# Baby Pigeon died - Why?



## conrishclare

Hi,
I've just joined PigeonTalk (with thanks to AliBlack) a few days ago. It was with the aim of getting some advice on a baby pigeon l was given on Tuesday, unfortuantely he died sometime on Thursday, and l was wondering if anyone had any ideas on what might have caused it.
I know the most obvious answer is, 'it's just one of those things, it happens', but as it looks as though pigeon rescuing is going to become a regular thing, l'd like to get some ideas so that l'm a bit more confident next time.
He was found on the ground of a covered concrete walkway. He couldn't be left there because of cars and pedestrians, although one of the parents (l presume) was nearby. Anyway, as l work in a pet shop nearby, he was bought in to me. I think he had a broken leg, and his belly looked kind of squishy (maybe that's normal??), but he didn't seem to mind me examining him. He was big enough to fit into my two cupped hands, and looking on utube, at pigeons around his size, l'd guess about three weeks old.
My biggest problem was that he wasn't interested in eating. From the utube videos, l made a warm, wet mash of egg food, and put some robin mix in the bottom of his tank, but he wasn't interested in either. I could get him to drink a little, by running a line of water along the side of his beak.
Thursday morning, l managed to get him to eat a little by prising his beak open and pushing in some robin mix, and he was drinking a lot more, but when l got home in the evening, he was dead.
So l don't know whether it was because he didn't eat up until that point, or because he did eat on that day, it seems like too much of a coincidence.
The thing is, if he had lasted until Saturday, he was booked to get into a bird sanctuary, it's such a shame he didn't make it. I don't know if l've given enough info, but any suggestions would be great, thanks.


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## TheSnipes

I'd really be guessing, anyone would as it's impossible to know if there was injury or illness afoot from the info so far...it sounds like he wasn't getting enough food, but I don't think he would have died of starvation in just two days.


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## Charis

I agree with TheSnipes. He wasn't getting enough food. Baby pigeons that age are still fed by the parents as they haven't learned to eat on their own.
It wasn't that he wasn't interested in eating...he just didn't know how. 
If you find another young pigeon, get in touch with us right away and someone here will talk you through the feeding process.


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## chlee09

thats sad to hear, i dont know the cause but when my pigeons get sick i make them a pigeon tea. you boil lemon grass and give it to them. it seems to work..sorry if im no help


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## Skyeking

Hello and Welcome to Pigeon Talk,

Thank you for trying to help this youngster, and am so sorry that he didn't make it. 

Baby pigeons that age are usually just learning to eat on their own and this baby may not have been weaned. The parents regurgitate seed to them by holding their beak inside their beak. If he was drinking on his own, he would have been close to learning to eat on his own.

At this age I usually feed them pigeon seed that is soaked and drained, as they do have to be hand fed, at least a tablespoon 4 times a day. 

Please do contact us next time you get a pigeon or baby pigeon, and we can try to find some help locally or help you ourselves. Pigeons are no more difficult to take care of then any other bird, but their needs are different and need to be taken care of in a timely fashion, especially the young, sick and injured.


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## naturegirl

You know it could have also been that he passed because of internal injuries as well. You never know. The point is that you did try and if you find another or someone brings you one then hey come on here and we have some incredible people here that can help you out so fast and get you on the right track. Please don't blame yourself for anything it just wasn't meant to be, but maybe the next one will. At least he passed with a caring human and not a horrible death. 

Cindy


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## conrishclare

Thanks for the feedback. I think l should have been more assertive with the feeding. I did initially try feeding with a syringe, and that took a while to work out. I don't think he would have starved after two days, although obviously a lack of food isn't good. If he was younger than l thought, maybe some extra heat would also have been good. I made him a sort of nest out of an old 'thinsulate' hat, and he always felt warm when l picked him up.
Even if he was going to die anyway, l'm still glad l was given him, it was better for it to happen in a safe, quiet environment.


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