# Found a Pigeon, please help (Woodpigeon in UK)



## brax (Oct 14, 2010)

On sunday we cut down a very large leylandii. Well several leylandii but when one fell there was a live baby wood pidgeon in a nest. It has since lived above ground on trestles in a large cockateil cage outside the back door and at night I put a quilt over the cage since it is getting cold now. He has hay. I am in Kilsby near Rugby UK. I have been feeding with the help of partner scrambled egg and today started to mix spillers layers mash in with this but from finding your site looks like we have done everything wrong! Baby is still alive and growing fast but from the photos I have found is still a baby. neighbours think we sould just release cos it has started to flap wings when he is out but he cannot or will not feed him self and relys on being fed. He still has wispy baby feathers - we take out of cage, he sits on my knee and I hold his beak open while partner syringes with icing syringe food down into beak. Baby bird needs no restraint and seems to know the food is coming but he cannot feed himself and I need to know what to do. Sounds from what I found today like he is about 26-27 days old. He can get lift when he flaps but cannot fly. Its also very cold now so should he have heating? should we release before he can eat? Somehow I think not. Winter and frost are pretty near I would think so I am worried for him being loose with no instinct/parents around. WE have chickens in a reasonably large pen/aviary so if he was given a sleeping area in a shed could he stay with them till spring? Chickens are pets not livestock since we do not eat eggs - hence large supply for baby wood pidgeon.Also they have a fan heater when it gets frosty so pidgeon cold also have something like this but we need to build it soon if necessary. I have contacted several so called wild life sanctuaries/ rescues but no one will help and I would have thought really best to release where he came from. There are lots of wild wood pidgoens and doves around here. What should I do with this bird since now he has survived for 5 days he should eventually be ok I would think but I do not want to release too early and do not know what to do to get him to eat himself. Can anyone please advise me?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Brax, I have been thinking about the possibility of his being injured and if he can't fly he might find sharing with chickens dangerous.

Until we know whether he will be able to fly it might also be better to avoid the larger sanctuaries as many believe that wood pigeons never adapt to captivity although those of us that have kept them disagree. Some of the smaller places have aviaries for disabled pigeons and that would be worth thinking about.

Cynthia

(For the information of PT members, this is the information that I sent Brax after she contacted me through my website:

Try try the defrosted peas first, pop them into his beak while they are still warm. With any luck he will start grabbing them out of your hand. You can add some defrosted corn as well. Once he is eating by himself leave a dish of wild bird seed next to him and a bowl of warm water. Dip his beak in the warm water so that he knows it is there and he wil drink.

When they fledge their parents look after them and feed them for at least a week. so unless his parents are still around and will feed him (that is a possibility) he won't do well if he is released as soon as he can fly. His parents would also show him what to eat. Let me know how you get along with the feeding and I will try to find a rescue centre near you where he can mix with other juveniles before release. The alternative would be to put up some sort of bird table with seed on it in your garden where it is visible from a window that is accessible to him. , try to attract other woodies and let him watch through the window. When he is eating and flying well, open the window for him to leave. That way he might return to the table to feed until he knows enough to fend for himself.

Cynthia)


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## brax (Oct 14, 2010)

*baby wood pidgeon*

If necessary we can build him his own aviary to learn in. We have space and will do whatever is needed to keep this little bird alive and if possible get him free again. I have sent you a photo of him today so maybe you can guess his age. Should I take him to a vet? I do not want him put down since I think he will eventually be ok assuming we can do everything right for him. We also have sheds and can give him some space in them. Our chickens are actually in a large run ( they also come out regularly) and there is a second run inside the main one for one chicken who appears to be mentally handicapped. All are ex-batts and apparently it is not unusual to have some who are very nervous and do not stand up to the rest. Anyway I could not bring myself to send her back and we just have her living seperately to the rest. She goes free with them in the garden but I have to keep a watch to check she does not get them all attacking at once. I explain so you understand i am willing to spend the time and effort for this pidgeon also if necessary. We caused the problem and made him homeless and parentless so if at all possible we will see him grow up and go free. If it means building a home for him then that is what we will do. I do not think he is ready to try flying with the chickens yet anyway so I have not put him in there. I need him to eat first on his own I think.


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