# Need help with Cuban racer found in Louisiana



## Jaylee (Jul 13, 2012)

HELP! I've come into possession of what appears to be an injured but salvageable Cuban racing pigeon, and I know NOTHING about pigeons other than what I've learned in the last little bit researching the band on this fellow that my wife's niece just gave us. We'd like to know how best to proceed - I'm nursing it now, and expect it to survive, but don't know yet whether it will fly again. At the very least, I'd like to let its owner know it's been found, and try to return it if it recovers sufficiently. I've found the FCC site (Federation of Cuban Pigeon-Fanciers), but my Spanish is too poor to figure out how to contact them. Any suggestions?


Details:

- Bright blue solid plastic leg band on right leg reads "FCC 2010 025397"

- Bird was collected late last night in Sulphur, Louisiana, on 7/11/12, after an employee noticed that it was hanging out behind a store for several days in a row. Has not been seen flying at all.

- It's very comfortable with humans and handling - doesn't flinch when touched, didn't struggle at all when I picked it up and examined it. 

- It spent the day at my wife's office today with water and bread, in a newspaper lined tub where it sat calmly, mostly hunched down with eyes closed. It's now eating commercial pigeon feed and drinking water on its own in our den at home, but remains very still. Feels underweight to me, but what do I know? We raise quail, chickens & pheasants, though, so I was surprised that the keel was so prominent - worried that it might be too starved to recover.

- Dried blood under right axilla (armpit? whatever - right where wing & body join). I haven't felt an obvious break or cut, but haven't checked thoroughly, yet. Bird seems weak, and I don't want to stress it further until it's had more water, food, & rest. Keeping it indoors, in a warm, draft-free room. Will transfer to coop outdoors if it recovers.


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## Hareloft (Jun 26, 2011)

It is probably to dificult to get the bird bck to them. Pigeons can lose alot of weight on a long flight. It may have been blown over with a storm. Keep it away from the chickens you can feed it some of your phesant feed as it is higher in protien if I remember right. Homing pigeons bounce back pretty fast. If you like him and can't find the owner I don't see a problem with you keeping him they are easy to care for.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I would keep this pigeon and call it you're own there does not seem to be a contact that is reliable. If you know birds, as you seem to do..it is in good hands..


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## Jaylee (Jul 13, 2012)

Dang. Got up this morning to find it is much weaker. You have to hold the water dish right under its beak now because it's having trouble standing. It would be an awful shame for it to have survived 800+ miles and Gulf storms, but run out of fight just when it got rescued.  

We bought commercial pigeon feed for a mourning dove nestling we rescued a while ago, so I think it's getting a good grain mix - I will take Hareloft's suggestion and add a little game bird feed on the side for extra protein, though.

If it doesn't recover well enough to fly home, I don't imagine shipping it - but I really would like to at least let its people know where it wound up. It's had an amazing journey, and it's a good-looking bird.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Jaylee said:


> Dang. Got up this morning to find it is much weaker. You have to hold the water dish right under its beak now because it's having trouble standing. It would be an awful shame for it to have survived 800+ miles and Gulf storms, but run out of fight just when it got rescued.
> 
> We bought commercial pigeon feed for a mourning dove nestling we rescued a while ago, so I think it's getting a good grain mix - I will take Hareloft's suggestion and add a little game bird feed on the side for extra protein, though.
> 
> If it doesn't recover well enough to fly home, I don't imagine shipping it - but I really would like to at least let its people know where it wound up. It's had an amazing journey, and it's a good-looking bird.


The bird sounds sick, do you have any antibiotics around to treat him for say 10 days.. can you post a picture of him and his droppings? how much is he eating? he may like to have a heating pad under the box to reserve his energy.


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## Jaylee (Jul 13, 2012)

Thanks, Spirit Wings - yes, started Duramycin-10 in the water this morning, which is a tetracycline hydrochloride. Droppings were yellow and runny overnight, indicating something not good is going on in there. 

I'm working from home at my desk this morning, so the bird is wrapped in a towel on my lap - I'll add a heating pad, per your suggestion. I haven't seen it eat today, so I've fed it a few individual grains between sips of water in order to make sure it's getting a few calories. Resting on its bony keel has given it a hard, sore line down its breast. Things aren't looking good so far.

In better news, I found an e-mail address at the Cuban national club, and sent a request for assistance contacting the owner. I also posted a request for help via a Cuban blog that talked about keeping pigeons in Havana, and got a response from someone who said they'd try to help finding the owner! 

Keep your fingers crossed. If the bird survives, I'd like to get some help from this board with finding a local fancier to take it. It's in quarantine for now, but just in case . . . .


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## Jaylee (Jul 13, 2012)

Uploading 3 photos - at rest, from above, and in hand - third photo shows terrible wasting, and the line of sores along its keel. It's resting under a heating pad, now, and its most recent poop has changed to black/spinach-green, and a thin, mealy consistency. Please tell me this is better than yellow, but I'm afraid this poor bird is on its last legs.


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## Jaylee (Jul 13, 2012)

sorry for the ginormous pix - at least you can see the detail!


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## Jaylee (Jul 13, 2012)

Short version: the pigeon died.

At least it was safe and quiet and warm at the end. I'll post again if I find the owner, and let you guys know what I find.

thanks again,

J


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