# 5 day old pigeon not eating or gaining weight



## STEPHANIEBEAUDOIN (Aug 20, 2013)

My father has a coop in NY and while cleaning it 5 days ago, 2 eggs hatched but the parents neglected them. My father was not going to be around full time so I took them home with me to Boston. They are now 5 days old, one weighing 0.6 ounces and the other 0.8 ounces. I took a third that was also abandoned which is about 10-12 days old (for comfort and warmth towards the others). 

They are doing well, except for the smallest. He does not want to eat. I have to open his beak and syringe feed him. I feel he may have gotten air in his crop. I hear a crackle when i touch his crop but its not very big. He's not wanting to eat and barely moves in the nest. 

The other (0.8 ounces) is bouning around and chirping. What can I do? My heart breaks for this little bird. I'm doing the best I can. I bought a heating pad for when I have to go to work. It only runs for one hour and then it automatically shuts off. I have them covered in a box facing a wall so they dont get a draft of air. 

Please help! I want this baby to survive. Any suggestions to keep this little guy going? Something must be working if hes still alive....but he's not gaining weight. He just sits there and barely moves, unlike the others. I was thinking of buying a reptile heating light bulb to run throughout the day. 

Also, while i'm at work for 8 hours...the baby is missing his feeding. But when I get home...his crop is not flat, but i'm wondering if there can be a little air in there. HELP PLEASE!


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*I know you really want to do what is best for these babies, but they have to be fed at least 4 times a day, especially the youngest one. You should locate a rehabber in your area.


http://pij-n-angels.forumotion.net/t223-matilda-s-list-united-states-l-n
Check this link under NY: 

Check this link for information on baby pigeons.
http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/


Remember, you can only feed them when they are warm, crop is empty, and the baby bird formula is warm.*


----------



## STEPHANIEBEAUDOIN (Aug 20, 2013)

Someone Please Respond. Any Suggestions Are Appreciated. Is There Something I'm Doing Wrong?


----------



## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Raising a baby pigeon. from that age isn't so easy and so to answer you with specific suggestion is difficult.
The baby must be kept warm or the crop won't empty. [heating pad on the low setting.]
It's also important not to over fill the crop, the formula be the correct consistency and temperature.
It's critical not to feed the baby until the crop empties.
As you are hearing a crackling noise, the baby may have gotten formula into the lungs and has developed pneumonia.


----------



## STEPHANIEBEAUDOIN (Aug 20, 2013)

Charis said:


> Raising a baby pigeon. from that age isn't so easy and so to answer you with specific suggestion is difficult.
> The baby must be kept warm or the crop won't empty. [heating pad on the low setting.]
> It's also important not to over fill the crop, the formula be the correct consistency and temperature.
> It's critical not to feed the baby until the crop empties.
> As you are hearing a crackling noise, the baby may have gotten formula into the lungs and has developed pneumonia.


i only hear a crackling noise when i gently massage his crop . its very quiet and only heard every couple of strokes. He is having no trouble breathing. I thought it could have been air in the crop.


----------



## STEPHANIEBEAUDOIN (Aug 20, 2013)

*6 days old - no weight gain*

So my 2 pigeons are now 6 days old. They dont seem to have grown a lot since hatching. Somewhat bigger...but 2 days ago i weight them: Mikey (0.6 ounces) and Spikey (0.8 ounces)...they have not gained weight since but are pooping and eating great. They are as active as a 6 day old pigeon would be. And are alert. They opened their eyes yesterday briefly, but for the most part have been closed. Is this normal to not gain weight? they are doing ok otherwise. I hope they grow soon. By the way: they were abandoned by their mother and taken care of since day 1.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Please don't start a new thread on the same subject as we need the history on baby's in question. I have MERGED the two threads for now.

What happened to the other baby?

Can you post a picture of the two so we can judge for ourselves? From what you say that they are eating and pooping okay and that they are active are good signs.

Here is a pic of a 6 day old racing pigeon to compare to: http://www.speedpigeon.com/6-Day_Old_baby_racing_pigeon.jpg*


----------



## STEPHANIEBEAUDOIN (Aug 20, 2013)

It looks more like a 3 day old than 6. Still with yellow down... no signs of feathers. Maybe they just grow slower due to not having a mother.the third baby is doing great. Hes about 12 days old and so good.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Please post a picture of the two.*


----------



## STEPHANIEBEAUDOIN (Aug 20, 2013)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/

the one i'm most concerned about is on the right. He is staying at 0.6 ounces for the past week. I have an appt with a bird vet on Tuesday (4 days from now) that's the soonest they could see me.


----------



## STEPHANIEBEAUDOIN (Aug 20, 2013)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/
this is another photo. I hope he survives. I love this little guy. He eats well. And finally opened his eyes yesterday. But is so listless. He doesn't move around like the other. Please tell me if i'm doing something wrong. I started using a little sugar free all natural baby apple sauce today with his feedings. I feel like it was taking about 6 hours for his crop to go down....and i wasn't able to feed him that often. I feel its helped a bit. Do i do this with EACH meal ? and for how many days? Also... how many cc's should he be eating ? and how many times a day? i want to do everything right. Its hard to feed if the crop isnt completely empty.


----------



## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

they look healthy for me , the little one maybe hatched earlier than the others, Please you have to feed them at least 3/4 times a day If you can't then give them to someone able to do!!


----------



## STEPHANIEBEAUDOIN (Aug 20, 2013)

they have already eaten 3x's today. The least i ever feed them is 3x's/day. There's no one that will take them. I had no choice but to hand feed them or let mother nature do its course. Where I live...no one has pigeon coops. They think of them as "flying rats" and it really annoys me. If i work 7a-3p. I wake up and feed them at 6am then as soon as i get home and again at night. If i'm off...they eat as soon as their crop goes down. The problem i was having...was that their crop wasn't emptying until 6 or so hours...and i didnt want to feed them and get sour crop. I started a little applesauce today. but i'm not sure how often to give it to them. And i'm most concerned about the little one. He's only 0.6 oz and is a week old. He should be double that. I'm going to continue to care for them and see what the vet says on Tuesday. Just hope i'm doing the right thing until they can be seen. I dont want them to pass before then.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

They can't properly digest their food, and the crop can stop working if they aren't kept warm enough. That means they should be on a heating pad that doesn't shut off. You can find them, just have to look around in the different drugstores. They do still sell them. Amazon sells them too, but you would have to wait a few more days for shipping. Feeding every 6 hours does work. As long as you can feed them 3 or 4 times a day. That may mean starting earlier, or feeding later in the evening. The applesauce is good to help the crop to move. Just add a bit to each feeding for a while, then maybe just one of the feedings a day. But they must be warm enough, as if a parent were sitting on them.


----------



## STEPHANIEBEAUDOIN (Aug 20, 2013)

Yes. Ive had a heating pad that dowsnt automatically turn off for the past 4 days. It is such a great thing! 
Does the applesauce cause him to have slimier stool? Its a dark olive green with white...but more wet than before. 
Hoping he gains more weight and starts to get more strength. Then ill be at ease. But waking up to him still there, is such a blessing. Thanks for helping! 
Do you know if I sjould give any additional supplements?how much should a 17 gram baby be eating? Ive been doing 2-2.5 ml's per feed.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

How could you have had the heating pad that doesn't shut off for the last 4 days? You started this thread 3 days ago and said you had a pad that shut off after one hour.


----------



## STEPHANIEBEAUDOIN (Aug 20, 2013)

I had bought another one I ffound at CVS that works around the clock.
He last ate ate 6:30pm.hes been kept real warm with the ither two on the heating pad. He pooped twice before I went to bed...its now 2:30am...his crop barely has gone down. Feels more like air. Do I give water and applesauce if its still this way in the. A.m.? I dont want him to dehydrate!


----------



## STEPHANIEBEAUDOIN (Aug 20, 2013)

The baby, Mikey, died this morning at 6:20am. I miss him so much. Very heart broken.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Sorry he died. Babies that age are hard to care for if everything isn't just right. He wasn't kept warm enough for some time and probably developed the crop problems because of it. Also, feeding only after it empties so that you aren't adding new food to old. Right consistency , so many things can cause problems with tiny babies.


----------

