# 2 Baby Ferals Found



## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

I received a phone call today and was asked if I would be willing to accept two baby feral pigeons , apparently still with down feathers and not yet able to fly . 

The story was that either the Hen or Cock bird was squashed when a fork lift lowered a pallet of shipping material on top of another , somehow the nest was spared and these two babies have been sitting in the nest alone and unfed for at least three days .........I immediately said yes I will take them and they were delivered to my door within the hour .

Surprisingly they were quite bright , somewhat on the thin side ......They were both given some hydrating fluid to begin with .
I made a decision not to feed them hand rearing mix after making it up , instead in warm water I soaked small seeds , some canary mix with milo seed and wheat and force fed them this by opening the beak and dropping it in . Past experience using this method I've found that within 5 minutes or so the birds will attempt to pick at the seed on the towel that drops while attempting to feed them .....I find this indicates to me if they are ready to take seed........sure enough , to my delight this happened 

Observing them both getting the hang of it and feeding .....I noticed the larger baby of the two losing fluid from the mouth as he was picking and eating seed which puzzled me a bit , i've not ever seen that before .......the smaller baby wasn't losing any fluid like his sibbling . I'm unsure if this was just hydrating fluid or fluid that was from the soaked seed I forced fed to begin with or something else ?.........I'm happy to report that the fluid loss did stop .

My main priority is to get these babies fit & healthy , so I am happy to recieve any advice .

I will attempt to take and upload a picture of the pair tomorrow .

Darren


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Nice job...can you take a guess as to their age ? 

http://www.speedpigeon.com/baby_racing_pigeon.htm

Keep them together and very warm (i.e. an ambient air temperature of 70 degrees F minimum (you can also set a heating pad on low beneath a layer of towel and set them on this, the partially cover the box or cage they are in to keep the heat in).

Look for the typical red flags: lethargy, droopy or closing eyes, fluffed out feathers, loss of appetite.

Some pics would help us assess their age and condition.

Great job so far ! Thanks for caring.


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Hi Jaye 
............Thanks for the reply 

I'm guessing they might be approaching the 4 week mark .

They are still doing really well ......definately not used to human contact at all , they attempt to run from me at feeding time , it's a bit different from chicks I've had to hand feed in the past where they are nuzzling at your fingers and flapping wings for food , hopefully they will chill out and relax in a day or two . They were'nt as keen to pick at the seed today as they were yesterday , so they had to be force fed today .

I've tried a different approach at hand feeding them this time .....I've crushed the seed in a mortar and pestle ...........corn , peas , wheat and a canary mix ...I then grated bread which gelled it altogether , rolled them into little balls and popped them down ....it really did make hand feeding them really smoothly .

what are your thoughts about this way of hand feeding ???

Do you think it would be worthwhile adding some spinach during the crushing of the seed and combine this into the balls of foood ??


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

What colour would you say the youngster is to the right ??


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

...........another


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

oh their cuuuute!... I would say it is a blue grizzle color bird...


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

spirit wings said:


> oh their cuuuute!... I would say it is a blue grizzle color bird...


Many thanks Spirit


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Pretty little ferals, aren't they?


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Hi Darren, nice rescue. You should be fine with the balls you are feeding along as you make sure they are drinking well to help breakdown and digest the balls. Good job.

Karyn


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Darren,



Winning them over for them to let you feed them, for them to be active assertive agents in their being fed, at this age, is a little less certain than when they are younger, and, they can decide the matter one way or the other according to their lights...according to your approach.

What I do, is to make the same sounds a Poppa Pigeon does, when he is calling his pre-fledgling or fledgling age youngsters to fly over and be fed.

This is a sort of 'Ooooo!Ooooo!Oooooo!' call, which comes from deep in the Throat, a Baratone range of sound, resonent and clear, and, can have a sort of inflection or emphasis at the end part.

With this, I also lightly moisten my finger tyips in warm water, and, shake off the drops, and, with my warm moist finger tips, I gently massage their Beak down toward the root area, and, guide the Beak then into a flat bottom Coffee Cup of tepid Water, keeping my Finger Tips on the Beak, as they drink, and, they will drink 'Like-a-Horse'.

Once this is established, they are then tentatively open to maybe letting me feed them, also, seeing as I just 'watered' them, and, so far, from their point of view, at least some of the elements are in place well enough, for there to maybe be some promise of more things to come...though they may still be skeptical or reserved or unsure about it.

With this then, again, with the slightly moist finger tips, I gently massage their Beak down low once again, and, see if I can get them to 'Nuzzle' which is their way of asking to be fed or Watered. It might be only a tentaive 
'Nuzzle'.

And, if I can get them 'Nuzzling', I then feed them using my Hand, with small whole Seeds, and, forming the fingers of my Hand, for it to fulfill at least some of the function and feeling 'as-if' it were a Pigeon Parent's Beak they were feeding out of.

If this is not getting anywhere, I gently open their Beak and put n a few small whole Seeds, and, repeat the soft moist 'massage' gesture, and, this then usually gets them over the edge to where they get it, that I am inviting them to feed, and that I am offwering to feed them, and, then they really start 'Nuzzling'.


They will 'gobble' the Seeds when the Seeds are presented in this way...just about as if they were feeding from their Parent's open Beak and Throat.

Also, they will 'gobble' small whole Seeds from a Shot Glass, so long as they have Nuzzled, and, are 'Nuzzling', and, so long as one softly keeps one's finger tips at least somewhat on their Beak, as they eat.


So, justt get some small whole Seeds, like a Finch or Canary Mix kind, and, try the Shot Glass following your getting the other preliminary steps done first, of inviting them to drink, success with the guided Beak into the tepid Water, and, then, graduate to the Seeds in Hand Beak or Shot Glass.


I am used to this, so, usually these steps take us about three minutes or so, if that.


Here is an image showing a view of the Poppa 'Hand Beak' in action - 





Same deal whatever their Age, and, I do this all the time with car wacked or PPMV or other seriously injured Adults even, who when invited to do so, revert "back" to Baby Ways and are very grateful to be fed this way even though they may be ten years old or whatever.

Might take you a few tries to get it worked out.

Do everything slowly, keep your Hands below their Eye Level at all times, never come at them in any manner, from 'above'...be gentle. Now you are the stand in Poppa, working out the secret Masonic Handshakes for these two to accept your invitations in terms they understand.


Good luck!


Phil
L v


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Toss the Wood Shavings...use plain Paper Towells or regular Towells instead.

Post some good close ups of some fresh poop images, also, soon as you have them on these other textiles or materials.


At this age, they are going to be in to, and, needing to be exploring, climbing flapping, running around, and doing small experimental flights, so, getting on the right footing now, is going to pay off well.

Figure out a Room they can be safe in for their needs and stage of developement ,rather than that they would be constrained entirely.

Cage or Box some of the time, as for over night, and, lots of play time by Day, is what they would be best with at this age.

Make sure there is nothing laying around they could eat in mistaking it for a Seed, since these two will be pecking very soon, especially if you get the Hand Beak or Shot Glass down...where, they 'see' the Seeds they are eating, and will soon start pecking at the fallen ones.

You can 'peck' with them or 'peck' to show example, using your crook'd index finger.

Doing this on a Towell works best, as it allows them to see and to peck the Seeds easier than if on a hard surface.


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

pdpbison said:


> Toss the Wood Shavings...use plain Paper Towells or regular Towells instead.


Good catch Phil, yes, absolutely toss the shavings, for some reason the alarm in my head didn't go off as normal, or I would have said the same earlier.

Karyn


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Skyeking said:


> Pretty little ferals, aren't they?


Indeed they are skye


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Dobato said:


> Hi Darren, nice rescue. You should be fine with the balls you are feeding along as you make sure they are drinking well to help breakdown and digest the balls. Good job.
> 
> Karyn


Heya Karyn , Thanks and I will keep an eye on the fluids .

is there a reason why you don't recommend the shavings ???


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

pdpbison said:


> Hi Darren,
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Phil , thank you so much for all the information ......It has been very helpful 


Darren


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

whytwings said:


> Heya Karyn , Thanks and I will keep an eye on the fluids .
> 
> is there a reason why you don't recommend the shavings ???


The reason is at this age, or anytime really, they like to peck at things, and could inadvertently consume some of small pieces of the shaving, if they do, it will be real trouble, causing their GI tract to slow or even shut down.

Karyn


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Plus...any time one is caring for a Bird, especially a Bird or Birds new to one's care, it is important to be able to see and count and evaluate the poops.

Shavings prevent being able to see or evaluate anything.

As well as, as Karyn mentions, if a youngster naively eats any of the shavings, it can kill them by causing a blockage in the Crop followed by infection and illness, and death.


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Ok ..with this information in hand I will certainly take heed .

It seems a little unfortunate tho .....the birds seem to love laying it .

They are both pooping really well , defective colour vision prevents me being more accurate but they are formed and look good . I will upload a pic of them and hopefully they will indicate all is well .

Thanks again Karyn & Phil

Darren


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

I thought you guys might like an update on whats happening with these two guys 

I've decided to offer them both a home here , they are now out in the loft with my other birds and are doing really really well .....it looks like they are enjoying themselves . 

The smaller of the two left the top of the loft with my flock today ....I was a bit worried when he didn't return with the other birds , but he did finally find his way back home . The grizzle baby prefers to wander around on the ground outside the loft with my fantails and hasn't been as keen to fly like the other , but I'm sure it won't be long before he/she takes to the sky either .

Thanks to all for your previous input !

Regards,
Darren


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Darren, sounds like they are very lucky to have found their way into your hands, it seems things have worked out well for them. Good job.

Karyn


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## Ivor (May 12, 2008)

I just read this post, and you are a real Hero Darren, Thank you very much for been there for these little babies, I'm sure they are save and happy now, we'll love to see more pictures!!! Great job!!!

Ivette


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## kamz (Jan 23, 2010)

Darren your babies are soo cute! No wonder you couldnt resist keeping them! I love the grizzled one. I'm sure they are going to be very happy in their new life after a rocky start in life.


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## Heedictator (May 19, 2011)

whytwings said:


> ...........another


nice blue grizzle!! can you already know what gender they have? can u show an updated picture of them? have them paired with racers and homers^^


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Ivor said:


> I just read this post, and you are a real Hero Darren, Thank you very much for been there for these little babies, I'm sure they are save and happy now, we'll love to see more pictures!!! Great job!!!
> 
> Ivette


Heya Ivette , many thanks for your kind words , The both of them are doing really well and enjoying themselves , it was surprisingly quick at just how well they've both settled in .....Some new pics coming soon 

Darren


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

kamz said:


> Darren your babies are soo cute! No wonder you couldnt resist keeping them! I love the grizzled one. I'm sure they are going to be very happy in their new life after a rocky start in life.


Hi Susie , the grizzle is is definately a cutie !

They are both flying around now with my other birds and enjoying life ....the grizzle concerns me a bit when he disappears for hours on his own , but he's always back at dinner time


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Heedictator said:


> nice blue grizzle!! can you already know what gender they have? can u show an updated picture of them? have them paired with racers and homers^^


Hello heedictator and thanks !

I'm not sure of their gender just yet .....I'll have some updated pictures of them real soon


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Well here are some new pics of the two youngsters , they have both settled in well and enjoying life


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

That grizzle bird could pass for a homing pigeon...she looks almost just like one.. the color is great and my favorite.. I say she because she looks like a she to me.


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

spirit wings said:


> That grizzle bird could pass for a homing pigeon...she looks almost just like one.. the color is great and my favorite.. I say she because she looks like a she to me.


Well S W .......I guess in time we will know . I thought it might be a he but you might well be right  I will let you know as soon as I know !

I like the colouring too.........I can't wait til they both fill out , they seem smaller in comparison to one of my youngsters about the same age .


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## Ivor (May 12, 2008)

So beautiful!!! I love those pictures!! they look very healthy and happy!!! Congratulations!! you are a great daddy!!

Ivette


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## November-X-Scourge (May 12, 2011)

what nice birds  so happy they're safe and cared for now!! look rlly healthy


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Ivor said:


> So beautiful!!! I love those pictures!! they look very healthy and happy!!! Congratulations!! you are a great daddy!!
> 
> Ivette


Many thanks Ivette


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

November-X-Scourge said:


> what nice birds  so happy they're safe and cared for now!! look rlly healthy


Thanks Elisabeth .......They are both doing just great


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## Heedictator (May 19, 2011)

nice!! they're sure happy ^__^


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Heedictator said:


> nice!! they're sure happy ^__^


Indeed they are heedictator ....hope you liked the pics


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