# Injured pigeon stabilized - now what?



## loribonner (May 13, 2011)

Found an injured female pigeon yesterday that literally fell from the sky just moments earlier and landed on the front porch right outside my door (her name is now geronimo). She was standing but unable to fly, with a bleeding and broken wing and of course tried to make her escape on foot. I was able to gently trap her and towel her.

We are fortunate to have good resources and I do have some bird experience, as I have companion parrots (a Cockatoo, a Green Cheek Conure and a Cockateil). I took her to the local bird farm and within an hour of her injury she had been cleaned and the broken wing was taped. The tip of her right wing was severely broken and I was told she will most likely never fly again, but to keep her wing immobilized for 7-10 days.

I took one of the larger parrot cages and placed it in a quiet, moderately lit room and placed a bowl of water and a bowl of pigeon specific feed on the floor of the cage (which i covered with a piece of cardboard so she wouldn't be sitting on bars) so that she can eat without having to climb. I know this isn't a good permanent solution... just to get through the night.

Today she is standing in the food dish, and she has pooped many times, so i know she is eating and drinking. She looks great. She seems to be breathing normally. She seems like a statue though. She is staying very stationary, and not moving around the cage at all. She has not messed with the tape and seems to be out of the most critical phase. 

She is standing there and we are staring at each other, both wondering the same thing. Now What?

I don't know of any Pigeon rescues or anything like that in my area. I am in Rialto, CA which is located near Riverside and San Bernardino, about an hour East of Los Angeles.

Any information, advice, direction, instruction at all would be very much appreciated by both of us.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Hi. Good work so far...did the vet prescribe any meds ? Also, I dunno about your setup...but the Parrot cages I have tend to be fairly "vertical" so my Fids can climb up and down, as opposed to "horizontal".

Generally Pigeons don't utilize vertical cages, particularly when they cannot fly. I dunno if you have any cage, box, or carrier which is more horizontal with a larger walking area....

Generally, since she is active and alert, that's good. Perhaps a tad of "outside of cage" time each day is in order ? Breaks up the boredom. Although, then again, some might argue that with a mending wing they just need cage confinement.

If unreleasable...she is either now a part of your Feathered Family or you will have to find her a permanent home in someone's loft or aviary....I will tell you now, that ain't too easy. There are a lot of unreleasables, and not a lot of caring hearts to take them in (and those who do are oftentimes chock full with no vacancy).

Thanks for caring !!!


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Hi Lori...your pigeon will enjoy a brick to stand on. You can put it on the floor of the cage. The cardboard was a nice thing to do for her but newspaper will work just as well and is easier to change out,when soiled, than the cardboard. She probably would like a box to lay in with a soft towel in the bottom.
Pigeon like cages that are long, rather than tall like a parrot cage. A nice size is .....
36" x 18" x18". I put a shelf all the way across each end of the cage and a ramp to get up to the shelf if the bird is handicaped. Under the shelf I put food, water so it won't get soiled. Given this bird is a hen, she probably will like a nest box or bowl. 
I'm sure she will become more comfortable as time goes on. Pigeons are wonderful companions.

As far as a rescue place, it could be someone near you will post in this thread able to take her. I hope so.


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## loribonner (May 13, 2011)

Thanks for the quick reply 
She was not prescribed any meds, and yes, the parrot cage is quite tall, and not very wide. I looked at my other extra parrot cage, and it has the same design. If I can't find her a good home, i'll be looking at a better cage then, wont i? At this point, she isn't moving around at all, but hopefully she'll get more active soon. I have a small indoor aviary (about the size of a entertainment center) with 5 finches and 3 canaries and one of the finches can't fly, so we just adapted the environment for her with lots of ladders and perches leading to perches.

But i know nothing about pigeons. Do they like ladders and perches and toys? obviously that's not an immediate concern for her, as we're only on day one of the healing process, but are these normal amenities for pigeons? Do they like to be kept indoors? I was assuming she'd me miserable with me because she's been a wild bird.


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## loribonner (May 13, 2011)

Thanks so much! I will put a brick in there for her right away 

I like the idea of having a shelf to provide cover for the food and water, and the mention of a ramp did answer one of my other questions. I was wondering about a ladder (i've got a million of those here because of the parrots) but her feet are so much bigger and wider, and my instincts were telling me that her feet didn't look very ladder-friendly. A ramp makes much more sense. Thank you. This is all very new, and unexpected. But she obviously picked my house to drop in on for a reason


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

loribonner said:


> Thanks so much! I will put a brick in there for her right away
> 
> I like the idea of having a shelf to provide cover for the food and water, and the mention of a ramp did answer one of my other questions. I was wondering about a ladder (i've got a million of those here because of the parrots) but her feet are so much bigger and wider, and my instincts were telling me that her feet didn't look very ladder-friendly. A ramp makes much more sense. Thank you. This is all very new, and unexpected. *But she obviously picked my house to drop in on for a reason *




You are right about that!

Do keep her safe from your parrots. My little Senegal, Piggy, took half of the upper beak off my pigeon Sammy. It was an awful experience that nearly cost Sammy his life and not one I would want any other pigeon go through.


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## loribonner (May 13, 2011)

Charis...
That was awesome! I put the brick in there (she didn't move a muscle while I re-arranged things - she even stayed standing in the food dish while I moved it) and since she's still so stoic, it seemed like she didn't even notice. I went back in 5 minutes later to check on her and she's standing on the brick! Success! I am now officially a pigeon expert, and my area of specialty is putting a brick in the cage. I was so happy to see her respond so quickly to your advice  Thanks!

As far as the parrots - no need to worry about that - I can't even let them "hang out" amongst themselves. I only have one out at a time. I'm slowly getting the Green Cheek and the Cockatiel comfortable with each other, as they're comparable in size and strength, but i'd never leave them alone or even turn my back, and i'd never have either of them anywhere where the Cockatoo could get ahold of them. He's aggressive, protective, and his beak is STRONG! I would never let him near poor little Geronimo


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Just put the Cage on it's side then...and drape the Top anyway...with a Towel or other folded Cloth.

For now, this Pigeon does not really need room, so much as to feel comfortable, and safe, and enough room to turn around in without messing up their Tail.

Any further details on what you actually literally saw, when this Pigeon 'fell from the sky'?


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## loribonner (May 13, 2011)

unfortunately i didn't see anything. i was outside a few minutes before and everything was fine. then about 5 minutes later i went outside and there she was, but i'm almost certain that this is the pigeon who has been living in a small nook on our roof above the second story (very close to where i found her), and the medic said that it looked like a classic injury from an attack from a hawk (fall included, i assume). when i saw her she had apparently just released an egg (and quite a bit of poop) at the "landing" site. she was standing there near the egg (and the poop) and the blood was just starting to drip from her wing, only a small pool of blood about the size of a nickel. By the way, placing the cage on its side is a really good idea! Thanks!


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi loribonner,


So...who examined the Wing?

What was their evaluation of it?

Did they do anything for it?


If this Pigeon was hit by a Hawk, they should be on appropriate Antibiotics.


Phil
Las Vegas


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

I do also think it a bit... cavalier ....of a vet not to prescribe antibiotics in the instance of a broken wing with blood.

2things can be going on there...if the bone is broken or fractured, bone infection can set in. And if there was an external injury which caused bleeding, it could have been from an attack or collision...in which case, a circulatory system infection can set in.

Can you possibly call the vet and ask them if they would be OK with prescribing some antibiotic, just as a precaution ?

Everything else sounds like it's going fine.


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## loribonner (May 13, 2011)

i did go back, and i have an antibiotic now. thanks for the push in that direction 

geronimo seems to be moving around the cage more today. should i be trying to touch her, or should i leave her alone and just talk to her through the bars? i'm so used to handling my parrots, but i have the advantage of knowing that this is what they want (they make it very obvious when they want my attention). she's still just standing there looking at me. what would you guys do? would physical contact stress her, or help her? and if she's in pain (which i would imagine she is) i'd feel horrible about making it worse...


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi loribonner,



Exactly what was diagnosed about the Wing?

And, what was done about it?

Is it a broken Wing? Cute or gashes on the Wing? Both?


What antibiotic were you given?

What about her other wounds or injuries?


Can you post some images showing thse things, and, showing the Bird herself?


Best wishes!


Phil
Lv


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## loribonner (May 13, 2011)

the antibiotic says "ornacyn". he cleaned the wound (there is only the one wound, at the tip of the wing) and adjusted/worked for a while with what (i think was a bone) was visible through the wound. then he immobilized the wing and told me to keep it immobilized for 7-10 days. the diagnosis was essentially that the entire tip of the right wing was broken and that she'd probably never fly again, but to wait and see A) if she survived the day and B) how she healed after the 7-10 days.

I will take some pictures today and get them posted. I have been keeping her in a quieter, darker, warmer room, so pictures wouldn't come out clearly, but she seems alert and stable, so i'm going to move her into a cage in my room so I can keep a closer eye on her. plus theres a nice big window with plenty of sunshing (and good pics).


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Usually a simple, oral antibiotic is given in case of Pasteurella multocida.


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## loribonner (May 13, 2011)

this one dissolves in her water. i took her water out for a little bit so she'd get thirsty, and then i put it back in there with the antibiotic. she hasn't eaten or had a drink with me watching her, so i left her alone with it. i know she's eating and drinking because she's pooping plenty and they appear normal, that is, from a parrot owners prospective, they appear normal. moving her upstairs soon. i'll post pictures.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi loribonner,


Oh, okay then...good to hear ( details on what was done for the Wing ).



With meds in Water, with-holding the Water as you are doing, is a good way to go.

Post some good close up images of the poops, also, once you get a chance.


Were there also injuries to the Bird's back or Butt area?


Best wishes!

Phil
Las Vegas


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