# Found a baby pigeon-leg is quite deformed.



## prophecy (Jul 10, 2008)

I found a baby pigeon, grey with still some yellow fuzzy down on him ,in my side-yard who is still a parent dependant baby.I did not see any parent birds.My one feral pair is raising him,as parental surrogates,right now.The baby's leg is straight out,sticking out to the side,the foot is twisted backwards and the bird seems to have no feeling/grip in the foot.The other leg is also weak and sticking out somewhat as well,however he has a strong grip in that foot.It looks like both the legs are splayed legs,but one leg is twisted around backwards and limp.(maybe an old injury or congenital deformity?)He does have 'feeling' but no motor control. The question is what to do for him? Its obvious he will never be able to walk,or use the leg(due to it being so deformed). Is it fair to keep him going,seeing as his lifelong mobility will be limited? His leg is totally trashed. The foot is upside-down and backwards? the leg sticks out sideways.He is not seeming painful.What can/should I do??
Should I have him humanly euthed or is there something I can do for this baby?Can he live with this type of condition as a special needs pet,since the deformity is so severe?Or is it kinder to him to put him down?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Sounds like a splay leg or injury or another issue, which may be fixable, but needs immediate attention.

Please post a pic of the leg from different angles.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Yes...offhand it sounds like a broken leg actually...exacerbated by the splay leg situation.

My first though would be to get him/her to a vet for an x-ray. I know, not cheap...BUT...the leg may be set-able and healable to a large degree.

I helped save a baby once with a 'bicycle kickstand' sorta leg situation (on top of which the toes on that foot were sorta webbed/fused). It just sticks out at an angle and while he can use it to prop up and it doesn't drag behind him like a weight....he certainly cannot walk normally.

...he (Webbie) is having a great life now with MaryJane and her loft flock up the road about an hour....

Sorta sounds like a 2-step process: see if the leg can be mended in a better and re-oriented position, and then see if the splayed-ness can be alleviated.


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## prophecy (Jul 10, 2008)

The little pigeon went to the vets today,and sadly the twisted leg was unable to be repaired.The other leg was also damaged at the pelvis,and was unusable as well .It appears the bird was injured from the fall out of the nest.It would not be able to ever use the legs,and likely never be able to stand,walk, move about or perch.The vet reccomended to put the bird down,because of the severity of his injuries/deformities would not allow the bird to have quality of life. We had the lil guy euthinised while we were there.It's a shame because he was such a sweet lil guy. 
RIP lil guy.


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## Guest (Jun 10, 2010)

sounds like a serious case of splay leg to me which could easily happen out in the wild depending on where and how the parents were nesting


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