# I found a pigeon that can't fly



## jlsweet32 (Sep 28, 2011)

I am looking for help with a pigeon that I have found. I brought her home to take care of her because she doesn't fly well at all. When she tries to fly she can't get very high and will only go for about 10 feet before she sort of flutters and lands (sometimes a rough landing). If she tries to perch when flying, she will put her feet out but just bounces off the spot and falls to the ground. I can't see any sign of sickness or injury. She does look like a different breed than what is usually in my area, but she appears healthy. She eats very well and has been drinking fine. She's very alert and appears active. She doesn't seem to mind human contact much and when taken out of the cage she will walk around, but seems very hesitant to try flying or leave the area at all. The first day we had her her poop was a little greener than normal, but this is day 2 and it seems fine now. Also when I rescued her she would walk and seemed to trip over nothing and fall. Could she just be exhausted? I would really like to be able to release her back to the wild, but there are lots of cats here so I want to make sure she is 100% so that she doesn't get hurt. Anyone have any idea what might be wrong or what I could do to help her?


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## Emmastaff (Sep 24, 2011)

Is it possible her wings have been clipped?


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Do you think you could post up a photo of this bird and any fresh droppings, here's how: http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=525049&postcount=15

Good luck with this little guy,

Karyn


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## jlsweet32 (Sep 28, 2011)

I'm not sure of what to look for with clipped wings. Her droppings look a little runny but the color is normal now. Here are a few pics. I also noticed that she seems to stand on one leg a lot now but she just started doing that today and she was walking around fine. I don't have a dropping picture yet because I just cleaned her cage before looking at my post but I will put one on as soon as she has one.


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## jlsweet32 (Sep 28, 2011)

Here is a picture of her droppings.


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## jlsweet32 (Sep 28, 2011)

She decided she couldn't wait for fresh paper in her cage.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

She doesn't look at all well. She must be sick. Poor thing. Have you checked her over for any injuries? Can you look in her mouth and down her throat to see if there are any cheesy looking spots? How does she smell?


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, she's also very, very young. You might try feeling her keel (breastbone) to see how prominent it feels. She could be sick or she could be starved because she's too young to be out on her own. 

Pidgey


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## November-X-Scourge (May 12, 2011)

She does look very sick and puffed up!! Look in her mouth for canker (yellow growths)


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Yes, as the others have mentioned quite young and with the possibility she could be ill, although the one dropping I see does not look too bad. Let's see how she does with some TLC and food for the next day or two. But just in case, would you happen to have any antibiotics around the house or live need a larger urban area where some could be picked up if needed? Any chance of you have a kitchen scale to get a weight on this little one (if not, check with friends, family or neighbors)? Her being young, malnourished and weak could account for her not flying well right now, by the way.

Karyn


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## jlsweet32 (Sep 28, 2011)

I don't see any sign of cankers or injury. Her keel does feel and look as though it is sticking out more than normal. She is also smaller than other pigeons in this area. She seems to be having more droppings than the first day I found her. They are larger too. She also seems to be much more lively. She's starting to peck at my hand and sort of grunt a little when I reach in to feed her and she is moving around more. She was crouching in the back corner quiet and still pretty when I first found her. Hopefully a good sign. Maybe she is just too young? Or do you think she may be sick because of the keel?


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## jlsweet32 (Sep 28, 2011)

No bad smell or cankers.


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## November-X-Scourge (May 12, 2011)

So...shes hungry (the keel). try feeding chopped peanuts (along with other seeds), they're high in fat. Scourge (my former pij) grunted when I grabbed her, so I guess that's normal.


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## jlsweet32 (Sep 28, 2011)

Thank you to everyone who has replied. You have all been a big help. I will keep all posted.


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## jlsweet32 (Sep 28, 2011)

Despite our best efforts our pigeon lost her battle last night. RIP Hobo


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

Sorry the little one didn't make it. At least he knew someone cared enough to take him out of danger on the street.

I didn't want to sound unnecesarily negaitve when I first saw the posted photos of *Hobo*, but he did seem to appear very sad, and withdrawn. But one or two photos don't sum up the whole, necessarily.

I keep some liquid pigeon vitamin (Belgian brand Versele-Laga Columbine Aminovital, available in many parts of the world) in the fridge, which I dose a rescue with as soon as they are warm and settled, whether they have apparent injuries or problems or not. I do this beause several years ago another PT member said that a dose of vitamins sometimes seemed to do as much as any medicine she could give them, by the time she determined what afflicted them and what meds were appropriate.

I see that Jedds carries Versele-Laga, and some powdered vitamins (with aminoacids and trace elements).
It is a bit of an imvestment for the occasional pigeon rescuer, also keeping a stock of basic meds, butonce you become aware of an unusual behavior in a bird, and rescue him, more seem to follow, and the initial investment seems to make more and more sense over time. 

Larry


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I'm sorry she didn't make it. She looked ill in the pics and must have been ill. Antibiotics may have helped her.


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## ippychick (Sep 19, 2007)

Oh no, so sorry to hear the little one didn't make it.. :'( 

Well done for taking her in though!


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