# Such a heartbreaking week!



## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

It is rarely that I lose a pigeon but this week has been so terrible.

There was the loss of my precious baby, Little Lulu, then a large handsome wood pigeon died within minutes of arrival and now I have lost darling Houdini, the pigeon with leg paralysis that struggled so hard to recover.

He seemed tired and ill today with runny poops , so I put him under the heatlamp and he seemed to get a bit better. I was talking to him/myself and turned around to find that he was dead. It happened so suddenly.

Cynthia


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

I am so sorry, Cynthia! How heartbreaking!

WITH LOVE AND HEALING HUGS FOR BETTER WEEKS AHEAD!


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Cynthia, I am sorry. Seems, sometimes, they just come to us in groups that are too ill to help. I think you're like me, doesn't matter if you have had them 10 minutes or a year, hurts just the same. Love to you.


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## PIGEONFAIRY (Oct 10, 2006)

Please do not despair, Ms. Cynthia. Your wonderful birds are under our wings now and doing just fine. They are flying and having a wonderful time.

They send you their grateful thanks and love for all you provided for them. They send pijie kisses and gentle caresses to help ease the pain you feel. 

They also promise that you will receive others of their kind who will be healed and live to enjoy their earthly existence with you for a long time. 

If you listen closely, you will feel the love of those who left early. 

How does one know if their PIGEONFAIRY is around? You may feel, what you humans call "goosebumps" and there is no chill. You may feel a "calm" that is very peaceful. You may feel a light touch and there is no wind. You may feel a "warm" with no sudden heat. Sometimes, there is just a "feeling."

Sending you healing LOVE and PEACE


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## Feather (Dec 8, 2005)

I feel so bad for your loss Cynthia. 

PIGEONFAIRY...That was a very soothing message. It actually eased the sadness of Cynthia's message.

Feather


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## Hillybean (Oct 30, 2005)

Cynthia, I'm so sorry for your loss.......

I recently had a Love Bird and a Parakeet (my Petey) that passed away. I had them for about 5 yrs each and their passing was and is still hard to deal with.

I'm so sorry you've had such a bad/hard week.
Thinking warm thoughts and hugs your way . -hilly


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Cynthia, I'm so sorry you are going through this awful week.  Hillybean, I'm sorry for your losses too. I hope you both feel better and only good things happen. It's so hard to lose our little guys or gals, especially when more than one at a time dies. It is very hard on the heart.  Sending you both big hugs and comfort.


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## pigifan (Nov 2, 2005)

I am so sorry Cynthia about your pigeons. 
It seems this time of year is particularly tough for pigeons as I have found quite a few needing help.

Do you know what the problem with Houdini might have been ?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Cynthia,

I'm so sorry for the losses you have suffered this week.

...an now Houdini.

Sending prayers and positive thoughts your way that you can come to peace with this and sending a BIG hug too!


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I'm so sorry for the loss of all these birds, Cynthia. I know very well how you are feeling. It's been kind of rough lately for many of us and our birds.

Terry


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Cynthia,

Yes, this seems to be a bad week, as Terry said.

I'm so sorry you are going through such losses....one after the other like that has to be so shocking for you.

Hoping that this is it now, for a good long time....enough!

Hang in there....

Linda


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## littlestar (May 11, 2005)

Cynthia, I'm so sorry for your losses. I know the pain your going through. 

Mary Ann


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Cynthia, I am so sorry for the pain you are going through. To lose three such special birds in such a short time frame is difficult to comprehend. For all the birds you save, the ones you loose still hurt. You did what you could to make their time as comfortable as possible.


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## Pete Jasinski (Jan 2, 2005)

I too am sorry Cynthia, we all feel your pain and are grieving with you.


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## arnieismybaby (Jul 24, 2006)

Cynthia, I'm really sorry to hear about your terrible losses this week. It is heartbreaking losing a much loved pet, let alone three. 

Michelle.


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## alvin (May 10, 2006)

That's terrible Cynthia. My heart goes out to you.


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## Ashbel (Jul 1, 2006)

Cynthia, I'm so sorry!  It must be difficult to lose this many around the same time, gosh... I don't know what else to say, other than that I give you my highest sympathys and a big hug. Take care.


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

I am so sorry to hear of your losses Cynthia.

Cindy


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## jazaroo (Jan 1, 2006)

Cynthia, it seems that heartbreak walks close behind us by the very nature of what we try and do, help very distressed/sick birds have a chance again. It never gets easy does it, when we lose a bird, let alone three in such a short period of time, but all I guess we can to is persevere and take some comfort from the ones that we were able to help back to health again.

Warm thoughts your way,

Ron


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

*Condolences*

Cynthia,

I am sorry to hear about the loss of your pigeons, *Little Lulu*, *Houdini*, and the newly-arrived wood pigeon. 

I was hoping little Houdini would make it, too, with your loving care. 

Take care of yourself. Sometimes the little ones pass through our lives all too quickly.

Larry


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## Pisciottano (Aug 20, 2005)

Cynthia,

I'm sorry to hear thet you have gone through such a difficult time. One bird after the other must have been very hurtful and difficult to accept. I hope you are feeling better. Un fuerte abrazo, Gladys


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

Hi Cynthia,

Only just read this thread - as others say, I'm sorry too for your losses - when you try so hard and they die, it must be heart-wrenching and I know how much you love your birds. Little Lulu - was she the woodie that John collected from a member down in the south ( Lulu ?) I thought she was going to be OK?

And dear old Houdini - he was a lovely bird too. 

You tried and you made their last days, weeks, moments comfortable, warm and with food. At least they didn't die cold, hungry and alone - try and take comfort from that fact. So many poor pigeons do die so alone. 

Tania xx


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## Rooster2312 (Mar 8, 2006)

Cynthia,

So sorry to hear of the sad loss of three of your birds so suddenly.

Sending comforting hugs and prayers to you,

Lindi and Jax


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi everyone, thanks for your messages of sympathy and comfort. As it has been mentioned, there have been so many sad losses this week! We go through spates like this and then everything seems to run smoothly again but we will never forget the lost ones, each so well loved.

Tania, Little Lulu was the "pigeon with deformed beak" from Worthing. She was such a cutie and although no one expected her to have a particularly long life we hoped that she would have a little more time with her owner.

Cynthia


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

*It just goes on and on!*

After Houdini I lost another white pigeon with severe canker, and then a white squeaker that must have had internal canker. I didn't have time to name them.

Then two days ago I lost my beloved Dean, of the Torvill and Dean partnership and today I found Speckie, Helen's favourite bird, dead in the nest. She had a respiratory infection but I had treated her with antibiotics and as she was eating enthusiastically I thought she had pulled through. She was snuggled up to her mate Chubby Checker. She was such a brave bird, a PMV survivor.

I thought that I had run out of tears.

Cynthia


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

cyro51 said:


> I thought that I had run out of tears.
> 
> Cynthia


I'm hoping that we can't until the day comes that there's no more need of them.

Pidgey


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Oh, Cynthia, what tough times you're going through. I am so sorry. I hope it is over and you won't loose another bird for a long time.

Reti


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

I am so sorry for what you have gone through Cynthia.  
I hope this 'streak' has run it's course.

*"Bless you Dean & Speckie & your two beautiful feathered friends." * 

Cindy


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Cynthia, I simply don't have the words to express my sorrow over your loss of these wonderful friends. I know you loved them dearly and will miss them so much. You may remember we recently lost our beloved Simon and Ringo so I know how you feel. Bless you and a big hug for you.

Cynthia, I went back and found Speckie and Dean's pictures. They were so beautiful. If I remember correctly it was Torville who was sick when you first got them.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

I'm so sorry to be sending more condolences!

Tears over here too for you and your losses! How devastating!

WARM HEALING HUGS TO HELP EASE!


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## Feather (Dec 8, 2005)

Cynthia,

I can't even begin to imagine your sorrow. I read the thread again from the beginning, and my heart goes out to you.

I am so sorry Cynthia.

Feather


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I'm so very sorry for all the losses, Cynthia. I have gone through similar times when it gets to the point you dread checking on all the birds and animals for fear of another one lost. 

Terry


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## Rooster2312 (Mar 8, 2006)

Cynthia, so sorry to hear of your recent losses.

Hugs to you,

Lindi


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Terry, I just have to say you are so right about the fear. Even now, with about 5 weeks gone by since we lost Simon and Ringo, I still dread when Lewis goes out to the aviary first thing in the morning for fear another one is sick. When you do everything you can to find out the cause of one dying and still don't know for sure what caused the deaths, it can cause a lot of apprehension. I don't know how long it will take for me to be able to go out there and simply enjoy them without scrutinizing them all and imagining everything under the sun is wrong with them.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Cynthia,

I'm SO sorry to hear that you have more losses in addition to the others mentioned earlier.

Sending a BIG hug and words of comfort.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Cynthia, I am so sorry for your loss. What an awful feeling, not knowing which bird might be next. Even with all your expertice, Mother Nature still makes her own decisions. I sure hope this is the last one for a while!


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Cynthia,

I'm so sorry that you are having to go through such losses that seem neverending. And what beautiful birds.....so sad.

Surely hoping and wishing that this bad streak is over now and for a good long time.

Linda


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

Cynthia,

Poor you - it has been a run of bad luck with your beloved birds.

As Linda says lets hope its the last of a bad run. 

Tania x


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## pigeonpoo (Sep 16, 2005)

So sorry Cynthia....sending cyber (((hugs))) and thoughts your way.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

It doesn't lessen the grief of losing my babies, but at least with Speckie and Dean I had fair warning that all was not well so I was able to do my best and prepare for the worst.. Dean was never as sick as Torvill, but there was always something not quite right that stopped me progressing them out of isolation and into the aviary. Towards the end he was passing so much water in his poop that the towels were soaked through twice a day. I had him for over 6 weeks and had treated him for all the probables that could be treated as well as testing his urine for glucose. Speckie was also ill for about 4 weeks...at first it was just the way that she held her tail that worried me but towards the middle of October that I was worried enough to start her on Baytril and e-mail Helen for advice. Two days later I took her to the vet and he recommended synulox as well as Baytril....

But I know only too well how terrible it is to walk confidently and happily into the aviary in the morning and find a dead or dying pigeon. Too late to do much for them we can only wonder whether there was something that we should have noticed.

And yes, I am a bundle of nerves now, checking the birds frequently and panicking when one in the nest is facing the wrong direction or seems to be lying in an unnatural position. Torvill, Chubby Checker and Wingo are under constant surveillance.

An additional problem is that the woodpigeon (Micklewood) that the vet treated for "necrobacillosis" developed a large lump on his beak and on opening his mouth I found yellow lumps in the front part of his lower beak that bled as soon as I looked at them. So, it must be pox after all, and he has been sharing the doviary with 5 other birds. Fortunately they all seem okay so far, but Micklewood has been developing these lumps over the course of many weeks. I think that he arrived late August, his only symptoms were lack of activity.

Pigifan, I am sorry I didn't answer your question about Houdini. I have no idea what was wrong with him. He arrived with complete leg paralysis and thick pale green poops...then he started to develop some movement and his poops were healthy. Then suddenly he looked tired, his poops went back to bulky pale green and he died very quietly while my back was turned.


Cynthia


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Cynthia, one of the things I always look for is whether a pigeon is facing in a different direction. The sick ones will do that and I think they just withdraw into themselves.

It is so hard to accept when they linger on for weeks and you know something is wrong but can't hit on the cause. We got in a little girl we named Chrissie several years ago (around Christmas). There was always something not right about her yet she ate well, socialized, flew and then would get sick, then would get better and that cycle went on until she died in April. Although we treated her with everything we could and took her to the vet, nothing helped in the long run. It is heartbreaking.


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