# Pigeon visiting for Thanksgiving



## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Well I have another one to give a helping hand too. I told it that's all you get is a helping hand here...lol Last night about 530pm it was standing in the middle of my yard looking very dazed and its eyes were full with no ring around them. I just walked up and picked it up.....I think it cannot see well and only something with a black background---so far...I felt sorry for it outside in the cold before I picked it up and put food down and it walked right by the food and only could sort of see by shadows----my imagine or something and I tried with another pile of food and it walked right by it again so I thought this is weird and the eyes did not look right or something----drugged or something...So I picked it up and brought it into the bird room and it got real cold last night so I am glad I did..Eyes look fine today..Everything looks fine but it just stands in one place and only can see seed with a black background. Right now I have seed on a white background to see if it will pick some up..It's very calm and just stands in one spot although it can fly and walk and everything a normal pigeon does and I have seen it eat and it knows where the water is as well. It is perfectly healthy and a adult bird. Its poopings were "scant" but now it is pooping pretty normal although they have a lot of white in them not yellow but white..For now I am giving it no medicine--wish not to rush this until I can figure this out. I am leaving it get adjusted and then later I will give a total exam of its body feeling all over to see if anything is wrong. It washes itself and eats and drinks and just stands there but its eyes look normal now so it seems very very contended....Just watching for now...Surprise a new birdie...lol lol


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

What a beautiful bird! c.hert, you are so wonderful for helping so many special needs pigeons.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Thanks but I tell them all to stay away....Old Scrooge here...lol lol Its back looks a little ruffled and I will check that out....Here we go again....lol


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

This pigeon is perfectly healthy and I checked it all over---no pellets---no nothing. It is fully alert now and "seeing everything" and eating and drinking and just enjoying the rest in the cage. It has got its strength and mind back. I have no idea what was wrong unless it ate some kind of drug or something but it sure is normal now. I will release this birdie tomorrow morning and say good bye and have good life...lol lol


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Lovely bird! Do you think he just got too cold?


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

I think he got into something that drugged him and put him in a daze for when I first brought him in he did not have no iris ring around his eyes---they were just round circles with hardly any colored ring around them...But in time they became normal...Weird...His eyes are just beautiful now..Maybe he got into some plants or something and eat something and was dazed...???


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Maybe he flew into something. Strange.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

He looked drugged but now good. He got into something by the way of food maybe people scattered tainted seed or something that would not kill pigeons but would put them in some sort of daze...He is perfect now and tomorrow I will say Bye Bye to him...If the weather is nice....He is a nice bird...


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Are you sure he's a feral and not a lost pet? Sometimes I think every cat in the area sees an invisible sign that says eat at Cindys. Are you sure there isn't a sign like that over your house that only pigeons can see?


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

I am pretty sure he is a wild pigeon but I decided to keep him for a few more days and just let him fly around the bird room at his own pace after I fix the bird openings for this adventure. He is just too calm but of course in a cage how is one not to be calm--if you know the drift...I will also have his poopings checked before actual release....I will keep you posted with pictures..So I will keep him a bit longer.Everything else seems normal.. He has never tried to get out of the cage and this bothers me...too calm here...


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Now I am just watching to see it go out of its cage and flew..I just got the bird room secure so its a waiting game here.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Well it took five minutes to get out of the cage on top of the cages and then it flew to the attic steps and land on a secure shelf by the door way going to the attic...I would say it is a wonderful "flyer" and very very smart..It's a light sounding type of fly--very beautiful in flight and very secure----nothing erratic ...I will keep it another week until I get its droppings checked out...a mystery to me...Birdie is fine...Pictures coming.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)




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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I can see the snow on the window sills. Better you than me! LOL.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Yea it's coming our way tomorrow night but then its headed East and your East of me..Yea there is a Pacific coming with lots of strong winds but they say it is a fast mover...You have your chance for snow...lol lol.. 
This pigeon is very smart and very calm and it seems to know the bird room like the back of its little foot. I can walk up to it and catch it to put in the cage and it has no wild flying erratic behavior but the calmness is getting me. I will send its dropping in to be tested but its healthy in all ways. I am beginning to think maybe it is a bird that I released back to the wild after I helped it for it really knows the whole bird-room and caging area. I put it back in its cage for the night and tomorrow I will leave it out of the cage once again so that it can exercise but it does not even want to do that just fly a little from place to place that it already knows...weird ..Pigeon is wonderful...I will post some more pictures and you can see how close I actually can get to it...coming..


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Look it's ready to "fly Delta" bird transport. I told it to pack its feathers..lol


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Is he a little hunched over? Look at his back.

Oh.................and we are supposed to be getting some rain, but it isn't cold enough to snow. LOL! It's been an unusually warm autumn. Lovin' it! It'll be cold here soon enough. Last winter was wonderful.............no snow half way through. Then the whole second half of winter, it didn't stop snowing.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Yea he is hunched over but that's because he needs to fly down the steps in order to get high because of a lower ceiling...He is judging his flight so when I get him he will be ready to fly..Smart Birdie...Thanks..


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Glad you are checking out to make sure he is ok.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I don't know.............he looks hunched in the second pic also, and he isn't getting ready to fly there. Not wanting to argue, just doesn't look right to me. Something looks off.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Something looks off to me too and he is so "unenergetic" and calm and his feathers seem ruffled as well----something is wrong here and I think it is cocci but I am not sure and have e-mailed my avian vet as well. I am trying to see if I can mail him some droppings because I can no longer see to drive and my friends have full time jobs and its hard for them to get me over there...Hate to assume but I think it is cocci...---waiting for the vet response...Yea something has looked off with this pigeon you are darn right...Look at this picture....today....


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

The poopings look strange as well and at other times he or she looks healthy, and it could be the beginning of something--maybe worms or pmv--virus type---keeping an eye on this situation here and will keep you posted. Some more pictures for you to consider..In some of them the pigeon looks healthy and at this time think like your thinking---something is off here....more pictures coming.. The seed that you see in the poop came from the nesting for it had seed in it------but the poopings are just beginning ti take on a greenish color--you can see one side whitest and flat because the pad suck up the water but the other side taking on a greenish color and I have not changed this pigeons diet --pigeon mix---or gave it any medicine at this point....Sometimes it looks so healthy---pictures coming..


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

I am just observing this situation at this time but I have e-mailed my vet to ask him if I could mail droppings in to him rather than try to drop them off...--40 minutes away and my cataracts are really bad this morning,,,,Just observing for now and giving no medicine until I know what this problem is but yes Jay 3 there is something off..


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

The pigeon is getting better not worse and maybe it is just a overland of e-coli because of the stress of these last few days or perhaps maybe just some kind of muscle injury or bumped into something in its daze a few days ago..--Regardless I sent a e-mail with pictures and seeing if I can mail dropping to him to check for worms and cocci and other things...Just an update here...Pigeon is improving here are some pictures..


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Beautiful,bird! Hope he is ok. Hope you are totally sure he is ok before you ever release him.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

This is a strange experience that I am having with this birdie. He or she has never panicked and is calm and methodical and knows the bird room from the very first fly like the back of his or her little foot. At four o'clock it ate and drank and stood there at the table and I went in and told it "pretty soon it will be time for me to get you in the cage for a good night time rest and I can rest secure as well", so I dimmed the lights and shut the blinds and looked at the pigeon and said time to get in now---thinking I would have to catch it---but it walked right into its cage and I shut the cage door. It acts like it is home and is improving each day and has full flight of the bird room and it has no problem---nothing seems new to it...I am trying to look at photo's of pigeons that I released through the years but I stopped doing my statistics about three years ago and with a failing memory I think this pigeon was one by the name of feathers who had a long rehabilitation in the bird room because of starvation in the winter time who had pmv the virus type and I released it about two years back and now it is here again. Beats me and I have no idea but all I do know is the pigeon is improving and doing very well and it seems like it is home again and happy..Beats me what a strange experience. Just wanted to update here and my avian vet has not responded yet to my e-mail. Yes I guess it is visiting for Thanksgiving... I found something that I wrote in my pigeon book...Feathers: Found in yard very sick--starvation--fed it some hard peas and corn and water. Bluebarish color with brown feathers---pmv-virus---released 5/25/12---male maybe. That's the only notation I had about it..I am looking through this old notebook and my were there birdies..Bringing back some history to me...Maybe this is feathers who I thought was a male.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If a pigeon has had PMV, releasing is not in his best interest, because when stressed for any reason, the PMV symptoms can return. If that happened then his survival rates goes down.
Maybe that is feathers, and he was having problems and knew to come back to you for help. I think you should keep him, if at all possible. I know you already have so many that maybe you can't.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Agree with Jay3. If you can you should keep this guy and watch him. He has obviously sought you out for help. If it is Feathers that is exciting. Shows how smart pigeons are!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

That does happen. You help a pigeon, and when in trouble again, they come back to you. Pigeons are very smart. I couldn't let this one go back out there.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Oh I am getting attached this morning he flew to my lap and by the time I went to get the camera he flew off and then I tapped my fingers on some lettuce and whole wheat triscuits crumbs (which are really two salty) and he or she ate them right down, and then looked at me for "more"...Yea he is a keeper..My vet e-mailed me and told me to send them through the mail and the only thing he said was that he hopes they are not dried out and I will put them in a plastic sandwich bag and mail then from the Post Office to get their quicker...He just told me to continue my care with the birdie..


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Pigeon "feathers" showing signs of sickness. Sent droppings away this morning..No medication as of yet because of interference with other things that it might be. I believe it is a yeast infection in the intestines only because its droppings are showing seed not digested. Need to get a firm diagnosis here before medicine can be given but the pigeon is resting peacefully and it ate a little doing the day and drank water as well..This symptom also could be because of prior starvation that lowered it immune system and need a firm diagnosis here. Will not give vinegar at this time and the amount needed would be too high for the bird to want to drink the water and there are other factors as well..This is just a update..I have a sick birdie on my hands...c.hert


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

That could be lots of things. Best to get the droppings checked.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

You are right..I am thinking of cocci, or worms, and yeast, also nasty other things as well and this has to have a firm diagnosis ...If you treat for one thing---you mess up the next if the bird should have the next and it goes on and on...and let us not forget e-coli overload. Bird is resting very peaceful and it ate some today not as much as yesterday but enough and drank as well....I think starvation started all of this but I am not sure and sure hope it is not yeast (candida) but only one symptom is there----seeds in the droppings---so it could be a array of other things so its "a walking slow type of process from me" until the diagnosis. I hope the droppings get there tomorrow...Feathers and throat and crop and smell is all okay...Just the lethargic way with no movement hardly and the seed in the droppings..Throat looks fine but my vet might very well want a throat sample and I am working on this to get the bird there. I hope it is something from the droppings that is just "upfront"...and curable. If this pigeon suffers I will not drag this on, but for now contented and peaceful and satisfied and at least it picked a good time to be in the yard for tonight is about 20 degrees and it snowed today with high winds that were scary as well as a dreary and wet day..The birdie is warm and peaceful and asleep....Thanks..


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

c.hert, you are an angel. Thank you for rescuing this bird! He is such a cute creature.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Caring for pigeons is hard and I sure hope that I do not go through the stress that you have had with your assorted pet pigeons. One never knows and we try to do the best that that we can to insure the birdie a good life--because we are addicted to pet pigeons. When birdies are sick one never really knows which direction the sickness will go unless it is a "upfront" kind of a deal. We all do the best that we can but one never knows....Thanks for the up and up..Hope he does fine..that's all can think at this point. If he is really "feathers" I am glad that he is home...he is peaceful and comfortable..


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Hopes not high here for it turned into a very sick pigeon. Had my friend drive me to my avian vet hospital and I drop it off for care there. Hope it does well. When I get updated will share the information with you people on here. Wish the pigeon the best and I have done all that I could and hope it's condition improves. If it is still alive by Monday of next week I will pick it up after the snowstorm coming on Tuesday..Most likely Wed or Thursday. In the meanwhile the vet will update me and I will share the news with you. Just a update here..


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## beatlemike (Nov 28, 2009)

Wishing you and the bird the very best C.hert.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Thanks forum friend and will keep everyone updated as well. Do not know what is actually wrong with it until the vet gives me a update..But its serious in my opinion...Thanks my forum friend..


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Sorry you're getting more snow. I knew he didn't look right. Hope they help him. Let us know what they say. Saying a little prayer.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Thanks Jay 3 really appreciate..As time went by we both knew that something was just not right. For me he was too sedate and for you his back looked wrong...But we will think positive and if not---that's the way it is..We do our best...


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

c.hert, also want to send good wishes to you and to your pigeon friend.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Thanks cwebster just waiting it out for the next update from the vet..Thanks for the good wishes..


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Heard anything yet?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Hope it is good news.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

No update as of today and in reality this is good for if the birdie died I would have be notified. So I guess they are just plain busy. He usually calls me about 7 at night after dinner so that we can have a small talk but no update as of yet. I will update you as soon as I know and everything is okay so far. Thanks for caring..


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

I just got a update and the pigeon has a serious case of coccidiosis and is being treated by tube feeding and hydrating as well as medicine for it. They are building the bird up because of malnourished condition and are giving it soft foods for now by way of crop feeding. The pigeon is holding its own and doing better..No worms, and thank goodness----no yeast or canker. When it can digest regular pigeon food it will come home most likely after the snow storm that we will get on Monday and Tuesday..Just an update on the birdie.."Feathers"..


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Thanks for the update. I hope you are going to keep poor little feathers after all this. Besides, winter would be hard on his recovery outside.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

If everything goes well he will vacationing here for winter...lol lol For him it will be like cold people going to warm climates in the wintertime. Maybe I should buy him a little fur coat with some slippers too. I am just glad that he is improving..Yes he will be where it is warm....in the bird room that he knows like the back of his little foot..no worry forum friend.,,no worry....


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Agree with Jay3. Feathers sought you out and deserves a vacation in a nice warm resort. Thank you for helping him!


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

No update as of this time and this is good...I think it is doing well for if it was bad news they would have let me know...So we wait...


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

I just called for a update and she told me that my vet will call me later on and I asked her just to eye ball it and tell me if it looks like its doing okay and she said "yes" and scampered off then she came back and said: "that she was not sure where they have it for she is new but the doc will call me later", Its a pretty large place but not that large so this is concerning to me at this time. I will keep you updated. Also there is a rule or some kind of in house rule that only professional care takers are allowed to update on a patient. I think this is what's happening as well but I am not sure...I will let you all know about Feathers when I get a update..


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Feathers has died. They fed her this morning by tube and gave her a gentle medicine which is albon and some medacam for pain because she was really crunched over and she looked like she was more comfortable by staying in one spot and she was pooping well with the softer foods but when they looked in a few hours later she was dead. He will do a necropsy and let me know the results. He said that this shook the whole clinic because it was so fast and no one expected this at all for she looked like she was improving and pecking at seed a little and drinking as well. But he said she was more crunch over then usual this morning that's why he gave her some medacam for pain. So sorry to have to share this sad news with you all. This pigeon was tricky for me to take care of as well for one minute she looked wonderful and the next minute was a real sick pigeon who would not move. I knew she was a real sick birdie and that's why I brought her in for them to care for her...So sad...Some just do not make it...


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Oh no. I'm sorry. Wondering what it was.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Have no idea and we will find out more when he does the necropsy and he is very curious as well. He hated to give me the news and was so disappointed so we will wait and see. Thanks for the postings...


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

That is really too bad. She knew where to go for help though. And you did all you could. She didn't die out in the cold and snow.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

At least she got some time being warm and secure and not getting eaten by anything and the vet thinks or calls the pigeon a she but I released a male by the name of feathers so we will see what sex the pigeon is but she really knew the bird room so maybe it was another pigeon I released over the years. I feel bad about this one because we thought that we had it made and she was headed for well being...Oh Well...I just plug on...Thanks.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

c.hert, I'm so sorry to hear Feathers didn't make it. Jay3 was right, though, that she knew where to go for comfort. Am sorry for the loss.


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## beatlemike (Nov 28, 2009)

Sorry about Feathers C.hert. I know how much you love your birds.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

It was a bummer but I will keep moving forward...Thanks..


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