# Green Pigeon Poop Question



## chockymousse (Dec 29, 2016)

So, all of my birds (white homers) are doing well. Parents and youngsters (6 & 10 weeks) are flying and eating and, occasionally, squabbling as all families do.

I have recently started to notice though, that they all seem a little on a thin side. It's tricky because these are my first pigeons and the parents are going through their first (for me) proper moult. The 10 week old is also moulting, and the 6 week olds are still growing.

They eat well, 2 times a day from a full dish (mix of seeds, pellets, and colourful pellets) and so I don't know whether it's just the moulting/growing as above, or if something more sinister is going on.

Attached is a photo of one of the 6 week old's poop, which, recently, has become quite green. It's good in shape, the whites are white and the urates are clear, but the poop itself is green. Information online mentions everything from disease, to starvation, to the result of a mostly seed diet, so I'm not sure what to think. Any ideas would be appreciated.

(Sorry for the crumpled tissue mess, I only decided to take a photo once I had picked up several small poops.)


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Have you ever de-wormed them?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I'd say someone isn't eating. Can you post pics without first picking them up, and also pics of the babies?


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## chockymousse (Dec 29, 2016)

Msfreebird; I've been trying to get to the avian vet for worming supplies for a couple of weeks now. I will be doing my best to get there this week, and giving that a go.

Jay; I do watch them to make sure they're eating, but it's so hard to tell how much food is actually being swallowed! I just got back inside from letting them out for the day, so I will attempt photos this evening or tomorrow morning. Thanks!


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

I'd buy some hemp seed and crush up some raw unsalted peanuts if you think they're not eating enough as they usually can't resist those. Also if you weigh the food when you put it in and weigh it again at the end of the day's feeding you'll get a rough idea of what's actually being eaten, collect the stuff they spill too of course. It won't tell you who is and who isn't eating, weighing the birds every other day will give you an idea though. You can weigh an empty box then weigh it with the bird in and deduct the box weight - that's how I weigh a couple of mine who won't voluntarily stand on the kitchen scales, lol.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Well the droppings look to be the color of starvation droppings. The parents probably aren't feeding him now and maybe he isn't eating. You may need to hand feed him. Maybe he is sick.


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## chockymousse (Dec 29, 2016)

Thanks everyone for the responses!

I took two of the birds to the avian vet today, and they both received a clean bill of health despite being a little underweight.

The advice I was given, for anyone with a similar problem, is something a lot of us have heard a million times before - get them all onto a pelleted diet asap. I've been kind of lax with offering pellets lately, as the younger birds seem to struggle to pick them up, but the vet assured me that, at their age, they should do just fine.

Jay, the vet agreed about the colour of those droppings. Thank you for reminding me of the potential problem of starvation, which pushed me to get to the vet. I also had them vaccinated for PMV, and sprayed for lice today so I think it's a win all round.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I sometimes mix some of the round pigeon pellets in their feed, and they like them, but don't think they would eat the longer ones. Besides, they really like the seed better. Gives them more variety.


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