# A Hard Day For This Squab



## firstimer (Aug 26, 2002)

Hello Everyone!
Okay here I go...
I know this question has been asked before. But I am going to ask again just in case.
Today I have spent the day literally inside my pigeon cage cleaning and watching the pigeons do their thing.
I have a few squabs and they are all doing well, but one I noticed today and tonight, kept getting trampled on by the parents and a fellow pigeon that was also in the nesting box. The squabs back had little blood spots, from the adult pigeons nails. Then as I was building a bigger nesting box outside of the cage the same squab was getting fed and then suddenly it was aggressively getting picked at real hard by the papa to the point of squab bloodshed.
Mama was out of the nesting box at that time as I was on the outside of the cage and had been for about 30 minutes.
So just as I’m closing up shop for the night, I heard and saw this abuse taking place and I saw blood now under the squabs wing, around it’s head and beak and it’s back was bleeding more.
So I took it out and brought it inside the apartment and my fiancé applied Neosporen ointment to the wounds and I set the squab inside an extra dresser drawer with a bath mat covered by paper towels and then that rubber grippe stuff that can be used to line kitchen cabinets with like to set glasses on. Also put a weak working heating pad over it like in the shape of the letter A, so it’s not touching it at all.
I am checking on it every 15 minutes and it’s right next to me as I type this. The squab fell asleep as soon as it was left alone for a little while
So what I need to know, is what do I do now?
should I keep it inside for the night and try to put it back with the parents in the morning?
Do I need to feed it during the night? And if so, what do I feed it? The seeds in water to make mush? How often?
What about water?
I am adding a picture of the squab and the material I was talking about (the non slip grippe stuff)
Also, it has pooped 3 times since I brought it inside and poop looks healthy and poop like.
The squab is alert and resting comfortably
Thank you so much for reading this and ANY advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
#1 picture you can see the cuts on squabs back
#2 picture you can see the little hole under left wing from Papa's beak after being cleaned
#3 picture you can see the non slip stuff i was talking about


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Best keep him in until he is able to fend for himself.

This is a link to information on hand feeding squabs from scratch, it gives the quantity and intervals for the first weeks.

It was written by Helen who was one of our moderators and who has a lot of experience in hand raising.

http://www.internationaldovesociety.com/Recipes/handfeedinghelp.htm

Hope it helps.

Cynthia


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I'm so sorry the baby was getting picked on, it 's a good thing you brought him inside then. You will need to keep him inside until he is fully grown, feeding himself, and hopefully you can keep him isolated from the others until he can fend for himself, as Cynthia mentioned.

If you don't have formula, you can mix a little water, a little probiotics and seed (the small seeds), but be he is really going to chow down as he is in the growth spurt. You have to make up a fresh batch each feeding. You can also give it some soaked and drained puppy chow and feed that to him, in itty bitty pieces. 

If it is a problem, perhaps you can put him back for meal time, when dad isn't around and allow mom to feed him first, and then bring him back inside until his next meal. You have to stay with him to make sure he is secure until the feeding is done, or remove the dad until he is fed. I would try that in a pinch.

Please keep us updated on how he is doing, and if you have any more questions.


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## firstimer (Aug 26, 2002)

*We will get through this together.*


I will stay with it for as long as it needs me.
And I am going to try everything mentioned and check out the ma'ma feeding it in the early morning. If that wont work, then I’ll get some puppy chow cause my dogs are on Hills Science Diet.
Not to worry I will not smoke near it or leave it in the line of any danger concerning the dogs or kitty cats. All have been put away from the squab.
I am and always have been a slave to my four legged and winged family so it’s in good hands between you guys here and myself.
A few more questions...

*About how many times a day would you suggest feeding it if parent wont?

*Do you think the parents even know or understand the squab is gone?

*What would make the pa'pa be cool with it one minute and not the next?

*Have you had this happen before?

*Does the little make shift set up sound okay to you? For now I mean.
I do have additional cages to do some separating in, if need be.

*You mentioned probiotics, is that something I could buy at a feed and saddlery store?

*The small seeds, are you talking about these?
See picture below.
Image Hosting
Sorry so many questions but I'm a little out of area of knowledge as my name hints...First-Timer. Cats and Dogs I know all about what to do, but birds are a bit more challenging for me as I am very unsure about almost everything I do and I have had pigeons since i became a member here in 2002.
I can't thank you all enough for answering all 123 posts of mine and being so helpful and supportive. I will keep you all posted on how things are going or if I have any more questions.
Firstimer

2.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Hi Firstimer...

I'm so sorry about your little squab and hope all goes well with h/her!

Others will be along with more info.

Would just like to say that I think the heating pad should be placed UNDER the squab, set on low, with a towel on top. I could be corrected but I don't remember seeing anything about the heating pad being placed _over._

Also, those seed you pictured are too big. There are smaller seeds, such as song bird seeds. Again, our more knowledgeable members will be along.

One of our members, Phil, suggests using a human baby nipple with the "collar" (flange) cut off to put formula in. You can stick the baby's beak in so he can eat more like how parents would feed.

HUGS AND HEALING THOUGHTS!


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Hi Firstimer,
I am so sorry to hear about this poor baby's 'bad' day.  

"_So I took it out and brought it inside the apartment and my fiancé applied Neosporen ointment to the wounds and *I set the squab inside an extra dresser drawer with a bath mat covered by paper towels and then that rubber grippe stuff* that can be used to line kitchen cabinets with like to set glasses on. *Also put a weak working heating pad over it like in the shape of the letter A, so it’s not touching it at all*. _"

Just to make sure I'm understanding you correctly, the heating pad is *over *the baby, kind of like a cover?

If so, you need to rearrange that. 
I would suggest removing the grip pad, & place the heating pad, with a small towel over it, under the baby. If the heating pad isn't putting out the proper amount of heat to suffice, you can place the baby (keep the towel under him) under a low wattage lamp.

The problem with him sitting directly on the rubber grip pad is it cools off quickly, thereby leaving the baby without proper warmth. 

Please keep us posted.  

Cindy


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Hi firstimer, so sorry about the baby being pecked on. You have received some good advice but I wanted to emphasize what Cindy said about placing the baby on either a cloth towel or paper towels. The shelf liner is too "clammy" feeling and cool for him. You can put him in a clean container, such as a margarine or cool whip container, tear up tissues or paper towels to build it up about half-way, then place a couple of tissues or paper towels over that. The small container will be warmer and more comforting to him and the tissues will make it much easier to change out several times a day to keep him clean. I always stress warmth for a youngster like this. Keep an eye on the heating pad to make sure he doesn't get too hot.

Frankly, I think he is still way too young to be eating or fed seed unless they are ground up and put in a formula.


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Just a reminder: *Please* make sure there is something under him that is strong enough for him to grip onto. 
Otherwise his little legs will slide out from under him & then you have a potential 'splayed leg' situation to contend with. 


Cindy


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

Hi,

how is the baby doing now, good thing because i too have seen this in my nest boxes that they tend to step on the young thus young get injured. how old is yr breeding pair, i think experience has a role to play


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## firstimer (Aug 26, 2002)

Parents and Squab are all doing well. 
I had to move them to their own cage completely because of that one male. 
These parents have had squabs before and normally they are real good parents.
I noticed that when the nesting box is too small they will walk all over the squab, but once I gave them a double sided nesting box, not so much walking on the squab.
When I put them inside the smaller cage (just the family) I was so happy to see them feeding the squab it brought tears to my eyes. I knew I could have done the job, but I also knew I couldn’t do as good of a job as they could.
I’m sure experience has a lot to do with it, because I have also seen non experienced parents doing not so good of a job, but as with most things they get better with practice.
I think the key is to keep a close eye on things because I was right there when all this took place and I thank GOD, because I have no doubt in my mind that the bully WOULD have killed the squab to get it out of what the bully claimed as his own nesting box, even though I did make it for the family. Will keep you posted as to how things are going.
: )


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Good job. Glad it all worked out. There's a higher being that puts us in places we might not normally be, when we need to be there.


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