# Don't know if I am feeding baby pigeon enough



## cubbies mom (Sep 7, 2012)

My daughter found a baby pigeon under a bridge yesterday literally before it would have been run over (the light was red and the man kindly waited for her to retrieve it from behind his tire). THe wildlife center that I called for some help or advice told me to go put it back. There was no grassy spot, only street and bridge, which I told her, but she said that I still should return it because not every wild critter can be saved. Of course I kept him. We kind of think it is about maybe 15 days old. I bought Kaytee extract and warmed him in a box on top of a heating pad on low. Yesterday he ate very well with a syringe with a piece of fabric with a hole in it, but today he is not eating as well. I think he only ate about a teaspoon full twice today. He is pooping ok (trust me) and seems strong, but I am worried. I have raised many sparrows, but never a pigeon. I need advice.


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## Moderator Team (Jun 30, 2012)

Do check this out for baby pigeon care:

http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/caringforababypigeon.htm


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## cubbies mom (Sep 7, 2012)

I've looked at that website already, but I am concerned about it's change in eating. 
It appears to be around the 18-20 day old range from what I've found online to help identify. It feels full from what I can tell, but is acting hungry, but doesn't want the food anymore, and really has not eaten much today. I'm not sure what I can do. I don't want to lose the baby.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

You can also do this, it might be easier for you.



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.

In addition to the peas,one time a day, put a small pinch of powdered oyster shell, which you can buy at most pet stores, will supply the calcium the baby needs to support bone health.You sprinkle it on the peas.


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## cubbies mom (Sep 7, 2012)

Thanks for your reply. I've read online that they also need a drink of water between feedings. Is this true? (In raising sparrows, you weren't ever supposed to give them water, until they could drink on their own) If it's true, how do you give it water without the risk of it getting in its lungs?

It's just so different from the other birds I've raised, I don't want to do anything wrong, and there's a lot of information out there that contradicts each other.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

cubbies mom said:


> Thanks for your reply. I've read online that they also need a drink of water between feedings. Is this true? (In raising sparrows, you weren't ever supposed to give them water, until they could drink on their own) If it's true, how do you give it water without the risk of it getting in its lungs?
> 
> It's just so different from the other birds I've raised, I don't want to do anything wrong, and there's a lot of information out there that contradicts each other.


If you are feeding the baby with defrosted pea, thery enough to keep him hydrated. Remember to feed him/her only when crop is empty; it very important for the health of the pigeon.


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## Jenny Jones (Jul 29, 2010)

*Weaning*

Good luck with your babies. I can't add to the marvelous info on this site but I do have a related quandry. I have successfully raised quite a few feral squeakers who ended up at the wildlife rehab center where I volunteer (pigeons are "urban" life according to those who work with wild animals so they don't work on them). This time I ended up with a brother and sister at around 20 days old. They are now about 50 days. The boy is weaned and ready for release but the female seems a little developmentally delayed. She keeps dropping her seeds. I tried to see if hunger would make her work a little harder but she just got really hungry and ended up with this kind of honking-dry voice (two days with plenty of seed and water and a brother who is a great role model seed eater). I finally gave in and started tubing her again. Ideas? Ever seen one get this old and not eat?


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

50 days old...tubefeeding and defrosted peas since the peas should make the tranzition to eating seeds. There is a post with a 1.5 old pigeon who until now doesn't eat on its own. I wonder since tubefeeding is like a paste and there's no feeling of seeds in the pigeon's mouth, it's causing this problem.


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

i feed the babies with some soaked cherious.. not honey cherious just regular ones.. i use 10 cc surringe u can buy at any pet store.. and 40.. to 50.. cc depends how much are they hungry..
the cerials keep them fed.. and hydrated..
i add corn.. little bit of bread.. i get them used to the bread cause i end up releasing all the babies i raised..


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

and what a lucky baby.. your daughter is a great person and u two are some good people
thank you
i love good people


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Are you inserting the tube straight in the crop or the baby puts his beak inside?

Your daughter will grow up as very caring person. You will not have to worry ever when you get older


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## cubbies mom (Sep 7, 2012)

I just wanted to come back and say thanks again for the help, and to let everyone know the baby, now named Scuttle, is doing well and is happy. This is Scuttle last night after its feeding:


Scuttle by gira, on Flickr


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Can you post a close up of him from the front. The missing feathers, could be a sign of canker.


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## cubbies mom (Sep 7, 2012)

I just checked it's beak the other night (made it open up and looked in) and didn't see any sign. I think it's more from being a messy eater and getting that area washed so much, and the feathers not all coming in yet (still haven't come in totally under the wings) but here's a better shot of the beak/head area:


Scuttle Posing by gira, on Flickr


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Maybe the washing, but right under the beak is lacking in feathers also which should be filled in by now. Keep an eye on him. Very cute little guy.


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## cubbies mom (Sep 7, 2012)

Thanks, I will. I wouldn't have thought that would be a sign of it, so I'll check inside its beak more often to make sure nothing starts developing. The feathers are coming in on the throat, but slowly.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Just to mention that canker doesn't always show in the throat.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Here my little Delilah shows the feather loss from a bad canker infection. The vet didn't know if she would recover and it took 2 weeks of Flagyl to cure it. It was hard to get even formula down her throat.


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## cubbies mom (Sep 7, 2012)

How old was Delilah? I'm just trying to figure out with Scuttle, since so many feathers are still growing in. Today the feathers on the neck didn't look as bad as they did in the pictures from last night.

Are there any other symptoms? Because Scuttle is also not having trouble eating like I've read can happen sometimes, but I don't know what else to watch for.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

She was about 2 weeks old when I discovered the canker. She's almost a month in that pic.They usually drink a lot of water. They can smell bad or their poops can. They sometimes stretch their neck as if something is stuck. If the feathers are growing back in then she's probably fine.


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## cubbies mom (Sep 7, 2012)

Ok, I'll keep an eye. Scuttle usually doesn't act overly thirsty, and only got the feathers from ear to beak within the past week. I take pictures frequently, so I'll make sure to keep comparing and make sure feathers are in fact still growing, and not starting to fall back out anywhere.

Thanks for your help!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

He's adorable.


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

He is sweet.


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

in all my experience with baby pigeons.. they are all different.. some have feathers under the beak on their fifth day.. some babies start growing the beard when they month and a half old.. dont panic..dont jinx it.. 
baby is perfect and healthy to me. 
no need to alarm
no dissrespect to pigeon talk and everybody on it.. but sometimes people here tend to make a big deal out of the fly.. imean they tend to be little dramatic lol.. i dont come here often for those reasons.. just the other day i found a broken tail and hip baby.. and he didnt walk. noting else wrong with hi.. so after everything i done for that baby.. and whan i was giving an update.. instead of saying hey great update glad baby made it.. i got comments like why did u take that baby off baytril on the fourth day.. 
just little things and comments that make u lose your mind
just relax.. i had 300 babies go thry my house and every baby is different.. right now i have 2 month old babies and those under beak feathers are finally filling in the blanks


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

goga82 said:


> in all my experience with baby pigeons.. they are all different.. some have feathers under the beak on their fifth day.. some babies start growing the beard when they month and a half old.. dont panic..dont jinx it..
> baby is perfect and healthy to me.
> no need to alarm
> no dissrespect to pigeon talk and everybody on it.. but sometimes people here tend to make a big deal out of the fly..
> just relax.. i had 300 babies go thry my house and every baby is different.. right now i have 2 month old babies and those under beak feathers are finally filling in the blanks



Goga, the loss of feathers around the face and beak can also be a sign of canker, which is nice to be aware of, so you can watch for it. Different babies grow and feather in different ways, but to ignore signs like that is foolish. It can and often does make you aware of illness. Just because you don't know about it, doesn't mean it isn't so.


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

Jay3 said:


> Goga, the loss of feathers around the face and beak can also be a sign of canker, which is nice to be aware of, so you can watch for it. Different babies grow and feather in different ways, but to ignore signs like that is foolish. It can and often does make you aware of illness. Just because you don't know about it, doesn't mean it isn't so.


its not the sign of canker.. in my experience it never is.. ever. u said it urself different babies feather in different way .. same as human babies and hair.

people that asking for advice on pigeon talk might not have a lot of experience like we do.. so no reason to scare people, based on what u told this lady she might have put the baby on the meds for no reason. cause she could have panicked....baby is one of those babies that feather in the different way..

why not just say hey baby looks perfect. and it do


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

goga82 said:


> its not the sign of canker.. in my experience it never is.. ever. u said it urself different babies feather in different way .. same as human babies and hair.
> 
> people that asking for advice on pigeon talk might not have a lot of experience like we do.. so no reason to scare people, based on what u told this lady she might have put the baby on the meds for no reason. cause she could have panicked....baby is one of those babies that feather in the different way..
> 
> why not just say hey baby looks perfect. and it do


Goga, you have no idea what you are talking about. I'm not going to argue with you. If it weren't so, then I wouldn't have mentioned it. As I said before, just because you don't know about something, doesn't mean that it does not exist.


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

I'm glad for this thread -- I have an adult hen with feather loss in this exact pattern ... I posted on another thread about her recently -- she's just generally off, and has respiratory problems as well that are not responding well to antibiotics. 

This really makes me think I might be dealing with a resistant strain of canker that hasn't cleared up completely with the treatment that I have given so far. Much appreciated info, Jay!

That is one adorable baby pigeon, and a great photographer, too


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