# Wood Pigeon Chick - Feet problem



## DRodders (Aug 25, 2010)

Hi there

I'm in the UK, and I have been handrearing a wood pigeon chick for 5 days, I think it was about 13/14 days old now, and it is growing and feeding really well. However I have realised today that it is not using it's feet properly and is sitting on them with the toes curled up and slightly on their side. I think this may be the result of it's bedding not being firm enough, but I now need to find out how to go about fixing this. Any ideas would be most welcome.

Thanks in anticipation.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi

Would you be able to post a pic (picture worth thousand words and all that  )

Is woodie in a box, cage or other environment where it would be possble to provide support to encourage a better stance? 

Curled up toes can be corrected in many cases with what some of us call a foot glove 

Another possibility that can to an extent contribute to 'bad feet' is the need for calcium, something we have seen more with collared doves but also with a woodie we currently have. This would require a calcium supplement (with vit D3) to be given orally as a liquid, rather than just providing grit.

This may be of interest too

caring for baby pigeons

John


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Calcium deficiency is common in wood pigeons, I have also started to suspect that toe curling might be caused by a Vitamin B2 deficiency. This article about *Pigeon Limb Deformity *is worth a read.


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## DRodders (Aug 25, 2010)

Firstly thanks for the replies.

I have taken some pics and will work out how to post these here.

Back soon!!


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## DRodders (Aug 25, 2010)

*Here are some pics . . .*

Trying to take some pics has been a little challenging!! It's a lively little thing.

Here are a couple that I think show the situation best. Let me know what you think.

http://www.cloudninesolutions.co.uk/woodie

The chick seems to sit very low, sort of not taking the weight on it's legs whilst sitting. It doesn't seem bothered by this, and shuffles into a comfortable position after feeding - and then goes to sleep. I have to say it does 'shudder' a little after a feed and whilst slipping off to sleep.

I'll await your views - thanks.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I will have to do a bit of research on this, but I *think* that is what woodie feet are like at that age. Someone happened to send me a couple of photos of her hand reared woodies today and when they were young and feeding the feet were not flat on the floor but when they were older they were...I will upload links to her photos and also ask the advice of a friend of mine that runs a rescue centre and has had loads of woodies this year...is it OK if I send her a copy of the second photo?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

*Woodie feet*

BTW calcium and vitamin D3 supplements and natural daylight won't do any harm, they will strengthen bone and muscle. Clacivet and ZolcalD are good.

As a baby:










As a juvenile:


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## DRodders (Aug 25, 2010)

Thanks Feefo - much appareciated!

The first pic does look very similar to my chick so I hope you may be right about it being an age thing . . but I will wait for further info.

Yes do forward pics to anyone you feel appropriate.

Cheers!

ps - not urgent but please let me know sometime how you insert pics directly into a post.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi

This is the FAQ for attachments for posts (I'm feeling idle, so won't copy it into here  )

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/faq.php?faq=vb3_reading_posting#faq_vb3_attachments

(pics need to be 100 kb max file size, so most digital/phone camera pics need dimensions resizing and/or jpg compression)


John


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

What I do is upload them into my community webshots album , copy the link and paste it into my post as an image. 

Have a look at *Captain Helen's woodie*, his feet aren't planted flat either. I will contact Dee (owlmomma on this forum) tomorrow morning, she will be zonked out by now!


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I have had replies on Facebook from Wing and a Prayer, Ali Blackbird and Paula B. They all agree that it would benefit from some form of splinting. Calcium and additional vitamin supplements should also help.

These are some of the methods you can consider, if one proves too stressful for you and the bird, try another:

Wing and a Prayer says: " I_ make little snow shoes out of thin card and then tape them up with vetwrap_. "

If the toes can be straightened and flatenned out on a bandage, I use a "foot glove", using a support (self adhesive) bandage from Boots and pressing it between the toes so ut forms a sort of "webbed" glove:



















or you could try the method used to correct this tiny *African Crowned Crane's feet!*


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## DRodders (Aug 25, 2010)

*Thanks . . . .!!*

I wanted to say a big thank you to you all for your help and advice after my post on the forum - as a complete novice it has been a real help. My Woodie has continued to grow rapidly and is developing well. The issue with his feet seems to have taken a natural course , just as I was considering intervening, and they are now flattening out and the toes straightening well, and it is moving around well, so I will continue to monitor the situation, but am now armed with the necessary knowledge to address the situation should it arise. 

I will get a couple of pics posted shortly.

Sorry it's taken a few days to post this note.

Thanks again.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Thanks for updating us. Photos will be good, it will be a sort of case study that we can refer to.

My memory is so bad that I really can't remember what the feet of the nestling woodies that I have dealt with looked like.


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