# Young wood pigeon can't fly



## fluttertaube

Hi everyone  

Around a half hour ago I took a young wood pigeon in. Done a quick check over and found no physical injuries, he is in his temporary home calming down now. I will have another look later. 

He has pretty much all his feathers bar some little tubes above his beak and the white neck and wing bands. However he doesn't seem to be able to fly. He walks with his wings stretched out like he's out of balance. I noticed one wing is a little shorter than the other and was thinking that maybe some flight feathers are missing? Other than that he is very skinny. 

Any advice on what may be the issue is appreciated, thank you. 💕


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## fluttertaube

His latest poop. I just did his first feed 10 minutes ago.


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## fluttertaube

Really scared but settling in okay. He made a little squeak. ^^


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## fluttertaube

Another thing, how much does he need to gain weight? I fed him 15 parrot pellets and will do so 3x per day (approx. 40g) unless I need to increase the amount.


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## Jay3

Why did you take him in? His parents were probably around and feeding him.


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## fluttertaube

Jay3 said:


> Why did you take him in? His parents were probably around and feeding him.


Cats around the town and he is flightless, off-balance with wings spread when he walks. Seemed dangerous to leave him like that. Would you have done differently?


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## Jay3

They don't do well in captivity. Later when released he won't know how to survive on his own. They learn that from the parents. Was there a nest around, or the parents, because they are usually right there watching and feeding their babies. Sometimes people step in to quickly and change the whole life of the baby. He is probably learning to fly.
I don't know about parrot pellets. Often people will feed with frozen peas that have been defrosted and warmed under warm running water. 30 or 40 peas 3 times daily, but wait till the crop empties to feed again. Also needs calcium and D3 supplement.
Is he drinking yet? He can't be eating pellets unless he is drinking.


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## fluttertaube

Jay3 said:


> They don't do well in captivity. Later when released he won't know how to survive on his own. They learn that from the parents. Was there a nest around, or the parents, because they are usually right there watching and feeding their babies. Sometimes people step in to quickly and change the whole life of the baby. He is probably learning to fly.
> I don't know about parrot pellets. Often people will feed with frozen peas that have been defrosted and warmed under warm running water. 30 or 40 peas 3 times daily, but wait till the crop empties to feed again. Also needs calcium and D3 supplement.
> Is he drinking yet? He can't be eating pellets unless he is drinking.


Would you say the same is true for the rock pigeons, or is it just wood pigeons in your experience that do bad after release from captivity? I am asking because around 80% of our local flock are rescues, many of who were hand-raised (with minimal contact). They do very well and have for years. 

I don't have as much experience with wood pigeons and have only raised one many years ago who was set free. I hope they did well too. 

With this guy I didn't see any parents around. I had another look after your comment, still not in the general area that I can see.

About the parrot pellets they are suitable for pigeons and are a complete diet with added vitamin D and B12. My companion rock pigeon eats them, around 30 or so a day as maintainance. I'm assuming a wood pigeon requires a bit more then some if he is to gain weight. He's terribly thin. As for water he has a drinking dish but I have stayed away from him today (don't wanna cause him extra stress) so can't confirm if he has used it yet. I don't think he has though because when I gave him 15mls via syringe he was desperate to get it down. I can support him as he learns.


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## Jay3

Will you be able to release him into the local flock? How do you know that the flock are rescues?


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## Jay3

Try gently dipping the beak into the water, not over the nostrils. Do this several times a day and he will learn. They shouldn't be eating dry food till they learn to drink.


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## fluttertaube

Jay3 said:


> Will you be able to release him into the local flock? How do you know that the flock are rescues?


The local flock are all rock pigeons, as far as I know they don't mix with woodies? They are rescues. I've lived in the same house for many years and they are rescues of my old friend and I with the exception of their babies who usually stay in the flock and a few who just randomly appear and join one day. There's about 30 in total now and they visit the garden every day. A long time ago there was only two! 

There are a few wood pigeons who visit infrequently but they do live around the general area.

I will do as you say to help him learn to drink on his own.  Hopefully he'll make quick progress.


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## John_D

Hi

Whether or not his parents would have been feeding him is up for grabs. It isn't a given at that stage, and the male parent may or may not still be around.

The already mentioned corn & peas, especially peas, would be the ideal starting point for him. Pellets along with them at first to help build him up won't harm him, but he does need to be exposed to the food that woodies usually eat (e.g., seed and grain). If he is to find his way at a later stage with other woodies, he will be eating the same foods as they do. They do seem to go for peas, from what I've seen. Do provide a dish of appropriate food, such as wild bird food.

This one looks old enough to eat on its own, anyway, so should do so pretty soon.

They do need a lot of peas, corn or whatever else, though.


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## Jay3

I was only suggesting to feed the peas until he was able to eat on his own, at which point you would of course switch over to whatever they eat in the wild. Otherwise, he wouldn't recognize those natural foods as food.


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## Skyeking

*some things to know about wood pigeons: http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/thewoodpigeon.htm *


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## fluttertaube

John_D said:


> Hi
> 
> Whether or not his parents would have been feeding him is up for grabs. It isn't a given at that stage, and the male parent may or may not still be around.
> 
> The already mentioned corn & peas, especially peas, would be the ideal starting point for him. Pellets along with them at first to help build him up won't harm him, but he does need to be exposed to the food that woodies usually eat (e.g., seed and grain). If he is to find his way at a later stage with other woodies, he will be eating the same foods as they do. They do seem to go for peas, from what I've seen. Do provide a dish of appropriate food, such as wild bird food.
> 
> This one looks old enough to eat on its own, anyway, so should do so pretty soon.
> 
> They do need a lot of peas, corn or whatever else, though.


He has a bowl of seeds available and I will defrost him some peas.


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## fluttertaube

Skyeking said:


> *some things to know about wood pigeons: http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/thewoodpigeon.htm *


Thanks, will have a look!


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## Jay3

Thanks for the link Sky. I don't know a whole lot about them myself. Only the info I have picked up on here. Would like to know more.


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## fluttertaube

He was out just now and is limping on one foot. It doesn't look broken. Makes sense as yesterday he was laying down so much, the same today. It won't need bandaged will it? Just rest?


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## fluttertaube

I wonder what happened to him. His tail is particularly scruffy but there's no blood or scratches to indicate a cat or other animal. Should I put him on antibiotics just in case?


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## Skyeking

fluttertaube said:


> He was out just now and is * limping on one foot. It doesn't look broken.


*Did you give the bird the calcium/D3 that Jay recommended a few days ago? * that may be due to calcium deficiency.*


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## fluttertaube

Skyeking said:


> *Did you give the bird the calcium/D3 that Jay recommended a few days ago? * that may be due to calcium deficiency.*


No because the food I'm giving (alongside peas now) already has vitamin D and calcium fortified. Unless you think it's best to directly supplement it? can do that too.  I'll buy some, was meaning to anyway. Yesterday he was having digestion issues and his crop was hardening, gave him applesauce and ACV, that seems to be clearing it all up. He done many good poops by this morning.


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## Jay3

fluttertaube said:


> No because the food I'm giving (alongside peas now) already has vitamin D and calcium fortified. Unless you think it's best to directly supplement it? can do that too.  I'll buy some, was meaning to anyway. *Yesterday he was having digestion issues and his crop was hardening, *gave him applesauce and ACV, that seems to be clearing it all up. He done many good poops by this morning.



If he isn't drinking then he shouldn't be eating solids like pellets and such. That will make the crop hard and unable to pass any food. You need to be sure that he is drinking. Keep dipping the beak till he learns.


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## fluttertaube

Jay3 said:


> If he isn't drinking then he shouldn't be eating solids like pellets and such. That will make the crop hard and unable to pass any food. You need to be sure that he is drinking. Keep dipping the beak till he learns.


I have been dipping the tip of his beak in the water like you said to  he drinks most of the time when I do that. However, not enough. I directly give him up to 60ml per day, then what he drinks on his own. So he is getting plenty of water.


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## fluttertaube

Also thinking about his release though quite far off. They won't return to the very area they were raised in right? I don't think this is the best environment for him. Was thinking of a very soft release into a big wooded area that isn't too far away. There are many woodies living there and I am hoping to bring him there in a cage for some hours for a few weeks after he is looking better. So he can observe them and learn before going off on his own. Wild bird training.


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## John_D

That sounds like a good plan for him.


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