# What did I do wrong?



## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

I found a weak baby pigeon in my porch yesterday, as I often do, I took it inside and checked it over. It was so weak it did not try and get away. It was very thin and its keel bone was poking out all the way down. It also had a bleeding injury on its wing that looked like a pecking injury.
I left it to fall asleep in the corner of the room, but later it woke and started wondering about. I did not want the other pigeons to attack it so I made up a box for it.
I also put a hot water bottle wrapped in cloth in the box as well as a little dish of seed. I knew I needed to give it time to warm up, but we are in the middle of summer here so it was not that cold to start with. So after a few hours I made up some critical care formula. The baby was so thin I thought I need to try and get some food in it. I made a weak solution to start with and put the pigeon in the box where it slept till the morning. In the morning it woke up and I gave it some more CCF and put it back in the box. I was hoping things were starting to improve. in the early afternoon I made up a slightly stronger CCF mix and sat the pigeon on my lap and gave it some more(via syringe straight to crop). She was so weak and did not seem to want to get away from me, so I left her on my lap and stroked it for about half an hour. All of a sudden it started fitting. I learnt early on that if you feed a bird too early and it is cold it will have fits and die, this little baby was having fits in the same way, as if this was the first feeding. It did not die straight away and I continued to hold it, but after about 3 or 4 more fits it finally died.

What I cannot work out is what I did wrong. I waited and allowed the bird to warm up a little before feeding her, and when I did feed her I used CCF, which should have been the right thing to give a starving bird. It had also consumed 2 doses of CCF and had a sleep before it started fitting, they usually fit after the first meal if you have fed them too soon.
I hoped she would survive and I am annoyed with myself that I got something wrong. If anyone can tell me what I did wrong so I do not make the same mistake again I would be most grateful. I often take in sick and weak pigeons, but this one got to me very late. I was quite upset that I lost her, I really hoped she would survive.

Thank you,
Brian.


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I do not think it was anything you did. the bird was sick when you rescued it. so perhaps it was just too late to save it. so sorry.


----------



## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

It was such a placid little thing, and sat on my lap and looked comfy. I was hoping she was going to make it.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

BHenderson said:


> It was such a placid little thing, and sat on my lap and looked comfy. I was hoping she was going to make it.


*I'm sorry to hear that.

Sounds like you did everything right, but the bird was very dehydrated and starving and possibly it's organs were already shutting down or internal injuries, thank you for doing your best.

Here is the protocal to follow, in case you haven't seen this thread:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f108/basic-steps-to-saving-the-life-of-a-pigeon-or-dove-8822.html*


----------



## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

Thank you for that link. I have read it before but it is always good to remind yourself. I'm sure the birds are passing the word around that I am a good place to go, because I have just found another wounded bird in my alcove. I am going to post some photos of his injuries in a new thread in a minute.


----------

