# Help!! Been given a baby pigeon (I think!)



## Bronny

Is this a baby pigeon please??










Someone asked me take it when we were out walking the dog tonight as they were on their hols here and had no facilities to keep it (like I have LOL!!). They found it on the ground near some very tall trees (about 30ft) high.

Firstly is it a pigeon, before I launch into a load of "how do I..." questions  ...

(Don't worry I am keeping it snug in a box with some rabbit hay and some mouse soft bedding - shredded jey cloth stuff. I just put it on the table to take it's piccie.)

Cheers

(Just noticed I'm a 'squab'  )....brilliant LOL!!


----------



## Bronny

No-one sure??????


----------



## Feefo

Are you in the UK? It looks like a wood pigeon to me. See pics here:

http://community.webshots.com/album/307673749CDqjnv 

If so, care would be as for baby pigeons, but take care not to let it get too familiar or dependent on you as wood pigeons do not adapt easily to captivity.

Care is as for ferals, but wood pigeons' crops contract when stressed so don't feed it quite as much as you would a feral pigeon at one go until you are certain that the crop will take it. At that age it should take to the syringe and balloon method illustrated here: 

http://community.webshots.com/album/165797594SYYRWL 

The instructions show how to feed, what to feed and at the bottom you will find a photo of a squab with an empty crop and with a full crop. One of our members raised two wood pigeon squabs on Ceede egg food, They sell that at pets at Home in the UK.

BTW, where are you?

Cynthia


----------



## Bronny

Near King's Lynn, Norfolk.....Is there anyone near here who would take it on cos it's worrying me to death already  .

I will check out those links, thanks...


----------



## Bronny

OMG  ...we haven't been feeding it with one of those specially done syringes...but we will do now....

It is deffo a baby Wood Pigeon...looks just like those 2 real babies ones..


----------



## Feefo

Your best bet is the RSPCA Wild Life Hospital at West Winch. Tell them you think it might be a stock dove (which it could also be) as they have become a bit reluctant to help with birds that they classify as vermin.

I am in Norwich and would take it if it weren't for the fact that I am away from home for 10 hours every day and a bird that youung will need feeding every 2 or three hours during the day.

For the time being can you get some chicken baby food? If you warm that up to wrist heat and put it in the bowl at the very front of its beak, a drop at a time ainiming to give it about half a teaspoonful. That should keep him going for tonight. Otherwise defrosted peas or defrosted corn (not tinned) made into a paste with a bit of water, served at room temperature.

Cynthia


----------



## Feefo

Sorry, it is in East Winch....

NORFOLK WILDLIFE HOSPITAL (EAST WINCH)
Station Road , East Winch , KING'S LYNN , Norfolk , PE32 1NR
Ph: 01553 840045 

They took my first feral rescue and showed me their enormous wood pigeon enclosure, so I hope that they still take birds.

Otherwise there is another place further down the coast.

Cynthia


----------



## Bronny

Thanks for your help Cynthia.....I was going to try them at East Winch but I know they might say PTS..I will ring them though just in case.

It's had some more warm mushy Weetabix for tonight (crop looks nice and full but not bulging) and will have some pea paste tomorrow morning first thing. I've got my mum on lunch duty and will be home about 4.30pm so can manage to give it 5 feeds during the day and evening. I work full-time but will endeavour to find somewhere for it to go to be looked after properly tomorrow. Failing that I will have to do it myself! I reared 5 duckling last year...they were easy though compared to this little fella!!

Thanks for the number ...I will ring you if I get stuck and thank you for all your help  .

Cheers
Jo

(Oh and will get some baby food tomorrow  too)


----------



## pdpbison

Hi Bronny...!


what a little cutie!


Keep it 'warm' and do not feed it unless it is warm and active!

A standard, all purpose electric Heating Pad, with a terrycloth Towell folded over it, set on low or medium, in such a way as the little one may at it's descretion be on or off of it, would do nicely, set into a cardboard box where some of the bottom of the box allows the little one to be off of the Heating Pad onto a plain towell area.

Pigeons of this age are not endothermic yet, and chill is something one does well to preevent.

They need to be at more or less 'wrist' temperature or so, or, a little less if they wish to move to the edge of the Heating Pad's warmth.

Cover the Box with a light fabric or towell...to protect them from drafts.


Phil
Las Vegas


----------



## Bronny

Hi Phil

WOW - Las Vegas  - we got married there at the Little White Chapel....  

For tonight 'Woody' is in a polystyrene box with plenty of warm bedding and a towel over it (not completely of course) and is in my spare bedroom. It's pretty warm here tonight too so I hope he will be OK (not much more I can do really for tonight). When we were feeding him earlier he felt very warm so keeping my fingers crossed he is the right temperature.

Thanks for the advice and yep, I agree, he is cute......  

Jo


----------



## pigeonmama

Jo,
What a cute little "banana beak"! Hope all goes well with your baby.
Daryl
I'm hand feeding a pair of domestic pigeons right now. Little buggers are old enough to feed themselves, but still prefer mama's cooking.


----------



## Feefo

Hi Bronny,

Hope the baby did well last night. It is very young and must have had a nasty fall.

I use a reading lamp with a red bulb in it to keep them warm. A hot water bottle wrapped in towels is another way, but they only keep warm for two hours.

Ask the RSPCA hospital if they put them to sleep before you hand it over.

There is also the 

Gemston Rescue at Terrington St Clements, apparently they take all wildlife :01553 829138

Hopton Wildlife Hospital 01502 730980

But if they are prepared to take it please check what its future will be. 

I can take it on Saturday if you can't place it, maybe we could meet half way. I have an aviary in which it can learn to fly (I have a wood pigeon in there at the moment) and one of my ferals might foster it. 

Phil, thank you for stepping in with the advice on stabilising and keeping warm! I should have at the very least put a link to Cindy's post in the resource forum ! But I am not myself at the moment.

Cynthia


----------



## Feefo

Hi Bronny,

On reflection I think that it would be safer to avoid the pea paste until he is older, at this age they have a very liquid diet which is not milk but is called "crop milk".

This is the link to the Mac Milk diet, which is specifically designed to replace crop milk. The main ingredient is chicken baby food (sieved) Use as many of the ingredients as you can find.

http://www.internationaldovesociety.com/Recipes/macmilk.htm 

Cynthia


----------



## Bronny

Hi guys

Woody/Terri (short for Terradactal!) is alive and well! Thanks for the chat today Cynthia...much appreciated. He has had 5 feeds today and taking the liquid mix well (chick crumbs soaked, liquidised and seived as instructed  )...keeping him nice and warm as its been roasting here today. I've given him some company tonight too which he seemed to enjoy - *would he be enjoying it or am I imagining it??*

How long does the rearing take...not complaining cos I love him already and getting into a routine with the feeding now - but just asking so that I know roughly.

Thanks again Cynthia  .

Jo


----------



## Feefo

Hi Jo,

It was great to talk to you! I am glad Terry/Woody is doing well!  

In the wild wood pigeons fledge in 35 days, but they have their parents to teach them the ropes. The home bred ones seem slower to develop to me.

When he gets a bit older start spraying his feathers with a mister, so that they become waterproof.

Perhaps before releasing he could be placed in a release aviary somewhere so that he gets to know what wood pigeons are, how to forage and can be released as part of a group.

Cynthia


----------



## Bronny

Hi Cynthia

I'm typing this with one hand as I have Woody in the other! I felt he needed some company so he has been sat on me for a good few hours, bless him. He looks quite contented and has been dozing and generally looking cute  .

He's had some good feeds today and some healthy looking poo's!

I know that he shouldn't stay with me forever....I want to see him flying with others of his own kind and have a proper pigeon life. It's like the ducklings we reared and released last year....I reared them so they had a chance of life....and it's going to be the same for Woody.

What age will he need to be to go to a release aviary and do you know of one in our area please? (The thought of leaving him with someone is upsetting me a lot already, but I know I have to....  .


Cheers
Jo


----------



## pdpbison

Hi Jo,


Release begins to make sense once the Pigeon is a an able and adept novice Flier. Another Month from now, or five weeks or so from now, I imagine.

Lots to do between now-and-then of course...!

How (method, impliments, whatever ) are you feeding him?

What are you feeding him?

He sure is cute!

I wish we had Wood Pigeons here...be fun to see one!

Phil
Las Vegas


----------



## John_D

Hi Phil,

Matter of fact, the Band-Tailed Pigeon is very similar - they are also classed as wood pigeons. Do you get those, or are they only down the west coast strip?

John


----------



## Bronny

Hi Phil

I'm feeding him on something called chick crumbs (not sure if you have them over there?). They are soaked, liquidised then sieved and he is taking it very well from a syringe. Not poking his head in one because we tried that and he didn't get anything, so we've stuck with the manual syringing for now as he is happy with this and getting the food which is the main thing whilst he is so little. 

I'm afraid my eyes have been leaking on and off since reading your post Cynthia (about him going)....I can't bear the thought of it...why can't animals stay young forever  .

Yep Phil he is very cute, adorable in fact.

Jo


----------



## John_D

Hey Bronny,

It was only this evening I was saying to Cynthia about my almost-fledged 'baby' feral on my balcony, learning to flap and hover and explore. I said, sometimes it seems a pity they grow up so fast.

We should have a Woody convention - yours, Cynthia's sweet (and too tame) woody and also Karen in Northampton! 

John

(oops, sorry, Cynthia said Bronny is a fido not a human  )


----------



## Bronny

Yep Bronny was our beloved English Bull Terrier who is now very sadly at the Bridge...  .

And yep it seems that I was hardly original in my naming  ....does suit them though!!

Would it be awful to keep Woody then even if I got him a friend??? You know, build him an aviary and get another bird in? And let them fly loose but have a base at mine? Or am I being daft?! 

Jo


----------



## pdpbison

Hi Jo,


By the term 'Syringe'...do you mean, the end cut off of a Syringe Barrel, with a rubber diaphram on the end instead, and that has a small "X" cut in it into which the Baby inserts it's Beak?

Do you mean a Syringe is used to squirt or squig food into their Beak?

Or do you mean useing a Syringe equipped with some slender, soft end, such as a short length of very small sized Catheter, to put food directly into the Baby's Crop?

Just curious...

I am likely about to do the latter with a Baby ( not so young as yours) Dove here, who is not showing any interest in being fed otherwise...and who is running on empty...

Eeeeeeesh...such a tiny Beak too...

Phil
lasvegas


----------



## Feefo

Hi Jo,

You can start thickening the mix gradually as he gets older, by 10 days it should be like cheap ketchup, then up to thin mustard consistency.

I find releasing very difficult and have not released Woodie because she is a clumsy flier and has days when she can't fly at all. She is in the aviary with the other ferals and although it isn't ideal for her as she is an only wood pigeon she is not stressed.

Karen released a wood pigeon from her aviary and it comes home at night, wanting to get back in.

However, St Tiggywinkles' euthanasia guidelines are that any unreleasable wood pigeon should be PTS because they suffer such stress in captivity. i think that may be true of those that have been found as wild adults, but not hand raised squabs. Woodie was not hand raised but came to me as a cat caught juvenile. She is wary of humans but they don't terrify her.

Sorry about Bronny, is it old age?

Cynthia


----------



## pdpbison

Hi Bronny, 

You asked ~

"Would it be awful to keep Woody then even if I got him a friend??? You know, build him an aviary and get another bird in? And let them fly loose but have a base at mine? Or am I being daft?! "

I think that would be very nice, especially if you have no ready means to socialize him unto his ferae brethrin in some graduated steps, as one may sometimes do with other species of Pigeons.

Too, having a nice Aviary for him to which he may come or go, would also implicitly allow for the possibility he may socialize on his own to an extent with other wood Pigeons eventually, which may eventuate to his ( or her) finding a Wood Pigeon mate and then choosing a Nest site, which may or may not be the Aviary, so that would be a risk which would be a possible eventuality.

Too, with success and amenibility, you shall likely accept other Wood Pigeons over time, orphan Babys, or Juveniles, or injured or ill Adults, who may be introduced to your Aviary when ready, for them to elect as they may the come and go...

You could end up with a resident flock in fact, eventually...!
 

Do these Birds assume 'Flocks' as do the Pigeons I am used to?


Phil
lasvegas


----------



## Bronny

Hi Phil and Cynthia

Re the feeding Phil ...._I'm using a ordinary syringe with a sharp needle in the end but it keeps getting stuck in his throat_....JOKE!!! Obviously I'm not doing that  . It's just an ordinary syringe (with no needle) and we're putting it carefully into his mouth/beak and he takes it very well...he's growing enormous! And his feathers are coming along a treat, wings are growing.... he's generally getting bigger (as is the usual plan I imagine LOL!!).

He started to peck at the floor of his box today too which was exciting to see. If its OK Cynthia I'll ring you to see about the next stage of his feeding....I'll try to catch you in the week  .

He's in the airing cupboard at the minute as I'm finding this keeps him nice and warm and I can regulate it by opening or closing the door more, covering or uncovering him etc. 

He's frightened the dog to death today by pecking forward just as the dog went to sniff him and now Ted (English Bull Terrier) thinks the bird is on the attack and is steering well clear, bless him  .

I just love him to bits......

Jo


----------



## Feefo

LOL, JO, when I read that I actually visualised a needle in a baby pigeon's mouth, it was a horrible image!

You will need to be hand feeding him for some time yet, so it would be best if you kept trying to persuade him to try one of the other self -feed methods like the baggie, the icing sugar bag, the bent spoon and the syringe and balloon. If you can persuade him you will be delighted at how feeding time is reduced!

I will be at work from 9:30 to 4 at least tomorrow and then in the afternoon on Tuesday, but I will try to have my mobile with me and charged all the time anyway. 

Cynthia


----------



## Bronny

Hi Cynthia

Oh God yep I know he has a long way to go with the hand feeding but it was sweet to see him pecking.....bless his heart. I just like to be prepared (although I was never a girl guide  !).

Should I be letting him exercise.....you know, putting something down on the floor for him and letting him walk, he seems to want to have a go at it, and at standing up (bit like baby pigeon physio LOL!)?

Took some more piccies of him today which I will try to post later or tomorrow.

Jo


----------



## Feefo

Hi Bronny,

At that age he would just spend his time sitting very quietly in the nest, probably under a parent bird, so no need for him to excersice just yet!

I would love to see an updated photo!

Cynthia


----------



## pdpbison

Hi John,


You'd asked...

"Hi Phil,

Matter of fact, the Band-Tailed Pigeon is very similar - they are also classed as wood pigeons. Do you get those, or are they only down the west coast strip?"



None that I have ever seen!

What I do see in my feral Flock, or get as patients, are the Brown, delicate 'Gound Doves' occasionally, and, various feral Pigeons whose bloodlines sometimes include crests, tufts, feathered legs and feet-toes, huge Wattels, tiny Wattles, some are large Birds, some are smallish Birds, and as have various colors or patterns. Sometimes nearly all white Pigeons, who may have say, a graduated grey to black Tail but all else is "White". Some nearly all 'Black' Pigeons with graduated greys on their undersides or the subtlest hints of rust or sepia on their Feather's end edges.

No Wood Pigeons of any sort as far as I ever saw.

Would love to see some though..!


Phil
Las Vegas


----------



## Feefo

Wood pigeons are delightful birds!

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/w/woodpigeon/index.asp


----------



## pdpbison

Hi Jo...!


At this age, movements of their Beak toward something are not really pecking motions...not in the same way they will be later when they are actually pecking.


For them, 'eating' is not something they 'do', that is, it is not something THEY 'do', but something which happens in gestures from their caregiver or parent. 

For them, being fed is not a pragmatic or exterior event like pecking will someday be, but, it is an emotional event, continuous and bound up in the gestures of affection and preening and being sat on and kept warm and so on, which they recieve.

Movements or nuzzleings they may do with their beak, are (more) the tentative or even assertive investigations to see if they will be fed, if they may initiate the gesture occuring...and not that they are per-se intending to eat on their own by pecking Seeds. The two 'logics' co-exist vaguely, but for now, the being-fed is something which occurs in the domain of an emotional comprehension and bonding affirmation gestures, and is about those interests being celebrated or enacted.

Too, spending time with him, holding him in 'Hand Nest' and so on, or tucking him into the front of your shirt above your belt as you go about doing things, is something they will accept with the same pleasure pretty much as being sat on, which of course, for us, is not so graceful or safe a thing-to-do as for their biological parent Birds to have done...Lol...  

The bonding is their acceptance of their caretaker, and is the acceptance of them by their caregiver, and is their encouragement to Live.

This bond will dissolve as they achieve their latter phases of adolescence, and as they cross the emotional and physical threshold of becomeing an adult.

Right now, as you intuitively know, they need to feel unqualified acceptance and to feel 'safe' and protected and looked after and fed and gently interacted with in various ways. They wish to make lots of eye contact, and are allways interested in the status of things, and in status updates or affirmations.

In effect, they are often asking 'Well? Is everything still okay???"

Too...

Please consider to mix in some powdered 'Super Greens' and other nice things (such as grinding nice 'dry' well Seasoned Bird Seed in a regular Kitchen Blender, so it becomes a sort of 'meal' which ranges from powder to some semi whole Seeds or even some whole ones. Use small Seeds.
And adding a little fresh Olive Oil, some powdered pro-biotics, and some other things as well, into (or as ) their goo-food...


Now especially, they benifit from a wide range of nutrients, and precocial 'Chicks' do not have the same dietary requirements as do Baby Pigeons, so the Chick feed will as-itself, be incomplete as for your Bird's dietary needs.

Lastly, please consider to try them on eating from the hollow of a soft rubber people-baby Nipple ( or other means) which not only allows small whole Seeds, but, as this little Baby grows a little more, they will soon be needing to eat far more than you are going to wish to be dribbleing out of a syringe, unless you wish to do so all day long...  

Certainly 30 mL of fresh-made small Seeds in slurry of other nutrients, to the individual feeding, and four or five such feedings a day, is about normal in my recollections.


 

Phil
Las Vegas


----------



## TaylorGS

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]Yes, That is a baby pigeon. I would feed it with a eye droper.The baby food you need is Kaytee Exact formula for baby birds. You can find that at local pet stores like Petco or Petsmart. That is what I feed my babies. Ussually you can feed it until the baby doen't want it. But you can tell if it is full, by it's neck, called a crop being big . Just put a couple drops of food onto it's beak and it will just eat it. You can do this every 2 to 3 hours. I think I covered it all. Good luck, and keep us posted on the baby. If you can please post pictures of him/her because I love to see how it is growing. Thanks. Taylor[/FONT]


----------



## Bronny

Feeding query please.....he's now nearly 2 weeks old I would think...he's getting fed every 4 hours and getting about 25 ml of food each time (which seems to satisfy him)...is this too much/too little please? I've been using chick crumbs (prepared) but have now bought some Kaytee baby bird formula and will start that tonight.

Just wondering if we're giving him the right amounts?

Cheers
Jo


Whoops just re-read Phil's last post....it says about 30ml so perhaps we need to bump it up a bit....tyring to not overfeed though due to his 'bubble'.


----------



## Feefo

Hi Jo,

Remember that Woody is a wood pigeon, not a feral pigeon. Phil is very knowledgeable about feral pigeons but they don't have woodies in the US , so he has not had the opportunity to gain expertise there. The wood pigeon diet is not exactly the same as that of feral pigeons..they are also a lot more scatty and they will contract their crops if nervous which means they will overflow if overfull....it has happened to me when I assumed that feeding a woodie and feeding a feral were roughly the same and was very frightening! Fortunatley the pigeon survived, but it could have been a bad situation.


If you feel that 25 ml 4 times a day is right for Woody then please stick to that. And never feed a wood pigeon more that 30 ml in one go. As long as he is putting on weight and his poops are looking good that is okay. 

Kaytee is a lot more convenient to use, but I believe that chick starter crumbs are more natural. Certainly chick starter crumbs produce healthy pigeons. If you are going to change the diet start by mixing the two together so that the digestive system doesn't get upset.

I have asked Alison to look at the thread about the Dublin pigeon BB, who is also a wood pigeon, and to give her recommendations on diet and quantities, as she has hand raised many woodies. It might be worth keeping an eye on that thread for additional information. You could also e-mail Diogenese (search on the members list for the link), who also has recently hand raised woodies for further advice..

I will be at work this morning if you want to chat. I changed my routine today as I have to collect Beth (our miniature schnauzer) from the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket.

Cynthia


----------



## pdpbison

Hi Bronny,


You mention - "Whoops just re-read Phil's last post....it says about 30ml so perhaps we need to bump it up a bit....tyring to not overfeed though due to his 'bubble'."

Oh!...(Was that in this thread? Sorry! if so then I goofed up I think! ) I would have been talking about my reviewing what the feral Pigeon late-Babys or youngsters here would eat in a given meal at a certin age or so...

This might not be right for a Baby Wood Pigeon, so, just feed him all he "likes" if he seems interested I would think, with you being the judge of how 'full' his particular Crop is after each feed time, or how full it should be somehow, and not 'more' in case his enthusiasm exceeds your appreciation and judgement of the matter...and forget my mention of a measure which might not be right for his type of Columbiforme's particualars...!

Also, Seeds of course, just for us all to remember, swell something considerable in the hydrating conditions of a happy little Crop, so whatever they do eat Seed-wise, expands to like three times that size or so once the Seeds hydrate...Lol...and believe me, I have seen many enthused novice self-feeders learning to peck well who stuffed themselves SO much I thought they would burst as the Seeds swelled...so I have been careful since to limit what a neophyte self-feeder may have to peck at...! Lol...

I allways just stuff squablets (but not Babys ) to the gills when they are enthused eaters...letting them eat from the hollow of a little baby Nipple getting filled several times at least...then they sit there happy and lolling and they nap and so on...and make lots of poops.

If tube feeding a non-enthused eater I am do small meals...and 'goo' or 'soup' ones of course, since whole Seeds will not pass through the Catheters I have, whose diameter I feel safe to use into their Crops.

The 'meal' or flower I make in the blender, and might sieve to pass through the catheter if soon enough used, also, swells somewhat, but mostly it thickens...once they are given it or it if sits a little while in the container I use to spoon it into the Syringe...

Phil
lasvegas

Where, my ill and Cat-Caught Baby Ground Dove, is feeling much better, has preened little bunches of transclucent detritus in her folded cloth 'Nest. Stretches her little Wings in those 'Angel Stretches' they do. And, not only has learned to peck tiny seeds with s-l-o-w touching delicacy, and to drink happily from a tiny Glass, but, has wandered out from her little folded cloth (on my desk here) to peck with 'Crow Baby' who also likes to stand over her to keep her warm.


----------



## Bronny

Hi guys

Sorry for the silence with Woody but I didn't want to jinx him by saying he was fine too soon...plus I've been really busy feeding him up  !

Anyway here is my little boy....










He pecked and ate his first seed tonight and has been perching properly tonight on something 'perch-like' I have made for him. He's been cruising round the spare bedroom for a few hours each day (thank God for wooden flooring!) and generally looking much much better.

Thanks again to Cynthia for her invaluable help....very much appreciated  . No doubt I will meet you soon  .

Jo


----------



## Bronny

More Woody (it wouldn't let me put them all in my last post)


----------



## pdpbison

Hi Bronny,

Quite the handsome fellow..!

Good going!

In spite of my confused advises...Lol...

Phil
las vegas


----------



## Feefo

Oh, he is so cute!!!! Thank you Jo!

Cynthia


----------



## Bronny

Been for a little walk outside today (to get some fresh air for him and to get him used to it). I held him against me so he felt safe and he was very interested in all the other bird noises and the sky etc....it was so sweet  .


----------



## pdpbison

Hi Bronny,

Oh yes...

Taking them outside and often even, at this age, is a very good for them.

You can also set them on a towell in the grass (or set them in the Grass, but it might make him itch! ) and have your hand next to them or have them nestled in your hand, and just loll there a while, and they may nap or intently look 'up' at any airplane or high jet.

It is also good for them of course to be able to observe other Birds grazing. Ideally, Birds of the same sort as themselves, but I do not know how easy that may be to arrange with a Wood Pigeon..!

Sure is cute!

Phil
Las Vegas


----------



## Bronny

Gotta share this with you all.....  

Woody is spending his free time (when he's not busy growing enormous!) in our spare bedroom (with wooden flooring  ) and I just went downstairs to get his last meal ready. When I came back I couldn't see him for a few seconds...and there he was sat on the chair!!!!!!! He'd got there all by himself - how about that!!!

Also, quick question for Cynthia please....I mixed some finch seed in with his chick crumb preparation today, and on top of that made it too thick (by accident) and wasn't able to liquidise it properly. He has been rather reluctant at meal times - not like before - an absolute gannet guts! *Is this normal please when you add the seed* , or was it just because it was quite thick do you think? He is fine in every other way, his bubble has gone (hooray!), he's investigating everywhere and generally seems very grown up today.

Thanks 
Jo


----------



## Bronny

Panic over....back to being a normal little piggly today  ....

Jo


----------



## Feefo

I am so glad he is back to normal.

Both Poppet and Chico were unenthusiastic if a meal didn't seem quite "right"...wrong consistency, wrong temperature, wrong person offering the feed....they are particular about some things but soon adapt.

Cynthia


----------



## Bronny

Oh gawd....he went back to being fussy after breakfast which is unusual for him as he has been a very good feeder up until now. Just worried how this will effect him  

He's still pecking at seeds but not actually eating any - I think he had about 1 the other day! 

Been outside again today which he really enjoys.

Jo


----------



## Feefo

Best go back to his original recipe! If he doesn't start eating enthusistically you will have to force feed, he must avoid becoming dehydrated.

Cynthia


----------



## pdpbison

Hi Bronny,


As for presenting the medly of things a Wood Pigeon is known to eat...

Open his Beak and pop things 'in'! - and, let him be against your hand as you 'peck' at the same sorts of things ( say on a folded light colored Towell, which makes it easier for them to get things far enough into their Beak when learning to peck...)

He is close now to the age where he will get the knack...and you 'pecking' with him will be found to be an encouragement...!


Phil
Las Vegas


----------



## Feefo

*Update*

Jo and her hubbie brought Woodie down to me last week and he is in the doviary sharing with Poppet. Poppet has taught him to peck seed. Although I still top him up with Chick crumbs.

He is absolutely adorable!

His next step will be to progress to the main aviary to strengthen his wing muscles and learn to "compete" for food (even though that will probably just involve sharing feeders with the other pigeons).

Cynthia


----------



## Skyeking

Thank you for the update Cynthia, I've been following this one silently. He will definitely pick up new tricks and "learn the ropes" from Poppet. LOL

Treesa


----------



## Feefo

> He will definitely pick up new tricks and "learn the ropes" from Poppet. LOL


You are right there! Poppet has become an experienced trainer/mentor.

Cynthia


----------



## pdpbison

Yahhhh...one thing good about overlapping Rehabs of various Pigeons and Youngsters and Buh-Hay-Beeees, is that they readily learn from eachother and from their elders..!

Oh sigh...that is allways the best...

Phil
Las Vegas


----------



## Bronny

Hi guys

I'm still about  .

I just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU  to Cynthia for coming to our rescue all those weeks ago. She was an invaluable source of info and offered me so much support with Woody, I couldn't have done it without her...  . It was very traumatic for me to part with him but I knew it was for the best and when I met Cynthia and saw how well looked after her birds were it was a great relief. 

Cynthia sent me these updated piccies below so I hope it's OK with her for me to post them on here....(in next few posts)....

Thanks again Cynthia...  (it was lovely to meet you).

Jo
xx


----------



## Bronny




----------



## Bronny




----------



## Bronny

And then this one was taken on the 17/6/05....he's looking like a professional wood pigeon in this one, bless him...










Oh I should say a big THANK YOU  to Poppet too for being such a good mentor to Woody... ...THANKS POPPET.


----------



## Pigeonpal2002

How wonderful Bronny!!! Cynthia is a great person and certainly knows how to take care of pigeons. Glad it all worked out and he looks GREAT


----------



## Feefo

Thanks Jo.  

Woodie seems to have grown a lot since those photos, I will have to take some more. and e-mail them.

He is still a big baby though. He eats seeds out of the pot, but when I offered it to him a couple of days ago he squeaked, ran up my arm and started nuzzling at my mouth with his beak! 

John has always had this theory that pigeons don't realise that the hand that feeds is attached in some way to the face, but Woodie obviously understood that my mouth is the equivalent of a bird's beak and a potential source of food, even though he has never been fed from a human mouth. 
(For anybody that reads this and does not realise, giving a bird food from a human mouth could be fatal for the bird as we carry the pasteurella bacteria in our saliva).

Cynthia


----------



## Bronny

> even though he has never been fed from a human mouth


Ahhhh...I knew there was something I should have confessed  ....

JOKE!! Definitely didn't teach him that...he's just highly intelligent .

I bet he's enormous now Cynthia....love to see some more piccies. Hope he has been OK in the heat....better than the rest of us I imagine....I hate it  .

Jo
xx


----------



## Feefo

Thanks for the compliment, Brad  

Woody seems quite comfortable despite the heat, Jo. The doviary is cool and shady compared to the aviary. The pigeons in the aviary were panting a bit the other day, so we covered the top with lengths of rush fencing. Both "cages" have a bath permanently available for the pigeons to cool down in if they want.

Cynthia


----------



## Pigeonpal2002

cyro51 said:


> Thanks for the compliment, Brad
> 
> Cynthia



You're most welcome Cynthia and it's TRUE. You're one of the most experienced people here and most devoted to your birds. Whenever there is a wood pigeon topic here especially, I always keep my nose out of it because of all of us, you know the most about them and how to meet their needs


----------



## John_D

On saturday morning, I tried to tempt little woodie to eat from a pot of seed, but he was more interested in standing on the pot and squeaking at me. Anyway, as they were both on one perch, I held up an identical pot for Poppet (who loves to have waiter service when he can get it) and he ate very readily. Next thing, little woodie looked at Poppet and immediately began diving into the pot I held up for him, just like Poppet was doing. Of course, from copying Poppet, woodie has also picked up the fun of landing on human heads , as Cynthia found out  

I love em all, but pigeons of that age are just so adorable!

John


----------



## Feefo

> Whenever there is a wood pigeon topic here especially, I always keep my nose out of it because of all of us, you know the most about them and how to meet their needs


I wish I knew more, Brad! Helen and Alison are our most experienced and knowledgeable members as far as woodies go, but both so much busier than I am they seldom have the chance to visit this forum.

Essentially we all learn from each other, I learnt everything I know from helen and I know that even though you have never handled a wood pigeon you could identify a baby in a photo and offer excellent advice on its care so I hope you won't hang back in my absence!

Cynthia


----------



## vivian

Bronny,what types of birds live in the neighborhood?


----------



## Pigeonpal2002

cyro51 said:


> Essentially we all learn from each other, I learnt everything I know from helen and I know that even though you have never handled a wood pigeon you could identify a baby in a photo and offer excellent advice on its care so I hope you won't hang back in my absence!
> 
> Cynthia



Thanks Cynthia, 

I probably would offer advice if needed but I'm glad that so far, you've been around when members find the Woodies and post of needing help

And you're so right, we do learn from each other because I learned many things from you, Terry and Helen (way back when) and I continue to learn things here in this forum everyday from wonderfully knowledgeable and experienced people!


----------



## Feefo

*One Year Later...*

...and here is Littlewood on the left with his friends Poppet centre and Norwood right. Woodpigeons have made looking disapproving into an art!


----------



## Pigeonpal2002

Hi Cynthia, 

LOL...what a great photo of the 3 of them! Poor little Poppet looks like he's saying, "oh boy, woodies to the left of me, woodies to the right of me"....where do I go???? LOL. He also looks like he's just a tad frightened by those two big brutes

Glad to hear they are all doing so well and those woodpigeons look huge!!! Bigger than I thought compared to the collared dove.


----------



## Feefo

> He also looks like he's just a tad frightened by those two big brutes


Not Poppet! he is very jealous and possessive, John only has to look as if he is going to stroke a woodpigeon and Poppet is there, chasing them off!

Cynthia


----------



## Skyeking

Hi Cynthia,

Poppet is too precious. The woodpigeons do look kind of discerning, and look down on Poppet.  


Brad,

That reminds me of that old song that I changed the words to.... " woody to the right of me, woodyto the left, HERE I AM....stuck in the middle 'tween you two!"


----------



## Pigeonpal2002

Trees Gray said:


> That reminds me of that old song that I changed the words to.... " woody to the right of me, woodyto the left, HERE I AM....stuck in the middle 'tween you two!"



LOL!...funny Treesa I believe you Cynthia...maybe that is Poppets look of if to say, "ok, which one of you two goons are gonna make my day first", LOL


----------



## John_D

Poppet, of course, follows me everywhere in the aviary. In that pic, he was just at the point of taking off to land on my head. More and more, though, one or other woodie will seek me out and happily stand on my shoulder while I clean up in the shed. 

We find it interesting that woodies are not well studied in some ways. We have heard sounds from them which I've not read about, for example. Their non-cooing speech seems to be a short "hmmm". We have had that conversation with both of them - one says "hmmm", we say the same(ish), a woodie says it.... and so on. Trouble is, we don't really know what it means in woodie terms  When I was stroking Norwood's neck (in the way pigeons often like), I got a hoarse "oooh" sound from him (or, probably, her), quite unlike a normal woodie call. 

There's so much to learn still about pigeons and doves, I think. It often seems to me like it's a real privilege to be able to get so close to them!

John


----------



## Rooster2312

Wow! What a lovely story about little woodie. Cynthia your photo is brilliant! Really cute with little poppet there in the middle .

Woodies really are beautiful pigeons. I have been feeding 2 sometimes 3 for the last 2 months. I was sitting out in the sun the other day and one of them came down for food. Being naturally shy and nervous he/she was tentatively getting closer and closer to the food. I sat there as still as a statue but I was just a little too close for comfort. It was great to get such a close view though.

Lindi


----------



## Maggie-NC

That's a great picture of all three. The woodies are very handsome birds - but so is Poppet. I just love the name.


----------



## mustlovedogs

He he he's a cutie!


----------



## BirdDogg10

Gosh...I had no idea wood pigeons looked like that. Very attractive...


----------



## Pigeonpal2002

A question...to our members in Europe and Asia. Can somebody explain/compare or demonstrate the size difference between a Eurasian "woodie" as compared to a Carrion Crow......I'm just curious.

After seeing the photos of Poppet, next to Littlewood and Norwood it got me thinking and speculating. 

I know your jackdaws are nearly identical in size, to a feral/homing pigeon and from the pictures I've seen; both from internet searches and from certain members' pictures.

My understanding is that a common "woodie" is about 16" long from beak to tail, and weighing about (on average) 700 grams. How does this compare to your Eurasian Carrion crows? Do any Uk-ers or Eurasian members have pictures of them side by side?

What marvels me, is the size of my giant runts. I am so used to their gargantuan "pigeondom" that I don't realize anymore. When I see them in persective, say...perched on my shoulder, I am humbled by their immense size and stature....like medium/to large sized beuteos they are


----------



## John_D

Hi Brad,

Yep, a woodie is about 15 - 16 inches. A Carrion Crow is 18 - 19 inches. Crows always looked huge to me, until I saw my first Raven 

John


----------



## pigeon123

hi please ring 01159566275 if you want me to take it off your hands i have been a wildlife helper for 12 years i know every thing about birds and wildlife. so please ring if you want to and ask for tracey and if you have found any other wildlife like hedgehogs and animals like that please be in touch


----------



## Yeasmin

Is that a citycell no?where is country code?


----------



## Feefo

Hi Tracey,

Can you let us know where you are? I keep a resources list of people that can help with pigeon rescue and if you are availbale I willb be happy to add you to it.

As for Littlewood, having been classified as male when she paired up with Norwood, who layed two eggs, two years ago - she has paired up with a male wood pigeon this year and has already layed her first egg.


----------



## pigeon123

*hi feefo*

hi feefo i live in arnold so do you have any animals you have fount if you have please get in touch and thats to any one on this site please ring 0115-9566275 thank you


----------



## Feefo

Sadly our darling Littlewood died yesterday, the vet confirmed today that she had egg yolk peritonitis. Fly high my baby, you will be so missed.

Thank you for saving her, Bronny, and for bringing her into my life.


----------



## TAWhatley

I'm so very sorry for the loss of Littlewood. What a beautiful bird she was. Fly free, Littlewood! You were well loved. and will be sorely missed.
Terry


----------



## Feefo

Thanks Terry, Littlewood was our first Pigeon Talk Woodie, and such a gentle bird. I always dreaded the day that I would lose her but still didn't expect it to arrive so soon.


----------



## spirit wings

awww, she was so pretty.. thanks for sharing her picture... Im sorry.


----------

