# Baby pigeon won't eat



## Abhinav (May 24, 2015)

I found two Indian fantail baby pigeon, 5 days ago, their parents died due to exhaust fan of our hostel washroom. They are about 20 days old. I'm hand feeding both pigeons, one of the pigeon was previously very cooperative and would feed properly, however since today morning it is very afraid of me and not allowing me to feed it properly, though when left alone it roams freely in room and esquires everything. I've examined inside of its beak and no signs of canker, its crop was empty and was in fact apparently healthy than its sibling, and even warm properly. It doesn't beaks the nipple and I've to feed him by putting syringe/mustard sauce bottle deep in its throat, now its kind of refusing it too.

I can't understand is it that is has grown and hence rejecting slightly more liquid formula, but it was never afraid of me for first 4 days but since yesterday it is.

The other sibling in fact had more difficulty feeding early on now feeds easily from 50cc syringe with nipple and it pecks itself just as if it is feeding from parent's beak.


Please help, I'm also attaching pic of baby the one completely visible in the pic is the one denying food.


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## Abhinav (May 24, 2015)

This is another pic of it today evening, it fed only 15ml of diet and though was swallowing and even opening its beak in a while but was very scared whenever i held it. It ran away every time, however once away from me in room it roamed and inquired things in perfectly normal way.


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## AndreiS (Jul 28, 2013)

While growing and becoming more independent, they feel more afraid of the humans to whom when younger were docile. This may be a cause. Or, you may have caused fear by one of your actions. If I understood correctly, you hand-feed them with a "nipple", not by introducing a tube into their crop. Crop feeding with a tube is harmful to them if not done with proper device (softened-edges tube) and very careful, without forcing at all.

To solve the problem, you should imobilise him with a towel and then see if he wants food. 

If it doesn't work, he may have acquired some problem, like a ingested object or candida (or canker) blocking the access of food from crop to proventriculus. Open the beak and smell if it smells like something fermented. If yes, you have blocked crop. In this case, treat with Nystatin, 3 times a day half a tablet, crushed, mixed and given with water. Treat until the crop functions normally.

To me, from photo he looks immunodepressed, I think is not only fear but a disease. Or he may have aspirated food, this (or any impediment in respiration) causes them fear. Does he breath with noise?


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## Abhinav (May 24, 2015)

Hey thanks, I'll try that with towel and till now I've not specifically looked for breath noise so might have not noticed it. I'll reexamine as you said. Yes I feed them with nipple and syringe.


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## AndreiS (Jul 28, 2013)

Just a side question: is the nipple made by you? I tried to make myself but didn't succeed so I would like to know how to do.


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## Abhinav (May 24, 2015)

For that i used cut end of good quality surgical glove, and put it over syringe till end leaving a bulbous portion and then made a slit. Both pigeons identify it and put their beak in and eat it just as if they eat from parent's beak.

I'm adding pic of 20 cc syringe, for 50cc syringe you need a better rubber.


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## youssef (May 26, 2015)

Hello with I do not understand English good , I think you want your food this birds feeding them through the the needle and food must be soft and explaining the way this Photos


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## Abhinav (May 24, 2015)

I have one more query, I use to feed them two times a day and give them only till they like (which is 30-40 ml). Should I rather increase frequency and decrease amount in single feed.


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## Abhinav (May 24, 2015)

Hey thanks man this method looks better than mine. It ll avoid few drops which trickle down their neck.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Only feed when the crop is almost empty. They are ready for some hand fed defrosted peas at this point. Feeding less more times a day is better for digestion.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

They are old enough, as was mentioned, to wean from the feeding that way. Over here we buy frozen peas 
and defrost and warm them. They are soft and easy to digest. In India, seems to be a problem getting those with other posters on here. If you can cook fresh green peas till soft, then hand feed those, would be easier, and would get them started on more solid food. Don't start giving them hard dry peas, as those would be hard to digest for them right now. Also put down some seed, and peck at it with your finger to show them. 
It is natural for them to start to not want the formula as they grow older. At this age, you want to start getting away from feeding that way, and try to teach them to eat on their own.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Frozen green peas are available here on almost all the big stores even some times on small stores. Abhinav if you have big bazar near by , you will get there too easily.go for the known and good brand.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Thanks for that information Kiddy, as many times people there have ignored the frozen peas feeding and given grains or dry peas. The frozen and thawed are much more easily digested.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Jay3 said:


> Thanks for that information Kiddy, as many times people there have ignored the frozen peas feeding and given grains or dry peas. The frozen and thawed are much more easily digested.


Welcome.why I ignore frozen green peas is I really suspect about the chemical they use to make it green and fresh for long terms.so I asked Abhinav to go for some good and known brand which is atleast certified by "fssai" .many times we see uncertified foods here and so I don't know if they can harm anyone in any way when actually they aren't been tested for health and safety.


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## Abhinav (May 24, 2015)

Jay3 said:


> They are old enough, as was mentioned, to wean from the feeding that way. Over here we buy frozen peas
> and defrost and warm them. They are soft and easy to digest. In India, seems to be a problem getting those with other posters on here. If you can cook fresh green peas till soft, then hand feed those, would be easier, and would get them started on more solid food. Don't start giving them hard dry peas, as those would be hard to digest for them right now. Also put down some seed, and peck at it with your finger to show them.
> It is natural for them to start to not want the formula as they grow older. At this age, you want to start getting away from feeding that way, and try to teach them to eat on their own.


Yes you are right the baby was afraid of formula feed, I got frozen peas of well certified company at retail chain store here, and baby is comfortable with peas.


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## Abhinav (May 24, 2015)

kiddy said:


> Welcome.why I ignore frozen green peas is I really suspect about the chemical they use to make it green and fresh for long terms.so I asked Abhinav to go for some good and known brand which is atleast certified by "fssai" .many times we see uncertified foods here and so I don't know if they can harm anyone in any way when actually they aren't been tested for health and safety.


I found one of mother dairy in reliance fresh store, its good brand it was certified as well, hopefully its good, I've been consuming its product for years hopefully it suits them as well.


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## Abhinav (May 24, 2015)

spirit wings said:


> Only feed when the crop is almost empty. They are ready for some hand fed defrosted peas at this point. Feeding less more times a day is better for digestion.


Yes they are comfortable with thawed frozen peas, and yes their crops were empty before feeding. Thanks I'm feeding them two times a day, just wanted to assure I was right, because some sites have mentioned three times a day.


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## Abhinav (May 24, 2015)

AndreiS said:


> While growing and becoming more independent, they feel more afraid of the humans to whom when younger were docile. This may be a cause. Or, you may have caused fear by one of your actions. If I understood correctly, you hand-feed them with a "nipple", not by introducing a tube into their crop. Crop feeding with a tube is harmful to them if not done with proper device (softened-edges tube) and very careful, without forcing at all.
> 
> To solve the problem, you should imobilise him with a towel and then see if he wants food.
> 
> ...


Yes I checked their beak there was no growth, I smelled too there was no smell of fermentation. He doesn't breathe with noise. The pic I took was after feeding him and he was afraid of feed, today I immobilized him and gave him thawed frozen peas he seemed quite comfortable eating those, however it is still afraid of me, unlike other one who goes on chirping and pecking on my hand in search of food.
So I guess as he got grown up he was denying formula and I was trying to feed him same.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Abhinav said:


> I found one of mother dairy in reliance fresh store, its good brand it was certified as well, hopefully its good, I've been consuming its product for years hopefully it suits them as well.


Yes mother dairy is fine.thanks for helping the kids Abhinav when their parents were no more. You deserve a big smile 
You rock!!! 
keep us posted.thank you so much.


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## Abhinav (May 24, 2015)

kiddy said:


> Yes mother dairy is fine.thanks for helping the kids Abhinav when their parents were no more. You deserve a big smile
> You rock!!!
> keep us posted.thank you so much.


Hey thanks, I'll keep posting about them


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## AndreiS (Jul 28, 2013)

Thank you both for explanations and photos!


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## Abhinav (May 24, 2015)

Till now I was keeping them at same place where their nest was, I used a deep card board cartoon box. But since yesterday a new pigeon pair is frequenting that place and hovering near nest. I flew them away many times but they keep coming back, and today when I brought baby pigeons in room to feed them, when I returned one was sitting there.
Should I keep baby pigeons in my room, I've a small hostel room its 15 by 10 feet and due to scorching summer I've to use A.C. Will that affect them, and in room will free fresh air supply be sufficient for them???


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

They could still be fed 3 times a day if their crop is emptying soon enough to allow that. 
How much are you feeding them at one time?
If kept in AC cooled room, keep them away from the air conditioner. Don't let cold air blow on them, or them become too cold.
Again..........how much are you feeding them?


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## Abhinav (May 24, 2015)

Jay3 said:


> They could still be fed 3 times a day if their crop is emptying soon enough to allow that.
> How much are you feeding them at one time?
> If kept in AC cooled room, keep them away from the air conditioner. Don't let cold air blow on them, or them become too cold.
> Again..........how much are you feeding them?


Reply I was feeding them formula 30-40 ml at a time two times a day, the bigger one is not accepting formula any more I gave him 20 thawed frozen peas in morning with 10 ml of formula which it took very slowly, in evening I'll decrease formula to 5 ml and from tomorrow morning I plan to keep larger one on peas only. Can I add thawed frozen corn to it??

However smaller one still excepts formula readily and is taking 40 ml a time two times a day. Should I introduce him to peas as well. He has not developed feathers under wings.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

You can add frozen corn, but I would use mostly peas as they are easy to digest. 20 peas is not enough 2 times daily. They will not get enough to eat. Try giving 30 peas 3 times a day, and work up to 40. After a few times when they have learned that peas are food, leave some with them so that they can practice picking them up on their own. I would leave some seed with them also, but you must get them drinking on their own. Dip their beaks into a small crock of tepid water, but not over their nostrils. Do this several times daily till they learn to drink. Also leave a small crock of water with them.


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## Abhinav (May 24, 2015)

Jay3 said:


> You can add frozen corn, but I would use mostly peas as they are easy to digest. 20 peas is not enough 2 times daily. They will not get enough to eat. Try giving 30 peas 3 times a day, and work up to 40. After a few times when they have learned that peas are food, leave some with them so that they can practice picking them up on their own. I would leave some seed with them also, but you must get them drinking on their own. Dip their beaks into a small crock of tepid water, but not over their nostrils. Do this several times daily till they learn to drink. Also leave a small crock of water with them.


Thanks a lot, I'll increase the frequency and start training them to drink water. What type of seeds can I add to their diet???


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