# found baby need help!



## catnxn (Jun 3, 2005)

I found a baby had fallen from its nest down to concrete drive. It was alert but in shock, I think. I can't keep it inside because I have indoor cats, so I placed it in an 8x8 square pan (all that I had on hand while outside tomcats were circling it) with some paper towels and a cotton bar towel. I put it up on a window unit where no other animals could get to it. The older pigeons, who I think are parents and siblings, were all lined up on edge of roof watching me. There is a whole community, living in my eaves/attic and the garage apt next door, which I have enjoyed watching over the past few years. I've never had to help a baby. I checked it this eve about 8pm, before it was dark, and baby is actually very alert and trying to get up when I lifted down the pan. It's got some yellow down on head, but wings seem to be quite feathered. I think it might have broken both legs, though, because it tries to stand but just flails. both wings open completely. I just found this site after many seaches online. I'm in Houston, Tx and all pet stores are closed. I can't find bird rescue, except SPCA, but since it's a pigeon they will kill it. I printed some of the food suggestions and plan to go to groc. store after posting this, but it's too dark on that side of building to get baby down tonight. Any advice will help. If one of the "onlooker" pigeons were indeed its parents and the baby's "nest" is one story below, would they feed it? The a/c unit is about 10-12' above ground level, and my apt is second floor above it. The pigeons have been using my window unit as a roost, as well as the eaves.
I'd appreciate any help given. I do not have the option of paying for a vet bill due to my own surgery expenses in a few weeks, so if anyone knows of local free help I could use...

Thank you,
Cat


----------



## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Okay, don't go away! More in a second.

Pidgey


----------



## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

If it broke its leg(s), it'll have to stay down for over a week. There are easy ways of taking care of that but I can tell you right now that pigeons aren't like several other birds. There's simply no way the parents can take care of this one now. They can't get it back up to the nest. It's only hope, I'm afraid to say, is going to be you or a rescuer. They can't fly when they've still got the downy hairs on them. You ready to go on with this?

Pidgey


----------



## catnxn (Jun 3, 2005)

Anything you have to offer is appreciated. I feel a karmic duty since it landed almost right in front of me! If I hadn't looked down I might have stepped on it. If I can find someone to care for it, wonderful. I can't feed it every 3-4 hours, but I will try my best. I hope it lives through one more night until I can help it.


----------



## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

At that age, they're not eating that often, so that's not the major problem, right now. I guess tomorrow morning you're going to need to get it and take a real good look at his legs. I can "walk" you through that and then go looking for some other posts on this site that deal with broken legs. Feeding, at this stage, won't be a huge issue.

Pidgey


----------



## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

I got my first rescue pigeon at that age and, not knowing what else to do, fed her rolled oats. That's what she lived on for a week before we began to add milo and bird seed. And we certainly didn't get enough down for the first several days. But she caught up quickly! We still have her and that's been almost five years now.

Pidgey


----------



## catnxn (Jun 3, 2005)

Okay, thanks! what should I get at the store for it to eat? The pet store opens at 10am tomorrow. I'll need to feed it before then. I saw many suggestions on feeding but I've never dealt with baby birds (cats, dogs, snakes, etc...but no birds). If you can give me that information and how to look at its legs, I'll be able to get through the morning with baby and get back online tomorrow after work. Thank you for taking time at this hour to help me and baby


----------



## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

If you go out of this specific thread/post back to the heading of "Pigeon Crisis--Emergency" you'll have two choices. The category that you're currently in is "Found Baby--Need Help". Try the other category "Sick and Injured" and look at the 11th post/thread. It deals with broken legs. There's another one that I'll go looking for right now. I'll be back.

Pidgey


----------



## catnxn (Jun 3, 2005)

our messages are out of order, just got the part about the oats. thanks again


----------



## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Hi Pidgey and Cat,

Pidgey...you have way more knowledge and experience dealing with a situation like this than I do, but I thought I might toss out a couple of suggestions...if you think they have merit.

I was thinking for simplicities sake, at this point would it be convenient for Cat to feed the bird good quality dry puppy chow, soaked in warm water till it is puffy, and then fed piece by piece to the bird. I have seen this recommended before at the board as an easy way to get some quality food into the bird quickly. Of course, if the bird is too young for that, baby bird formula fed using the balloon and syringe method seems to work well. (I believe the link to the various feeding methods can be found under Pigeon Daily under Resources.

Also, I found this link that includes information and instructions on setting a broken leg.

http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~picas/pigrec/

Hope this information proves helpful.

Linda


----------



## catnxn (Jun 3, 2005)

thank you, linda. I downloaded the balloon and syringe info earlier and will look at it again tomorrow AM, and I'll check out the link for the legs. I'm going to get to the store and, with hope, there will be a live baby to feed in the morning. I don't have a syringe but I saw info about using an eyedropper, which I have, until I get a syringe. I'll check back later tonight and in the morning before I check on baby. 

Cat


----------



## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Hi all,

Also, here is a link to a previous thread which discusses treating two broken legs:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=10501

You may be able to buy syringes at a drug store or maybe even a vet's office would sell you some.

Good luck,
Linda


----------



## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Linda,

Anymore, I just bulldog the food into 'em. When I've got an emergency situation, I just pump 'em full of Kaytee and the appropriate meds (ONLY if necessary). I have a friend from India who raised pigeons when he was a boy. If they wouldn't eat for him, he just wrapped 'em up in a towel (pigeon burrito) and, holding their beaks open with one hand, just rolled several dried peas down 'em. 

My first pigeon (Pidgey) didn't get the force-feeding technique because we were so afraid of hurting her. So, we didn't get enough down her for the first three days. Then, I worked with her over the rolled oats and "pecked" with a pencil in front of her. She finally started getting it (because she was darn near starving at that point) and KATY BAR THE DOOR! She fed herself plenty after that. Incidentally, she learned to drink water when I first found her.

The point here is that you can feed them doggone near anything for a few days that's grain based and keep them alive--split pea soup, dog food mush, oatmeal, cereal (like "Grape Nuts"--as long as it's not loaded with sugar), wet-bread goulash, et cetera. What I was actually trying to point out the most was that it doesn't stand a chance as a chick with possibly broken legs and away from its nest. And also, I was downplaying nutrition in the short term because it's just not that vital at the moment.

I'm just hoping at this point that the little feller doesn't flail its way out of its current place trying to get home. Sometimes, they can do stupid things like that because they just don't know any better, bless their innocent little hearts! I guess I'm just worried.

Pidgey


----------



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi Cat,

Please privately send me your phone # .. I've posted on one of my wildlife rehab lists and need to be able to put people in touch with you quickly if I get lucky with my search for a Houston pigeon rehabber. Please send to [email protected].

Terry


----------



## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Terry,

You're a saint!

Pidgey


----------



## catnxn (Jun 3, 2005)

The little one is still alive. this morning I made up a mash and a water solution from the suggestions online. I used a dropper but it didn't want to open up. I had vinyl gloves on my hands, and when the mash spilled in fingers the baby started eating from between fingers. I guess it's similar to the syringe/balloon method? it also drank a lot of water. I used a soft damp cloth to clean it a bit. There is a wound under one of the wings, maybe one of the outside animals got to it before I did the other day, but the wound isn't bleeding. May have a broken wing or some broken wing feathers. Baby tends to put legs straight out to sides, kind of spread horizontally to torso; has alot of strength in wings and legs. I moved it to a round hat box, fairly big, and cut air holes/gaps in it. I put it in front of my apt with an old, metal, heavy milk crate to surround the sides and top so baby is protected. I was contacted by Gulf Coast W.R. and my neighbor put me in touch with one other possible resource. 
I'll keep you updated.
Thanks for the help! I'll have the supplies and knowledge if this happens in the future.

Catherine


----------



## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Cat,

Could you describe this "splay leg" thing a little better. There is a condition where a chick's legs can grow "splayed outward" if it was raised on too flat and slippery of a surface. It's possible the legs aren't broken at all, but started growing that way. There's therapy that can help.

Pidgey


----------



## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Cat,

Here's a webpage that tells about that with a picture and it gets into specific treatment info:

http://www.duckpolice.org/BirdWeb/PigeonResourceWeb/splayleg.html

See if that might be what you're looking at!

Pidgey


----------



## catnxn (Jun 3, 2005)

Thank you for your help and resources. You are correct about the legs. I was contacted by Joyce with the Gulf Coast Wildlife Rescue, I assume she was contacted or read my post, and she happened to be in Houston today. Also, she was in the same side of town so we met and I passed along Baby to her. She gave the same explanation as you, Pidgey, so you definitely know your stuff!! Baby will have to wear a splint but is young enough to correct the problem.

I am so grateful for everyone's help. This was a first with a bird and first with using a forum such as this. I will keep the info. since there is a multi family community right outside my window!

If there is a way to make the Gulf Coast Wildlife Rescue more visible online, please do so. I spent about 2 hours searching for a local rescue group last night, using several engines, and then found this site.

Cat


----------



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I received the following information from a Texas rehabber and have already passed it on to Cat for future reference:

_Help is available at TWRC in Houston. There is no fee (although she will be asked for a donation), and they do not automatically euthanise pigeons. Let me clarify that--if, as the finder says, the bird actually does have both legs broken, euthanasia may be the best option; if the bird is healthy and just has the loose legs of a youngster, there is no automatic euthanasia because of his species. 
TWRC's number is (713) 468-TWRC. They are located around the I-10 and Dairy Ashford area. I believe their hours today are 10-2 and 4-7, but check that out on the recording at the phone number above._

Terry


----------

