# Found flightless pigeon



## Jamieiscreg (Aug 27, 2019)

Hi everyone.

I was mucking out my horses field today when we noticed a pigeon who seemed really lethargic. We went over and it didn’t move or try to fly away. He still has a few baby feathers. I’ve brought him back to my house as he would’ve been eaten by a fox for sure but I don’t know what to do with him! 

I think I want to keep him. He’s docile and sweet and is currently in a big cardboard box lined with tissue with wild bird feed and water but he obviously can’t stay in there forever. We’ve encouraged him to fly a few times but it seems as though he is physically unable to.

I’m not even sure if he is Male - how do I go about finding that out and how do I know how old he is?

What does he need for a long term stay with us? I want to make sure we look after him right but I don’t have much experience with birds


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Could you pls post a photo so we can see his age? Thank you for helping him!


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Yes, plse post a photo so we can determine his age. If he is younger than 2 weeks, he can be syringe fed. Google on you tube "how to feed baby pigeon". Older than 2 weeks, he can be forcefed defrosted green peas.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

cwebster is right. A picture would help us to know what might be wrong. Does he stand okay? Please check way down his throat with a flashlight to see if there is anything that looks cheesy down there. Is he eating and drinking on his own?Can you add maybe some split peas, lentils, and safflower seed to his seed mix? He needs water left with him 24/7 so he can drink when he needs to. In a small crock or something that is a couple of inches deep. I hope you have brought him inside where nothing will get him.
You won't be able to tell the gender, but we can get an idea of his age from a good picture.


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## Jamieiscreg (Aug 27, 2019)

I can try and handle him today to get a better photo but that’s the one I got when we found him


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Best to feed him will be defrosted green peas. Hold him on your lap (facing to the right if you are righthanded). Reach with your lefthand over his body and head and open his beak with those fingers. Have a pea ready in your righthand and put deep inside the beak over the tongue. Give him time to swallow and proceed with the next one.If he spits it out, then you are not putting it in deep enough. Try to feed 30 peas 3 times daily, total of 90 per day.

Always leave a small bowl of peas with him, they quickly learn to eat them. To get him to drink water, you can gently dip the tip of his beak (not over the nostrils) in a small bowl of water. You might have to do this a couple of times for him to learn.


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## Ladygrey (Dec 10, 2016)

He is a young wood pigeon. Here is a link with info on them. 

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


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