# FOUND two baby pigeons and I'm not too sure what to do! HELP!



## talena824 (Jul 26, 2008)

Hi!
Name's Claudia from Texas
We recently had a hurricane, and the next day I found two baby pigeons
One of them can't move one leg *name's Flam*, and the other seems fine *name's Buddy*
I can't afford a vet  I tried calling the zoo, but they said that their vets wouldn't inspect them unless I donated them to the zoo
I want to take care of them
I read a lot on how to care for them
I bought the baby mix, I feed them 5 times a day, on a schedule
At first they wouldn't let me, but now they are pretty good at eating
They poop green, white and watery (don't know if that's good)
They are always crying *making beep beep noises* (don't know if that's normal)
One of them moves around a lot, kind of like he has a fit, when we try to feed him/her (don't know if that's normal) but he/she opens their mouth to take food just fine
Once in a while the non handicapped one has a little fit. He'll spread his wings, beep beep *mind you I don't know what its called* walk around and move his head up and down. To me he sounds like he/she is freaking out, but I don't know if that's normal
I don't think I can get them wet, but the one with the handicap always ends up rolling over its poop. I tried cleaning him/her with a wet napkin, but it was dry and stuck on his feathers
They mostly only have yellow feathers on their head, and the rest are tiny grey feathers, I can't tell how old they are 
I can't figure out if they're males or females
or when I can feed them seeds
I take them out sometimes, and lay them between my legs while I play video games, and they seem to calm down and sleep
They always peck at my hands real quickly when I put my hand into the box (don't know if it's because they're hungry though*
I've never taken care of birds before, and I don't know if I'm doing the right thing
I want to provide the best home for them
I'd appreciate any help!!
Thank you so much
You can email me:[email protected], message me on my space (myspace.com/talena_spit), or add me on messenger [email protected]
Thank you so much!!


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Thank you very much for caring for these babies. You're in the right place! I'll try to answer your questions:


Name's Claudia from Texas
We recently had a hurricane, and the next day I found two baby pigeons
I bought the baby mix, I feed them 5 times a day, on a schedule
At first they wouldn't let me, but now they are pretty good at eating

*That's great. Here is a very easy hand feeding method used by a lot of us, as it imitates how they eat from their parents. The parent pigeon opens their beak, and the baby actually sticks their own beak into the parent's beak, then swallows the pigeon milk made for him by the parent. This is a very easy hand feeding method and they usually pick it up right away:

http://picasaweb.google.com/awrats3333/BabyFeeding

*
They poop green, white and watery (don't know if that's good)
*It sounds like they probably need more food. Feed them until their crop, which is the area on the chest underneath the beak, is full but not stuffed. It should feel like an inflated balloon, soft but firm. It shouldn't be hard. Try to let the crop go down flat in between feedings. Mix the formula to the consistency of melted ice-cream, or thin pancake mix. You can mix in 1/4 teaspoon of plain yogurt (organic is best) with each feeding and this helps a lot with their digestion. When you mix the formula, be sure to let it sit for a few minutes as it gets thicker. Then add a bit more water until you have the right consistency. You can offer them water between feedings, using the same syringe method pictured above. When feeding this way, it usually only takes about 30 seconds to feed one.
*

They are always crying *making beep beep noises* (don't know if that's normal)

*That is very normal. They love to make noise, and since you are "Mom" now, whenever they see you (or probably any person walking near them) they think it's feeding time. . .even if they just ate! *
One of them moves around a lot, kind of like he has a fit, when we try to feed him/her (don't know if that's normal) but he/she opens their mouth to take food just fine. Once in a while the non handicapped one has a little fit. He'll spread his wings, beep beep *mind you I don't know what its called* walk around and move his head up and down. To me he sounds like he/she is freaking out, but I don't know if that's normal.
* It sounds like normal behavior to me, just being excited about eating. Usually one is older and more aggressive about eating than its sibling. 
*

I don't think I can get them wet, but the one with the handicap always ends up rolling over its poop. I tried cleaning him/her with a wet napkin, but it was dry and stuck on his feathers

*They would love to be bathed, and it's perfectly good for them. What I do after messy feedings is fill the bathroom wink with a few inches of warm water, pop them in while holding them to make sure they don't dip their head accidentally, and then sponge them off. Pigeons love to take baths and my adult pigeons do this every day. If the poop is stuck and like concrete, soaking it for a few minutes will help a lot.*
They mostly only have yellow feathers on their head, and the rest are tiny grey feathers, I can't tell how old they are

*
Sounds like they are getting almost ready to start eating on their own. Get some birdseed from the pet shop, it can be "dove" seed or the cockatiel mix if they don't carry pigeon seed. Spread some in a shallow, sturdy dish and tap your finger in it. This his how they learn to eat, by watching and imitating their parents. They should start pecking at the seeds, mostly just having fun and throwing them around, but they will soon get the idea and start eating. Most of my babies end up eating on their own and refusing baby food at around 3 1/2 to four weeks, though some I've fed much longer than that since they were slow to pick it up. Yours are probably around three and a half weeks old, but could be younger or older. If you could show us some pictures, that would help. 
*
I can't figure out if they're males or females

*Usually one of each, but you won't know that for sure for quite awhile.  They are very tricky to tell the sex of until they're mature.*

I take them out sometimes, and lay them between my legs while I play video games, and they seem to calm down and sleep

*You are their "mom" so they enjoy spending time and bonding with you. This is great for them as they will soon be flapping their wings a lot and learning to run around and to fly, and the more room they have, the better for learning. *

They always peck at my hands real quickly when I put my hand into the box (don't know if it's because they're hungry though*

*They will do this to see if you are feeding them. Like I mentioned, with the poops looking green and watery, they probably aren't getting quite enough to eat. You can easily just give them more to fix that, though they will be excited to see your hand come near them for months, probably. 
*
I've never taken care of birds before, and I don't know if I'm doing the right thing
I want to provide the best home for them

*It sounds like you're doing a great job. Are you planning to keep them as pets? With wild animals, it is best to put them back out as soon as they are able to fend for themselves. BUT with pigeons, that is often not the thing to do. They do become attached to people and wouldn't be safe living outside, as they think people are their "family" and aren't afraid of anyone. If you would like, I would suggest getting or building them a nice, large cage, and plan to let them have some free time each day outside of the cage. There are even pigeon diapers you can get for them. Or, you could build a small aviary (flight pen) outside for them when they are older. There are plenty of opportunities for them when they grow up.

*
I'd appreciate any help!!
Thank you so much
You can email me:[email protected], message me on my space (myspace.com/talena_spit), or add me on messenger [email protected]
Thank you so much!![/QUOTE]

Hope some of this helps! Keep us posted.


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## talena824 (Jul 26, 2008)

*thank you*

thank you so much for all of that!
I usually stop feeding them when they start falling asleep, or they won't swallow their food right away. 
I thought that meant they were full. I'll try and feed them more 
I didn't know they had a "crop" it was mentioned but not really when I was reading up on them
Thanks a lot! All of that really helped a lot
Yes I'm already getting attached to them so I think I'll keep them as pets
Would there be any complications with learning how to fly, with the pigeon who can't move it's leg?
The one that can walk, I take it out of the box and sit away from it, so that it can walk towards me. 
They both flap their wings, which I hope is good 
Hehe the bonding with mom comment made me smile. I'm super attached to them
And I'm ready to keep them, it's not a problem, we have other pets at home
I'm so thankful you took the time to answer all my questions 
I'd love to know how old they are, so I can buy seeds for them
Thank you so much once again


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## feathered_love (Jul 22, 2008)

Oh what adorable babies, thank you so much for saving them. I just became a pigeon mom myself on Monday. The people here are so helpful and are a tremendous help. You'll do great with them, you'll see.


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## lwerden (May 31, 2008)

Hi,

Welcome to Piegon-Talk and thank you so much for rescuing these two precious babies.

They appear to me to be approx 7/10 days old. They will need to be hand fed for another 2/3 weeks.

The members here on this forum are the best friends any piegon loving person could ask for.

You are doing a great job. 

Don't be afraid to ask any question as it comes up. There will always be someone here to help you.

Regards,
Louise


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## talena824 (Jul 26, 2008)

*Few more questions*

I'm not too sure how much I should feed them. I try to feel their crop, and it feels balloon like to me, but they are still pooping watery  I give them from 2-2 1/2 tablespoons of baby food, but it's not enough, and it seems a lot to me 
Thank you very much for the info though, I'm glad to know their age 
I was also wondering whether Flam (the handicapped one) since he can't move his leg, if that is going to impair his ability to learn to fly. He can't walk around or anything. He flaps his wings fine, they both do actually

To feathered_love Congratulations! I got attached to mine so quickly  They are super adorable and lovable. I know, I'm glad I found this website
Good luck with your baby

Thank you to everyone for all this wonderful information!


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## lwerden (May 31, 2008)

Hi Talena,

You should be feeding the babies approx every 4 hours. You do not have to feed them through the night. As they get older you will have to increase the amount of formula. 

When the crop looks and feels baloon like it means they are full. You do not want to overfeed them. It normally takes 4/5 hours for the crop to empty. It will appear flat at that point and is your best indicator that they need to be fed again.

I do not have the expertise to comment on the little one that can't walk. I'm sure one of the more experienced members here will advise you what is the best way to treat and handle the foot problem. It is something that should be addressed relatively soon. I know I have read here of different ways
to hopefully correct that problem. 

You're doing great with the babies. 

Thanks again for saving them.

Regards,
Louise


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## talena824 (Jul 26, 2008)

*feeding*

Thank you so much for that information 
i usually don't feed them that late at night
but it's good to know 
I tried feeding them more, and I felt the crop (I looked it up) and made sure it was balloon like, but not hard
but they still poop watery, they just poop a whole lot more now 
I'm going to start saving up to take them to the vet... since the zoo refused to inspect them unless I donated them
I want to really thank everyone I'm so glad I've gotten so much help


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## lwerden (May 31, 2008)

Hi Claudia,

I hope today some one with much more experience than I will respond and help give you advice for the little one that can not walk.

Your are doing a great job with the feeding!!!

Do not even think of bringing your baby's to the zoo. They have absolutely no regard for piegons. You would donate them and as soon as you left they would most likely be euthanized.

I'll be back with you later.

Regards,
Louise


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Claudia, since you've only had the birds less than 24 hours, just keep an eye on the poops and lets check them day to day. Something as simple as stress can cause watery poops. There's no telling what the parents were feeding these two either, so that could be a factor........if they don't clear up in a day or so, we can figure out what to do next.
Can you post a couple of pictures of the baby with the bum leg? They can get what we call spraddle or splayed legs. It's simply from not having proper nesting material and the babies weight causes it's legs to grow wrong. At the age of these guys, it can be fixed easily and in a short time, but time is of the essence. The older they get, the harder or more time it takes to correct.

Sorry, I was going by the date/time of you post when I said "less than 24 hours"..........actually we don't know how long you've had them. Still, the watery poop could be from the formula and the water in it. I guess pictures of their poop would be in order too.


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## talena824 (Jul 26, 2008)

*Digestion/Flam's leg*

No way! I wouldn't think of donating them to the zoo
I told them at the zoo that I wanted to care for them
I'm sorry, I've had them since Thursday night. Flam (the handicapped one) was pooping solid, but Buddy has always pooped watery
Now they both poop watery, and the more I feed them, the more they poop and the more watery the poop seems to get
I feed them "Kaytee Exact Hand Feeding Formula" One part powder, two parts water... those were the instructions on the package for birds older than 5 days
I got some pictures, but I don't have a digital camera, so they're cell phone quality, hope it's still helpful
This is the link to the folder where I have all the pictures I took: 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157606400094850/
I included a brief description. I just took so many that I didn't want to attach them all on here
I thought he couldn't move/feel his leg at all, but today I saw him flex his toes, and he was moving his leg (by the hip socket)
And I took two videos of Flam (handicapped bird) trying to walk 
For the videos of Flam trying to walk, I have them on this link:
http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/nn197/talena824/Flam/
Sorry about the two different links, but the other website didn't support videos from a cell phone
Thank you everyone for taking the time to answer my concerns, I just want to provide the best home  and do all I can to make my babies into happy birdies


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

OK. He's not going to be able to walk on that slick floor at his age. How does he do when he's on carpet or something that is not slick. At their age, they sort of walk along on their legs, sort of scooting as opposed to standing up on their feet and walking. 
However, looking at the pictures, especially the one where you say that the leg we can see is the good leg, there does appear to be something wrong because of the way he's laying. 
How hard would it be to get another video of him on a less slippery surface? Short carpet maybe. His nails would probably get caught in a towel...........
We'll get someone to look at the droppings and see what they think


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## talena824 (Jul 26, 2008)

*Flam walking*

I got the video of him walking on a non slippery surface
Link is the same one:
http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/n...alena824/Flam/
I put Flam walking first
Then Buddy, I tried my best to make him walk, but he wouldn't really move so much
The thing is they fell off their nest into concrete. I could see the empty nest above where they had fallen. I don't know if that's what hurt him. He always lays down on the side with the hurt leg

Thank you so much for having someone look at his poop 
I hope it's just that watery because of the food


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Well, I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm pretty sure there's nothing broken. He's just moving it too good for there to be any broken bones. Buddy just didn't want to budge huh? He's a cutie and looks just fine. Flam is most likely flapping his little wings to try to keep some sort of balance. I would be inclined to tape up Flam's legs for a week or so and see if that helps any. It's sort of like that leg has grown the wrong way and he can't keep it in place. There's some links on how to tie the legs and I'll have to go find them and post them for you. 
No one has come to look at the poop pictures yet, but they will. I wouldn't be OVERLY concerned about it right now. 
Have you tried giving these guys some yogurt in their formula? You can add a bit to their formula and it will help with their digestive tract. Plain yogurt....not flavored.


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## talena824 (Jul 26, 2008)

*Follow-up*

Sure. Send me the links whenever you get the chance and I'll be sure to tape up his leg 
I hope its just that. 
I figured nothing was broken because whenever I would touch it, he wouldn't twitch from pain or anything. Plus, like you said, he wouldn't be moving it like that if it was broken. It just seemed to my parents and I that he didn't know how to or couldn't put weight on it. 

Ok I won't be concerned. I'll buy some plain yogurt tomorrow and mix it in with their formula  Thank you so much

I'll check frequently, to see if you've posted the links and for the poop update, but no hurry! 

Thank you once again, your help means a lot


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

They do look extremely watery and an ugly color. You should probably cut down on the water amount in the Kaytee though--they're well up from 5 days old, probably closer to 15.

Can you take a picture of Flam's bad leg with his wing held up and as he's sitting down but upright?

Pidgey


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

OK. Here's the links for fixing the leg. This needs to be done ASAP....the older they get, the longer it takes, if it even works. I believe those babies are close to two weeks old too. I think someone said 7 to 10 days, but 10 day old babies don't move around as much as these two are moving. 

http://www.duckpolice.org/BirdWeb/PigeonResourceWeb/splayleg.html

http://www.parrotparrot.com/splay/

http://www.2ndchance.info/spraddle.htm


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## talena824 (Jul 26, 2008)

*concern on feeding*

How likely/unlikely is it to feed the bird food down the wrong tube?
I'm always scared to really stick the syringe in their mouth, because I don't want it to go into the lungs. So I put the food in their mouths, and then let them swallow it. Of course, this takes forever to feed them 
I watched a video on youtube where this girl just put the syringe down its throat and emptied the entire syringe at once
I'm just scared that I'll put it into their lungs. Is that likely to happen?
Or was she just able to do it easily because she has been around birds a lot?


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## talena824 (Jul 26, 2008)

*Digestion*

OK I'll be sure to cut down the water in their food
Yeah I thought that was way too watery for a bird, and it was an ugly color, plus it stinks real bad
Well, Flam can't sit upright. He's always sitting on one side
I could prop him upright and take a picture of his leg though
Here's the link (same one): 
http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/nn197/talena824/Flam/
It's all the pictures labeled:FLAM
I even took a video of him
In the video I'm trying to stand him up, and helping him try and put his foot down
Whenever I get him to put both his feet down, I let him go, but he just falls over 
I'll put on the thing to try and help his splay leg
Thank you so much for all your help like always! It's very appreciated


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

talena824 said:


> How likely/unlikely is it to feed the bird food down the wrong tube?
> I'm always scared to really stick the syringe in their mouth, because I don't want it to go into the lungs. So I put the food in their mouths, and then let them swallow it. Of course, this takes forever to feed them
> I watched a video on youtube where this girl just put the syringe down its throat and emptied the entire syringe at once
> I'm just scared that I'll put it into their lungs. Is that likely to happen?
> Or was she just able to do it easily because she has been around birds a lot?


I feed babies the exact same way. Open mouth, squirt food, let them swallow. I agree, it is a bit time consuming, but safe and not very messy. Everyone has their own way of feeding babies and what ever works for a particular person is fine, long as the baby is happy and fed. It won't be much longer before they'll be interested in seeds and learning to eat on their own. 
Here's a video of the last two that I hand raised. It was last year. I don't do rescue work so my babies only get hand raised if the parents abandon them, which doesn't happen too often, but it does happen. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJe6y8EYQRg
I've never tube fed and doubt I'll ever be brave enough to even try it. The same thing scares me. Wrong pipe. Dead bird.........I'm just a big chicken I guess.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

talena824 said:


> OK I'll be sure to cut down the water in their food
> Yeah I thought that was way too watery for a bird, and it was an ugly color, plus it stinks real bad
> Well, Flam can't sit upright. He's always sitting on one side
> I could prop him upright and take a picture of his leg though
> ...



It's almost like his hip is out of joint. I guess it's called the hip. Unless Pidgey comes back and say other wise (and if he does, listen to him, not me), I'd tape the legs together in the correct position and see if that corrects what's wrong. Of course, if the leg is truly out of place joint wise, I don't know that it would help. Maybe Pidgey will know better and have other ideas. I don't think it will hurt to tape them together anyway.
Oh and, you know you can set up an album here on PT. Just click on your handle/name and you'll see your profile page come up and see the option for creating an album.


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## talena824 (Jul 26, 2008)

*Feeding baby pigeons seeds?*

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post since last time
I think it's bee a week exactly
I was just working a lot last week, I had a friend staying at my house, family staying at the house
I'm so glad I have my sister and brother to help me with the birds 
They fed them, cleaned them, bathed them when I couldn't
They have come a long way, and they've gotten so much bigger!!
Flam (the handicapped one) can now stand, lay down straight, etc.
They both poop fine now, I just needed to put less water in the food "batter"
I didn't need to tape his legs, he just started doing it on his own, he's fine now  Which I'm glad! The day he stood up my sister and I were super excited
They're both flapping their wings and it's been great. I love them!

That was a little update 
Now, my birds are getting real close to being about 3 wks old
I'm not too sure when to start feeding them seeds, or how
Do I completely stop giving them the Kaytee Exact and just give them all seeds? Or do I mix seeds into the formula? 
If so, do I still give it to them through the syringe? Or on a bowl?
How much, how many times? How about water?
I really have no clue how to transition into seed feeding
I would love and appreciate any help I could get!
You guys have been great, and helped me out so much
Thanks to all of you wonderful people I learned how to properly take care of my growing babies 
Here are some of their most recent pictures, I'm sorry they're dirty, they had just finished eating and I hadn't given them a bath yet


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Oh my......they are so cute......you've done a great job!!
Feeding seeds...........keep giving them the Kaytee for a bit longer. This is what I do.
Before giving them the Kaytee.......pop a few seeds in their mouth. Just open their mouth, put it in and let them swallow.......if they don't make TO big a fuss, give them a dozen or so...just to get them used to the taste/texture......then go ahead and give them the Kaytee.
Put a bowl of seeds in front of them and swish your finger around and get them interested in seeing what you are doing. Sprinkle some on a towel and peck with you fingers.......Mom and Dad would show them out to peck and eat and obviously you can't do that (can you??? LOL), so this is the next best thing. Eventually, they'll pick up a seed, and drop it and do this over and over, but THEN, they'll actually swallow one and will get the idea of what they are supposed to do. 
Do thier water the same way. Put some in a bowl and drip some in the bowl and swish your fingers around. Put a few seeds in the water. If they try to get the seeds, they'll HAVE to stick their nose in the water and will discover what it is. Once they start drinking, you might have to "remind" them to get a drink of water, but usually they'll take a drink every time you show the water to them. It will take a few days for them to get the hang of what they're supposed to do...........I've had babies self feeding at 16 days old......you just got to work with them and be persistent.


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## talena824 (Jul 26, 2008)

*Seeds*

Thank you!
I'm real proud of how big and healthy they are!
Couldn't have done it without the help of all of you! Thank you all so much!!

As far as the seeds, what type/kind/brand should I feed them?
I can do the rest though, it sounds pretty easy
The other day while I was feeding Buddy, my brother had some popcorn on the floor, and Buddy kept pecking at it and trying to eat it
Also, sometimes when I am putting the food into the syringe, Buddy and Flam peck at the spoon and try to eat it off of there. Heh, so I hope that means they kind of get the idea
Either way, I don't mind. I'm very patient with them! 
Oh, and how should I transition from food to seeds?
I got it that I give them a couple before the Kaytee, but as the days go by, do I give them more seeds and less Kaytee until I don't give them Kaytee? If so, how much less should I give them a day?
Or do I do it a different way?
Thank you so much for your help!
Greatly appreciated


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

You can get a dove or pigeon seed mix. Start leaving it around them 24/7 in small spill proof bowls and also water.

Once they learn to drink on their own, it is just a matter of time before they pick up and eat seeds.

You can try to gently push their heads down and immurse their beaks (not the nostrils) in water and see if they will drink.

You can awaken their desire to eat seeds by moving the seeds around them with your finger on a towel, you can also put some inside their beak, behind their tongue and allow them to swallow. They need to get used to the feel and texture/taste of the seeds on their tongue. They also need to work the muscle of the tongue, the one that alllows them to pull the seeds to the back fo the throat for swallowing. once they get that down, they will start picking up seeds and eating them fast. It's slow at first, but seeing them interested and trying to pick up seeds is the first step.

You should continue to give them the Kaytee, but only after getting them interested to pick up seeds. The best motivation is hunger, so generate an interest BEFORE their next feeding. Once you see them learning to pick up seeds you can scale back on the hand feeding, and once they eat one right after the other, you can quit the formula, but make sure they eat about a tablespoon of seed per meal, at least 3 times a day.


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## lwerden (May 31, 2008)

Hi Claudia.....So glad to hear from you and know that the babies are doing so well. You're family and you have really done a great job. They are really a precious little pair.

The weaning process will take a little bit of time. It is not an automatic process but more of a gradual process of introducing seed and cutting back on the hand feeding a little bit at a time.

I was originally hand feeding my bird every four to five hours. During each of the feedings AT ABOUT 3 WEEKS OLD I would but a few seeds directly into his beak and he would swallow. Then I put a some seeds in a small dish and pecked at it with my fingers and placed his beak into the dish. Little by little he got the hang of it. I cut back the hand feeding to just morning and night as he was eating seeds on his own during the day. I then cut back to only 1 handfeeding a day ultil one day on his own he refused the formula. Getting him to drink on his own is a similar process, just try dipping his beak into a samll dish of water. Go carefully with this, you don't want to put the beak in below the nostrils. The water has to be deep enough for him suck the water in as piegons drink with their beaks like you would be using a straw.

Unfortunately this process takes time and patience..... Just hang in there.

Thanks again so much for rescuing these little babies.

Regards,
Louise


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## talena824 (Jul 26, 2008)

*Seed Feeding*

Hi everyone!
I know it's been about another week, but I've had a lot of work and no time at al to get online
My two babies are doing great! I will be sure to post a picture later
I've been trying to feed them seeds for a week now
Still, they only peck at the seeds, they don't eat them
We try to "force" feed them the seeds (open the beak, put seeds in, and let them swallow)
They don't want to eat at night anymore, only twice a day
I leave a dish of seeds in their "house" but they don't eat any
I hope this is a normal thing though, and they just need a bit more time to learn
Flam (handicapped one) can totally stand and walk now, which is great 
They flap their wings a lot, and they can jump out of their 'house" now
I'll update later on today, because I must go to work now
Thank you all for everything!


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## lwerden (May 31, 2008)

Hi Claudia,

So glad to hear the babies are doing so well. Please post some new pictures when yoiu have time.

If the babies are refusing to be fed at night, I would think that they are not hungry because they have propably been eating seed without you realizing it during the day.

How are their poops looking??? That is a pretty good indicator of what they are eating. If they are eating seeds the poops will look different from that of strictly the Kaytee formula.

Please keep us posted.

Regards,
Louise


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

talena824 said:


> Hi everyone!
> I know it's been about another week, but I've had a lot of work and no time at al to get online
> My two babies are doing great! I will be sure to post a picture later
> I've been trying to feed them seeds for a week now
> ...



So, I guess you're still hand feeding them formula twice a day? They're around 1 month old now aren't they?
At this age, they probably don't need AS much food as they did when they were doing the most growing. Twice a day, if you're filling them up, is probably enough for them. That may be part of the reason they aren't picking up the seeds. They aren't REALLY hungry enough. Maybe cut back on the amount of food you're feeding them and see if that helps any. 
Just keep trying........they'll get it eventually. Look forward to pictures. I'm sure they've grown a lot since the last pictures.


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## bweaz (Aug 1, 2008)

Oh my gosh, the last pics you posted look just like the first pigeon I got. She was a rescue also. You are going to find that these babies are soooo bonded to you!!! You are not going to belive how much fun they can be. I swear, people who didn't even like pigeons would come over and look at mine and be entertained for hours. No matter how bad I felt, that little bird was always so excited to see me!!!! The fact that they would fall asleep by your legs means that they trust you completely, which is the way it should be!!

You have been such a good pigeon mom!!! I will agree with what someone else said, you probably shouldn't ever release them. Only because they have NO idea how to be outside pigeons.

I am so happy for you!! You are doing a GREAT job!!


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## talena824 (Jul 26, 2008)

*baby birds!*

Hi everyone!!
Thank you so much for the comments!! I appreciate you all being so supportive and congratulating me  It makes me feel real good!! I love both my baby birdies, and even if they are getting big they'll always be my babies
This is the link to the album with the newest pictures (it's only 8 pics)
http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/nn197/talena824/4 weeks//
I feed them twice a day (morning and night) and leave seeds during the day now. I noticed that if I fed them morning and afternoon, they wouldn't eat at night. I'm not too sure if they eat the seeds, I always have them around. Even before I feed them. 
I'm so proud of Flam because he can stand up  They're flapping like crazy, and can levitate for a couple of seconds at a time, and jump out of their box

Iwerden, thank you for all your help! I sure will keep posting whenever I get a chance 
Lovebirds, I want to thank you personally for all your help! I've appreciated it so much. I am so deeply thankful! 
Bweaz, I totally understand! I never thought I'd love having birds so much! They are so much fun! All my friends love to pet them and hold them!


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## talena824 (Jul 26, 2008)

*Sex?*

I was wondering
When will I be able to tell the sex of my babies?
Also, how would I be able to tell?
It's a question everyone asks me, but all I know is that I have to wait until they mature =P
Thank you!!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Usually we observe them as they grow up, certain characterisitics are male, and others female, but that isn't an exact "science" either.

It may take a few months, but males (generally) will be more aggressive and protective and are larger, and noisy. Hens are more laid back, calm, swert, quiet, and they don't get bossy. But like I said there is the exception.

I have a male that at 15 days of age was trying to peck at me from the nest, and also started doing a little dance afterward at around 28 days, he did turn out to be a boy, then again...I had another one that acted similar and layed an egg!!! 

The babies are adorable!


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## little bird (Aug 11, 2006)

Cute little birds, Claudia, and growing up nicely. Good job.


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## talena824 (Jul 26, 2008)

*:d*

Well I'm officially super excited!
Last night the pigeons flew for the first time ever!!
Obviously they can only fly for a couple of seconds, and not very high, or for long distances
but my sister and I were screaming, and we felt like such mommies 
This morning when I fed the pigeons their mix, I put some seeds on a bowl in front of them first. That way one could be distracted while the other got fed, and they were eating seeds ^_^
Of course, they would only eat one out of like 5 they would peck at, but still!! My sister and I were screaming all excited and it was so awesome!! 

Now that they're about to learn how to fly, I was wondering whether it's best to have them in a big cage, or actually build a "house" for them outside. Do they need a really big space, do they need to fly etc?
If I let them fly outside, will they leave and never come back? (I know probably yes, but just making sure)
or should I let them fly around in the house every day for a while?
I want to start planning already so that they no longer have to live in the box, all sealed up because they can jump/fly out of the box now
I let them out everyday to walk around the house or outside, but I mean an hour or two a day is not very good. I work a lot, but I try real hard. I want them real happy 
As always my deepest gratitude to all of you wonderful people!!
We all want to thank you so much!


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## bweaz (Aug 1, 2008)

I have never let my pigeons fly outside. Their cages have been inside. Currently, I have one pigeon and she lives in a big cage that either ferrets or kittens could live in. If you have ever see those big cages that kittens are in when stores are selling them ... that is what Lincoln lives in. My previous pigeon used to live in a huge rabbit cage. I have never let my pigeons fly outside for a number of reasons:

1. I don't want them picking up illnesses, bugs, etc.
2. I couldn't bear if anything happened to them - they are pets.
3. Neither of my pigeons would have known what to do outside. As a matter of fact, one of them used to cry when she went outside, she was just so scared.

My current pigeon gets plenty of exercise in the house. She flies around and walks on the carpet, she pretty much does whatever she wants to do (including flying around and then landing on my head). I will say that pigeons do need some direct sunlight every day. That is the only way they can metabolize calcium. I take my pigeon outside and we stand in the sun for a few minutes and then go back inside. Sometimes, I will open the window and let my pigeon bask in the sun shining through the screen.

If you want to keep your pigeons as pets, I wouldn't recommend letting them outside. Anything can happen to them outside. It just depends on whether you want to keep the pigeons as pets or not. I have never regretted keeping either of my pigeons as pets. Right now, I have two parrots and a pigeon. In about 20 years  when the parrots eventually die (I am not looking forward to that) I figure I will only get pigeons as pets. Don't feel bad if your pigeons live indoors. Trust me they will get plenty of exercise.

I am so glad the pigeons are now flying. I know how exciting it is when you get to see them do something they have never done before!!!! Keep up the good work!!!


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## talena824 (Jul 26, 2008)

*pigeons *

Hi everyone!
I know it's been a while, sorry
School started, work, eh I never have the time to get online anymore
I like to spend a lot of time with my birdies too =P
They're both doing fantastic! They can both fly pretty high now, still learning though. They like to land on people's shoulders/back/arms 
My friends love to feed and touch them ^_^
I love both my babies
I got them a new house  It's a rabbit cage, pretty big 36X14.75X14.75
I take them out everyday of course and let them exercise and bask
They are both eating seeds and drinking water
They still eat Kaytee at night though, but as the days go by
They eat less and less
They're down to 1-1 1/2 syringes, and then they lose interest 
We're all doing fantastic though!
Just wanted to post an update!
Thank you all so much, as always!
I appreciate all the help!

I put a picture of Flam, below is Buddy and then us
(It was night, I was already in my pjs)


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

What a wonderful update. The birds look good and happy and you look happy too. I'm so glad everything worked out for you and the birds. 
Updated pictures every once in a while would be great. 
I see it's been 1 month today since you posted the first time about these two. You've done an outstanding job.!!


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