# Found 12 day old pigeon



## AucklandPige (Jan 15, 2020)

Hi

Two days ago I found a baby pigeon on the side of the road. Looking online I estimate that it's about 10-12 days old now (has some grey feathers and lots of yellow feathers)

I have been keeping him warm and attempting to keep him fed. He probably wasn't warm enough yesterday but we have figured it out now.

Fed so far: tried a mix of 1 to 1 ratio of unsweetened soy milk and oats, blended and then added an egg. We have been feeding him 3 times a day, but he doesn't seem to want to eat much or want to eat at all - how much/often should he be eating? He doesn't chirp for food at all and tries to pull his head away from food. Can we feed him anything else? I have given some water when we first found him as well but not since then.

I have never experienced a pigeon before so am really looking for advice as to what to expect. He sleeps 95% of the time and seems very lethargic, but I'm not sure what activity level to expect. We avoid interacting outside of mealtimes because we'd like to introduce him back in to the wild.

I have gently touched his crop - it feels hard at the top but that might just be his trachea (really no idea what it's meant to feel like.) Lower down feels squishy (like a bag with water in it) after feeding but also a little bit before feeding as well.

He seems to constantly lean back with legs out front. Is that normal?

Any and all advice welcome.


----------



## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

You can check out this website www.pigeonrescue.co.uk and scroll down to "raising baby pigeon". Lots of info there. Try to get him a handrearing formula for baby parrots/parakeets. Has all the nutrients they need. On youtube there are plenty of videos that show exactly how to feed them. Just type in "feeding baby pigeon". What does his droppings look like? Can you check inside his beak towards the back of the throat for yellowish growths that might indicate canker? This is quite a common disease, but easy to treat. The hard part is the trachea (becomes more visible when the crop is empty), underneath that is the crop.


----------



## AucklandPige (Jan 15, 2020)

Thank you!
His droppings started off black and quite firm but now they are light brown and a bit runnier. What are they supposed to be like?

His mouth looks fine - all dark pink pretty much.

He has been panting a little after meal times - opening his mouth while breathing - but it stops after a few minutes. Is this normal?


----------



## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

How are you feeding him? With the cut-off syringe method and does he stick his beak inside to eat? Never force food/water into his beak, he can easily aspirate. How thick is the formula you are feeding? Should be the consistency of tomato ketchup. The black/darkbrown droppings must be from the food he received from his parents, obviously it has changed because there's now a change in diet.


----------



## AucklandPige (Jan 15, 2020)

We were feeding him with a hole through a glove over the fat end of a syringe.

Thank you for your help - we have dropped him off at our local bird rescue and they said he was in pretty good shape. Hopefully he is a success story! 

Thank you for everything you do here to help people and their birds.


----------



## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Thanks for helping him!


----------

