# Some advice please. :-)



## pigeonkeeper (Apr 12, 2008)

Hi, our two little baby pigeons were kinda abandoned by their parents & we took them in for the night to watch them cause it's really cold outside and their dad isn't sitting on them and their mom's not home. So how do you feed a 5 and a 6 old day pigeon.? The older one is HUGE but the younger one is really little. It doesn't seem to complicated, but i don't want them to be cold or hungry, And the little one's crop is really small. But we'll bring them back to the loft tomorrow morning to see if their parents are still gonna care for them or not.

Thanks.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

Do you have any formula available? Like Kaytee Exact? 

A lot of people have success with using a baby bottle with a slit nipple so that it's like the parents throats for the baby to get the food out of. Others make an altered version with a syringe with the tip cut off and a slitted balloon or glove finger tip at the end instead. Others have had success with feeding babies off of a spoon.

Don't forget to keep the little ones nice and warm if they don't have their feathers yet (not sure of aging speed in pigeons since I only have doves.) 95 degrees though.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

This is how I feed my babies........


















I use Kaytee Exact Hand feeding formula. I cut the nipple half way down, making the hole big enough for them to slip their beak in to. I cut the finger off a (stretchy type) rubber glove and slide it over the nipple, cutting a slit over the hole (just helps to surround their beak for less of a mess!).
Very easy and quick to feed this way and the babies except it readily...even babies just a couple days old, it's the closest feeding method to 'mom'. Make sure formula is warm (not too hot!), and thick runny pudding consistency.
I keep all my babies on a heating pad (set on LOW and covered with a towel), then form a 'nest' with fleece on top of that.
Feed them just enough so that their crop is like a 'squishy balloon'. I usually have to feed them 3 times a day, 6-7am - 1-2pm and I try to do the last feeding around 7-9pm. That gets them thru the night


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