# Choking



## flight (Dec 29, 2011)

Maybe someone has an answer for me. I have been loft flying and everything has been going well, birds were flying for over an hour and routing good. In the past week or so they have only been flying for around 20 min. and not routing at all but have been eating and drinking fine so a thought it could just be the weather. Yesterday one of the birds came down after around 10 min and he looked like he was choking shaking his head like he wanted to throw up. I took a look at his throat and did not see anything but now I am wondering if they are not flying so much because something may be wrong. Does anyone think this could be canker and if so has anyone tried a product called Berimax? Any ideas would be helpful thanks.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Do your birds breathe with open beaks when they return from flying. Heavy panting for more than 10 mins after training indicates repiratory problems or mycoplasmosis.
Observe them for symptoms if any. Testing their droppings will remove doubts!


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## flight (Dec 29, 2011)

No open beak breathing. They eat and drink fine and act normal otherwise. They are not fed until after they loft fly so it wasn't like they ate and then flew. Let them out this morning and the one of the birds dropped down early again and he did the head shake like he wanted to get something out of his throat. They are White Homers so it is a little hard to tell if it was the same bird. I only have the birds since July and they are now pairing up. If it wasn't for the choking and way less time loft flying I do not see any other problems.


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## Rod Hultquist (Aug 23, 2009)

Have you change the amount or the kind food you have been feeding?


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## flight (Dec 29, 2011)

I did change something I started adding Red Cell once a week to their food. I did add it on Friday do you think it may be the cause?


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## Squeaker slave (Jan 22, 2014)

Mabe a hawke, falcon,owl,or else they might of swallowed a flying ant?


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

flight,If you don't see any other symptoms then its hard to tell. Usually the thing you're talking about happens in young bird sickness or e.coli infection causing sour crop and vomitting.
Do you see heavy crops or...any weight loss.
Oh do they eat more than needed,because that can be caused by worm infestation and it causes vomitting too.


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## flight (Dec 29, 2011)

No nothing out of the ordinary maybe I am being too cautious they haven't flown today because of the weather and I don't see anyone actually throwing up just the one making the gesture. Looking in the loft they are good no choking from anyone. I did also add safflower to their mix a few days ago they never had that before. i will just keep an eye on them and see what happens. Thanks


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

I think you have given yourself some good advice there....to observe and see if it continues . There is a chance it may have been a 1 off thing . A fecal sample for testing would be the way to go if it continued .


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Canker can make a pigeon do that. If it continues, I would try to look again, way down the throat and with a bright flashlight. If far enough down, you may not be seeing it, but could be canker. If he does continue, then I would treat for canker. I haven't used Berimax. I have very good luck with Metronidazole. Berimax is a powder for flock treatment. It is good also to have a tablet med for individual treatment. Given in the water, you can't be sure of how much of the med they are actually getting. Could under dose.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

flight said:


> No nothing out of the ordinary maybe I am being too cautious they haven't flown today because of the weather and I don't see anyone actually throwing up just the one making the gesture. Looking in the loft they are good no choking from anyone. I did also add safflower to their mix a few days ago they never had that before. i will just keep an eye on them and see what happens. Thanks


I always wanted to say that sometimes when pigeons fly/train after a gap they do get out of form and even several mins of flying can wear them off. Daily routine training will put them back in shape slowly increasing the flying time.+ the such cold weather also makes their wings moist ,making hard for them to carry their bodies in air for long.
This was supposed to be my initial post. But then I thought you may have considered these factors already.
Keep training your birds if weather is nice. If you have added Berimax to their water then maybe it was the bitter med that the pigeon was trying to vomitt out.
Hope everything goes fine


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Brocky, he wanted to give the Berimax because the bird was doing this, not the other way around. If canker is deep in the throat, it often will make them do that, because they can feel it in their throat. Also, because if the canker is present, it will often make things they eat stick and not go down, so they feel that food stuck in their throat also. They will extend their neck as if trying to get rid of the object. It's fairly common.


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## flight (Dec 29, 2011)

I will keep observing the birds and see what happens thanks to everyone for their information. They have been only going out on the weekends because of work and weather so it could also be they are out of shape as brocky bieber has said.


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