly indoors for a while, you can at least get some idea before release.



Worming always needs to be in two treatments, ten or twelve days apart.


Phil
l v


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

psychopomp said:


> what's an ideal healthy feral like? what weight range? other than wing slaps, growling and generally being bright eyed and feisty!
> 
> how can you tell if a feral is healthy enough for release if you were recuperating one?
> 
> ...


Most pigeons weigh between 300 to 400 grams, depending on their size, their keal bone should not protrude. Besides the usual signs of vibrant health, activity, aggressiveness, they should have bormal raisin size solid poops. Their feathers should be weather proofed too, that they don't look like drown rats in the rain, lots of baths and garlic caps will help with that-creating the powder in their feathers.


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## psychopomp (May 5, 2008)

ok, weighing my pigeons should be fun...though the two rescue ferals I have aren't for releasing....wing issues, but i thought I should start really learning about how healthy a pigeon should be , in case I do get a releasable one one of these days!

and you must have huge raisins where you come from!!! the poops are the size of pennies here, green with a white top, look healthy to me.....

how do you know if they have worms?


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## kippermom (Jan 11, 2006)

Rule of thumb...worm them anyway! You may or may not ever see symptoms.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

We look for several things:

- Ability to fly well
- Eating well and maintaining a good weight. We weigh ours almost every day prior to release. Most of our ferals are around 325-350 grams.
- Feathers intact and shiny and weather-proof. They get regular baths to insure this.
- May sound silly but we make sure our babies/fledglings voices have changed from squealing and croaking to an adult pigeon sound.
- Poops must be good looking . We always worm ours and treat for coccidia before they are released.
- Have become less dependent on us for their needs and are "wilder". This means reducing contact to a bare minimum at least a month before they're released.
- If the pigeon came to us injured, we make sure that injury is 100% cleared before release.

We never release if there is bad weather or in extremely cold or hot months. We like to release ours a few days after a good rain so they can easily find a water source.

I have gone on record that releasing SUCKS!  However, a rehabber just can't keep them all.


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