# Pigeon with broken wing



## raen (Aug 12, 2004)

The pigeon is not an adult, but it's not a chick either. It still has some soft grey 'down' around it's head and chest but the rest of it seems to be full grown.

I am not sure where the bird is from. A bunch of teenagers brought it from a 'park' near where I work. I took it from them before they could do something harmful to it.

It's right wing appears to be broken. It cannot fly and its wing is limp and looks awkward when it's sitting.

It doesn't move much and sits in one spot... It seems lethargic. It follows me with its eyes but that's about it. It seems 'poufy' around the chest instead of smooth flat feathers.

I was at work (subway) so I managed to get it to drink a little bit of water out of a spoon at around 8:00pm. It is now 2:19am. I have it in a 10 gallon fish tank (temp. home) with shredded newspaper, water dish and wild bird feed mix that we usually give to thee wild birds outside. 

I have called animal shelters, rescue agencies and the local humane society. None of which will take the bird nor seem to want to look at its wing and general health.

It doesn't appear to have any interest in the food and is breathing in and out quite heavily. I don't want to stress it out furthur if not necessary so I have not touched it, unfloded it's wings and examined it yet.

Should I be concerned that it has little movement other than head and eyes, and doesn't eat or drink in the first 24 hours of having it?
It's beak is not soft and looks quite developed. I am not comfortable to try hand feeding it yet. Seeds lifted to it's beek with a spoon seems to have no effect on it either. It ignores it completely and does not accept water now.

If you have any advice, I'd love to hear it 

Keep in mind that I cannot find a shelter or animal hospital that will take it in... my transportation is limited and am currenty receiving help from one parent who is experienced with birds AND hiding it from another parent who would kick it out if they found out about it...


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hello,

Thank you for taking this baby in, it really needs your help.

As it is already in a fish tank can you rig a bulb to the top, and partially cover the fishtank? This will keep it warm so that its reserves of energy are not wasted.

It's internal organs will have slowed down and will fail without water, so before feeding him you will have to rehydrate.

Mix 1/2 litre (or 1 pint) warm water (preferably filtered) with half a teaspoonful salt, half a tablespoonful sugar or glucose . Stir until the and sugar are dissolved and administer lukewarm. Dip his beak in the water to encourage him to drink on his own. Whatever you do don't squirt the water into its mouth, because if pigeons aspirate fluids they can drown as they can't cough up like we do. 

Check inside its mouth. If it has a soft cheesy growth then it will need to be treated for canker...don't touch the grouth or try to remove it.

Give it a few of hours feeding fluids for the fluids to reach the major organs before you consider feeding. Then you can make a paste of chicken baby food and half a hard boiled egg and feed by forcing the beak open and placing a little drop right in the cup at the end of the beak, he should swallow that. If he doesn't swallow and the throat is clear you can push the food towards the back of the throat as long and it isn't so wet that he can accidentally aspirate.

If you visit Julie (Turkey)'s community webpage you will find simple photographic instructions of how to support an injured wing.
This is the address: http://community.webshots.com/user/jujubear29

Please keep us posted and report any changes.

Cynthia


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## Snowbird (Jun 24, 2004)

Addendum: once the bird is warm it must be hydrated and your bird may not drink the electrolyte solution if offered. Then you must force the issue--use an eye dropper and gently hold the beak open and squirt a few drops well back in the throat. I say this because this bird is critical.


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## raen (Aug 12, 2004)

I attached some pictures.

It seems to be eating some seeds that I put around the tank but very rarely.
I gave it some of the mixture you suggested last night as well as when I woke up today. It will drink if I hold a spoon up to its beek but doesn't want to go to the water dish itself.
It will get up on it's legs now, and the pictures you see are what it currently looks like while sitting in its food dish. I will try the food you suggested.

After watching it walk around a bit once it was a little more comfortable I'm questioning if the wing is actually broken or not. How can you tell? I know it seems like a silly question but I have not once taken care of a bird. It does seem to be a young bird and maybe it just cannot fly yet. (?)

If you could possibly tell me how old this bird is roughly judging by the bad bad bad camera skills I have I believe it would help.

There is a lamp in the tank,. Half the top is covered by a towel the other is covered by a metal rack that is secured tightly so it wont wall. 

And thank you so much for all the help you have given thus far.


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Hi raen,
Yes, he is a young one. I'm guessing about 4 weeks maybe. 
I'm also not the best judge on ages.  
If he has a 'droopy' wing, there is most likely a problem. Do you have an avian vet near by that you know of? 
Can you check *under* his good wing to see if he is fully feathered. 
You might be correct in that he doesn't quite have his flying skills down yet. He may have fallen out of the nest & just hasn't been taught to forage for food.
There are many factors that could & should be considered.
Others will be along to offer their suggestions as well.

Many thanks for the pictures. He is a little doll baby.  
Please keep us posted.

Cindy


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Hello,

The pigeon is a squeaker (young pij) and looks just fine.

Check his mouth though as Cynthia suggested and make sure it's clear looking, from the pic he looks quite alert.

Here is some info I posted on another thread for a similar aged squeaker:

At this age they grow so quickly, try to warm him up and rehydrate him as you are doing, then you can either feed him baby bird formula with a syringe (no needle) and gently squeeze some on the sideof his beak (his right side, your left if he is facing you) and squeeze behing the hole that is located right behind the tongue (Do NOT get anything in the hole because it's the windpipe and the bird can easily aspirate and die)
Another method I like to use is soaked seeds, I soak wild bird seed for about 4 hours then handfeed it to the baby by placing my left hand around the back of his head and using my index finger an thumb to keep his beak open then with my right hand I put a bunch of the seeds in his mouth and he swallows. Do this until the crop feels full (the crop is located in the chest are right above the breast (keel) bone. And the crop will feel like a beeny baby when it's full of seeds- It should not be too full though so he has no room to breathe or will choke.

In 2-4 days or so you can soak whole dry peas and corn and handfeed it to him, this method is very and you can give him about 15 peas/corn to fill his crop. 
Water should be available to him at all times, and try to get some pigeon grit as well. A good pigeon mix will help wean the baby off the handfeeding too in the coming weeks.

Hope that helps!


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## raen (Aug 12, 2004)

Sorry for not reply to you guys yet. I just got ahold of a vet that will look at him! I have to run. I'll give updates on his health once I get back.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

*Force Feeding Fluids*

Please be aware that force feeding fluids is extremely dangerous to the pigeon and should only be used as the very last resort. An inexperienced person squirting fluids into the throat of a sick pigeon can easily cause the pigeon to aspirate and die. 

If you must force feed fluids then please never squirt. Trickle the liquid gently into the side of the beak as Mary suggested, this will alert the pigeon to the fact that it has liquid in his mouth and enable him to swallow it safely. 

Cynthia


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## raen (Aug 12, 2004)

AZWhitefeather said:


> Can you check *under* his good wing to see if he is fully feathered.
> You might be correct in that he doesn't quite have his flying skills down yet. He may have fallen out of the nest & just hasn't been taught to forage for food.
> There are many factors that could & should be considered.
> Others will be along to offer their suggestions as well.
> ...


He's fully feathered. good thing


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## raen (Aug 12, 2004)

*bad news *

I just got back from the vet... 

The wing is broken. The way it is broken is causing the bone pieces to slide through the wing and one piece has punctured the skin already. The break is right by the base of the wing. Also, his shoulder is dislocated. 
Two vets looked at him and both agreed that even if they pinned (using pins to keep the bones in place while bandaged) the wing (which would cost me around $600-$800) straight to heal it, the bird would be in constant pain for a very long time because of the way it broke AND the fact the the shoulder is again dislocated. It would be too much pain and suffering for the bird and way too much money for me. I only work part time  I barely pay my rent.
They told me that even if I was to have the expensive pins and treatment done to heal the wing the bird would not have a chance in the wild because the wing would not fully heal 100%. They said this has something to do with where the break is and the type of break. 

He's being put down right now and I feel absolutely horrible.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I'm so sorry that the outcome was so sad for you and for this young bird. It is quite true that there are certain types and locations of breaks that just aren't 100% fixable. I wish it had been possible to delay things a bit to try to find a permanent home for the bird, but I do understand that things had to work out as they did. Thank you for all your efforts to help.

Terry


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## Snowbird (Jun 24, 2004)

Another person who wouldn't listen and another bird that ran into the wrong person. and no apologies.


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## raen (Aug 12, 2004)

Snowbird said:


> Another person who wouldn't listen and another bird that ran into the wrong person. and no apologies.



pardon? 

The bird's wing was fubared, and dislocated.
Do you have $800 for me to pay for it to be fixed?
I have two cats and one parent that would not allow it to stay here.
NO rescue agencies/sanctuaries within my region would take it; i tried.
It can't stay here, I can't afford to have it treated properly, no one would take it, and even if I did find someone who would treat it without costing my arm and leg the wing would have never set itself properly which means it would never fly nor survive anywhere but a bird sanctuary. What do you do with a bird in this situtation?

I'm just wondering what you would have had me do?
Keep it here without treatment so that it can suffer while bleeding?
Put it outside so a cat can torture and kill it?
Or put it to sleep?

I could have just left it with the kids who found it... since they were planning on throwing it at cars passing in the street. I'm sure the bird would have thoroughly enjoyed that over this.

Whether you think you should apologise or not... I'm not coming back here for the reply. You made a tough day even more worse than it needed to be.

ciao


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## Snowbird (Jun 24, 2004)

For the record, I don't criticize those without means. I criticize killing a bird with a bright future in an aviary. I criticize vets who make such "quality of life" judgements.

You could have shipped that bird to any number of people for very little.

And your self pity does not interest me in the least. I save that for dead bird friends.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Please keep in mind that Raen is in CANADA .. not the U.S. or U.K. We seem to have very limited resources in Canada with regard to available homes for birds as well as a shortage of qualified avian vets and wildlife centers that will treat pigeons.

As far as I know, it's not all that easy to ship birds across the border, but I could certainly be quite wrong about that and would like to know the particulars for future reference if any of the members here do know what is entailed.

I still do wish we would have had the opportunity to try and place this bird, but that didn't happen. I think Raen did the best s/he could given the circumstances.

JMO ..

Terry


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## fred128 (May 21, 2001)

Snowbird,
Almost all of the time, I applaud the positions you take but in this case, I disagree with you.
The vet and the rehabilitator have legal obligations to put down any wild animal that cannot be returned to the outdoors. Of course there are many exceptions to that but it depends on how many resources are available to them. Not every vet and not every rehabilitator know people who are willing to adopt an unreleasable pigeon and so we can't make a judgement about this particular vet's circumstances when we don't know what they are.
This man was willing to take on the responsibility of a seriously injured bird. He tried calling all over the place and wound up at the only person(s) willing to take a look at the pigeon. 
We do know that this pigeon had a critically injured wing and that he would never fly again. We also know that from the type of break, the bird was going to be in a lot of pain for a long time. On top of that, the wing was dislocated. That's a lot of injury. Sepsis may have already begun. Sometimes we all have to consider that our purpose is to stop suffering but that does not automatically lead to life saving. Sometimes, we have to make calls that we don't like but if we accept the responsibility of taking in a bird, we do have to speak for the bird. 
This man does not know how to treat a pigeon. He certainly has compassion but that isn't enough. Hydration was vital. Food to build up the body was vital. Disinfecting the wound and stopping the bleeding was vital. Antibiotics were vital but he didn't know any of this. All he knew was that he needed to find help for this injured animal. Nobody here told him that he could ship the bird. Nobody here told him anything beyond hydration. A pigeon cannot be shipped to the States from Canada. It would have to be shipped to someone in Canada and when should he have shipped? This bird was in very bad shape. It would have taken a lot of time to build it up so it could survive a trip and this man said he could not take care of the pigeon because of extenuating circumstances so who was there to care for the bird? Nobody.
Sometimes we forget that people who want to help a bird come here with no previous experience. They need help from the most basic care, up. In this case, he was unable to get the help; not from anyone in his area and unfortunately, not from anyone here. Sometimes, that's the way it goes but that bird is not suffering any longer and so, he was the only one who helped stop this pigeon's suffering.


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## raen (Aug 12, 2004)

Snowbird said:


> For the record, I don't criticize those without means. I criticize killing a bird with a bright future in an aviary. I criticize vets who make such "quality of life" judgements.
> 
> You could have shipped that bird to any number of people for very little.
> 
> And your self pity does not interest me in the least. I save that for dead bird friends.


*NO rescue agencies/sanctuaries within my region would take it; i tried.* 

Where would I 'ship it'??? Yes, I'll ship a bleeding injured bird. I'm sure it would have had tons of fun dying in pain while in a carrier box over a great distance. I'm in CANADA where pigeons are treated like sewer rats because they are considered a PEST. So it wouldn't have been going anywhere near my residence. No one takes them around here.
I could have shipped it to you, sure. But I hope you're aware that the decontamination process at customs takes weeks. You would have had a dead bird delivered to your door.

Also, keeping the pigeon as a 'pet' after treatment would be illegal in my town.

Things work differently in my country, so take your critisism somewhere else.


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## Yong (Oct 15, 2003)

Hi there, 

sometimes we listen to vets to much. I know that you thought you made the best choice for the little guy. Please don't get discouraged, if you should ever run into the situation again, please come back. 

There are options available tou you. No doubt you feel guilty, but chin up, and consider it a lesson learned the hard way. Us regular pigeon people have learned ways around the "system" and ways of making hopeless cases become very hopeful. The fact that you took him to the vet showed that you have some compassion for sure. 

Just two months ago I was faced with a vet telling me to put a pigeon to sleep. I decided now was the time to give it everything I have to see if just once a pro was wrong, and she was. Us regular pigeon people keep or place birds that cannot fly ever again, even if that means removal of a wing. 

I know this sounds cruel, but that pigeon can go on with another like pigeon and have a wonderful life for many many years. I'm sure you are not exposed to this on a regular basis, so keep this all in mind that there is always options, for pigeons or any other animal in need. cheer up, and consider this your first hard lesson in animal husbandry. Yong


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## raen (Aug 12, 2004)

Yong said:


> Hi there,
> 
> sometimes we listen to vets to much. I know that you thought you made the best choice for the little guy. Please don't get discouraged, if you should ever run into the situation again, please come back.
> 
> ...


it couldn't stay in my home. no one would take it. I called everywhere.
There was no available treatment/shelter for the bird.

You guys aren't listening.


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## phyll (Mar 15, 2004)

Raen,
Just wanted to thank you for getting involved with that poor little pigeon.
You rescued him from being tortured to the point of death at the hands of those boys. 
May God bless you for caring & trying to help him.

phyll


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Hello raen,
I'm extremely sorry for the ordeal you had to endure today. It certainly didn't need to be exasperated by cruel & disrespectful comments.  

You did more than most people would have done just by taking in the injured pij. "Thank you".  

*None* of us here were able to 'physically' examine the pigeon's injured wing, therefore we could only offer suggestions as to what *we might * do in a similar situation & let raen make a decision based on the circumstances at hand.

Cindy


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## Yong (Oct 15, 2003)

I didn't mean for you to keep it, I understood your financial and legal situation, I simply meant a few hours delay, might have opened up a few more options for you, because you know you can always go back to the vet. again sorry, none of us here mean to upset you, we are all just trying to help. Yong


PS. I cannot say if these are good places or not, but they might be valuable resources in the future for you. Don't feel painted in a corner,where I live pigeons aren't welcome either. One of our other members just got kicked out of her building because of her efforts in supporting pigeons.


http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/enforcement/intro-e.html
http://www.wildlifeontario.ca/
http://www.ontarionature.org/index.php3

Conestoga, Ontario - Robin Francis Lane - 519-249-2791 
Le Gardeur, Quebec - Isabelle Langlois(Hopital Vet Venne Begin) - 450-585-1542
Montreal, QU - Corina A. Lupu
Nepean, Ontario - Robin Elizabeth Roscoe (Lynwood Animal Hosp) - 613-820-0443
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Colette Lorraine Wheler (Univ of Saskatchewan) - 306-966-4125
Toronto, Ontario - Petra Maria Burgmann (Animal Hosp of High Park) - 416-763-4200

http://www.birdworld.ca/veterinarians.html


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I am so sorry that the prognosis for the little pigeon was so poor, Raen. You made your decision based on the facts that were presented to you by professionals and that is what most of us would have done in your position. The fact that you took the pigeon in, cared for it and tracked down a vet that was willing to treat it was caring, compassionate and saved the little bird from a lot of fear and pain.

Thank you for caring for it.

Cynthia


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## Snowbird (Jun 24, 2004)

Fred--Good points and I respect your infinitely greater experience in rehab. My policy is no euthanasia unless the bird can never be happy--that wasn't the case here.

raen--you made a much greater effort then most and that is appreciated.

Yong--I like your style (but that is maybe not good <lol>)


have a great day


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## Morgan Nic Greg (Jul 2, 2004)

I am sorry for your grief, I feel sad when I lose a bird, or find them dead. I agree Snowbird was being needlessly cruel, you were trying to do what you tought best for the bird. Thank you for saving it from the cruel kids. My ex-stepmother also hates pigeons and yells at me for feeding them. Screw her, I love them.
Anyhow, it reminds me of a poem my mother had... I will look it up and post it if I can.

Wendy


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## Morgan Nic Greg (Jul 2, 2004)

_Ah, I found it!_
Wendy

A Pet's Prayer

Treat me kindly,
My beloved Master,
For no heart in all the world is more
grateful for kindness than the loving
heart of me.

Do not break my spirit with a stick,
For though I should lick your hand between the blows,
your patience and understanding will more
quickly teach me the things you would
have me do.

Speak to me often, for your voice is the
world's sweetest music, as you must
know by the fierce wagging of my tail when
your footstep falls upon my waiting ear.

When it is cold and wet,
please take me inside,
for I am now a domesticated animal,
no longer used to the bitter elements.
and I ask no greater glory than the privilege
of sitting at your feet beside the hearth.
Thought had you no home, I would rather follow you
through ice and snow than rest upon the softest
pillow in the warmest home in all the land,
For you are my god and I am your devoted worshiper.

Keep my pan filled with fresh water,
for although I should not reproach you were it dry,
I cannot tell you when I suffer thirst.

Feed me clean food,
that I may stay well,
to romp and play and do your bidding,
to walk by your side and stand ready,
willing and able to protect you with my life
should your life be in danger,

And, beloved Master,
should the great Master see fit to deprive
me of my health or sight,do not turn me
away from you,
Rather,hold me gently in your arms as skilled hands
grant me the merciful boon of eternal rest
and I will leave you knowing with the last breath
I drew, my fate was ever safest
in your hands.



by Beth Norman Harris


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Wendy, that is a lovely poem and thank you! Try to have some charity for Snowbird .. he's been in this for a long time and it takes a toll. Also try to learn from him .. he's one of the best.

Terry


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