# Pigeon unable to fly



## Naltuk (Jan 6, 2017)

Caught a pigeon yesterday in my chicken run being attacked by the chooks. I was able to easily catch it and bring it it. It technically is a feral pigeon but here in Spain they keep them for hunting purposes. This guy had his feet duct taped up so he couldnt really walk and kept falling on his chest. He also makes no attempt to fly, his flight feathers are all ok and no apparent injuries but he is very scrawny and doesn't put up a fight if you go to pick him up. Im looking for some advice on caring for him, in particular what to feed as he is refusing anything apart from millet spray. Im hoping after some tlc, he will regain his ability to fly, he is currently housed in a crate at night, though he spent the day toddling around my living room, as he was very miserable being contained and only began eating and drinking when i let him loose.


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## Dotty (Nov 4, 2016)

Naltuk said:


> Caught a pigeon yesterday in my chicken run being attacked by the chooks. I was able to easily catch it and bring it it. It technically is a feral pigeon but here in Spain they keep them for hunting purposes. This guy had his feet duct taped up so he couldnt really walk and kept falling on his chest. He also makes no attempt to fly, his flight feathers are all ok and no apparent injuries but he is very scrawny and doesn't put up a fight if you go to pick him up. Im looking for some advice on caring for him, in particular what to feed as he is refusing anything apart from millet spray. Im hoping after some tlc, he will regain his ability to fly, he is currently housed in a crate at night, though he spent the day toddling around my living room, as he was very miserable being contained and only began eating and drinking when i let him loose.


Thank you for rescuing this poor bird.

He is probably too weak to fly now and needs time to recover. Do you have pigeon seed mix ? Try feeding that to him.

If he refuses to eat by himself you need to force him .Give some peas or Purina puppy chow. 30 peas/chow or 50 depending how much he is willing to eat. Give him water with one teaspoon of apple sauce mixed with it.

Also give him vitamins and probiotics. You can give him small amount of yogurt and a garlic pill if your lacking on supplies. 

Placing him under a heating pad should help him. Being warm is important if he is ill and cannot maintain it. Also dark room should help him relax.

Can you check his throat with flashlight ? Healthy pigeon should have pink and clear throat. If you see yellow sticky stuff and it smells it has canker which you treat it for.

Are his eyes clear ? and no discharge coming from eyes and nostrils ?
Also how are the droppings after food ? Sometimes there might be worms or another illness. If it is possible get an avian/pigeon vet to analyze the droppings to check for illness.


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## Rosequartz (Jun 29, 2016)

Give him Some ORS. Give up to 50 peas per feed. Feed it three times a day. If the bird is fluffed up, put him on a heating pad with regulated temperature or on a hot water bag or on a heat lamp. Check for any signs of illness. Can you post a pic of the bird's poop? It would be little easy to judge any signs of infection.
Check the pigeon's body completely for any wounds.


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## Rosequartz (Jun 29, 2016)

You can put him in a cardboard box instead of a cage which provides more insulation.


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## Naltuk (Jan 6, 2017)

I offered him chicken feed and then boiled rice, as he is in room with my sons zebra finches and started pecking around under cage, we offered seed and millet spray, the millet was a success but not really substantial enough. Everything was closed today but i will be going to a pet shop tomorrow, will try pick up pigeon feed and I was thinking maybe egg food? I gave him heat pad last night but he stayed away from it, he is on straw and newspaper in a crate inside and not too cold at night here. No vets open until monday but i doubt they will be of help. I think he is just very underfed and abused. The hunters here hobble the birds with tape and throw them to their dogs to train retrieval and i am pretty sure he has come from a neighbours. Normally they pull the flight feathers as well but his look intact. His poo is watery and very green. I will see if I can get a pic.


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## Naltuk (Jan 6, 2017)

Poo sample


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## Rosequartz (Jun 29, 2016)

The poop doesn't sound right. He might be having a problem..
Give him bird vitamins as well. You can get it from the pet shop.


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## Rosequartz (Jun 29, 2016)

Does he have canker? If not, we have to give him a broad spectrum like baytril. If you have baytril, take 1 ml out of it and dilute it 10 times in water. Out of that, take one ml and syringe it two times a day. Remember when you are giving antibiotics, you need to give him enough food to withstand the dose. Continue the medication till you get an appointment with a vet. If not continue for 5 days.


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## Rosequartz (Jun 29, 2016)

Before giving medicines, is he active? 
Does he appear sick or fluffed up?


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## Naltuk (Jan 6, 2017)

He was very fluffed up until this morning. When i put him out on floor to clean crate he perked up and so i let him loose for the day. This improved his spirits greatly and he walked around a little ate drank preened, sat in the sun etc. He slept a lot of the day and jumped into the crate himself once it started to get dark. No antibiotics to hand, though i may be able to get from pharmacy tomorrow if needed. He is extremly skinny.


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## Rosequartz (Jun 29, 2016)

Poor bird. Can't Imagine what he could have happened to him if you didnt rescue him. Feed him a lot of food and water for now.


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## Naltuk (Jan 6, 2017)

Oh and as for other questions i missed, no canker, no discharge from eyes etc, no obvious injuries. Crate is also covered for night


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## Dotty (Nov 4, 2016)

Naltuk said:


> Oh and as for other questions i missed, no canker, no discharge from eyes etc, no obvious injuries. Crate is also covered for night


Sounds good.
Just food and water should be enough for today.

Tomorrow you can stock on supplies.
I am going to pm you list(health kit) in case you need it for current bird or future rescues.

Let us know how he is doing tomorrow


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Thank you so much for rescuing him! Please keep us posted on his progress.


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## Rosequartz (Jun 29, 2016)

How is he doing?


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## Naltuk (Jan 6, 2017)

Peter doing well today, i managed to get pigeon mix and he ate it straight off but avoids the corn? Was not able to get vitamins or egg food but hopefully mix will be enough. Droppings are still green but solid now, so also an improvement. I gave him a light misting and he sat in sun preening. Iv attached picture, he didnt like me pointing phone at him and hid under birdcage, he looks much better then yesterday


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## Naltuk (Jan 6, 2017)

A comparison from yesterday morning


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

So glad to hear that Peter is doing better! Eating is a great sign. Ours dont eat any corn and are picky eaters. He does look cold in the second picture...fluffed up. How warm is the place he is kept? Thank you so much for helping him! He is lovely.


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## Naltuk (Jan 6, 2017)

The second picture was yesterday morning, the first is now, he is much happier now. He doesnt seem to be drinking a lot so i have offered different looking bowls and containers in case that is the issue


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## Dotty (Nov 4, 2016)

Naltuk said:


> The second picture was yesterday morning, the first is now, he is much happier now. He doesnt seem to be drinking a lot so i have offered different looking bowls and containers in case that is the issue


Glad to hear the good news  You did a great job getting his health back up !

You can give him liquid via syringe if you feel his liquid intake is too less.
Or you can very slowy and carefully dip his beak in the bowl. He should get that there is water and it tastes nice.

You can get viatimins ,probiotics+calcium later. It is important though without it he can have deficiencies. Its just good that he is at least eating someting for now =).


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## Naltuk (Jan 6, 2017)

I do have an oyster shell grit on offer as well but may have to order online for vitamins etc as that was best pet shop in area, next best one is two hour drive


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## Rosequartz (Jun 29, 2016)

if you buy birds food, it has grit and other nutrients in it.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Naltuk, he looks so much better! Good job.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Rosequartz said:


> if you buy birds food, it has grit and other nutrients in it.


Bird food does not have grit and other nutrients in it. Don't know what food you buy, but most is just seed. Especially a pigeon mix.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If you are planning to get a bird or his droppings checked by a vet, you don't start them on antibiotics before the vet, as that will through off the tests. 
I wouldn't put this bird on antibiotics. I would let him eat as much as he wants, and he will probably be fine. See how he is after he gets some weight back on. Also, a heating pad is good, but it needs to be kept on LOW only, with a layer of tower over it. Then you can put the bird on it. But he should have a way to get off if he wants to.

Also, he knows to drink. If he eats, he will drink. You may have to hold a small dish up to him, and may even have to gently lower his beak into the water, but not over the nostrils. They will usually eat, and then take a drink. Giving him water with a syringe into his beak is not a good idea, as you can easily aspirate him. Let him drink on his own.
If he isn't eating enough, then you can hand feed frozen peas which have been defrosted and warmed under warm running water. Warm, not hot. This is how to do that if you need to. But if he is eating on his own, then he will probably do okay.

If you need to feed peas to a pigeon, hold the bird on your lap and against your body. This gives you more control. Reach from behind his head with one hand and grasp his beak on either side. Now use your free hand to open the beak, and put a pea in, then push it to the back of his throat and over his tongue. Let him close his beak and swallow. Then do another. It gets easier with practice, and the bird also gets more used to it, and won't fight as much. If you can't handle the bird, then use the sleeve cut off a t-shirt, slip it over his head and onto his body, with his head sticking out. This will stop him from being able to fight you so much. Just don't make it tight around his crop area. It helps if you have him facing your right side if you are right handed.


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## Rosequartz (Jun 29, 2016)

Mine isn't pigeon mix. I am using bird's food as in finches or cocktails or parrots food. It has grit, fruit flavored seeds along with pellets.


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## Rosequartz (Jun 29, 2016)

Your bird looks so cute. Keep him happy and comforted. He will recover soon.


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## Naltuk (Jan 6, 2017)

Oh he is doing well, trying to peck me this morning when i wanted to clean crate. Hes currently sitting in food bowl throwing all of it out onto the ground. And zebra finches flying around room showing him what wings are for and laughing at him.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Glad to hear he is continuing to improve.


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## Rosequartz (Jun 29, 2016)

So happy to hear he is doing alright


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