# Help with newly hatched *wild* chick!



## Cymru (Jul 3, 2004)

To cut a long story short, a wild nest got abandoned and i now have a pigeon egg hatching in my incubator.
I have read some posts about hand rearing on here, and was just wondering about somethings.
1) can they be fed 6 times a day like some say? not once every hour like others say?
2) there is absolutley NOWHERE to buy the hand rearing formula around here. so what should i feed? i have read about feeding baby food, soaked and crushed dog food, soaked and crushed chick starter,raw egg, liquidised cooked egg, peanut butter, the list is endless so what DO i feed it?
3) can he stay in my incubator for the first week or so instead of going to the brooder- seeing as he will be completely dependent and i'm guessing very fragile! (thats if he/she does actually make it thru hatch)??

Novice at this so please help! 
I am out during the day from 8:30-4:00 but do have someone who may be able to feed it.


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## Nooti (Mar 14, 2002)

Hi Cymru
Whereabouts are you?
Not Wales by any chance?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

The ideal situation would be to find them foster parents. Do you have any idea about when they are due to hatch?

I have a diet for baby pigeons I will e-mail to you. Digestive enzymes are essential for the first three days.

Cynthia


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## Cymru (Jul 3, 2004)

Yes Nooti, Wales  

cyro, i dont actually have pigeons (used to, but not right now) and i dont really know people with pigeons so i cant get it foster parents.
And it is actually hatching right now... so help   ....


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## Cymru (Jul 3, 2004)

cyro.. just got your pm's..gunna read them now... thanks!


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## Nooti (Mar 14, 2002)

We perhaps need to get this baby to a pigeon rehabber - whereabouts in Wales are you? North? South? Are you able to travel?
I suspect pigeon rehabbers experienced in hand rearing from newly hatched are very thin on the ground. I could be your nearest and I am in Blackburn - 4 hours from Aberdaron on Lleyn Peninsula if that gives you any ideas.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I would gladly foster, but am a bit far away in Norwich.

Sorry about having to send so many messages! There is a limited number of words that can be included in each message.

If I was you I would try to get the baby to Helen. We have had several members try to raise pigeons from newly hatched but very, very few have survived beyond the first few days. Very sad for the rescuer.  


Cynthia


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## Cymru (Jul 3, 2004)

*I suspect pigeon rehabbers experienced in hand rearing from newly hatched are very thin on the ground*

i dont know of any.
Blackburn is a long way from here. I will just try my best. Probably wont be online for the next few days so will update next time i'm on. thanks guys


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## Cymru (Jul 3, 2004)

Ok, well i got online..
The little guy hatched over night and has had 4 feeds today but will only take 1-2 mls each time and never actually seems hungry, doesnt make much noise or actually try to eat - is this just something with 'orphan' human raised birds or is he ill? very hard to get that little beak open!
Very weird looking bird! looks like a little chicken, with weird down, bare head, giant eyes and a deformed duck bill! cant believe they eventually turn in to the beautiful birds all pigeons are!
I ended up feeding : soaked then liquidised chick starter, with a little bit of butter (for fat) egg (for protein) and lots of water all mixed together in to a browny liquid. It now stays in the fridge and i heat how ever much i'm using to luke warm each feed.
I plan to feed every 4 hours. 8 in the morning, 12pm, 4 in the afternoon, 8 at night, 12am, 4 in the morning.
Is that enough? If i raised the amounts, could i miss out the daytime (12pm) feed? I dont trust my dad with it - i'm the bird person, not him! 

I'm trying to find the rearing formula online because no one stocks it around here...

Thanks for all the help!!


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hello,

If you e-mail me your address I can get some Kaytee Exact in the post to you first thing tomorrow, I can send it special delivery so that it gets there by Tuesday, but it is the digestive enzymes that are vital at this stage because they will enable the pigeon to digest the food and get the nutrition it needs and I am uncertain of where to get those but I can try! Otherwise perhaps your local vet can supply them without a consultation? 

A good method of feeding is to put the luke warm liquid in a plastic bag, squezed down into one corner, then cut a little slit in the bag and poke the pigeon's beak into that, gently squeeze the bag as necessary. It should eat on its own. Make certain that it doesn't get its nostrils in the food and give it a chance to breathe by withdrawing the bag every now and then. Watch the crop to ensure it doesn't over eat..it must be soft and spongy.

At this age it will need to be kept at 80 degrees. Make a little nest for it out of something that isn't slippery so that its feet can get a grip and it doesn't end up with splay legs. 

I gather this is a wood pigeon?

Cynthia


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## Cymru (Jul 3, 2004)

Cyro,
I'll check in at the vets tomorrow to see about the rearing formula.
I have lowered my inc temp (octo10) and it is still in there, in a small "nest" made out of paper towels. I thought it better stay in the bator for a while.
I dont know what type of pigeon it is, i didnt see the parents. Just a 'normal' one, so yeah a wood pigeon i guess. The egg is white and rather the same size as a courtnix quails, just longer. Its beak/face are blue, body skin is pink.

I plan to feed every 4 hours. 8 in the morning, 12pm, 4 in the afternoon, 8 at night, 12am, 4 in the morning.
Is that enough? If i raised the amounts, could i miss out the daytime (12pm) feed?
Can anyone answer that? 
Thanks


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hello,

I think that it is the crop size that determines the frequency of feeding and its crop will still be very small. Stretching the crop is bad as it will cause it to sag, it will be difficult to empty and it might cause sour crop. Perhaps your dad would find the baggie method easier to handle.

You can get Kaytee Exact here: 

http://www.everythingforpets.com/

The also sell it at Pets at Home.

Cynthia


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## Cymru (Jul 3, 2004)

Thanks! i'm going to Pets At Home tomorrow to see if they have any in. If not, i will order from everything for pets.com.
The chick (/squab?) is doing ok. Is peeping a bit, and taking more interest in feeding. Hatched over sat night so first whole day is over.
*Perhaps your dad would find the baggie method easier to handle*.
Do you know of a web page that explains in full how to do the 'baggie' method? i would like to try it out but cant see how it would really work without the feed going everywhere, and soaking the chick  Sorry for my ignorance!


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## Cymru (Jul 3, 2004)

I've just ordered Zupreem Embrace. Is that ok for pigeons? got a 48 hr delivery on it..


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

*Baggie method*

Try this link for the feeding technique(see Rescue Album):

http://community.webshots.com/user/mrenya

I have never heard of Zupreem Embrace, so can't advise on that.

Cynthia


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## Cymru (Jul 3, 2004)

I went to the local pet store today and all they had was "egg food" designed for canaries. On the back it says "do not feed within 24 hours of birth...from the second day of life, feed 2-3 times a day"
I bought some and mixed it with boiling water, then zapped it with the blender.. i now have a 'slime' ready for the baby if this is safe? It has all the vitamins you could think of in it. It also has vitamin D3, which i read somewhere (maybe here) is good for piggies? 
I have some rearing formula in the post, due tomorrow or thur so this just needs to get me by

Oh, one more question!... from what i've read, squabs open their eyes around day 7? is it bad for them to open early? what would cause this? My pidge is now 2.5 days old and has just opened its eyes, not fully but a bit. Should i be worrying?  

Thanks!!!


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I know that someone raised two wood pigeons on Egg Food last year and they did well on it, but they were older when they were found. It is the pigeons age that worries me and the special nutrition that they need during those critical first days.

I have never had to hand raise a pigeon and my "best" information is what I sent you (the crop milk replacement diet).

I have contacted one of our members who lives in Devon (Alison) and has a little more experience of woodies.

Hopefully she will be able to offer more.

Cynthia


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## Cymru (Jul 3, 2004)

Thanks for ALL your help cynthia!

Day 3 is almost over so fingers crossed


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

*Digestive Enzymes*

I asked Helen and she said that in the UK they are called Panzym.

Please try to get some from the vet, they might make the difference.

Cynthia


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## Nooti (Mar 14, 2002)

A good guide is to weigh the baby every day - that way you know if you are going in the right direction or not.


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## [email protected] (Jul 17, 2004)

Hello, I just joined the pigeon forum and I need ALOT of help. I recently found a baby pigeon and took it in. I have been feeding it every 6 hours for the last 2 days and started to realize that its crop wasnt getting smaller between feedings, but larger, so I stopped feeding. Im am almost possible that it has sour crop and I dont know what to do. Once I notcied it wasnt digesting I thought its digestive system was slowing down so I went out and bought a heat lamp to get its digestive system going. Im really stuck and feel really guilty (this is a wild pigeon) and I wish someone could help me with this dilema!
Thanks


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

*New thread*

lhopwo, I have copied this into a new thread called "Sour crop" so that it doesn't get lost!

John.


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## [email protected] (Jul 17, 2004)

*Hey*

Sorry for interrferring with your topic, but I didn't know how to make my own thread Anyways I'm writing to tell you about sour crop/slow crop. All baby birds captive bred or wild can get this. It's when the crop gets too full and it won't digest it's food. My little baby bird just died last night because of it. Just giving a warning as I myself never knew about this. 
Good Luck


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