# New to Pigeons With an Injured Fella



## Cnsky54 (Oct 12, 2019)

Hello all! I live in central Washington and have flocks of small songbirds at my feeders, with pigeons arriving to catch any dropped food. I found a pigeon yesterday on the ground, both wings spread out evenly and hopping. I think I saw him fly a short distance, but not high. I took him inside and put him in a kennel. I can turn him over, and his wings don’t seem injured. His left leg drags behind but I can not find an obvious break. Local vet shop would not look at a ‘wild’ pigeon. I’d be glad of any thoughts or suggestions. I’m willing to do anything I can to look after him, but I really have no knowledge of avian physical rehab!


----------



## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Could you pls post a photo? Is he eating and drinking? Thank you for helping him! When we took our rescued feral to the vet ( who we adopted), we told the vet she was our pet.


----------



## Cnsky54 (Oct 12, 2019)

I haven’t quite figured out how this forum works. What do I do to add photos? I will try for some in the morning since the little guy is asleep and I don’t want to disturb him...


----------



## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Click on “ go to advanced.”


----------



## Cnsky54 (Oct 12, 2019)

Pete did okay in the cage tonight. He is both eating and drinking from small dishes I hold. He is not standing on his legs where he could dip his head into the dishes. His feet appear slightly out of symmetry, but he can move both. I move them and feel no sign of breakage right up to the muscle. His wings spread out equally and he will flap them when I hold him up. So what may he have injured?


----------



## Cnsky54 (Oct 12, 2019)

He isn’t happy being held but he is tolerating this amateur.


----------



## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

He is very lucky to have found you! Someone more expert than me should answer very soon.


----------



## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

The only advice I can give, is to keep on doing what you are doing now. Give him supportive care. He might have injured his legs and being unable to walk, became very weak from lack of food.

If you decide to take him to a avian vet, just tell them it is your pet bird. They often suggest euthanizing pigeons, and it's not always necessary.

You can also add vitamins for pigeons to his drinking water, especially calcium with added Vit D3.


----------



## Cnsky54 (Oct 12, 2019)

He didn’t eat much last night but I can tell he had his beak in the dish. He drank water when I held up the cup, and seems calm. I’ll go to the pet store this morning and look for liquid supplements.

My vet would not believe Pete was a pet if I told him. I have a house full of older, sick and abandoned cats that I have taken in. Strangely, when the pigeon was outside under a bush my one outdoor cat sniffed at him and walked away. I couldn’t leave the bird outside because there is a Sharp Shinned Hawk in the neighborhood always looking for a meal.


----------



## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

We hwe adopted a pigeon even though we have cats. So i think your vet just might realize it is your “ pet.” BTW he has beautiful markings.


----------



## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

You will know he is eating enough by looking at his droppings. There should be plenty. The droppings of a healthy pigeon is brown, round and firm with a white dot on top. If it is bright green and there's not much, then you know he is not eating. You can post a photo of his droppings.


----------



## Cnsky54 (Oct 12, 2019)

Droppings were all green and he had stopped eating. Every time I checked on him and offered water he drank, tho.

Tonight he died between water visits. I wish I knew what was wrong, but maybe I couldn’t have fixed it anyway. And he didn’t get torn apart by a predator while he was helpless. I’m kinda sad at his loss...


----------



## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

I'm sorry you lost him. There's so many diseases out there that they can get. If one does not know the symptoms and have a decent avian vet around, one can only do the best possible. Thanks for helping him.


----------



## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Am very sorry to hear he didnt make it. Thank you for helping him.


----------

