# 2 Day old pigeon... help please



## Tayzi

I found a pigeon in the garden today, had a look round but was unable to see nest, waited a while but nothing. Brought the little chap inside put him on a covered hot water bottle. He is very young eyes still closed probably 1-3 days. I really need advise on wha to give him as its night in the UK am unable to get any bird formula, i have oats, dry and wet dog food, milk bread any of these any good just till I can get to the shops?
Any advice welcome,he does appear well up to now.


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## c.hert

I just caught your post and if you give me a minute I will get back to you and I am sending a message to a person by the name of feefo here on pigeon talk and I will get you a web page address how on to take care of a pigeon in the United Kingdom and I will be right back on the post with the proper web page address...c.hert


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## Feefo

Are the oats poridge oats? If so, mix them with hot water, feed until the crop feels like a 3/4 full hot water bottle. At 3 days that should be a very thin mix, 2.5 mls to 5 mls per feed...every 2-3 hours.

If it is 3 days old it is better off than if it is younger, as for the first 3 days od life they get enzymes from their parents which are essential for digestion.

Is it a baby wood pigeon? This is a link to my website (still under construction) which gives details of what to feed and how to feed, as well as a list of sanctuaries that willl treat pigeons

http://pigeonrescueuk.webs.com/


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## c.hert

The web page in the U.K. is : http://pigeonrescueuk.webs.com/
I will check this address out to make sure I wrote it right no too good with computer . c.hert


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## c.hert

The address is right and Feefo is on your post now...c.hert


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## Tayzi

Thanks guys, that website is fantastic, made me feel much better. He is a wood pigeon, and when I just started to feed him he opened his eyes!! I do have porridge oats, I mixed them with water to a runny consistancy and have a syringe and feeding him slowly, appears to be swallowing well. He has had a couple of poops this evening. Will he need any water?
Thankyou c.hert and you tooFeefo.x


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## c.hert

Since it is so young I think he will get enough of water in the porridge oats you are feeding him but double check with Feefo if you post with her again..I am afraid to tell you because a pigeon that young could wind up with water breathe in if you did plain water and I know in the wild that Mama and Daddy bird has the water all figured into it already with pigeon milk but that web page will help you out a lot and any more questions just post them here if you wish ..Don"t overfeed this could be real bad but I bet the web page covers this aspect of babies--good luck to you---thank you for taking care of this young one...c.hert


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## Feefo

There should be enough water in the porridge oats if it is thin...if it has opened its eyes then it is probably 4 days old. The poops are a good indicator that everything is functioning well.

If you place your index finger and the next one around his beak facing downwards he should gape for you to gently syringe the mix into his mouth

He should empty his crop between feeds. If it doesn't empty don't feed him until it does as the food will just mount up and turn sour. Instead increase the ambient temperature and give him some warm infant apple sauce.

Cynthia


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## Tayzi

Hi Feefo, thankyou for the info, he is sleeping peacefully after his feed, looks like a broken nights sleep but I have got attatched to Splat (my son named him that as thats what happened when he fell). I will check his crop in a couple of hours, and wont overfeed him, will post again tomorrow hopefully still with good news.


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## Dobato

Hi Tayzi,

Thanks for helping this little guy out.

You're in good hands with Cynthia (Feefo), but I thought I should make a littler further mention on one thing, and that is temperature. At this age they have to be kept quite warm, around 92 degrees (33.33C) and make sure the food you are feeding him is around 102-104 degrees (38.9-40C). I usually just keep the small bowel I am feeding them from from immersed in a bath of warm water so it does not cool off while I am feeding.

I remember not that very long ago a person thought that they were keeping a baby in a warm enviroment, around 82 degrees in the room, which I guess was warm to them, and this tempurature was just not warm enough for the baby and its system shut down from lack of warmth and perished. Use a thermometer to confirm and something like a desk lamp with a 60WT bulb in it as a heat source directed in the baby's direction. You will need to play with the distance to him a bit to get things right, use the thermometer, and also put your hand next to him, if after a few minutes it feels too warm on your hand, it will be too warm for him, so adjust, and vice versa, but it's important you get his ambient temperature above 90 degrees. In another week or so the ambient tempuratue is not as critcal, as the are able to thermoregulate their body at about a week and a half old.

Also, get a small deep bowel, a used margarine dish will do well, and line it with a soft cloth and set him in it as a nest, it will help keep Splat's legs properly aligned, which is important.

Good luck with him,

Karyn


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## c.hert

Thats wonderful information Dobato and its critical information as well and I took a print of it..thanks c.hert


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## Tayzi

Thankyou very much Dobato thats great advice. He has made it through the night, with 2-3 hrly feeds of porridge oats/water. He has also started this very quiet squeaking, which im sure will get louder! How long does he need to be fed so regulary and when do I start to thicken his food? Thankyou all for being so kind and all the advice I and am sure Splat will appreciate it. xx
Rachel.


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## Feefo

I start thickening at about day 5. It would be best if you got a product that is specificlly designed for use on baby birds. I use Nutribird, but canary rearing mix and Tropicana Handfeeding formula are also available in this country.

Weigh it every day, it should put on weight rapidly.

This link givs a guide of how much to feed a feral pigeon, but you have to remember that crop sizes vary a lot.

http://www.urbanwildlifesociety.org/WLR/BabyPij&DuvFeedg.htm

If you run into difficulties or need urgent advice, you could ring the helpline at Folly Wildlife Rescue, they specialise in hand rearing babies and have a lot of baby woodies through their doors every year!:

The Southern Wildlife Care & Advisory Trust -

*HELPLINE 07957 949825 daily from 8.00am to 21.00pm*

Folly Cottage, Danegate, Eridge Green, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 9JB
Tel: 01892 750865 / Fax: 01892 750337


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## Tayzi

*Introducing Splat.*

View attachment 15352


First photo of Splat after his lunch!!!


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## c.hert

How adoreable is that...c.hert


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## Tayzi

Just another update.
My kind husband made Splat a syringe/balloon feeder as is shown on Feefo's website, before it was taking me 20 mins to feed now about 5!! Im amazed how he got the idea how to feed from it..amazing. Makes a right mess but hey who's bothered he enjoyed it!He now looks like a little drunk old man, fast asleep. Five days old today should I lengthen the time between feeds?
Rachel


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## Feefo

By the time he is a week old he will only need eeding every six hours, so I think you an start extending it a bit now.

Cynthia


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## TAWhatley

Thank you members for helping as you have here .. I'm moving the thread to the appropriate forum for Wood Pigeons. Continued good luck with this little one!

Terry


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## Tayzi

Just a quick query regarding Splat. He is doing really well. Now could some one have a look at the pic I posted and tell me is Splat a pigeon or a Dove. The reason I ask is we have found a pair of doves nesting in the chimneypot, and where we found Splat he could have rolled down the roof onto the floor, but having said that we do have pigeons flying around too, although no obvious nests. I have looked at both baby pigeons and doves similar looking, and I cant see a white stripe on his wings either If you want a clearer pic I will try next feeding time.
Thankyou Rachel


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## Feefo

If there are any feathers on his wing, when you stretch it out the white stripe would show. If you could get a clearer photo is will help, a dove's feet will look like brown spiders.

If it is a dove it will need less food than a woodie as its crop will be much smaller and the dove will weigh much less than a woodie would at this age. Can you let us know how much she weighs?


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## Tayzi

Ok here goes... He weighs 20grams (6days old). That is wieghing him on kitchen scales may be a gram or so out. He has got long brown spidery feet, he likes to keep his toes curled they appear very long. No feathers as yet stilll dark grey skin and yellow fluff. Will post you a pic at feeding time.


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## Skyeking

"To move or not to move (this thread)"... to be determined after the pic is posted. 

Thank you for the update. I'm glad he is doing well.


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## Feefo

I think he is a collared dove. His toes shouldn't be curled they will probably need correcting, I will post how to do that but would prefer to see a photo first.

What you can do is get him some calcium and Vitamin 3 supplements (Calcivet from Vetark is good) and give him one drop a day for about a week. Also see that he gets a bit of sunlight by sitting with him in the garden (never leave him unattended in direct sunlight). Collared doves tend to suffer from calcium deficiency which can cause leg and foot deformities.

With the feeding ignore the quantities mentioned, feed until his crop is spongy but not stretched. 


Cynthia


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## Tayzi

Hi Cynthia, just had a look at him whilst in his box, his toes arent curled now but when i take him to feed etc they curl maybe a reflex then. Looks like a little longer shopping list. What do u think about his weight for his age, and as regards the amount of food I have started since yesterday just to feed him enough looking at his crop. I live in Barnsley South Yorkshire, is there a general, country wide store I can get him his calcium etc...?


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## Tayzi

Just taken pics of Splat, hope they are good enough.
View attachment 15360


View attachment 15361


View attachment 15362


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## amyable

Hi Tayzi,

What a little sweetheart.

I can pop you some Calci-Plus in the post tomorrow if you can't get anything locally. It's just a different type of calcium supplement for pigeons but will do the same.
It's good his toes aren't curled under but it won't hurt to still give him a little calcium boost to help with his feather and bone development. As Cynthia said Collared doves do often suffer with a calcium deficiancy.

If you do need some just send me a Private Message with your address details and I'll post some to you asap.

Well done so far,

Janet


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## Tayzi

Hi Janet,
Thankyou very much for your help. I am going to a garden centre that is a bit furthur away, and they have a new extensive animal/bird department, so I hope to get his food and calcium etc... if I cant I will message you with my address.
The big problem is Nutribird, having porridge at the moment, but I know he needs his supplements. Had trouble getting it locally, also chick mix was mentioned (thinks that whats its called) so hopefully I will have some luck.
Thankyou and I will let you know
Rachel


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## amyable

Good luck with getting some.

I have some Kaytee on order so if you don't find the chick crumbs etc I can send you what Kaytee I have left until I get a new supply, so let me now about that aswell if you like.

Janet


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## Tayzi

Managed to get some chick crumbs and am currently preparing them. He weighs 23grams, (7days) had a bit of sunshine today, still doing well, but still very wary and fingers crossed.


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## Tayzi

Feefo.
Ihave attatched 3 pics as requested, 1 showing his wings, 1 showing his feet and the last is showing that leg sticking out when he walks.
View attachment 15387


View attachment 15388


View attachment 15389


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## Feefo

This is a 32 gm collared dove, they thought it was 5 days old, but I think it was a bit older.










This is the weight chart that was kept to record his development (bear in mind that the age could be out):

Day 5 = 32g
Day 6 = 42g
Day 7 = 50g
Day 8 = 60g
Day 9 = 62g
Day 10 = 69g
Day 11 = 75g
Day 12 = 80g
Day 13 = 84g
Day 14 = 86g
Day 15 = 88g
Day 16 = 91g
Day 17 = 90g
Day 18 = 90g
Day 20 = 98g
Day 22 = 108g
Day 24 = 118g

The dove in the photo was, unfortunately, euthanased because it had metabolic bone disease. I think that this can be avoided with Splat, but IMO his feet will need correcting early. I will find some photos of how to correct them.


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## Tayzi

He definatly favours that right leg and keeps it drawn up. Maybe I might need to do his legs as well as his feet. But it isnt broken, swollen etc and like I said if you give it a bit of a nudge he will start kicking it about.
I gather you think he is a dove then?


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## Feefo

At that size it must be!

I was thinking, you're not far from Sheffield, maybe you could ask the Midgleys to have a look at the legs and feet for you?:

Voluntary Rescue Centre for Birds and Wildlife
141 Woodseats Road
Sheffield

TEL 01142 55 78 24
MOBILE 07860 808179
EMAIL [email protected]

Cynthia


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## amyable

Splat certainly looks like the little dove in Cynthia's photo.

I hope his feet and legs can be helped. I've sent some calcium so maybe that will assist while his legs and feet are being treated. You're doing very well Rachel, keeping fingers crossed for a positive result for Splat, ( I do love that name). 

Janet


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