# Sticky  Lucky In Love - A Pigeon Story (Part 1)



## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

*This story is by pigeons.biz and pigeon-talk founder, Carl Gulledge, and is of his experience with a rescued pigeon:*

If Lucky were born as a street pigeon, instead of a Birmingham Roller, there would be no story here and Lucky would probably be on some ferry dock, begging French fries from the car passengers. Thats what feral pigeons do here in Seattle. But Lucky was lucky.

*First Light*

It was a cold December morning in 1998 when I entered the pigeon loft behind the barn, to find a baby pigeon there on the floor. Two days earlier Id found another baby pigeon that had frozen to death. Apparently, the chicks were falling from the nest during the night. When this happens during daylight, the mother and father pigeons will come to the rescue, giving warmth and food to their baby. But this happened at night. And since pigeons wont fly before morning light, in cold weather the baby is usually doomed.

I reached down and picked up the cold, hard body of the baby pigeon, and was about to throw it into the ravine when I felt a slight movement in my hand. I stared closely at it for a moment and finally, yes, it moved again. It was still alive, but just barely. I immediately ran for the house.

Paul, my youngest son met me outside the kitchen door and wanted to know what I had cupped in my hands. I told him it was a frozen baby pigeon that I thought was still alive. He wanted to see it. He looked at it, then at me, and said, "Dad, I dont think this bird is going to make it."

I didnt say anything, but took the baby bird into the kitchen and carefully placed it on a soft towel near the wood stove. I watched for a moment. There was no movement. So I covered it with another towel and decided that I had done all I could for the time being. I left the bird alone and returned to the barn to finish my morning chores.

About two hours later, I returned to the kitchen to check on the baby pigeon and found a miracle. I lifted the towel and there in the warmth of the lamp was a live, kicking, screaming little baby pigeon. It was completely revived, head lifted off the towel, bobbing back and forth, making little peeping sounds. The tiny squab was alive! I could not believe my eyes! Squeak, squeak, squeak was the sound it made. It was actually alive and very hungry. I couldnt get over it.

And so our story begins, a story about love and friendship with a unique and interesting pet, a pigeon called Lucky.

*The Squab Job: Someone Has To Do It!*










My first reaction to Lucky's miraculous recovery was to think about returning her to the nest for continued care from mom and dad. When I checked the loft, I found the mother caring for the other baby in the nest. The father was nowhere to be found. I searched the loft again and again with the same resultno father pigeon. Since pigeons are exemplary parents, I concluded that the male pigeon must have met with some tragic end while flying outside the loft. Perhaps he met with a Cooper Hawk or some stray cat. Whatever the reason, the mother was now alone; and I feared that she could not take care of both squabs on her own.

In my 34 years of marriage to Sondra, we had raised 5 children, most of them grown, now gone from the nest. The prospect of a new baby in the house was not exactly thrilling. But this little squab, that I later named Lucky, needed help now! Someone had to do it

I remembered all the formula stuff, the night feedings, the bathing and care our children had received, mostly from their mother. I had played father largely on the sidelines, watching it all go by. Now it was my turn. But where would I start While I was thinking this through, the racket continued from the kitchen: Squeak! Squeak! Squeak! Lucky was telling me what my next step should be: FEED ME NOW!

Where was I going to get fresh pigeon milk This is the primary staple given to baby pigeons by their parents (male pigeons lactate too). I deduced that it must be a mixture of seeds and some kind of milk produced in the parents craw. I decided to try to replicate the stuff. So I boiled some pigeon seed, mashed it, then mixed it with half & half, and tried to feed it to Lucky with a small spoon. Disaster. Lucky's craw was completely empty and I had made no progress. Lucky screamed. I screamed. And Sondra screamed, because I had burned the bottom of the pan. I headed for the pet store.

Once again, Lucky was lucky. The pet store carried baby bird formula, plastic syringes and information on how to hand feed baby parrots. I purchased some Neo-Nate formula by LM and followed the directions on the package:

1 to 2 days: 1-part formula, 6-parts water.

3 to 14 days: 1-part formula, 3-parts water.

2 to 3 weeks: 1-part formula, 2-parts water.

Necessity is a mother At first the feedings were a real chore for me. Learning to hand feed a squeaking, wiggling, uncooperative little squab was a challenge. With syringe in one hand, the baby on the towel, I would try to open the small beak with my one remaining hand. Hold still, you! Damn. I know you are hungry. Just calm down and let me do my job. ****!

But eventually we came to an understanding: I am the feedor. And you, my little squab, are the feedee. I took the towel and wrapped it around Lucky until she looked like a mummy, with head poking out the top. I placed her in a cottage cheese container. That should do it! And it did. From then on, Lucky could kick and scream all she wanted. But I was able to hold her head, open her beak and shoot formula into her craw. This worked perfectly. Her tummy was kept full! Lucky began to grow larger. I was growing olderfast.

But from there things got real smooth. Soon I actually looked forward to the feeding times. And so did Lucky.

At week three I began introducing small frozen corn and peas, warmed in the microwave. I would hand feed them one at a time, after the formula feeding. I would occasionally drop in some hard, dry pigeon feed, just to get the digestive system working. I also placed dry pigeon feed in Lucky's box for interest. I would see Lucky peck at the dry feed, not quite getting the idea of swallowing it. This, I learned, was normal. Eventually the dry feed would become the daily staple. And sure enough, at four weeks Lucky was eating dry feed without my help. An era had ended.

I still didnt know if Lucky was a boy or a girl (cock or a hen). But when I found two eggs in her box, I got my answer. Of course, the eggs were unfertile. But Lucky took up round-the-clock setting operations anyway. Well, practice makes perfect, I supposed. I later removed the eggs.

*Routine! Routine! Routine!*










All pet birds love routine. Pigeons are no exception.
They seem to fall in with the rhythm of the household and come to expect it. Feeding times were spaced and maintained day after day. Three hours and the little tummy (craw) was almost empty, time to feed. After week two we could feed at 10:00 PM and not again until 6:00 AM. That was wonderful! I now have some idea of how it must have been for my wife during the baby years in our home, a little late, maybe, but at least I get it. Lucky's daily routine went something like this:

6:00 AM---Breakfast, followed by a drink of warm tea.
9:00 AM---Regular feeding, followed by play time in box.

12:00 PM---Lunch, playtime and long nap.

3:00 PM---Regular feeding.

6:00 PM---Dinner

8:00 PM---Warm bath in the dish pan, followed by towel
dry-off period, some TV watching, petting
and bird talk. Dont forget the warm tea.
10:00 PM---Late snack, followed by bedtime in the box,
lights out, towel over box until morning.

*Pigeon Development*

At 33 days Lucky was fully developed, feathered and weaned (sure beats 18 years!). But she was inexperienced. She worked at flying with assisted hops, controlled falls and some short, successful flights. Since Lucky's mother was a Birmingham Roller, a type of performing pigeon, and her father a Syrian Tumbler (also a performer), I saw no reason for her not to eventually master the fine art of flying.

I had experience with pigeons, as Id kept lofts and been around them most of my life. I have a fondness for them and I admire what they are. Over the years I have learned much.










Given the chance, pigeons usually mate for life. If the pair is separated for any reason, each will find a new mate. A major priority is getting on with the business of making little pigeons. But they are not barbarians. Courting must take place first. And their courtship is somewhat like that of humans. It begins with the male chasing the female, until she finally catches him!

When they decide (mutually) to do the deed, the first egg will appear in 10 days. The second egg appears 40 hours after the first. The hens job will be to warm the eggs within the nest by setting on them from about 4:00 pm., until 10:00 am. The cock will brood (set on the eggs) the rest of the time. The eggs hatch in 17 to 18 days, with the second egg hatching one day behind the first.

The baby chicks grow very fast, doubling their birth weight in the first 48 hours. Both parents share equally in the feeding and setting with the chicks in the nest. As the squabs grow, the parents stay away from the nest for longer periods. It is not unusual for the parents to prepare another nest and be sitting on new eggs even before the squabs are weaned.


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## Miss-Sassypants (Sep 25, 2010)

I love this story!!! Reminds me of all those sleepless nights caring for my Krikky!

Thank you Carl for setting this wonderful forum up, and for John for superb maintenance of this beautiful site.


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## superemmy (Mar 14, 2016)

Haha, now I know what Squab means!


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