# Help me please



## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

A pigeon came to my house I found it in the barn yesterday...it has a band on it but I haven't caught it yet..my cat tried to get it so she's now locked inside the house...I gave it some horse feed and water now it has walked from the barn to under my front porch...If I toose a light weight sheet over it to catch it will I hurt it?I don't know if it's sick,hurt or tired...I will attempt to get the band # off it's leg today and I'm borrowing a large cage from my Mom to move it into..it's eating I don't know if it's drinking though...I really don't know what to do with it..I have had chickens before I suppose it would like the same things as chickens do...You tell me will you please..Thanks


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi There, 

Can this pigeon fly at all? It could be a lost or tired homing pigeon looking for a rest, bite to eat and a drink of water before continuing it's travels. Don't assume the worst yet.

Try to get the band number if you can and post it. Chicken scratch would be better than horse feed I would think for food. Wild bird seed or a commercial dove mix from a pet store would be better though

Let us know how it goes and if this bird can fly at all. You said you haven't caught it yet so it would seem that it's flying ok


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## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

*No the pigeon can't fly*

or won't it's holding it's wings down but not all the time...I have a lot of plants under the porch and he/she seems to like it there..it looks like I might be a new pigeon owner..I'll post the # off the band as soon as I throw a towel over it and go pick up the cage..we used it for 2 baby squirels Mom raised..it's about 3' X 3' it would want a pirch right? I don't think it's very happy being on the ground...my cat might have clawed it..so I'd better get some antibotics for it and I'll go to wal-mart and get it some food,canary or wild bird food what would be best?Thanks again for helping me out...


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Thank you for your care and concern over this racing pigeon.

Wild bird seed is fine for now.

If the cat did claw the pigeon he will need some Augmentin/Clavamox type antibiotic. 

Please do post the band # and we will help locate the owner.

You can also use the following link to trap the bird.

http://www.racingbirds.com/ptrap.html

Please do get the bird off the floor and into a safe cage, as it can hurt itself further, also, if it is injured.

The bird may or may not be sick, and that would depend on how long it has been out on its own.


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## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

*Thanks and your welcome*

I figure critters have as much or more rights on earth than we do..so I always do what I can to help anything that needs help..My Mom lives about an hour away so we are going to meet half way at Walmart,I'll go in and get some wild bird food...
I just called the vets office the vets is out sick with cancer but his assistant still passes out drugs for the critters and she has some clavamox but it's in pill form..325mg. I think is what she said...does anyone have any idea how I'm supposed to make the bird take this and I know it's not supposed to have that many milligrams..can someone please tell me how much to give it?She said she'd try to figure out the dosage.
I wonder if walmart has any antibotics for birds? I just hate to get this far and then have the poor thing die from an infection because of the darned cat...Bad kitty she catches on baby bunnies also... 
here's a photo of the pigeon..I've had a couple of love birds about 15 years ago and chickens and peacocks just a few years ago,but the foxes where killing them so I gave them away to a lady who had a very nice chicken set-up..lol..It doesn't look sick or really act sick...anyway it will be ablout an hour or so before I get back with the cage and the antibotic..should I keep the bird outside and hang the cage from the 2x4's rafters on the roof of the porch or would it be happier inside in a quite bedroom with a sheet over the cage? 
http://community.webshots.com/photo/144793075/2189532430054418747LZiFqF


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

As it starts to get well, it is probably best to keep it indoors in a quiet area without the kitty around. Someone will be able to advise you one the medicine dosage soon. If you do take it to a vet, just make sure they don't euthanize injured wildlife, though it sounds as if your vet office understands the situation. The cage you have should work just fine for now. Throwing a towel or sheet over it won't hurt it if you're careful. I use a long-handled fishing net sometimes for capturing injured birds, if you have one of those around they work great. Check back for info on the meds.


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## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

*Maybe he/she is going to be okay*

It just flew from the ground up onto the side of the truck bed..maybe it was tired and hungry..and it's starting to feel better...


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Nature_Farmer said:


> his assistant still passes out drugs for the critters and she has some clavamox but it's in pill form..325mg. I think is what she said...does anyone have any idea how I'm supposed to make the bird take this and I know it's not supposed to have that many milligrams..can someone please tell me how much to give it?She said she'd try to figure out the dosage.


Hi Nature farmer...yes, let the assistant figure out the doses, I'm lousy at this myself and with most drugs. We have many members here well versed on medication doses but I'm not one of them...sorry




Nature_Farmer said:


> I wonder if walmart has any antibotics for birds?


Nope, Walmart will not have what you need in the terms of a proper antibiotic for a potential cat scratch or bite.




Nature_Farmer said:


> should I keep the bird outside and hang the cage from the 2x4's rafters on the roof of the porch or would it be happier inside in a quite bedroom with a sheet over the cage?


Please bring the pigeon indoors...provide a nice comfy area in a semi darkened room, free from loud noises, kids, other pets and make sure he's warm for now.


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## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

*Oh no I wouldn't let them put it to sleep*

Some of my animals have problems...and are on some type of disease and are on meds...one of my dogs has with congestive heart failure and my horse has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD...Now if I thought it was suffering that would be different but I don't think it is at all...maybe he/she is just worn out from it's trip..whereever it was/is going...right now it seems very happy to be here...I'll try to catch it tonight so you guys/girls can help me find it's owner and tell me how to give it the antibotics.
I was reading on a site somewhere on pigeons..to make sure they don't plan to cull/kill it since it had some problems...so unless they plan to take good care of it I'm not going to let the owner kill it either...Okay I'm going to get it's cage and meds...be back soon...thanks for all your help


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## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

*I put him in a box*

and brought him/her in the house and put the box in the bathroom while I went to get the cage,food and antibotics...I don't have the nerve to wake it up it's sleeping on my shower curtain...as soon as I take a pain pill for my back..I'll try to get the # it said something like NRSP or some initals I think 4 and the band is red if that does any good...


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, if you're really sure that it's a 325 milligram tablet, the formulary says that you give them 125 milligrams per kilogram of bird, twice daily (actually written as "125 mg/kg, BID").

That means that you've got to cut the pill into fifths as best you can. You just have to hold the bird down, cradle its head with one hand while using your fingernails of the other hand to pry the beak open and drop 'em in.

Pidgey


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## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

*Okay I got the # off his band*

It's NBRC Y 2004...Does that help anyone..by the way he doesn't seem to mind being held...


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## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

*Thanks very much...Oh boy that sounds like fun*

I just don't want to hurt the little guy/girl...I just moved him/her off my shower curtain rod into his cage and put his food and water in with him/her woke up and is eating... I'll give him/her a few minutes to eat and drink then shut off the light shut the door,roll up a rug for under the door to make sure my cat doesn't attempt to go visit him in the middle of the night...she couldn't get her claws in the cage but I'm sure the poor bird doesn't want a cat bothering it while it sleeping either...I'll post again tomorrow and see if anyone can help with the IDing of his band...Thanks very much everyone for all your help so far...


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, that means that this bird is a member of the National Birmingham Roller Club. It also means that you're probably fairly close to the owner as these birds don't wander much at all.

You can go here and probably either find the owner or get in touch with someone near you who will be able to figure it out:

http://nbrconline.com/memberslist.htm

By the way, I'd figured the dose based on a homer. These birds are far smaller and so you should cut the dose in half--about a tenth of a pill at a whack.

Pidgey


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Nature_Farmer said:


> It's NBRC Y 2004...Does that help anyone..by the way he doesn't seem to mind being held...


There should be another number on the band beside the 2004. Go here
http://nbrconline.com/index.htm
and contact Gene Giegoldt. He should be able to help you although because of the age of the bird, it may have passed through a couple of fanciers and the original owner may not be the owner any longer. Good luck.


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## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

*My Vets assistant said to give it 1/10 of the pill*

My Vets assistant said to give it 1/10 of the pill for 10 days...he looks like he's a little more jumpy and alert today...he's sure has ate a lot of the food and pooped a lot too...lol...I'm getting ready to give him his pill..I'm scared I'm going to hurt him... 
I called the Band Secretary and left a message for them to call me...
Do you think his owner will cull him since he didn't do what he was supposed to do? 
I know I'm a bit crazy about animals but if they are going to kill it..I'm NOT giving it back...I have read on a few pigeon sites they kill their birds if they do something wrong...like not come home... 
I wonder if the owner will be honest with me if I find the owner...
Also there are no other #'s on the band..I looked at the site on how to read the #'s on the bands and I have no clue how to find the owner since I think if I remember right it's the "Y" that means the club the bird belongs to..right?but the bird doesn't have his own number????


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## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

*I Did It...I managed to get the piece of pill down him*

I Did It...I managed to get the piece of pill down him...I'm pretty proud of myself.. ..at least I don't think I hurt him...but he's not going to like me if I give him pills for 10 days


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

You can just ask the owner if you can keep the bird. If he intends to kill him he won't go into the trouble to come and pick him up so he can put him down.


Reti


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## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

*A few more photo's*

I took a photo of him on the shower curtain and a couple of him/her in it's new cage...

http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=viewAllPhotos&albumID=144793075&security=DwQnvy


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## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

*Thanks Reti*

I'll ask him first..yes it wouldn't make much sense for him/her to drive here to kill it would it...


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

He's a lovely looking bird........ 

I'd want to keep him.... 

Tania x


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, for a roller to get lost isn't the same thing as a homer getting lost. Rollers are kept for their tendency to do somersaults in the sky downward and you pretty much want them to do it right over their loft where you can watch. They don't usually get as much as a block away. When something bad happens (hawk attack), they can get lost pretty easy.

That said, it's not as likely that the owner would kill the bird but there is a science to their rolling. If the bird was a good roller, the owner will want him back; and if he isn't, then probably not.

Pidgey


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## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

*Oh he/she can have him back if they aren't going*

Oh he/she can have him back if they aren't going to hurt it..I live way out in the middle of no where so I guess the bird could be from any of these farm houses around here...and I do see hawks a lot..I had a nest here on the side of the woods last year...The bird doesn't weigh very much and I feel it's breastbone..it's skinny...I don't know what it should weigh but I don't think it's enough...I wonder how long he's been away from his home?
I already have 6 dogs, a horse and a mule and 2 cats...now I might have a pigeon..I read they can live up to 15 years old...interesting..


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

He is very handsome.

Reti


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## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

*I think I found it's owner or ????*

It was kind of fishy ...but I ended up meeting a man at the local gas station...who didn't give me the time of day,was talking on the phone waved hello,said he was driving the bird to Springfield and said he was taking to bird to a guy named Bud or at least that's what I gathered...well i talked to Bud earlier today and he said it wasn't his bird but was the same kind as his...I really didn't feel comfortable handing the bird to this tatooed guy who wouldn't look me in the eye..kind of like being robbed,under my nose...the Secretary of Bands sent me to a guy who custom makes the bands(but doesn't make metal bands...who had me call another guy in Springfield(Bud) who in turn told me to call Tommy who said yes he was taking the bird to Bud..weird huh..like a heist of some sort call me crazy and paranoid but the whole thing was kind of weird at the end..if the Guy in Springfield wanted the bird all he had to do was say it was his and he didn't...to late now...but I think I'm going to call the guy in Springfield again and ask what the heck was really going on... Did I have some super bird..are these pigeons worth any money to the right people? Anyway this kind of turned into a pigeon mystery...I think I need a bird now..so if anyone ever runs into anyone in the Central IL area who needs a bird rescued please let me know..I'll be glad to help..I just hope this bird really found it's way home and it's a good home..I just watched a video on the internet that says they have a partner for life...is that true? if so maybe he misses his or her spouse...


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## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

*Thanks Reti*

How many birds do you have?


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

I have around 20. I didn't count them cause my hubby said he doesn't want more than 20, so that is where I stopped counting, but it doesn't include the doves.

Hmmm, the story doesn't sound right. Maybe this bird is worth a ot of money.
But some of those poeple work in teams so maybe and hopefully the bird goes back home or at least to a good home.
I thought about it, if I call an owner who doesn't seem to care about the bird I just tell them the bird died and that ends the story.
Until now I had a few owners who just told me to do whatever with the bird, they didn't care. Those birds are the sweetest pets.
I had another poor bird with severe internal injury and the owner told me he would pick it up sometime even though I had told him the bird is in very bad shape. He actually passed away 24 hours later. I called the owner to let him know and all he said was "damn" and hung up. 

I am sure now that you SEE pigeons they will find your way to you.

Reti


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## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

*I should have told them it croaked*

I don't like the way things worked out...but not much I can do about it now...I'll just hope for the best and hope he gets a good home...
I'm sure I'll find another pigeon somewhere..lol..critters just seem to wander into my life...it was a sweet bird... I should have kept it..but the guy couldn't wait to get here to meet me and said he takes good care of his birds..that why I was sort of upset when he said he was taking it to Springfield...it happened so fast I didn't really think about it until it was over and done with... 
Funny thing is when I called the first # a person gave me to locate the owner..the lady I called said there said there was a white pigeon yesterday in the driveway where she works...out in the country just like here where we don't normally see pigeons and it just happened to be banded also...weird huh..makes you wonder if a whole bunch of them got loose or someone died or something and someone just turned them all loose


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

*


Nature_Farmer said:



I don't like the way things worked out...but not much I can do about it now...I'll just hope for the best and hope he gets a good home...

Click to expand...

*


Nature_Farmer said:


> Funny thing is when I called the first # a person gave me to locate the owner..*the lady I called said there said there was a white pigeon yesterday in the driveway where she works...out in the country just like here where we don't normally see pigeons and it just happened to be banded also.*


People that keep pigeons as only racers or show birds, not pets, are often abrupt and in a hurry, I've seen. . .hopefully he was really going back to his home and we'll all hope for the best for him. Thanks for helping him out.

And it is hard to go back to being pigeon-less after you've had one. They are the sweetest birds, and very intelligent. Maybe you should call that lady back and see if that bird is still wandering around in need of a home.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Nature_Farmer said:


> Funny thing is when I called the first # a person gave me to locate the owner..the lady I called said there said there was a white pigeon yesterday in the driveway where she works...out in the country just like here where we don't normally see pigeons and it just happened to be banded also...weird huh..makes you wonder if a whole bunch of them got loose or someone died or something and someone just turned them all loose



The birds are actually being trained for racing season at this time, so it is not uncommon to find them during this time, as many are lost... but hopefully not injured.

You did your best and gave the bird to the person referred to thru the "network" that originated from the band secretary. Hopefully he is in the right hands.

Thank you for looking out for this bird.



Reti,

You have 20 pigeons now!! Yep, I stopped counting too, I don't want the husband to know the EXACT count!


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Reti,

You have 20 pigeons now!! Yep, I stopped counting too, I don't want the husband to know the EXACT count! [/QUOTE]

I might have more, I am not sure, as I said I don't count them anymore.
You think they don't know?  I am not so sure about it, they might just not want to know. 

Reti


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## Nature_Farmer (Aug 24, 2006)

*Saying goodbye for now*

Wow you have lots of pigeons,stay well and happy...I have had that many geese,chickens and peococks before,birds or kind of cool anyway...lol......I kind of miss him/her pigeon though and hope it all worked out okay for him/her...If I ever run into another pigeon,I'll pop back in and ask for your help again...And Thank you very much for everyone helping me out...


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