# Help, tiny baby pigeon found and it's past midnight!



## lynas (Jun 26, 2011)

Hi, I found a tiny baby pigeon outside, just lying on the path. I Googled, and apparently he's only about 4 days old, eyes closed with a bit of yellow fluff. I had to bring him in because we have a cat who has killed baby birds in the past (and brought them in!), but I waited first to see if his parents came. It was almost dark at this point, and the cat was due in- I didn't dare leave him any longer, and there were no birds about at that time.

I've put him in a shoebox with a hot water bottle beside it and some warm blankets in the box. he's making a kind of clicking sound when he breathes in, but he's active and plump and flapping his baby 'wings' and rolling around.

Help! I don't know what to do with him. I have a syringe I can feed him with but I don't have the correct food at all, according to the internet, nor do I have a heating pad or any of those things. I have phoned the RSPCA before about pigeons and they say they can't so anything, and I don't have a car to get to a vet's- tomorrow is Sunday! I live in Solihull UK.

Where should I take him in the morning that I can get to by bus? Google hasn't turned up anything, also what should I do for him until then? Thank you. I just hope he survives the night


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I'm going to email you a number.


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Here are two links that may be of help to you until you either get some help or in case you have to go it on your own.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f20/help-egg-is-hatching-and-i-dont-have-a-clue-47170.html

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f20/feeding-help-needed-for-newly-hatched-pigeons-47336.html

Good luck with this little one,

Karyn


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Lynas,



At this age I have had the best luck in feeding/watering them, by using a cut-down regular people-baby Nipple, as seen in the example shown far right in the fourth image in this album -

http://public.fotki.com/PhilBphil/baby_dove_-_july/


Formula must be very runny-soupy, and, be served close to body temperature.

Formula must be made hours before, and, put into the refriderator to hydrate thoroughly.

Put formula power into a Tea Cup, enough for it to be about half full.

Add good cool Water, enough to cover it with an inch or so of Water, just add the cool Water, do not stirr or fuss with it in any way, then, let sit a few hours in the fridge, covered.

Then, inspect it, and, add enough additional Water for it to be a thin consistency, say about like Cream or a little thinner even...stirr well now, and, warm the Tea Cup of Formula in a Pan of Warm Water, stirring untill all is homogeneous and evenly warm.

Test the bottom of the Tea Cup on the underside of your Wrist, as one would for testing the temperature of a people-baby's food.

Use a small Spoon to put the Formula then into the tiny Nipple, and, gently guide the tiny Beak in to the Nipple, tilting it toward the tiny 'Peeper'.


And, he will enthusiastically eat.

Allow him four or five such refills, and, then, let him sleep and so on.

Note and count his little poops.

Note and mopnitor his little Crop, to be sure the last meal has passed or is passing well, before feeding again.

Probably he can handle several of the tiny Nipple's full, every four hours or so, but, every one is a little different, and, he had a fall, also, which might have bruised him and slowed things for the time being, so, check with us often, and, check things on him often.


At this age he himself needs to be kept at about 103 degrees...so, this is usually done using an electric heating pad, let it stabalize at a medium setting for an hour to then test what heat it is doing...have a layer or two of soft Cotton cloths or Cotton towelling on it, each layer of Towel if being added or removed, as one is trying to get things right, needs fifteen or twenty minutes to stabalize, before re-tesging what heat is actually going to be getting imparted to the Baby...for you to then test it by pressing the underside of your wrist into it.

You want the temperature to be just a little warmer than your own body temperature..so it feels about like a child's forehead does if the child has a fairly good Fever going.

Shelter the 'Peeper' from drafts by draping the Cage entirely, checking in on him often, even covering him with a thin light cloth, but check on him often, to make sure he appears comfortable, and, is not panting ( over heating ) or pale ( cold ).

They often flop over when sleeping, so this itself is normal and not of any alarm.


See if you can find the Nest he came from, and, determine if it is intact and or what may have happenned.

If he can safely be put back in the Nest he came from, then, that would usually be the best recourse.

In theory, his Nest will have a single sibling, about the same age as he is.


Good luck!


Phil
Las Vegas


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi

This page is about caring for baby pigeons

http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/caringforababypigeon.htm

Nearest rescue place is



> Wythall Animal Sanctuary
> Middle Lane
> Headley Heath
> Birmingham.
> ...


No idea about public transport in your area


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

The Wythall A S is the best place you could take it to as far as your side of Birmingham goes.

I live totally the other side in Sutton Coldfield, if you have any way of getting somewhere near for me to meet you I'd be happy to take it if Wythall can't help.

Please let us know how you are getting along and we can take it from there.

Janet


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## lynas (Jun 26, 2011)

Thanks everyone- 'Roger' survived the night, and he's very hungry- just fed him, and he's on a blanket covered hot water bottle, nice and warm. Trying to figure out how to get to Wythall, will post back when I have more news. Thanks for being so helpful, here's a pic of the little man (or lady!):
How old do you think he is?


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## lynas (Jun 26, 2011)

Amyable I just PM'ed you


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

OK, am emailing you now.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Thanks for picking up on this, Janet


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## lynas (Jun 26, 2011)

Finally managed to secure a lift and I'm taking him to Wythall right now, I'll post when I get back  Thanks everyone for all your help.


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Good luck!


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## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

cutie little guy / girl


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## lynas (Jun 26, 2011)

Wythall took him in, I've emailed them for his progress, I'll be so upset if he doesn't make it, he's a little fighter.


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi there,

great Wythall took him. If they're happy to let you know how he's doing then I'd assume they'll be doing the best for him.
Keep in touch with them and let us know how things turn out if you can.

Thanks so much again for helping this little fella,

Janet


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## lynas (Jun 26, 2011)

Just got an e-mail from them- he died. After all that. This is horrible- I'm not blaming them at all, but I can't help thinking that he was alive when I left him, and now I feel bad I did, even though it was the right thing to do. Feel very guilty, and that I should have kept him- after all, the chances of me finding him, and him surviving overnight just to die anyway...ugh. Doesn't seem fair. Poor little Roger, RIP.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Sad news indeed. Don't blame yourself for taking him there. And, by all accounts, tiny ones like that are not easy to bring through the crucial first days, with their specialized needs. It isn't something I would want to try - only ever had to feed sick adults & juveniles, and youngsters very close to self-feeding age.


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## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

so sorry to hear, you did what was best for him, and i am sure they tried very hard to help him also


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Sorry to hear there wasn't a better outcome lynas.......you did what you thought best , don't be too tuff on yourself !

Did they say how old they think he might have been ??........myself going by the pic I thought maybe 2 / 3 days .

Keep an eye out , pigeons generally lay two eggs , so there may be another chick ...... you might end up with a second chance .

Darren


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Oh I am so sorry.
I feel guilty I couldn't get over to you yesterday but there's no guarantee I could have done any more even so.
They are very caring people and how amazing they bothered to let you know the outcome.
You did a good thing in helping the little soul so be glad you tried.

Bless you little Roger.

You know where we are if you find any more in future.

Take care.

Janet


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## lynas (Jun 26, 2011)

@Whytwings, they said he was only a few hours old, which contradicts the images I saw that suggested he was around 3-4 days. 

Had a look down the garden, no nest/any more babies anywhere, haven't got a clue where he came from, unless one of the cats found him and dropped him there which is quite likely. Thanks everyone, you've all been really helpful, and yeah, I will be back if a Roger mark II turns up! At least now I have a much better idea as to how to care for them


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## lynas (Jun 26, 2011)

Had a closer look and found this egg. Is this a pigeon egg? It's around half to two thirds the size of an average chicken egg and bright white. There appears to be some traces of yellow yolky substance around the rim of one half. I found it beneath a tree right at the back- not really useful now, but would be interesting to know. Had a good look in the (huge) tree but couldn't see a nest anywhere.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

That would be a pigeon egg. If the yolk is dried, could even be the egg from which baby hatched, otherwise another baby that got taken by a predator.

Have you seen wood pigeons in your trees?


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## lynas (Jun 26, 2011)

Hundreds of pigeons where we live, the grey ones like you see flying about in London, not sure of the breed, just what we'd call a bog-standard pigeon here lol.


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

lynas said:


> Hundreds of pigeons where we live, the grey ones like you see flying about in London, not sure of the breed, just what we'd call a bog-standard pigeon here lol.


Well the "bog standard" pigeon doesnt nest in a tree so unless the egg was dropped there its more likely to have been a baby wood pigeon. 
Difficult to tell at such a young age, but thats my guess.
Have a good listen around where you found it. Adult Wood Pigeons have a very distinctive call and although difficult to spot nests in the trees, if they are still around and their is another young in the nest, you will here them if you are close to it and they are nearby.


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