# bathing/cleaning hand fed babies



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

Hi all,

I've 20 days old homer babies. Both are doing really good. Unfortunately the male pigeon flew away due to some reasons. But the female pigeon is really feeding them well and I'm playing their father's role. I keep fresh water and food bowl for her inside the box. From past one week even I'm feeding them with the 20ml syringe twice a day. And now the babies really love me .

While feeding them, they spill/scatter lot of food too. Some food stick to their head/neck/wings. I usually clean it with dry soft cloth. Some times I wet the cloth with light warm water and clean them. But still the babies are not that clean and some times while playing, they jump into the food bowl .

1. Is it OK too clean them with wet cloth?
2. Shall I give them a bath?

Thanks,
Anand


----------



## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

Wipe them with a cloth or cotton swab dipped in luke warm water. Make sure the nest is not getting damp with the liquid food, otherwise it will invite all types of insects.

At this age you should switch from liquid food to seeds, chick peas, green grams etc soaked in water.


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

sreeshs said:


> Wipe them with a cloth or cotton swab dipped in luke warm water. Make sure the nest is not getting damp with the liquid food, otherwise it will invite all types of insects.
> 
> At this age you should switch from liquid food to seeds, chick peas, green grams etc soaked in water.



Thanks Sreeshs. I'll try feeding them the seeds now. Do I need to hand feed them or syringe is fine?

I've seen the elder one trying to eat/pick couple of seeds from the bowl but the younger one still doesn't. The younger one doesn't even look like 19days old. I'll try to post the pics later as it is raining heavily right now.

~Anand


----------



## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

anandcholli said:


> Thanks Sreeshs. I'll try feeding them the seeds now. Do I need to hand feed them or syringe is fine?
> 
> I've seen the elder one trying to eat/pick couple of seeds from the bowl but the younger one still doesn't. The younger one doesn't even look like 19days old. I'll try to post the pics later as it is raining heavily right now.
> 
> ~Anand


I always keep a dish of small seeds for them to experiment with and give 2 supplemental feedings a day until I'm sure their eating enough on their own. The smaller baby will watch and learn from the bigger baby usually. 
I clean them with a rough cloth or gauze pads with warm water, then pat them dry.


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

Hey guys,

This morning I tried chick peas soaked in water. The mother fed them once and and later I gave them 10 peas each. They swallowed it without any hesitation/trouble. Earlier even after feeding them (the hen & me feeding them the liquid food), when ever the hen went near the box, the babies use to attack/jump on her for more food. But today I think they were full so didn't bother to trouble her.

This time the hand feeding was very easy, clean, less time consuming and statisfactory for all of us. In the evening, I'll try different seeds too.

kudos to you guys!

~Anand


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

My 20 days old homer babies


----------



## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

Crop full  healthy babies. You would enjoy training them. It would be better if you could provide some nesting materials to grip on. Do you provide any calcium supplements ?


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

I treat them with glucose + calcium + vitamin D (all in one product) in water twice a week. Is there anything else I need to do?


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

You don't want them to get splayed legs. They are still growing and need some traction to keep their feet from coming out from under them. Nesting material would be best. 

Does the one baby have bald spots under beak from cleaning? Does its crop empty well?
I would check down the throat and all around inside beak, and see if there is any unusual coloring, should be completely pink.


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

Trees Gray said:


> You don't want them to get splayed legs. They are still growing and need some traction to keep their feet from coming out from under them. Nesting material would be best.
> 
> Does the one baby have bald spots under beak from cleaning? Does its crop empty well?
> I would check down the throat and all around inside beak, and see if there is any unusual coloring, should be completely pink.


Oh no I dont want them to get splayed legs. Tomorrow I'll put some nesting material under them. 

That one is younger one. Hmm that bald spots under beak is not bcoz of cleaning but I guess the feathers have not grown yet there or may be bcoz I fed them through syringe (i'm guessing here). But from this morning I stopped using syringe. And about the crop, yes it does empty well (about 80%) whenever I see in the evening before me feeding them. Tomorrow, I'll check thoroughly in and around the beak and update you.

Thanks Trees.

~Anand


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The babies are very cute, but as has been mentioned, they do need nesting material to be able to grip with their feet. 

Also, the one baby with feathers missing on the throat, and other places. That is usually a sign of canker. Easily treated if caught soon, but will cause the death of a baby if not treated. Metranidazole works good. Fish Zole can usually be gotten at a store that sells tropical fish, and it is Metronidazole. I would definitely treat for canker. If you have someone hold the bird, and look WAY DOWN his throat with a flash light, you may see some yellow cheeselike growths. The thing is that canker cannot always be seen this way. The bird should have feathers in these places by now. I wouldn't wait on it.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Actually, all your birds should be treated for canker.


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

Hi all,

Tx for the concern.
I didnt find much nesting material so tried something alternative. I put a thick towel and the nest bowl on it so that they hold that towel while sitting/moving. It's a temp solution but whether this works?

hmm... canker... I hate this word. Even if my birds are not affected now, I'll still treat them with some medicine. I'll call up some of the fish stall for Metranidazole. In the mean timeif anyone could tell me the dosage for this would be great


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

Yeppie... called up a pet shop. The guy said that particular medicine is available. So, i'll go in the evening to purchase one. In the mean time if someone could tell me the exact dosage, would be of great help becoz these are just 21 days old and I dont want to over dose them.

Tx.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Here are the instructions for individual treatment as given by Gordon Chalmers DVM.

Metronidazole (Flagyl): 25-50 mg per pigeon per day for 4- 6 days ...the smaller dose for the baby and the bigger dose for the adults.

So...you will need to cut the pills into 5 pieces as equal as you can make them.

One of the 5 pieces you will need to cut in half...that will be the piece you give to the babies.

The bigger pieces you will give to the adults.

These would be the instructions without weighing each bird and figuring out an exact amount.

It's easy to quarter. Harder to cut into 5 pieces, so if you can quarter it, then shave a little off, that's about a fifth.
__________


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

Tx Jay3 for instructions


----------



## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

anandcholli said:


> Yeppie... called up a pet shop. The guy said that particular medicine is available. So, i'll go in the evening to purchase one. In the mean time if someone could tell me the exact dosage, would be of great help becoz these are just 21 days old and I dont want to over dose them.
> 
> Tx.


Which is this pet shop ? Do they have accessories for lofts also ?


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

Wet Pets, Infantry Road, Bangalore. The guy said he has all kinds of medicines and accessories.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Make sure the Fish Zole contains only Metronidazole.


----------



## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

anandcholli said:


> Wet Pets, Infantry Road, Bangalore. The guy said he has all kinds of medicines and accessories.


Thanks, may be next time when in Bangalore I can check their stores


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

sreeshs said:


> Thanks, may be next time when in Bangalore I can check their stores


Always nice to hear about new places to get supplies.


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

Hi all,

These are the pics of the baby pigeon's poop. It's the same baby which has less/missing feathers around beak and under the wings. I had been to couple of pet shops for the medicine (fish zole - metronidazole) but either the medicine was not available or it was out of stock. Today I'm visiting couple of more shops/clinics. And right now, I've not treated her for the canker. I've also check her throat for any visible sign of canker but it's all pink. The babies really eat well. I've stopped hand feeding them as they have started eating all kinds of seeds on their own. I'm not sure whether the little one empties her crop well as whenever I check her the crop will be full. The babies eat whatever seeds I offer and I always leave food/water in their box for the babies and their mother.

The poop is watery and some black paste like stuff in it. Is it normal or a sign of some kind of disease?

This is what I offer them
1. seeds - barley, corn, chick peas and others- daily
2. peanuts - alternative (6-8 in number)
3. water for seven days - fresh water/acv water/fresh water/garlic water/fresh water/glucose+calcium+vit D (one product) water/fresh water.
pl. note that the supplements will be lesser in quantity.
4. egg shells twice in a week


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

By evening their box was full of black poop. The elder baby's poop looks solid and healthy. I donno whether the babies are eating something bad that i'm not aware or they are getting over fed. Whenever I observe them they are busy with the food bowl


----------



## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Is the poop smelly?


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

No It's not smelly.


----------



## blackknight01 (Feb 20, 2010)

i can see that you didnt band this babys


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

blackknight01 said:


> i can see that you didnt band this babys


I've banded one baby but still searching for some kool designer bands


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

This morning... the crops of the babies were empty but within half an hour the crop were full. I saw even the hen was feeding them. Today they spent more time outside the box exploring the things and yes I was guarding/guiding them. 

I doubt that the little one is eating papers and could be the reason for black colored poop. Today i'll keep a close eye on her.


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

Finally, I 've some medicine to treat my babies

For canker, i've Dependal-M (Furazolidone 100 mg/Metronidazole 300 mg)
Since metronidazole is 300 mg, so I think i need to make 10 pieces out of it :-( tough part. Before treating, whether the crop should be empty?

For worming, I've Propoxur Powder 1% w/w.


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

Jay3 ...m waiting for ur comments


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I'm not familiar with those drugs. I'd have gotten straight metronidazole, which I know you can get there. With Metronidazole 250 mg., you could give an adult 1/4 of a pill once a day for 6 days, and a youngster half of that. Not sure about the other med as I don't know it.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Found this online. 

Side Effects
Furazolidone is no longer available in the US. Though an effective antibiotic when all others fail, against extremely drug resistant infections, it has many side effects, and as with other nitrofurans generally, minimum inhibitory concentrations also produce systemic toxicity (tremors, convulsions, periferal neuritis, gastrointestinal disturbances, depression of spermatogenesis.) Nitrofurans are recognized by FDA as mutagens/carcinogens, and can no longer be used sinc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furazolidone#Protozoan


----------



## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

anandcholli said:


> Finally, I 've some medicine to treat my babies
> 
> For canker, i've Dependal-M (Furazolidone 100 mg/Metronidazole 300 mg)
> Since metronidazole is 300 mg, so I think i need to make 10 pieces out of it :-( tough part. Before treating, whether the crop should be empty?
> ...


Propoxur Powder is for ecto parasites  Is the medicine name Propoxur powder or is it the composition ?


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

sreeshs said:


> Propoxur Powder is for ecto parasites  Is the medicine name Propoxur powder or is it the composition ?


It's Cisa-Tix powder to treat pets against ticks, fleas and lice. Each gm of Cisa-Tix powder contains 10 mg of Propoxur. FYI... I still have used this powder on an of my birds.


----------



## anandcholli (Feb 8, 2010)

Hey Jay3...

I've started treating my babies with Dependal-M. It's the second day. Shall I continue or stop treating them with Dependal-M as you said there are terrible side effects of that medicine. Not sure whether to take risk. Hmmm... I'm not sure whether I'll get any alternative for that.


----------



## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

anandcholli said:


> It's Cisa-Tix powder to treat pets against ticks, fleas and lice. Each gm of Cisa-Tix powder contains 10 mg of Propoxur. FYI... I still have used this powder on an of my birds.


Ohh ok, because in your post it was mentioned worms. Worms are endoparasites and Propoxur was listed in the internet as for ectoparasites. That was what created the confusion for me.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I still don't know why you didn't get straight Metronidazole, as I have heard you can get it there? Why would you take the chance if you don't have to?

And Wondering as Sreesh is, why are you treating for worms with something that is for ticks, fleas and lice? Why not a wormer? This thread is kinda confusing. Is it also for worms?


----------



## Alexnb (Mar 14, 2021)

I have 2 baby pigeons, they are about 15 to 20 days old and I was wonder if I should treat them for cankers just to be safe but I don’t think they have them, I have tablets for it and it says give them half a tablet. I was just wondering if it would harm them if they didn’t have cankers.


----------



## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Only treat when you are sure they have canker. The meds destroy the good bacteria as well.


----------



## Alexnb (Mar 14, 2021)

Marina B said:


> Only treat when you are sure they have canker. The meds destroy the good bacteria as well.


Ok will not treat them, thanks marina


----------

