# Newborn pigeon needs food but what do I feed it?!



## NPR (Apr 25, 2004)

Hi again.

Further to my recent post, I still have the pigeon and its parents seem to have disappeared. me and a friend worked out a way to keep the pigeon warm and have it outside, but by 5 o clock today, still no parents. The chick seemed very very cold and weak, so we've tried to feed it and it seems to drink milk fairly happily, what can I concoct or add to milk to feed it? I wont be able to get to a pet or bird shop today. 
Basically I need guidelines on what to feed it, and when. 
I dont want this thing to die so suggestions people, stat!


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hello and welcome to pigeons.com. Thank you so much for helping this baby bird.

Click on the link to Resources at the top of the page here at pigeons.com for information on the care and feeding of the baby.

Birds can't digest lactose, so you should stop giving it milk. The proper food would be baby bird formula from the pet store, but in a pinch you can use human baby cereal, cream of wheat, grits, etc. to make a thinnish formula that you feed by syringe or eyedropper. You can also soak dry puppy or cat food in water until it is soft and puffy and feed small pieces of that. The food should be warm when fed to the baby.

If the bird is not feathered it needs to be kept very warm and dry and definitely needs to be inside.

Good luck, and please keep us posted.

Terry


[This message has been edited by TAWhatley (edited April 27, 2004).]


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## dano7 (Feb 10, 2004)

stop the milk in favor of baby cereals and many prefer dried dog food that has been soaked in water long enough to be the right consistency for the bird to handle. If the parents are gone, bring it in to warm, safe spot (a heating pad set on low under a towel is good). If you do this and the bird is now in good shape, you can succeed and we can talk about weening later. Feed very often in small amounts if it is less than 10 days old. After that 3-4 times a day 30 -40 cc's is ok (you can get a cheap plastic syringe with no needle to help you with this messy process). If the youngster is hard to handle during feeding just wrap it gently in a towel and take your time.

[This message has been edited by dano7 (edited April 27, 2004).]


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## NPR (Apr 25, 2004)

I dont have any baby cereals.. I have muesli and some corn flakes, should I crush those up with some warm water and feed it that? Or do you reckon the dog pellets are better?


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## dano7 (Feb 10, 2004)

If you add a little crushed dog food to what you have, you gain the protien needed. Maybe you know someone close who could give you a handful and you use only one mashed in per feeding.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Thank you for taking in this needy little newborn!

The baby needs baby bird formula from a pet store, if you can get it.

Here is a website for handfeeding newborns:
http://members.aol.com/duiven/medical/feedbaby.htm 

I would soak the dog pellets in warm water as it is an emergency, for now, and feed it in small pieces down the throat behind the tounge. Do you have any human probiotic capsules you can open up? The baby will need to have that added to its food to survive.

Please bring baby inside and keep warm in a bowl shaped nest with warm towel. 

Thank you

Treesa


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