# Pigeon Silence



## dekebrent (Jun 17, 2005)

My pigeon has been very silent over the past few days. She's eating and drinking relatively fine -- a little less than normal, but she's still eating healthily. She's molting around her beak and head a lot, and I'm wondering if the discomfort of the new feathers have made her silent. Every now and then, she still shows affection for me. I'm just wondering if the molting is the explanation or if it could be something else.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

It could be molting, it could also be something else. 
How are the droppings?
Molting is a stressfull period for them. Other than letting him rest as much as he wants to, good nutrition and water there is not much you can do.
During molting I give my birds whear germ oil, which is high in vitamin E. It is good for healthy feather growth.
He might also like a bath.

Watch him carefully to make sure it is just the molting that stresses him.

Reti


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## dekebrent (Jun 17, 2005)

Thanks Reti. She is still "dropping" a fair amount. Most of her droppings are brown, solid. Every now and then she has more watery droppings, or an occasional green dropping. I held her for a little while tonight, gently stroking her head, which she seemed to like. She also enjoyed when I placed my finger in her water and rubbed some water on her beak. I will keep my eye on her.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

I can imagine they like to be "preened" by us, when they molt, especially in places they can't reach. It must be uncomfortable for those poor guys to have all those feathers coming out.
Hope she will feel better soon.

Reti


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

How is the egg laying going? 

Any other physical signs?


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## dekebrent (Jun 17, 2005)

Hi Treesa! Pete laid a couple more eggs about 3 weeks ago. She abandoned them pretty early -- after about a week. Since I've had her (May '05), she's laid 3 pairs of eggs.

No other physical signs for her silence. Her "poo" has been fairly solid, although sometimes small and pebble-like. She's been sitting in her bath more regularly. This morning, she was better, cooing for me after I put some seed out for the flock in my backyard.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

dekebrent said:


> Hi Treesa! Pete laid a couple more eggs about 3 weeks ago. She abandoned them pretty early -- after about a week. Since I've had her (May '05), she's laid 3 pairs of eggs.
> 
> No other physical signs for her silence. Her "poo" has been fairly solid, although sometimes small and pebble-like. She's been sitting in her bath more regularly. This morning, she was better, cooing for me after I put some seed out for the flock in my backyard.



Is she due to lay eggs?

They do love to take baths more when they molt, and I would offer her the bath everyday. It not only loostens the feathers and rids them of bugs, provides moisture around the vent.

Continue supportive care, she may need the extra, as she is stressed from the molt: probiotics a couple of days, garlic, ACV, also a drop of coilloidal silver down the throat wouldn't hurt.


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## dekebrent (Jun 17, 2005)

Thanks Treesa. I will continue being supportive to her. She seemed a little better this morning. As far as I know, she is not due to lay eggs right now. Usually when she's ready to lay eggs, she begins cooing for me regularly and trying to coax me to join her in her nest ) I politely decline and remind her that I will not fit into her nest.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

dekebrent said:


> Usually when she's ready to lay eggs, she begins cooing for me regularly and trying to coax me to join her in her nest ) I politely decline and remind her that I will not fit into her nest.


LOL that is funny!

I'm sure you are giving her all the care she needs, and also reassurance. 

Please keep us posted on how she is doing.


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## dekebrent (Jun 17, 2005)

An update -- Pete's feathers around her head and beak are slowly coming in. She remains somewhat silent, and appears a little stressed. Her stool is fine to some degree, although a little dry and pebble-ish. She had some green stool yesterday. The vet recommended a little mineral oil when her stool is tight. I still think her silence is primarily in response to the discomfort of molting. I spent some time holding and stroking her yesterday, which seemed to calm her some.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

How is her appetite? 

Did she have a check up at the vet, or fecal done?


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## dekebrent (Jun 17, 2005)

Her appetite is OK. I'm monitoring that. She's not eating as much as she was a few weeks ago, but she is still eating fairly regularly. Her last fecal sample was in July. She has been on and off albumen since I've had her. Perhaps her stomach/a little parasite is bothering her?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Thank you for taking such wonderful care of Pete.

I would give her a round of probiotics, a few days, to repopulate the good gut bacteria, if you haven't done so.


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## dekebrent (Jun 17, 2005)

Will do, Treesa. Thanks, as always. Can I pick up good probiotics for pigeons at a pet store, or should I order it from a pigeon site on-line?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

You can pick up a human grade pro-biotic called Multidophilus made by Solaray at a health store. It seems to work better then pet grade. It has different beneficial strains of L. Acidophilus, B. Bifidum, and L. Bulgaricus, which will re-populate the good gut bacteria, aiding in increased absorption of food, increasing immune system response, and helps create an environment bad bacteria doesn't like. The poopies get real nice and firm also.LOL

It comes in powder or capsule, and I have both, because they had a "buy one get one for $1.00" sale. You will find it in the refrigerator dept. 

I use the capsule for heavy duty treatment, (yes, it is like the goodyear blimp going down) and the powder for prevention.
You can buy the powder and put 1/8 teaspoon in her water bowl and stir well. It takes a little time to mix it,but it does eventually mix well. You can also put it on her seed and get it to stick with a little wheat germ oil.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Treesa, can you use the probiotic powder and water soluble vitamins at the same time? Thanks, Maggie


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Maggie,

I do put the probiotic powder and multi vitamin, and brewers yeast on the seed on Saturdays, and mix it all in a bag (shake it all up) with wheat germ oil, to get it to stick.

I haven't tried it in the water, but you can try it if you have water soluble multi vitamin.


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