# First time raising a baby



## whitneyhoku (Apr 24, 2012)

So, we have a pigeon/dove house. They are homing birds released at weddings, etc. Well, the pigeons were picking on a baby for some reason. I came to the "rescue" but I'm not sure I can save him. They were pecking his head but its not a deep wound. He is in the process of preening his feathers. I bought some hand feeding bird mix, and he ate plenty of it. I kept it at the right temperature and everything. He has a warm bottle of water to keep him warm next to him. He seems fine, despite the pecking. He walks fine, squeaks when hungry, etc. Im just worried. What should I look out for? What big changes will happen soon? He will be put back out with the rest of the birds when he is old enough. I just wanted to give him a chance else they would've killed him. If I kill him at least I tried. Help?


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## Print Tippler (May 18, 2011)

He can be put back in the loft just fine. I've done it enough to know, especially if it came out of the loft at an older age like 10 days old. You can bring him into the loft you want him to go into as he grows up if you want. Hold in there for acoupl minutes a day; if you want that is, I dont think it's need. Don't handle the bird to much feed it, get it weaned and move it.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Sometimes, usually cocks will go after a baby that way. I would clean off the wound and put some neosporin cream on it. How old is the baby? Was he not in his nest box? Are you feeding the baby bird formula. If so, just feed til the crop is full enough to be soft, but not hard. Don't feed again til the crop empties. Keep him warm, maybe on a heating pad, set on LOW with a layer of towel over it. He has to be warm enough or he won't be able to digest his food. How are you feeding him?

When you introduce him later, the parents won't recognize him as their offspring as they would if he had never left, but introducing him to the flock isn't difficult. I have a loft of rescues, and when I bring in a new one, I just do it slowly. You can bring him in there daily for a while, while you are in there. Give them time to get used to him, and eventually you can leave him in there for a bit by himself, and watch them. After a while you can leave him in there. Some of the other cocks will challenge a new comer, but it's never been so bad that I lost one. They work it out fairly quickly. Of course, it does go more smoothly if you bring him in and stay there for a few times first, just to make sure that everything is okay, and he can take care of himself. It's really pretty easy, and the others don't bother them all that much. There is nothing wrong with handling him. I have raised babies and handled them plenty. It's nice because when you do eventually add him to the flock, he will be calmer and friendlier around you because he knows you. Nothing wrong with that. I like my birds friendly. How old is he?


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## whitneyhoku (Apr 24, 2012)

He doesn't appear more then 3 weeks. I'll post pictures tomorrow. Ive read so much online already. Most of what you all are saying I've heard, and Im glad its true. 

Food is Kayte exact hand feeding. For all baby birds. I wanted Lufabers but couldn't find it at tractor supply or PSM. They had it online but were out of stock  

If the flock doesn't accept him, I'll keep him as a pet. We do have explore areas in the loft that he can be in. But my plan is to reintroduce him. If this goes well with him we want to start taking more of the older babies out to gentle them. Our white doves are absolutely insane. The pigeons are better but still crazy. Its so weird walking in and 40 or so white doves flying everywhere. Haha!! 

Did I miss anything?


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## Print Tippler (May 18, 2011)

I was just saying if your afraid of it not joining into the flock then you can not socialize it. As for introducing I guess it's based on the birds. Some breeds have more hormones than others. I take all my freshly weaned birds and put them in my adult flying loft and rarely have a problem. Most of the time the young bird will fly away. One time I had a bird mount one and I just locked the attacker up and put him back in and was done. If your loft is big enough, you have single perches like boxes, and the bird your putting in is old enough to have a brain it shouldn't be to much of an issue. Then again I've seen homers do things my birds would never do. 

If you want to start taming down birds as they come out you can try. A little handling is better than nothing but if you put them In a group of untame birds they will just follow there lead.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Well I have added new birds often, and have not had problems. People do it all the time. Never heard of anyone not being able to. I have tamed birds that weren't friendly, and have hand raised babies, and once put in with the others, they remain friendly. It has a lot to do with the time you spend with them. If you add them to the flock, and then don't bother with them except to feed and clean, then yes they will wild up again like any bird. Even a parrot that you don't take out of the cage and interact with will go wild. I spend time with my birds, and they are very used to me. Handling them at a young age and offering treats by hand helps a lot. Easier to get them used to you that way. As far as introducing him back, it is normal for them to challenge him, but that is part of establishing a pecking order. Soon they quiet down. Would like to see pictures of him.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

clean his head,he got a scalping and should be fine. feed him pigeon grain mix he is three weeks old which is old enough for the grains, he will be eating on his own if he is not already very soon, he can go back out when he can fly up to a perch to get away from any harrassment. If you have a hard time with just grains they can be hand fed defrosted peas and corn at room temp.. 40 to 50 pieces at a time, but hopefull if you peck your fingers in the seed/grain dish he will get interested and start eating..so check his crop before hand feeding.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

pigeon-lover0 said:


> If you feed him you must feed when crop is full. If you add new food to old food the bird could get a sour crop and could die. What king of feeding formula do you have? You won't have to worry about big changes just let him grow and do not worry unless his poops are discolored. You must keep him warm otherwise he cannot process the food you feed him. Keep him on a heating pad that is covered in one layer of towl and turn the heating pad on LOW. Sorta create a nest out of towls so he can stay in one place. Watch the baby as the pecking could have caused stress for him and can make his poop unnormal. Could you possibly tell us why he was picked on? When he is older becareful of reinterducing him to the rest of the flock. The birds will not reconize him/her as a member of the flock and they will attack him. I have lost one bird that way. The bird will come to you as it may think you are it's parent. It can be your pet if it lives to grow up.
> 
> Lucas


lucas the bird is three weeks old. so the advice even though nice is not right for the age of this bird..he has his feathers and does not need formula unless he is sick and not eating.. the parent birds are feeding the grains at this age. he should be eating on his own in about a weeks time. all though no harm is done, with your young age you may want to post only when you know you are 100% sure it is right, because if it was a more desperate situation and one follows the wrong advice it could cause a problems depending on the situation.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

You can wean the baby using the following method....


You can hand feed defrosted peas. Run some hot water over them until they are defrosted and slightly warmed. Put the bird on your lap and hold it next to your body. If it helps because you are having a hard time handling the pigeon, you can wrap a towel around it or put it in the sleeve of a tee shirt, with the head out the wrist. This method confines the pigeon without hurting him and makes it easier to handle. Gently open the beak and pop a pea at the back of the mouth and over the throat. It gets easier and faster, with practice, for both you and the bird.
You will need to feed 30-50 per feeding [depending on the size of the pigeon] and every time the crop empties until you know the baby is eating on his own. After a couple of feedings, most squeakers get the hang of it, pick up the peas on their own and naturally transition into a seed diet.It would also be a good idea to give the baby a pinch of grit each day.
This is a wonderful method for teaching babies to eat because they feel the whole food in their mouth and it’s soft and easy to pick up and hang on to. 
The crop is located right below the throat and with food it fills up like a little balloon. The peas make the crop feel lumpy and squishy.
__________________


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## whitneyhoku (Apr 24, 2012)

Here are some pictures. Are you saying I don't gotta fight with him to eat the formula? Whoo! Haha. 


































We have pigeon feed and grit that the adults feed. So do I just give it to him in a bowl, and if he doesn't eat it, force feed him? He seems otherwise healthy, I just didn't want him to die out there. Thank you so much guys. I'm glad I found this place!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If you start with the frozen peas which are defrosted and warmed under warm running water, it's much easier. Easier to feed than seed, and easier to digest for him. After feeding them a few times, start leaving some in his box with him. He will soon learn to pick them up on his own. Then you can move on to seed. The peas are easier for him to learn to pick up as they are soft. Once he learns that, he will quickly learn how to pick up the seeds. 

He's cute. Poor little thing.


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## pigeon-lover0 (Apr 1, 2012)

spirit wings said:


> lucas the bird is three weeks old. so the advice even though nice is not right for the age of this bird..he has his feathers and does not need formula unless he is sick and not eating.. the parent birds are feeding the grains at this age. he should be eating on his own in about a weeks time. all though no harm is done, with your young age you may want to post only when you know you are 100% sure it is right, because if it was a more desperate situation and one follows the wrong advice it could cause a problems depending on the situation.


I apologize.


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## whitneyhoku (Apr 24, 2012)

I actually learned how to feed him his seed.  He seemed so much happier afterward!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

That's great!


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## whitneyhoku (Apr 24, 2012)

Thats what I was thinking! And boy did he perk up after eating. So full of energy!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I'm glad he's doing well. Good job.


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