# Got in young pigeon with issues



## ncfancypigeon (Jan 10, 2008)

Hi Guys,
Sorry I've been gone, too much going on here.
We got in a white pigeon last night from a vet, but something is wrong with it.
First its young. Not sure how young, but young.
Full grown, but still has that bump thing on its beak (sorry for the seriously technical term). His poops are MAJORLY dark green and gross, but no smell.
He seems all fluffed up all the time.
I've looked online and it seems I should treat with baytril?

Any other ideas? He's not out with the other pigeons, but could this be contagious?

He was found outside a building where he'd been on the ground for 2 days not going anywhere. 
He has two bands on his legs, one yellow with the number 22 on it and one red with a similar number, but can't remember what it is.
I'm assuming I can't find his breeder with just this?

I'm assuming that he's old enough to feed himself? He drinks like crazy and I've seen him picking through the food, but not actually eating it.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Could you post a picture of the bump?


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Might be pox. Here's a post about a woodie (woodpigeon; they're in the UK and Europe) that had pox:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=246468&postcount=329

Pidgey


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## ncfancypigeon (Jan 10, 2008)

Ouch, thank goodness it doesn't look like that. This looks to me like their little beaks do when they are babies.
I put pictures here http://www.nc-claws.org/sickpigeon.htm

The side I took them from is the one that looks worst. I think there was blood coming from the nose before I got him (he'd been down for two days, then with somebody else for a day before I got him). You can see the eye on that side looks funny too. He keeps that eye closed a lot.

Also, can you tell me what those bands mean?


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

ncfancypigeon said:


> Ouch, thank goodness it doesn't look like that. This looks to me like their little beaks do when they are babies.
> I put pictures here http://www.nc-claws.org/sickpigeon.htm
> 
> The side I took them from is the one that looks worst. I think there was blood coming from the nose before I got him (he'd been down for two days, then with somebody else for a day before I got him). You can see the eye on that side looks funny too. He keeps that eye closed a lot.
> ...


It may have a one-eye cold, but Pidgey will be able to tell you. I replied to tell you neither of the bands are of any importance, as far as tracking down the owner, but they do tell you this is a domestic pigeon.


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## ncfancypigeon (Jan 10, 2008)

Yeah, I didn't think they bad each other in the wild. LOL
Do they tell sex or anything though?

He was sitting on the ground, not flying for two days.
He looks young to me, don't you think?

Oh, I did start him on baytril (subQ) just in case. His stools worry me most.


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

ncfancypigeon said:


> Yeah, I didn't think they bad each other in the wild. LOL
> Do they tell sex or anything though?
> 
> He was sitting on the ground, not flying for two days.
> ...


You have to remember that well over 40,000 people on this continent have one pigeon (or more  ) All of us use different bands for different reasons, many use for sex, alot of them use to see at a glance different families or strains, Many use bands as a three strike cull rule (NOT TO KILL THEM, BUT TO BENCH/GIVE THEM AWAY.) But no he doesn't look young at all, looks like an old Hapyco Bandit bird to me. Short, stocky, long, and looks like a fighter. Good luck.


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

http://www.hapycolofts.com/lofts/families/bandit.html


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## ncfancypigeon (Jan 10, 2008)

Ah, I'm used to chinchillas, ranchers all use the same letters and so forth to indicate year and sex. So that is good to know. I was hoping maybe one of the colors always indicated something.

There are so many breeds of pigeons its very confusing! Our other white pigeon is just the "normal" kind people release for weddings who didn't go home. I figured this might have been a young one being trained or something.

All of the ones we've had hatch here have that sort of bump on their beak that stays until they look full grown, but are still squeaking at their moms for constant food! 

Every time I ask what I think is a simple question, I learn more and more about all I don't know about these guys.

By "fighting pigeons", please tell me people don't really fight them like chickens?


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

As Pidgey posted, that could be pox, but my first thought was a wound. Is that a scab at the tip of the underside of the lower beak? The bird definitely looks like it is not feeling well in the photos. You can dab a bit of diluted Betadine on the scabs/wounds/lesions to help dry them so they will fall off. If it is pox, there is no treatment other than the topical drying agent, good supportive care, and time for it to run the course. If there is something bacterial going on, the Baytril should get it. Did you mean IM instead of Sub-Q? I think the injectable should be given IM.

Terry


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## ncfancypigeon (Jan 10, 2008)

Hi Terry,
No, the type of baytril we have is always given subQ. We've given it to hawks, owls, vultures, crows.....you name it, its always SubQ. 
What you see on the beak appears to be dried blood. It isn't a growth by any means and it is going away. Actually, today its almost gone. I'm more worried about the way the eye looks.
He was feeling lousy yesterday, but has shown a lot of improvement today. He's eating, though picking through the food a lot and drinking really well.

Still thinking its that fighting type of pigeon?


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

I'm thinking he hit something or was grazed by a car. This looks like an adult to me. Continue keeping him isolated from the others and kept inside. You may not need a heating pad but kept away from drafts and in a quiet area.

You probably have an eye ointment like BNP available and I would use that on his eye for a few days.

If you have Nystatin, give that to him along with the Baytril and after he is finished with the Baytril put him on a probiotic for a few days.

It is a pretty pigeon - looks like a regular white homing pigeon, to me.


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## ncfancypigeon (Jan 10, 2008)

That's what I thought, because he looks like our other one only with a larger bump on his nose? ok, beak. 
We've been doing probiotics, I do that with anybody on antibiotics, I hate losing animals to diarrhea, and I know baytril is the worst for that!

Thanks for all your help. He does seem to be improving.

Oh, he's in a VERY warm room, so not putting heat under him, since its all around. Really, only the eye seems to be an issue now.
Considering he was found near a building, I was figuring he flew into it? We get a lot of songbirds because of that, so I figured it would happen with pigeons too?


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Yep, I'll bet that is what happened.


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