# New to pigeons, need advice



## Suzzy (Feb 6, 2013)

I found a badly injured pigeon a couple months ago. I came home from work and found her laying in the road all bloody with a broken wing. It was the night before Thanksgiving, so I couldn't find a vet who would see her. I spent the night sitting on the bathroom floor with her trying to get the bleeding to stop. When I was able to take her to the vet, he wrapped her wing and put her on antibiotics. He said she had been attacked by a hawk. The tops of both of her wings wore badly torn up and her one wing was broken in the joint. I spent a month taking her everywhere with me. I even took her to work everyday. She is doing well. She is able to fly somewhat. I have her out of her cage a twice a day to get exercise..... I noticed yesterday that she tarted having some cloudy watery poop. I don't know if this is something I should be worried about.


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

Good for rescuing her! More information........where is she kept? What food does she get? Grit? "Extras"? Photo of your bird and photo of her poop (yes!)?


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## Suzzy (Feb 6, 2013)

I bought her a big cage. I keep her in my kitchen. I have been feeding her pigeon food that I ordered. I also give her grit, but I did read that I should give her red grit instead. I also bought a UV lamp for her since she can't go outside.


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

Welcome to PT & thank you for taking care of her.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

You have done remarkably well...your Pigeon friend is lucky to have found you ! 

Like Woodnative asked, can you post a photo of your buddy, and his/her poops ? (quite seriously).

If her/his energy level is the same and there's no sign of fluffing or lethargy, I would not be overly concerned at the moment. But if she/he seems to be acting listless or dumpy, then that might be something which needs more immediate attention.

Welcome, indeed ! The world needs more people like you.


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## Suzzy (Feb 6, 2013)

Her poop looks better today. She seems to be feeling ok. I have never had a bird and I don't know that much about them.


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## Suzzy (Feb 6, 2013)

Sorry the picture is upside down. I am using my ipad and I wasn't sure how to post a picture.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Hi. Gorgeous bird. Tell me, does she seem comfortable with human touch ? Or is she skittish ? or was she ever skittish ?

Could be a Feral, but could also be a domestic-raised Pigeon.

She looks pretty with it to me. The wing is being held below the level of the tailfeathers, which in a healthy and uninjured Pigeon sometimes could be a sign of illness...but from the sounds of her wing injuries, that may just be how she healed.

Can she fly at all ?

Typical warning signs you should be aware of:

~ Listlessness or sleepy-eyedness

~ Fluffed out or puffed up feathers often.

~ Sleeping a lot.

~ Poor appetite.

~ Poops either clear and viscous with wormy or broken-up wormy solids and no white, or poops which are frothy/foamy.

All birds, being flock creatures, suppress their illness symptoms as long as they possibly can, so they don't get kicked out of the flock. So, usually when one of the red flags above appear (oftentimes in combination), the bird has already been ailing for several weeks.

An odd poop here or there is nothing to get overly concerned about, but if the poops are consistently strange, then that may be a sign of something.


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## Suzzy (Feb 6, 2013)

She is very tame. She has been since I found her. She has become very attached to me. She loves sitting on my shoulder. She can fly a little, but not very far. She has a lot of scarring inside her wings, but she does have new feathers coming in. The vet didn't think she would ever be able to fly again, because the break was in the joint. I am so happy when I see her fly even if it isn't very far.


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

Sounds like you have bonded.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

That's great, and I am glad she has been able to retain some flying ability. 

Just from how she acts, I think she is a domestic-bred Pigeon, not a Feral. Very, very fortunate to have found you...because (as it almost did for her), loose or escaped domestics do not last very long out there in the Feral world...they don't know what to eat, they don't know anything about predators or vehicles. They often get killed, sick, or just starve to death.

What is her name ?


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

Jaye - I think the band is a dead give away its not a feral and rather a lost racing homer.

Suzzy, Does the band have any info on it? If it does this bird is technically someone elses. I am sure if you tracked them down and explained what you had done for the bird and also explained it could not fly anymore that they would happily hand it over, Or you could just pretend I never said any of this, It does sound like you have done a wonderful job and I would be more than happy to know any of my lost racers had found their way to your place.

I hate to be the "bearer of bad news" but if you trace the owner and they ask for the bird back its legally theirs, In NZ thats the case anyway.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Beautiful bird. I rescued one identical to her coloring. I live in southern Maine and she was on her way home to Quebec, Canada from a race when she was attacked by a hawk. Same injuries and a broken wing. 'Frenchie'. I contacted the owner and he said I could keep her. Most would not want the bird back.
Hard to tell (with the pic upside down), but she looks a little thin? Have you wormed her since you got her?
Nice save.....and welcome to PT


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## Suzzy (Feb 6, 2013)

I tracked the owner the first night I found her and left messages. I explained that she was bleeding badly and in need of veterinary care. 
They never called me back.
I called after I took her to the vet and left a message again saying her wing was broken and she needed to be on antibiotics.
They never even called me back.
I have been taking care of her for almost 2 1/2 months now.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Suzzy said:


> I tracked the owner the first night I found her and left messages. I explained that she was bleeding badly and in need of veterinary care.
> They never called me back.
> I called after I took her to the vet and left a message again saying her wing was broken and she needed to be on antibiotics.
> They never even called me back.
> I have been taking care of her for almost 2 1/2 months now.


you did the right thing, NZ is right it is alway best to at least try to let the owner know.. now that there is no return call.. she is you'res. you may not have ever had a bird before, but you sure do have allot of common sense. good luck with you're new pet.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

NZ.....perhaps you neglected to consider for a moment, this: she could have put the band on the Pigeon AFTER she had nursed it back to health. Oftentimes, when folks decide to keep their rescued pals, they will band 'em in case they get lost again. Some folks even band their releases so they can recognize 'em in the flock. Quite common, really.

But thanks for your ever-so-helpful commentary.

She doesn't look to me like a Homer or a Tippler.....and given her propensity to snuggle, perhaps she was never a flyer at all but someone's pet; although if that were the case, it's more surprising Suzzy never got a call back.....


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## Suzzy (Feb 6, 2013)

What is the best kind of food to give her? I have tried several different kinds of pigeon food. She only seems to eat certain things out of it and she leaves the rest. I had to feed her cracked corn and wild birdseed the first 2 days I had her and she loved it. But I want her to eat what is healthiest.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

The band looks like a seemless band, which has to go on at 5 to 8 days of age from the nest, so the breeder put one on for some reason. usually to be traced. not sure why if no call back...wasted a good band.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

You will get a lotta different answers here regarding food mixes. The corn and birdseed is OK as a partial. Some people here feel cracked corn, as opposed to, say, whole kernels, is not the healthiest; but a lot of folks feed cracked.

You can take that mix and add to it some safflower seed, dried split peas, maybe some dried lentils. What I also do is mix in about 20% parrot pellets (Zupreem, LaFaebre's, Kaytee) the size made for Parakeets or Small Conures. That stuff is really good because it has loads of nutrients.

How much time per day does she spend out of her enclosure ?


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## Southwing (Feb 7, 2008)

She looks healthy and she looks like a racing pigeon to me. what does the band say and that will tell u. She was lucky you came around when you did.


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## Suzzy (Feb 6, 2013)

The food I bought has safflower seeds and split peas in it. She doesn't seem to like them. She picks out the smaller seeds and eats those. I change her food and water at least twice a day, so it's always fresh.
I have her out of her cage about 3-4 hours a day. I have a big bathroom. She likes it in there and it's easy to clean up when she poops on the floor.
The cage I bought for her is pretty big.I bought corner shelves for it so she has different levels and she can use more of the cage.
I also gave her a box with Timothy hay. She likes to sit in that during the day.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Homer ? Maybe. That wattle doesn't look like a Homer to me, but it is difficult to tell with a frontal photo, it is easier to tell in profile. Sounds too snuggly to be a Homer, maybe.

Your setup for her sounds good. 

Try the parrot pellets...for some reason, my Pigeons prefer this brand and variety to any of the others:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/images/Categoryimages/normal/p-70853-81020-vendor.jpg It's a good size for Pigeons.

Also, I forgot to mention, you could tear up some very seedy/grainy sorta whole grain bread and see if she likes that as well.


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## Suzzy (Feb 6, 2013)

Thank you for the advice. I am going to order some of that food for her. Hopefully she likes it.


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## PigeonHandRearer (Sep 25, 2002)

This story just made my day, I am soo glad u saved her/him


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## Suzzy (Feb 6, 2013)

It's nice to know there are people who think saving her was the right thing to do. Most people tell me I should have left her there to die or killed her myself. 

I didn't think twice about picking her up out of the road and taking care of her. She wouldn't have survived the night. The temperature dropped below freezing that night and I live out in the woods. There are all kinds of animals around who would love to eat a helpless bird.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Suzzy said:


> It's nice to know there are people who think saving her was the right thing to do. Most people tell me I should have left her there to die or killed her myself.
> 
> I didn't think twice about picking her up out of the road and taking care of her. She wouldn't have survived the night. The temperature dropped below freezing that night and I live out in the woods. There are all kinds of animals around who would love to eat a helpless bird.


I rescued a pigeon (my 3rd bird) _years_ ago, sitting in the middle of a 4 lane Highway Off Ramp. Very risky and not a very smart thing to do.....but I couldn't leave her there 
I admire what you did.....If only MORE people were as caring 
She looks like a homer to me, as I said earlier, she looks identical to Frenchie. Frenchie's wing was so badly broken, she could never fly again. I set up 'handicap' ramps in the loft so she could get to the top. She had a mate and gave me some beautiful babies.
Here is a picture of Frenchie, for comparison.....










Also, as i suggested earlier. She looks a little thin.......have you wormed her?


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## Suzzy (Feb 6, 2013)

I haven't wormed her. Is that something I can do, or do I have to take her to the vet?
How would I know if she had worms?


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Pigeons that are in a loft situation or flown (and where she is banded, I assume she was) need to be routinely wormed.
You can have a fecal tested for worms at your vet, or you can just worm her. One sign of worms is 'thin'. Where I have so many birds, I just routinely worm them....3-4 times a year. If she's a single bird, you can worm her, then repeat it in 10 days, and she should be all set.
I use pyrantel because its safe and effective. Most vets have this whereas its routinely used for puppies and kittens. Sometimes you can find it at larger pet stores, but I believe its in the dog/cat section. The ingredient is Pyrantel Pamoate (make sure there is no other ingredients), and the dose for a pigeon would be about 5mg.


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## Suzzy (Feb 6, 2013)

I tried to get a better picture her.


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## Suzzy (Feb 6, 2013)

She thinks she is supposed to jump on me when I get close to her so its hard.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

She's beautiful


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## Suzzy (Feb 6, 2013)

And very sweet!


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

She looks pretty healthy to me, you have done a great job. Having a wormer on hand isn't a bad idea, although from the pic she doesn't seem underweight.

How does her breast area feel ? is her breastbone/keelbone protruding when you feel her chest ? Or does there seem to be a nice amount of flesh and muscle on both sides of it ?


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## Suzzy (Feb 6, 2013)

She doesn't seem to feel boney.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

I agree with Jaye....her weight looks good. I was going by the other (upside down) picture that is gone now! It looked like her keel was sticking out a bit, but like I said, its was hard to tell because the pic was upside down


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## Suzzy (Feb 6, 2013)

I took the pictures with my ipad. I don't know why it posted upside down.
Anyway here is a silly question......
I assumed "Pearl" was a girl, because she is pretty. After reading other people's post about egg laying issues and stuff, I realized she has never laid an egg. Do all females lay eggs? I'm starting to think she is really a boy.


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## Birdbabe (Jan 24, 2006)

whatever "she" is..."she" is beautiful and thank you for saving her. Welcome to the forum.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Iam glad the "poop" issue solved itself. it is good not give antibiotics unless really needed. she looks like a racing homer to me..or he does..lol.. if she was young when you found her it may take awhile for her to lay eggs, or act like a cock bird.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

Jaye said:


> NZ.....perhaps you neglected to consider for a moment, this: she could have put the band on the Pigeon AFTER she had nursed it back to health. Oftentimes, when folks decide to keep their rescued pals, they will band 'em in case they get lost again. Some folks even band their releases so they can recognize 'em in the flock. Quite common, really.
> 
> But thanks for your ever-so-helpful commentary.
> 
> She doesn't look to me like a Homer or a Tippler.....and given her propensity to snuggle, perhaps she was never a flyer at all but someone's pet; although if that were the case, it's more surprising Suzzy never got a call back.....


It is a racing band and is seamless. So you think a wild feral would be more likely to snuggle than a racer or tippler?? What the????? Ferals are more wild than racers, My racers and tipplers are all over me when I am cleaning their lofts. Some even land on me from the sky rather than their pad, 

As for " thanks for your ever so hellpful commentary - Firstly, I think its important to ensure anyone that finds a bird with a band on it triies to trace the owner so I think my advice would have been quite helpful had the poster not already done this, It is the law after all, Secondly Jaye- Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

Sorry Jaye, But I looked at the second pic, This bird is a homer no doubt, This could be verified by the band info ofcourse, Suzzy, Has anyone trying to guess the breed asked you to supply the band info? Saves all this guessing that way.


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