# HELP please - major baby dilemma!



## loulou (Jul 13, 2006)

Found a very young wood pigeon in my garden after a tree was cut down. Looked very feeble so brought it in and put it in a box with tissue to keep it warm. Fololowing morning its parents were there so I put it back out in the garden on the grass and they seemed to feed it. This was four days ago. I have been putting it out during the day, and bringing it in at night otherwise I fear he will freeze to death outside at night. We've been feeding him mushy bread but have only just found this forum so will follow instructions with feed and syringe now. Dilemma is... Should I leave him to his parents or continue what I am dong. They are keeping an eye on him but he shivers as it gets to evening time. I don't want his parents to give up on him tho. PLease help asap!! Thanks


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi there, 

Does this young pigeon have feathers at all? How cold are we talking about at night? Are you sure the parents are feeding him during the day? Sorry for all the questions but this is all relevant before suggestions are made.

Bread isn't the greatest for him but it's keeping him fed at this point. Please let us know about the above questions. Likely he would be fine outside and left with his parents but we need more information to make an assessment.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

I'm assuming you are in the UK or somewhere in Europe? We have several UK members in our forum who are well experienced with Woodies. Where were the parents feeding the baby when you put him outside...on the ground? There should have been another baby too, do you know what happened to that one?

What about predators in your area....do you have feral cats, or any hawks? It might not be safe now that his nest has been destroyed. 

I have to step out for a bit shortly but please answer all the questions as best you can and I'm sure someone else will be on to assist. Hang in there and keep watch as best you can to see if the parents are indeed feeding him and if he's doing ok outside.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Loulou,

Where are you? 

As Brad says, the age is important. Wood pigeons are able to fly when they leave the nest, so he would either be very young or could have something else wrong with him. Is there somewhere that you could put him where the parents can continue to feed him but that is safe from predators? 

Bird hospitals feed young woodpigeons wholemeal bread soaked in water, so that is a good choice.

This link will take you to photos of wood pigeons developing, perhaps they will help you determine how old he is.

http://community.webshots.com/album/307673749CDqjnv

Cynthia


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## loulou (Jul 13, 2006)

*baby woodie dilemma*

Thanks for your quick replies. I'll try answer some questions. there was an egg shell on the floor near where I found him, so maybe there was a more undeveloped baby there?
I reckon he's about 50-10 days old approx. lookig at the pics. Have deffo. seen the parents feed him and they are frequently keeping a look out for him but he is on his own a lot too. The garden is pretty safe with regards to predators (but a cat could climb the fence I guess). They have fed him down on the ground on the grass. We made a box in the tree near where the nest was but parents would not go near it. Also made one on the floor but don't think they could see him.


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## loulou (Jul 13, 2006)

*baby woodie*

Sorry - just remembered some more questions. He's just beginning to develop feathers, but really he only has a soft yellowy down on him. Just beginning to make the tiniest little squeak now too. He is definitely developing and is stronger than when we found him. I'm just very concerned I don't scare the parent off with moving him a lot. I am In South East England. Luckily its been about 25c during the day, so he seems fine, but its prob. around 12-15c at night. Hope this helps a bit!


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

loulou said:


> Thanks for your quick replies. I'll try answer some questions. there was an egg shell on the floor near where I found him, so maybe there was a more undeveloped baby there?
> I reckon he's about *50-10 days old *approx. lookig at the pics. Have deffo. seen the parents feed him and they are frequently keeping a look out for him but he is on his own a lot too. The garden is pretty safe with regards to predators (but a cat could climb the fence I guess). They have fed him down on the ground on the grass. We made a box in the tree near where the nest was but parents would not go near it. Also made one on the floor but don't think they could see him.


Is that a typo?

Pidgey


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Is there any way that you could find the branch that had the nest from the tree that was cut down and affix it to something fairly high to temporarily re-establish it during the nesting phase?

Pidgey


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## loulou (Jul 13, 2006)

yes! I meant 5-10 of course!


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## loulou (Jul 13, 2006)

No because we never even saw the nest and the old branches and twigs have been removed. The box in the tree just doesnt seem to coax them either.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Oh, what fun! Well, so far so good and I guess you've got plenty of time to keep trying new things. You might try seeing if you can make a very short-sided box with a nicely fashioned nest of natural materials in it to cover the box itself, give him awhile in that where you've normally kept him by day and see if you can get the parents to accept that. If you can, then maybe you can start shifting it little by little to someplace more safe.

That's just a thought but you're best to get your advice from folks who know woodies best which would be John and Cynthia so if they say not to try this, then don't.

Pidgey


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi LouLou,


Woodpigeons don't like boxes, their nests are pretty basic and fragile constructions , just a few twigs in the fork of a branch. Perhaps you could put one of those open bread baskets somewhere accessible to birds but not cats, place a few twigs and the baby in it and see whether the parents make their way to it.

It still has 4 weeks or so before it fledges. There might be a good wildlife hospital near you, can you be a bit more precise about your location? Then we might be able to link you to someone.

Cynthia


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Loulou, 

Sorry I had to step out for a bit there but I see Cynthia is helping you now. You're in good hands with her advice and she lives in the UK. 

5-10 old is pretty young to be out and exposed at night and if there are hardly any feathers, then you've probably done the right thing by bringing him indoors at night.

Cynthina or John might be able to provide you with rehabbers or places to take this pigeon if need be, and if you're in the UK.

Good luck and keep us posted


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## loulou (Jul 13, 2006)

Thanks for that.. Im in Wickford in Essex. I'm quite reluctant to take it to a wildlife hospital seeing as the parents are still feeding it. I'm hoping I can somehow get it to a place where they can start nurturing it somewhere full time without me bringing it in and out of the house. He isn't injured in any way and for his age, seems to be making good progress. Maybe I'll try make another flat nest in the tree the parents are always in?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi LouLou,

Keep trying, but I think that you are right to bring it in at night and keep it warm while it is that young, because the parents would still be sitting on it. Putting the nest in the tree that the parents favour sounds like a good idea. If they don't find it you can always change that.

Cynthia


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

I loulou,



Well...


If his parents are indeed feeding him during the day...just figure out some nice way to let them do that every day, and, come night, bring the Baby in and keep him warm and just let him sleep and you would not need to be feeding him.

Keep him warm and on a soft white towell...and each morning count the poops...there should be around 10 to 15 poops from his overnight time. and if not, let us know.

Do you have an electric Heating Pad or can you get one?

Now, as pidgey is suggesting, you probably could find a way to improvise an acceptable Nest for them close to where the old one was...where, you could then of course just put the Baby in the Nest and they would do the rest...so think hard on this angle, because it would be the best and easiest for all concerned if you can succeed with it.

Of course for now, it is IS cold or rainy-cold outside, you would not want to put the Baby out where it would get chilled...unless you had made a Nest which they accept where they would be sitting on him.



More info soon...

Phil
Las Vegas


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## loulou (Jul 13, 2006)

Okay will continue to do so. Put him back out in the garden this morning and his Mum came and fed him straight away so thats good. The nest thing still isnt working, and we are still having to put food down his beak at night as he doesnt take it himself, but he gets a bit stronger everyday!


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi loulou,


If his Crop is reasonably 'full' from his parents feeding by Day...then you should not feel any need to be trying to feed him at Night...he should be just fine...

If he is not getting enough food by Day, and you do need to feed him, please see my little thread under 'General Discussions' titled "Chow time for Dove Baby" ( I think, ) where, I am also explaining various details about a kind, easy, natural way of feeding them, which is in essence, to let them eat in their own way, as one provide their food in a way that is natural for them.
This way, they are active eaters, one merely holds the food for them, and no force or effort is needed.

Nest wise, can you improvise some sort of stand close to the height and location of their old Nest?


Phil
Las Vegas


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