# Feeding Time



## Kay-Leela (Dec 14, 2009)

I'm very new to nursing pigeons (I found one injured and I've been having my sister care for it for the past 2-3 weeks. At the moment, she's away and I've been given the responsibility of caring for the bird) and unlike the injured cats I've nursed to health and released...

I am not sure during what intervals I should feed the bird.

The fact that the bird has a moody appetite doesn't quite help. Sometimes she'll eat straight out of my hand, sometimes she'll eat out of a container, sometimes she'll just reject what I feed her. My sister fed her every 3-4 hours, and depending on how much the bird eats, she'll alter the feeding time.

But I'd very much like to know how often I should feed the bird, and also how to check if the bird is full or otherwise. Sis mentioned something about feeling its chest (it can be flat or puffed up, she says), but unfortunately I'm not too sure how to check for this unless the bird's REALLY full, and I would like to avoid that. 

At the moment, I'm alternating between feeding the bird chicken feed and wholemeal bread due to the inavailability of pet shops around my neighborhood. (that and I don't like driving around here. It's too crowded for my liking and the fact that people drive as if they're out to kill me doesn't help. ) I'm also giving her water + honey + pinch of salt to drink, and so far, she's been fine. (In fact, she's been flapping her wings more often now and seems to not like it if I hold her like she's incapable of walking.)

I just want to avoid over-feeding her.  

Thanks,

Kay


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

I feed my rescues twice a day. Small babies three time a day.
Crop in pigeons is at the base of the neck and it is like small sackwhere seeds are stored. You can feel it before feeding and after to see dhe difference. It is easier than to be explained. Amount of food pigeon takes is 20~35 grams per feeding. If you let her eat alone, there is no danger of overfeeding, problem is with sick and injured birds who does not eat alone. Roughly 40~50 pieces of corn/pea per feeding.


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

I hope this helps

http://www.urbanwildlifesociety.org/WLR/BabyPij&DuvFeedg.htm


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

The webshots album *'feeding techniques ....'* on this link

http://community.webshots.com/user/cyro51


Shows our Chico being fed - pic #1 points to the empty crop and pic #8 points to a nicely filled, squishy crop. 

John


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## Kay-Leela (Dec 14, 2009)

Thanks John, that was a very helpful collection of pictures there. =] The picture of the scalped little one made me cringe... D: 

Plamenh, I'm quite a paranoid person so I'll just ask as a re-assurance; pigeons CAN eat and drink at their own accord, right?  I drop by the bird's box every 3-4 hours and get a little worked up to see the water and food seem almost untouched. ._. More often than not, I look into the box to see that the bird does it's absolute best to annoy me; knock her water container over.


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