# dying pigeon



## Leanette (Mar 27, 2008)

I have lost 3 pigeons in the last 6 months. The bird seems perfectly healthy and the next day it will be lying flat on the bottom of the coop, wings fully extended, legs drawn out behind and seems to be virtually paralyzed.....can't move feet or legs. The bird seems completely alert, not breathing hard.
The one that is down now, is on her fourth day. I have offered feed & water....no luck.....My vet doesn't treat birds..........What can I try? Their coop is clean........water clean. They fly every morning and late afternoon. I have had 6 babies this spring so far...........My birds are all racers and homing birds...have only had them about a year...........
....Can anyone help......

L.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, first off, where basically are you?

Pidgey


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

You need to remove the sick pigeon from the others immediately and put her in a cage by herself. Bring the cage in the house and keep her warm. If she isn't eating and drinking on her own, as you said she isn't, you will need to feed her and give her water.
Do you have any medications on hand?


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## Leanette (Mar 27, 2008)

*dying bird*

I am located in Central Texas................

I am very new to keeping birds........A friend gave me my first birds a year ago and he races his...............
He became ill and had to give his birds up...........
Up until now, I have not had any problem...............I have 22 birds in all.

I do not have any meds here other than ivermectin that I worm my dogs with for years.............

I was advised to ask for help on this forum because of the experience of you guys and gals......

The sick bird is in a small pet carrier in my house away from the other birds, but the first couple of days she was with the others. I just don't know what to do and I hate watching her die and being so helpless.

She will not eat nor drink at this point. I was afraid to force anything on her.

Thanks for the help
L.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

What position is she in currently? Can you either post a picture or send one to one of us?

Pidgey


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

It's really important that you feed her. Do you know how to do that?


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## Leanette (Mar 27, 2008)

She is almost on her back now with her legs drawn up. Her feet are cold, her breathing slow. I keep expecting her to be gone everytime I look at her.
I will post a photo in the am if she is still alive. It is so late.


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## Leanette (Mar 27, 2008)

No, I do not know.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Frankly, I think we may be looking at a very virulent viral infection. What kind of weather have you had for the last month--are mosquitoes alive and kicking right now?

Pidgey


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## Leanette (Mar 27, 2008)

Our weather has been cool at night and pleasant during the day....I would say 47 at night and the last few days 78 to 82 daytime. I have noticed a few mospuitos but not many........There are allot of trees here in my area........and a lot of pollen.......
Do you think I should remove my birds and dissenfect the entire coop.......
I have a concrete floor.


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## Leanette (Mar 27, 2008)

How and what do you feed a bird that is sick?

L.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Actually, I don't think it would be a good idea to feed this bird at this point and I don't know that we've even got a chance to save it. It would be more important to get some water into him right now than anything else but it almost sounds like the bird's got some kind of encephalitis. What kind of response do you get when you touch around his head or try to reposition it?

Pidgey


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

The reason I ask (and I'm going to have to go to bed here in a minute) is because if the bird has an encephalitis, he might not even recognize that you're there. If it's something that would pass eventually and the only thing that really kills them is dehydration, then I suppose it couldn't hurt to try. I'll fetch a link on tube feeding...

Pidgey


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## Leanette (Mar 27, 2008)

She tries to flop her wings, but doesn't have much luck now as she appears to be getting weaker.........She rallied once today and stayed on her tummy for several hours , then rolled over on her side. Her eyes are still open and she looks at me so sadly when I open the cage. I hope that she is not suffering!
L.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Go here, read this thread and look at the pictures:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=16235

This would be the product to use:

http://www.kaytee.com/products/companion_birds/?aid=all&pcid=1&pid=47511

You'd need to get a large syringe from a feed store, your vet or anywhere else you could think of.

What do the poops look like (the bird is still pooping, right?)?

Pidgey


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

If you've got a dropper, you might try making up a cup of water with a pinch of salt and one of sugar in it. Then you'd need to start getting some down her. You'd need to cradle her head, open her beak and insert the dropper down past her airway (that's just behind the base of the tongue) and so forth. Given that she's been this way for a few days, you might want to get 10 droppers full down her.

Pidgey


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## ezemaxima (Jan 12, 2008)

Hope your bird gets well. Does anyone know what would cause this?


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## Leanette (Mar 27, 2008)

My bird is still alive this am...........she is crawling around the cage wings extended for balance, head up and alert.............she did consume water with electrolytes........

poop is a little loose..........

Thanks Pidgey for the link to bird info............

Have to be gone for the day...........I'll let you guys know the outcome...................

All other birds look so healthy and I have 2 new chicks and 6 new eggs.....................

Thanks again

L.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Do her feet seem to be working... that is, is she crawling around actually using her legs or is she dragging herself along with her wings? The reason that I ask is that some illnesses can cause swelling of the kidneys and the motor control nerves to the legs go through there. So, they can get varying amounts of leg paralysis or weakness from such swelling. Other symptoms of kidney problems can be lots of green urine.

Pidgey


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Got a note this morning (April 1st) and this bird is still alive and alert. I think that we're only maintaining basic support at this point.

Pidgey


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Thanks for the update, Pidgey.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

I got worried so I emailed Leanette.

Pidgey


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## Leanette (Mar 27, 2008)

*sick pigeon*

My pigeon has taken a bad turn...........

I did feed her a little last night and followed with H20.........
This am she is on her back.........one leg straigt out and the other drawn to her chest. I think she will not make very many more hours.

I will let you all know the outcome..........

I am so glad I found you folks. I had no one to talk to about my birds. My family does not like the pigeons and thinks I am nutty for fooling with them. ......and I understand their feelings. We have way too many pigeons all over town defacing buildings and running the vegetation around the parks and such........but mine are homers and they want be town on the courthouse lawn I tell them.......

Anyway, to each is own........
Later,
L.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Sorry to hear about your bird. It doesn't sound too good. As far as your family......mine think I'm off my rocker a bit too. Who cares??? I think THEY are off sometimes too. THEY don't care what I think...........so why should I care? I love my birds. They make me happy. That's all I care about.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, try to keep her upright and you might want to make a towel nest for her to rest in.

Pidgey


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## Grimaldy (Feb 25, 2007)

Hi Pidgey,

Attached is a link describing symptoms of an encephalitis outbreak among pigeons:http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0005-2086(198604/06)30:2<416:AOOEIP>2.0.CO;2-3

Hope this helps.

And another showing outspread wings and trailing feet (crow with West Niles);
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/westnile.htm


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## Leanette (Mar 27, 2008)

Well, For some reason, my bird just is not ready to leave this world. She has again come from near death, on her back and the likes...........to now an hour ago she rolls up on her tummy props herself up on the towel and is watching me and my labrador as we move around the room. You know, her head has never gone limp or weak. She has continued to look alert most of the time. She has pecked around on the seed.........got off in the water bowl.(had to take that out) I was afraid she would drown herself...............
I think if the good Lord wants this pigeon, He will have to come and get her.....she is not wanting to quit just yet!!.
L.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

WHEW!! That's good news. When I saw that you posted, I was afraid to read what you wrote. I hope she will continue to improve.


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