# Approx three week old common wood pigeon



## Kelebek (Oct 12, 2019)

Hi,

I have just travelled to England from Scotland yesterday to collect a squab that my sister found out in the rain, looking rather weak and dishevelled. She has a slight cut/graze under her neck which i've cleaned up and is looking better today. Apart from the she's lively enough, perching, eating and preening. 

I Travelled back on the train with him/her which was definitely a conversation starter with kids asking 'whats inside the box'!  

As a kid, I had a few tumblers, fantails and a couple of racing pigeons so I have a knowledge of them but not squabs as I didn't breed them. So, I've had the bird home a day and she's staying in my attic where I do craft-work. I'm feeding her a mix of egg biscuit, milled flaxseed and a seed mix of pumpkin, sunflower, linseeds and goji berry. I've ground it all up in the blender and made it in to a loose paste with warm water. I've made a feeder using a small jar with a latex cover and small-ish hole in it so it mimics mum. She pretty much finished 3/4's of the jar! It was lovely to see!

This morning her crop was empty so made up the same mix but she only ate maybe half. I've fed her again just now but ate less than half. Her crop has not been full today at all. Is this ok? And does she need to be fed a separate amount of water or is the water mixed in the paste enough? Id appreciate an help or anything further I need to know (I've added some photo's for you to check her out).
Many Thanks!


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

She will do better on a handrearing formula for parrots and parakeets that you will get from a petshop. How much is she eating? Does she seem eager to be fed?


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## Kelebek (Oct 12, 2019)

Marina B said:


> She will do better on a handrearing formula for parrots and parakeets that you will get from a petshop. How much is she eating? Does she seem eager to be fed?


She was eager this morning and ate maybe 4 teaspoons. The egg biscuit is a rearing formula for parrots....that was all I could get here.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

If the formula is the consistency of tomato sauce, then she does not need extra water. As long as she is eager to be fed, and "what goes in comes out" then she will be fine.


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## Kelebek (Oct 12, 2019)

Thank you! Yes, its quite thick like ketchup. She's eaten great today! She's currently in my attic where I do alot of work so i spend most of my days up there. When i opened the hatch this morning, she immediately started squeaking and flapping her wings! I think she thinks im her mummy... Suits me.!

Do rescued squabs release easily (when/ if the time comes) or do i have a bird for life?


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Hi, thanks so much for helping her! She is absolutely lovely! 

I don't have any personal experience with wood pigeons (I have never seen them here) but I read on the pigeonrescue website that hand raised woodies imprint quickly on humans. 
Here is the link, you can find there information about woodies temperament, etc. 

https://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/thewoodpigeon.htm

On PT there are some threads about releasing (or not releasing) wood pigeons, this is just one of them :

What to do with wild baby wood pigeons? UK https://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=74031

To take a decision you also have to consider that a hand raised baby doesn't know how to survive outdoor (where to find food, water and a shelter, how to escape from predators, etc) and that outdoor life is really dangerous for every birds (predators, traffic, illnesses, bad people, etc), even more for a hand raised baby.
Could you adopt her?


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

I think you have a bird for life. He will be too tame to be released. In nature the parents show them where to find food, water and shelter etc. Without those skills, it will be a hard life out there.


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