# Fledgling/nestling pigeon with leg trouble, need help!



## Buzzard (Sep 9, 2013)

Another forum suggested I cross-post this here. 

I have already tried one vet (knew it was a long shot, they wouldn't see it and said the local refuge wouldn't treat 'pest' birds) and have messages out to the nearest wildlife center that MickaCoo recommended as possibly taking pigeons. Just want to know any opinions or advice as I likely won't hear from anyone around here until at least tomorrow.

The pigeon might be a fledgling? It has a lot of adult feathers, but not all. I found it on the ground. I do not think it's parents were still cvaring for it because it is emaciated. Feathers and bones. I couldn't have left him anyway because he was in front of a busy business and they were going to kill him with a pressure washer .

I thought he had a broken leg at first, but then thought maybe it was just a really terrible splay. I took him to my mothers' house (the emergency vet is very near her, so we were already driving him past her house, I wasn't just touring with the poor thing). She has some experience with splay leg babies, and she looked at his leg a little and said she thought it looked like a splay leg with a hip deformity as well. She's not a vet, but she has had a lot of hands-on baby bird experience in the past. 

The leg in question isn't held to the side like the splays I've seen, it is held almost parallel to his body towards his tail, and the pad of his foot faces up. When I went to pick him up he had a flopping way of moving but didn't seem to try to bear weight on his good leg or flap his wings at all. When my mom looked at him, he gripped with both feet separately but she said he didn't grip well with either one. I haven't looked at him much or tried to feed or water him yet because I don't want to put him into shock. He's so, so thin though...

Does it sound like he can be helped? Does it sound like euthanasia at the refuge would be the kindest option with his troubles? I know it's pretty impossible to say from just a description online. I'm just so anxious waiting to hear back from the wildlife place. I love pigeons.

follow-up:
It was suggested I dip the tip of his beak into water with a tiny bit of salt and a tiny bit of sugar in it. I did and he greedily drank about a teaspoon before I stopped him because he was drinking so fast little bubbles were at his nostrils. I didn't want him to aspirate it. He frantically 'nibbles' at my fingers but doesn't really open his beak. Had my husband take two quick cell pictures I'll add in a second. The bird apparently can pull the leg more towards his side and rotate it some. It looked a little less severe but still like a terrible flayed leg.


I have no experience hand-feeding.


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## Buzzard (Sep 9, 2013)

The pictures we got really quick while he was drinking are terrible and don't show the plumage or the way he holds his leg well at all, but I'll add them. Maybe someone can guess how old he is? 

Just to add, this was how his leg looked after he moved it into a more natural position in response to me picking him up.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Hard to say from those pics, but maybe 2 1/2 weeks old? Poor baby. The legs can often be fixed at a young age, but have to be taped. If it is really back there, it may have to be done in stages, so as not to hurt him. And he needs food. They do sell baby bird formula in pet stores. If you don't have that, then frozen peas which have been defrosted and warmed under warm running water will do fine. Do you have any? Get him to drink again first though. He needs to be rehydrated before you give him anything to eat, or he won't be able to digest it.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Here are some videos. The food must be warm and not cold, but not hot, or you will burn his crop. Pigeons don't gape for food. They go into the parents beak and the parent bird regurgitates food from his or her crop.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1aPHzKZaQE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3GPWhHeG4s&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s5ZY3U2lKU&feature=related


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## Buzzard (Sep 9, 2013)

Jay3 said:


> Hard to say from those pics, but maybe 2 1/2 weeks old? Poor baby. The legs can often be fixed at a young age, but have to be taped. If it is really back there, it may have to be done in stages, so as not to hurt him. And he needs food. They do sell baby bird formula in pet stores. If you don't have that, then frozen peas which have been defrosted and warmed under warm running water will do fine. Do you have any? Get him to drink again first though. He needs to be rehydrated before you give him anything to eat, or he won't be able to digest it.


I have peas! Watching the videos now, thanks. No pet stores, but my husband is checking if the Wal-Mart has it. There is a Petco and a PetSmart about an hour and a half away, we can check there tomorrow.


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## Buzzard (Sep 9, 2013)

In the vids, it looks like they shove it right down over the entire beaks? Do I not need to be really careful of the nostrils? That's what worried me with watering him.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Buzzard said:


> I have peas! Watching the videos now, thanks. No pet stores, but my husband is checking if the Wal-Mart has it. *There is a Petco and a PetSmart about an hour and a half away, we can check there tomorrow.*




They should have it. But if the pease work, then later on you can add defrosted corn also, and in another week or two, he can be weaned onto seed. You can pick up a dove mix at Petco or Petsmart.


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## Buzzard (Sep 9, 2013)

Jay3 said:


> [/B]
> 
> They should have it. But if the pease work, then later on you can add defrosted corn also, and in another week or two, he can be weaned onto seed. You can pick up a dove mix at Petco or Petsmart.


Thank you so much! I'm hoping a center who can possibly work on his leg will take him, but if not and he can have a good quality of life I'd be willing to keep him.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Splayed leg ideas

http://www.parrotparrot.com/lovebirds/breeding-lovebirds/fixing-splay-legs/

Here is a link to another thread about it and what she did to correct it. She tried different things, and finally hit on something.
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/splayed-leg-hip-60568.html


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## Buzzard (Sep 9, 2013)

Jay3 said:


> Splayed leg ideas
> 
> http://www.parrotparrot.com/lovebirds/breeding-lovebirds/fixing-splay-legs/
> 
> ...


I'm really nervous about trying anything with his leg. My mom has dealt with splays before, but what if there is still an injury or hip deformity? Couldn't I hurt him worse?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

We have a splayed leg pigeon we keep inside with us. We helped him to learn how to fly, and did things to strengthen his good leg. He actually finally was able to stand and walk, although awkwardly. He learned how to use his splayed leg like a little kickstand when standing, and uses it to push himself around when he isn't standing. And he can fly, so that does help. He is out of his cage most of the time when we are home, and mostly perches on a little shelf, lined with lambswool and a towel, with a little nest made of lambswool like a donut. It is right behind my computer chair, so he is right over my shoulder. We have had Scooter for about 4 years now. He flies to his perch, and goes back to his cage when he wants to.


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## Buzzard (Sep 9, 2013)

Jay3 said:


> We have a splayed leg pigeon we keep inside with us. We helped him to learn how to fly, and did things to strengthen his good leg. He actually finally was able to stand and walk, although awkwardly. He learned how to use his splayed leg like a little kickstand when standing, and uses it to push himself around when he isn't standing. And he can fly, so that does help. He is out of his cage most of the time when we are home, and mostly perches on a little shelf, lined with lambswool and a towel, with a little nest made of lambswool like a donut. It is right behind my computer chair, so he is right over my shoulder. We have had Scooter for about 4 years now. He flies to his perch, and goes back to his cage when he wants to.


He's beautiful. L hope this little pidge gets there!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Buzzard said:


> In the vids, it looks like they shove it right down over the entire beaks? Do I not need to be really careful of the nostrils? That's what worried me with watering him.


Cover the end of the cut off syringe with self adhesive tape and cut a small hole in the middle of it. You can guide his beak to it, and he will learn to put his beak in and gulp the formula. Make the hole small so that he can get his beak in, and even though he may put it all the way in he should be okay. Pull him out now and then to breath better. It's a bit messy, and you will have to clean it after with a damp towel.


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## Buzzard (Sep 9, 2013)

Jay3 said:


> Cover the end of the cut off syringe with self adhesive tape and cut a small hole in the middle of it. You can guide his beak to it, and he will learn to put his beak in and gulp the formula. Make the hole small so that he can get his beak in, and even though he may put it all the way in he should be okay. Pull him out now and then to breath better. It's a bit messy, and you will have to clean it after with a damp towel.


 Ok. I have an old baby tylenol plunger. Is that safe if I clean it really well? I'm going to give him water again and change his warmer out. Should I pinch his skin to see if he's hydrated enough to eat?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I wouldn't pinch his skin. Just offer water a few times, wait a couple hours, then give him some food.
Here is another members method of feeding. She cuts off the end of a baby nipple and covers it with the finger from a rubber glove, into which a hole has been cut.


Waynette's baby bottle method









I like the syringe, as I don't need to put quite so much in it. He has a crop. A balloon like bag under his throat. When he eats, it will fill up like a soft pillow. Or like a bean bag. He may be very hungry, so watch that he fills his crop, but doesn't fill it to the point of being hard.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Buzzard said:


> Ok. I have an old baby tylenol plunger. Is that safe if I clean it really well? I'm going to give him water again and change his warmer out. Should I pinch his skin to see if he's hydrated enough to eat?


If the plunger is large enough for him to get his beak into comfortably then it can work, but you may need a larger one. Petsmart should have those too I think.


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## Buzzard (Sep 9, 2013)

He drank again, but not quite as much. The pigeons are all over the roof of the business. This poor thing has no meat on him. I hope the fall didn't damage him too much internally.

He passed some waste. It is just the white urate bit, no brown poo at all. But at least he's processing something, apparently. With how thin he is, how often should I offer food, and how much?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

What are you going to feed him?


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## Buzzard (Sep 9, 2013)

Jay3 said:


> What are you going to feed him?


Peas tonight, tomorrow formula. Kaytee is one I saw recommended when I was watching the videos.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I would give him about 15 peas and see how he does with that. Then you need to wait till the crop empties before you feed him again. Probably about 4 hours. Don't feed him if the crop hasn't emptied, as you are adding new food to old and that can cause him problems. Feel for the crop after feeding, and you should see that it feels like a soft little pillow or bean bag. If he handles that okay, you can increase to maybe 20. Hard to tell his size in the pics.


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## Buzzard (Sep 9, 2013)

Jay3 said:


> I would give him about 15 peas and see how he does with that. Then you need to wait till the crop empties before you feed him again. Probably about 4 hours. Don't feed him if the crop hasn't emptied, as you are adding new food to old and that can cause him problems. Feel for the crop after feeding, and you should see that it feels like a soft little pillow or bean bag. If he handles that okay, you can increase to maybe 20. Hard to tell his size in the pics.



Thank you. I'll try to get better pictures next time I have to disturb him.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I'll check back tomorrow. Time for bed. 12:15 here, and work tomorrow. Good luck with him. He could make a nice pet. Pigeons are great. If you bring him somewhere, they would probably euthanize him. I wouldn't do it. Good night!


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## Buzzard (Sep 9, 2013)

Thank you so much for your help. It meant a lot to me. Unfortunately, he died around dawn. I was changing out his heat every hour and he ate a bit of peas for me and was trying to move about, then he was dead. Very sad, but I hope it was at least easier for him than the pressure washer death he almost had.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

OH that's too bad. I'm really sorry. You tried. Thanks for caring. Poor little thing probably went too long out there.


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