# Bird with broken wing found on the street UK



## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Hello, my husband just found an ill pigeon on the street that did not fly away because it has an ill wing, and brought it home.
The moment the bird was brought in and put in the cage it started eating a lot. It was obviously staving. Now it has a crop full of seeds and we inspected the bird. I think is a young bird. I see no wound anywhere, the wing is defiantly moving a bit, but it is quite droopy. If I move the wing a bit he pulls it back in its place, it seems to me that all parts of the wing are functional and I don’t feel any broken bones but I do not know that much about this subject to say for certain
The bird is really thin and apathetic. When I handle the bird it does not panic or tries to fly away, it is rather calm. The poos are bright green. Otherwise no other strange behaviours.
I will be inspecting the bird in a short while again to make sure there are no marks on its body, feathers are so close apart is hard to tell.
What do i do now; Can someone give advice on what action to take?


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)




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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Chris,

Well...it is in good hands! The fact that it has eaten is very encouraging.

Do you have any probiotics? That would be the first thing I would give a pigeon with bright green poops! I use Potent Brew for emergencies and can send you sometomorrow if you need it.

Cynthia


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Hi Cynthia would be great if you send me some.

Where do you buy these prebiotics and are they specially made for pigeons? Is the same thing as Potent Brew?


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## Teresa (Jul 10, 2005)

Hi Chriss80,

Your patient's wing looks sore, poor thing. When you're able to examine him, please look for wounds or swollen joints, to see if it's injury or illness. Thank you for looking after him.
All the best.


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

I just felt both of his wings at the same time to compare and I just noticed he has an slightly inflamed joint. I tried to fallow the bone line but I can’t feel any broken bone, is probably something in the joint connection. He surely can move the wing a bit and flap though which is good. Otherwise this bird eats, drinks water, grooms and is slightly more alert today.

Might take him to the vet in a couple of days maybe I can get a better opinion


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Oinment for sports trauma free of steroids can be used to slightly massage joint.
You may also try to bandage injured wing.

Wrap the tape on the outside of the injured wing and around the body under the healthy wing.
*CAUTION:* 
- You must be sure that you are not obstructing breathing! Do not wrap too tightly. 
- It helps if you can have someone else hold his feet back and then hold his good wing up.
- Secure the bandage/tape to itself.
- Watch the bird for several minutes. The bird might fall over and be awkward for the first day. His feet should be free to move around, but his injured wing needs to be immobile. He might use his other wing for balance – that’s fine. Be sure that his feet are behind the bandage (on the tail side) and that they do not get caught in the bandage.

Leave it on for couple of days.


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Hello Plamenh,

What is the exact point of bandaging the wing? Is it because the bird does not have to move it so the joints heal together? Does this method work for all sort of wing damage?
Any help much appreciated


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Chris,

I have sent you some Avipro Plus which should arrive tomorrow. Use 1 teaspoon full to 100ml for this one, as he is under stress.

I buy my supplies from the Birdcare Company (they sell Potent Brew and Poly Aid) and from Vetark.

Potent Brew is a strong probiotic, very good for sour crop but it has a limited life and has to be kept refrigerated once opened. I didn't think it would do well on the journey as it is so hot!

Cynthia


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Hi Chriss80,
Yes, the idea is like with injuries in humans to stop movement and further irritation and inflammation of the joints. If there is a broken bones immobilization will enable healing and mending. You don't know if there is a fracture or not. It is not necessary bone to stick out to be fractured. Obviously bird is in pain, otherwise it will keep wing in normal position.


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## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

Thank you so much for helping this poor little bird, it's so kind of you. The people here are wonderful and so knowledgeable, you certainly came to the right place! Please keep us posted.


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Hello, I just wanted to say that I received your parcel Cynthia and start administrating the AviPro.

Otherwise I am taking the birds for a vet consultation tomorrow as I alone can’t figure it out what is wrong with the wing. Though I won’t be letting the vet do anything drastic to the bird until I ask for more info here.

Fingers crossed all goes well.


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Ok, I have just been to the vet said that wing has been broken in the past but has healed with a scar on the bone. I would be guessing that this bird has been living on the ground long before my husband found him.
Now I got some 2.5 % Baytril from the vet. I got instruction to feed the bird trough the water but I want to make sure he has the right dosage so I will give the med with a syringe myself as soon I can find out the right dosage that is. I know there was some ware on the forum how much to give a bird related to its weight but just can’t find the data at the moment.
The place had another bird they got there. Is a racer that seems exhausted. They contacted the owner and the owner said to put the pigeons to sleep if it does not get better by tomorrow. I gladly took the bird home with me, is a really skinny bird and can barely eat but is trying hard and manages. I have also put some AviPro that Cynthia gave me in the water.


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

I dose Baytril - 10%; 2 drops; twice a day. In your case 6 drops twice a day for 10 days should be fine with 2.5% solution.
I can't believe that this bird with damaged wing managed to survive without flying for long period.
For racer, I would use honey or glucose in the water, as he needs energy.
Unfortunately culling is common practice with racing birds if they do not show winners qualities.


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Hi plamenh
Hi I will be giving him some honey water with a syringe soon, this bird has not been eating much of its food plus I have no idea if it actually had water, is always tricky to tell. The bird look rather week now is alone in a cosy room, better not stress the bird right now because is just come here.

I think I need a bit more accurate dosage for the Baytril, I have a 0.1ml syringe for it.


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Hi I just wanted to say that the racing bird I got from the vet has not made it sadly. She was hydrated with honey and water last night and had some watery poos over night, and I really thought that is going to make it. The bird was certainly a racer and got lost from a race, there are numbers stamped on its wing and I know they do that when they send them racing. We named her Spotty she is free now from this cruel racing world, Rest in peace little one!

On a plus side the bird with broken wing doing very well, is eating well and is happier.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I am so sorry, Chris. It is sad that it was already too far gone for help and far from home. Thank you for giving it haven for its last hours.

About Baytril, the dosage for pigeons recommended by the manufacturers is 10-20 mg per kg, once daily. 1ml of the 2.5% solution has 25 mg of enrofloxacin (the active ingredient) in it.


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Ok the new bird is doing very well at the moment; he is on Baytril and is one cute bird
Sadly I must go to Yorkshire in a couple of days for like about 2 weeks and I got no one to look after any of my birds. Only option would be getting them on with me but 3 birds is just too much trouble then it worth. Anyway I am trying not to go to Yorkshire


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## lchandra79 (May 17, 2009)

My dove had a droopy wing at one point. I think she hit the side of the cage at one point. We brought her to the vet, who gave us antibiotic and anti-swelling medication. I don't remember the name though. We also have to slowly stretch the wing, to it's full stretch, gently of course. So it's some kind of physical therapy. My dove was only 2 months old at that time. The vet showed us how to do this. It was necessary so that the bird will be able to fly later on. She also had a swollen join on this wing as well. She's fine now, and those medication definitely help. Not sure how much this information would help you. G'luck and thank you.


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Hi Ichandra, that gives some hope for my little guy that he or she might fly well again, I do hope so. I got no instruction from my vet sadly on what to do.


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Things are getting much better, the joint on the wing is much less noticeable, I can barely feel it now. The bird is much more energyc . The bird is much more energyc . The wing only seems a bit lazy when I inspect it, but the bird can move it very well, he stretches it, appears normal when he stands in his cage, and grooms normally. I have not let the bird fly around yet because I don’t want germs spreading around the room until I finish with the Baytril. It seems the happy sort of pigeon, hope it a girl just in case it remains with us, I would not want my other male pigeon to feel threatened lol.


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## Teresa (Jul 10, 2005)

That sounds great, Chriss! Hope she/he continues to improve.


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

me too , i have high hopes for this little guy


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi Chriss,

I'm just catching up with your post. I'm glad it's coming on ok.
Looking at the first picture it looked very much like Bonnie, my last rescue.
I found him in the street and he had an injury at the joint and was unable to fly.
The second day the joint was so swollen and bruised and the wing hung down to the ground like yours. He had a course of anti-biotics and also gave him some homeopathic Arnica to help with the bruising and swelling.

It took a couple of weeks, but the wing is back to a normal position and he's started to fly now. I hope yours continues to improve.

Janet


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

The bird is doing much more better and the wing appears perfectly normal. So the Baytril treatment has finished and I have also wormed the bird ( I have to repeat again after 8 days as instructions say to be completed treatment).

Is just I can’t help to feel suspicious about this bird. I wanted to let it fly around the room but it showed no interest, just sat there on my hand is also a bit too calm for an wild pigeons, I mean it seems it can not be bothered trying to escape me. And since it won’t fly off me I can not see and I don’t know if it actually can fly well, also the bird is probably a bit overwhelmed by the room. It can move its wings and flap them when I gently drop the bird down very well and I can hear her exercising in the cage when I am not around.

Otherwise the bird looks healthy, feathers are nice, eyes alert, eats very well, coos everyday in the cage. Does not look in pain or sad

The bird has no been in contact with my pigeons and I am too suspicious to put it in with mine.

What does everybody thinks? Just an easy going bird?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Cristina,


Can you put her on the floor and sit in a corner to watch what she does?

Her behaviour reminds me of My Little Angel, she has a mysterious recurring ailment and will be very accommodating when I hold her. She can fly, but not very strongly. But our Bootsie, who is a tame fancy pigeon who was discarded to cope on his own while still a squeaker, will behave the same as yours.

Cynthia


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Hi Cythhia,

I have done that many times. I watch the bird and it acts relaxed: walking looking all around the floor curiously, eats some peanuts if available, grooms its feathers stretches it’s wings, and that lasts for hours until will eventually pops back into the cage on the rock. Does not go up to fly , more precisely does not even look up with an interest to do so. I am not sure even if it realises it can actually go up


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Did Little Angel and Bootsie ever got normal?


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Bootsie is just unusual amongst our pigeons. He is a short-beaked tumbler type with feathered feet, and is what I'd call delicately built (his head is half the size of my local ferals). He can fly to a perch fine, but is just a very friendly little bird who will be quite content standing on a hand or shoulder, or being picked up and cuddled.

John


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Aww Bootsie sounds like such an unique little guy, i bet he looks pretty


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

John_D said:


> Bootsie is just unusual amongst our pigeons. He is a short-beaked tumbler type with feathered feet, and is what I'd call delicately built (his head is half the size of my local ferals). He can fly to a perch fine, but is just a very friendly little bird who will be quite content standing on a hand or shoulder, or being picked up and cuddled.
> 
> John


He sounds so lovely, I wish at least one of mine would be as friendly as that, I'd love to have a munch occasionally, but sadly no, they will only come near me when I have greens in my hand. 

Janet


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

I have been trying a new approach with the bird now, I am just leaving it in the room with the cage door open and all it does is to perch on top of the cage, that is as far as it goes up. I know there are some tempting high places so perhaps it can’t fly up there.

Janet, it reminds me Piggi use to land on me but dirt feet in my hair and shoulders was not welcomed so I had to tell him off lol


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

I would have to conclude that this bird can no fly for unknown rezones. She is a perky bird though and full of life, she gets terribly bored in her cage and I think is about time for her to join my other 2 birds Piggi and Boo in the aviary. She is going to cause such a stir among them lol

I named her Francy


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Isn't it amazing how long you were waiting for a flightless hen and now you have two !!! 
Oh Piggi, how are you going to handle two loving ladies??? 

Janet


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Hi Janet,

I might of spoken too seen, Francy’s might just have some feminine good looks but might be a booy.
First aviary encounter with Piggi and boo was a total fight, Francy tried to pluck ever ones feathers and was a riot.

If this is true and Francy is a boy, then I might need another hen to keep everyone happy


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

OOPs, Just what you needed, another boy.

I'll keep an eye out again for a lovely lady.

Are you going to have to keep him inside then if he doesn't get on with the others?

Janet


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Hi Janet, please do keep an eye on for another hen or 2. At this moment would be a fight to death between Fnacesco and Piggi so they need some ladies to keep them distracted.

I have put 2 cages together in the aviary between the wood so Francesco can walk from the shed to the main area bit and see other pigeons outside. He seems quite happy for now as he is grooming his feathers in the sun Is a bit cluttered but will do for now. When the cold weather comes I can lock Piggi and Boo for a few hours everyday in the shed so Francesco can enjoy the flying area too but for now is too warm to do that.

Who would of though that Francesco with his girly looks and attitude could be a boy


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