# i've found a pigeon!



## lee1234 (Oct 5, 2006)

hi, i rescued a pigeon today from my local canal, it must have fallen from the railway bridge near by.It was compleatly egsausted from trying to stay above water, so i brought it home. i've been reading some of the post's on what to do but i still have a few questions. any help would be much appreciated.
( i've put the pigeon in a cage with an old t-**** because it was wet, i keep 2 parakeets so i have used some of my parakeets food an put it in a dish, and some water in a bowl and added some liquid multi vitamin drops that contain vitamin D3. i've put a heater near to the cage and the pigeon is sat next to it.
he's dry now and seems to be gaining strenth, but he hasnt had any food or drink yet.)

if the pigeon has any kind of illness, can it pass this on to my parakeets?

how can i tell how old it is ?

the pigeon seems to have fluff all over its head, its a greeny-yellow colour, looks a little bit like small stands of grass. does anyone know what this is?

can i catch anything of this pigeon? (illness)

when should i let it go ?

thanks guys!


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Lee,

Well caught!

From the fuzzy bits it sounds like a baby that has fallen from the nest and straight into the water. Sadly that happens a lot when they nest under bridges.

You should always isolate any new birds from your own pets, whether they are wild or purchased, because there are diseases that are common to all birds.

AS long as you wash your hands after handling it 

The baby may not be able to feed itself yet, you might have to hand feed it initially, making a paste out of the parakeet seed and something like soaked dog biscuits. 

Can you let us know where you are? There may be a member nearby who can help.

It should be able to eat by itself, forage for food and fly strongly before it is released.

Cynthia


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## lee1234 (Oct 5, 2006)

hi thanks for the info ! : ) 

i am in Wigan, in the UK.

would keeping them in seperate cages, in the same room be okay??

any more details on how to make this paste?

i have a sringe ( no needle on it ) could i use that to feed him ?

dam! he's doing water'y yellow poop. what should i do ?

thanks for your help !!! lee.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Lee,

You are about 36 miles from Helen, she is in Blackburn but not very active at the moment.

A 1 ml syringe would be too small to feed a pigeon of that size, it would take forever.

Come to think of it I am not actually certain what seeds your parakeet mix has...do you have a list of contents? I have assumed that it would be similar to wild bird seed in which case I would remove the sunflower seed and put the other seeds in a blender with moistened wholemeal bread or dog biscuits and roll the resulting mix into pellets which can be placed inside the pigeon's beak.

Otherwise just roll moistened wholemeal bread into pellets and feed him those for tonight.

Another option for tomorrow (if you have a corn store near you) is to get some chick starter crumbs, soak then in hot water for half an hour (half water and half chick crunms). If you want to use a syringe to feed the cake of crumbs atht you will end up with then make it a 5ml syringe with the tip cut off. You will need to give it 30 to 40 mls three times a day.

I prefer to keep new birds in separate rooms, just to spare myself the anxiety, but if the pigeon is sneezing then it is very important to keep it in a separate room!

Cynthia

PS Just saw the photos, definitely a squeaker and so cute! I am so grateful to you for saving it.


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## lee1234 (Oct 5, 2006)

thanks dude, your being very helpfull : ) 

"little blue" has just done his first poop and it doesnt look good. its water'y and yellow what should i do ?

my bird seed contains- striped sunflower seeds, white sunflower seeds, natural groats, whole maize, milo, monkey nuts, paddy rice, peanuts, pine nuts, safflower seeds, pumkin seeds and whole chillies.

cheers, lee.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Watery yellow poops are not good, but it could be stress. A good pro biotic would help. Avipro if you have it or can get!

Of the parakeet mix I would offer the milo and the safflower seed and would get some wild bird seed tomorrow. 

Dip his beak in the water to make certain that he knows how to drink.

Cynthia


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## lee1234 (Oct 5, 2006)

he's had a good drink from the sringe (i put the muti vitamin drops in it) and is moving arround alot more. i cant get him to eat anything yet he's definatly not happy about being hand fed. i'll get him used to the sringe and make some paste.

if i contact th RSPCA will thy look after him ?

thank you so much your a star ! : ) 

lee.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Lee, 


Pigeons this age, if one is gentle with them, can readily respond to our overtures for feeding them, if we do the correct things, and if we do them in their 'language'.

Always have your hands lower than their Eyes, and always move slowly and gently.

Have the Bird's set-up at around your own shoulder height or so, or a little less.

If you dip your fingertips into warm water, and ( with one hand I mean, ) gently massage his Beak, and if you also, in a low slow voice hummm or voice a sort of "ooooOOOooo!" sound a few times, and then do his Beak 'massage', he will almost certainly 'nuzzle' inquisitively to ask if you really mean it...and so if you do it again, it will encourage him accept that you might mean it, and to nuzzle and probe your finger tips with his Beak.

Normally, they eat by inserting their Beak into the throat of their Parent...and, with this being their natural mode, they will readily eat correctly prepared foods presented to them in the hollow of a Baby Nipple.



At this point, if he 'squeaks' and 'nuzzles', then he is willing to let you feed him in his terms of it...and from here it gets a little more complicated.

This Bird can be self-feeding in-a-day or two, but for him TO do so, it would be best if you could feed him properly in HIS terms, first. Then he will trust you and you can work with him on toward his pecking and all the rest of it.

I would be glad to send you some info in the regular e-mail if you like. For which, just e-mail me, at mine -

[email protected]


Meanwhile, get some plain Canary Seed or Finch Seed to have handy a.s.a.p.


Now too, the 'yellowy' poop, if it is yellow urates, might signal Canker or it's relates illnesses, for which this little Pigeon would need the appropriate medicines and fast.

So, by all means, get with Helen or other able Bird people in your area, and either hand the youngster over to them, or get from them the meds and the regimin for useing them. If there are any sympathetic Avian Vets in your area, you may be able to obtain the appropriate meds from them.

ASPCA and their likes have neither the time or interest to care for these Birds, so usually handing the Bird to them is as good as killing it.

This Bird should be a fairly easy deal, if he is cared for correctly and deferentially.

If you wish to continue to care for this Bird, you will need to have them a few weeks, and for them to be able to develope their flying indoors without constraint untill they are ready for release.

As well as to make sure, NOW, that they are either evaluated technically to determine if they have Canker, or to simply treat for it, whether they definitively have it or not.


Best wishes!

Phil
Las Vegas


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## lee1234 (Oct 5, 2006)

hi thanks for all your advice guys.... : ) 

i bought some plain canary seed and hes eating it! : ) he's eating it out of his bowl and pecking it up of the floor of the cage.

his poops look fine now.

what do i do next? i relly need to get "little blue" back to the wild as soon a posible : ) 

cheers guys i would be lost without you! 

lee.


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## alvin (May 10, 2006)

Hi Lee.

It looks like Little Blue is just a bit too young to be released quite yet. You may have to feed him up a little for a while.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I am glad he is progressing!

The RSPCA would most likely put him down if you handed him over.

If you really can't look after him I will ask around to see if any members in your area can help. In the meantime can you give him a little spray of clean water every two days? That will ensure that his feathering is waterproof when you release him.

Cynthia


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## lee1234 (Oct 5, 2006)

i will look after him untill he is ready, its not too much trouble. i could just do with knowing how long it will be untill he is ready??

can i leave him in the cage outside during the day ??

i'll defo give him a spay : ) 

cheers . lee.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

If the cage is predator proof then I would have him outside for part of the day, that wasy he will remain acclimatised and also get some beneficial daylight.

Cynthia


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## arnieismybaby (Jul 24, 2006)

Lee, that is an adorable baby you've rescued. I wish I lived close enough to collect him and then pass him onto someone knowledgable in looking after pigeons. I know from experience  that the caring RSPCA collect pigeons, but then have them "put to sleep". 

Anyway good luck, hope the little one picks up and grows stronger.

Michelle


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Lee, 


Glad to hear he is precious!

It is definitely a good thing when they can feed themselves nicely at a young age.

Still, make all your movements with him gentle...and gain his trust and comfort so he is st ease with you.

You need to spend time supervising him out of doors...scatter some Seed on the ground and just hang out with him while he grazes...do not put him in a cage outside, regardless of whether you are there or not...it is no good.

This is a pretty young pigeon yet...maybe 20 days old...

Please see my several posts under the following current thread, as they apply just-as-well to your little one and you -


http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=17342&page=2


Find some place near by where Pigeons graze, and start "NOW" to bring yours there to graze with them, and you stay close to 'yours' watching over him...do this often, every day if you can for a half hour or something, even twenty minutes would be fine...and do it often untill he can almost fly...then cease for a couple weeks, then release him to that 'flock' by just bringing him and letting him decide...he will almost certainly elect to join them then.

This will be in about three weeks or so...

Meanwhile, he needs to explore and goof around and develope at his own pace under your care, so let him be as free indoors as possible...no cage, and know he will soon start wanting to move about and so on even if for now he may tend to stay put on a shelf or other.


Best wishes!


Phil
Las Vegas


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## lee1234 (Oct 5, 2006)

hi phil, thanks for all your help : ) 

i have let him wonder about in the back garden today, he's pecking about and flying a foot-or-so above the ground..... i will take him to a place where there are pigeons as soon as i can.

what should i do if he fly's somewhere and i cant get to him??

cheers man : ) 

lee.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Hi Lee and thank you for rescuing this baby.

Your pigeon is still very young and I would think you need to keep him possibly 4-5 more weeks. He needs to have all his feathers fully developed, and be old enough to eat seed well on his own for at least 2 weeks. He needs to be able to fly really well and you can accomplish this by allowing him to fly inside your home a couple of times a day. We usually do not release any until they stop squealing. You will need to be extremely careful with him if you take him outside because they learn to fly pretty fast and he may get away from you before he is able to fend for himself.


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## lee1234 (Oct 5, 2006)

hi, thanks for the advice!

i had im in the back garden again, and like you say he's learning to fly fast!!
dificult to catch him now so should i just keep him indoors and let him fly around a bit?

i have a bird stand/perch that i use for my other birds (parakeets)
if i put him on that is there any disease's/illness that could be spread from bird to bird by the perch?

cheers guys! : ) 

lee


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

lee1234 said:


> hi, thanks for the advice!
> 
> i had im in the back garden again, and like you say he's learning to fly fast!!
> dificult to catch him now so should i just keep him indoors and let him fly around a bit?
> ...


If you have a large enough area/room for him to fly that would be adequate for now. Once he is managing quite well and negotiates turns and takes off well and lands well, then he will be ready.

It shouldn't be a problem with the bird using your others bird perch, if he isn't actually sick. Pigeons really do not carry anymore diseases then any other type of bird, in fact they are pretty healthy birds if given the proper diet and environment. 

You can offer him baths to allow his feathers to become somewhat waterproof before he is released. Any kind of bowl, like a clean cat litter box works well, or perhaps he may like bathing under a faucet or shower.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Thing is, if you do not get him with the wild/feral Pigeons NOW, for him to graze with them and overcome his almost certain typical shyness, you are going to be nmaking it much harder for him for later when he WILL be released.

Get on it, figure it out, and make use of what time you have now while he can not fly, to let him have some experience anyway with being amid his fellows and seniors, for him to peck and graze with them.

If you have not gained his trust and comfort and have to chase him, then that is just the way it is.

He needs enough time WITH wild/feral others, to overcome his shyness and to be for sure pecking and grazing with them...and not just standing there trembleing.

If he achieves this in the second or third outing, or even the first outing, then great, it is somehting he heeds, and NOW is the only chance YOU have to provide it.

In Nature, his parents would provide it once he flys well enough to acompany them TO where they and others congregate for forraging, and their watching over him lets him overcome his shyness and nerves about it.

Even if you can only do this a few times today and tomorrow or something, he needs for it to happen, since later when he can fly you will not be "there" to fly with him TO these socialization proceedings.

Have a friend join you maybe, to make it easier to round him up after a half hour or whatever...just set him amid the Seeds you scatter in some place you know other Pigeons will be, and let him have the chance to peck in the company of other Pigeons in that setting...

Later, you can release him TO this same place, and he will be in a much better position to go on from there.


Best wishes...!

Phil
Las Vegas


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## lee1234 (Oct 5, 2006)

hi phil, i shall take him in the morning : ) there is a church yard near where i live and there is always lots of pigeons there...

i just hope that i dont loose him....

thanks for all your help man, i shall let you know what happens!

cheers. lee


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## lee1234 (Oct 5, 2006)

hi guys, i took him to the church yard and put him with the others, it was going well untill he flew on to the church and wouldnt come down.
he then flew arround the back of the church out of sight and was gone.
i couldnt find him anywhere.

he flew strong and fast so i hope he'll be alright...

thankyou for all your advice guys. without you he probably wouldnt be alive at all. 

see you laters Little Blue dude....take care!!!  

lee.


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

Well he can fly which is good but without soundling like the voice of doom and gloom I think he is a little young to be out in the wild!!

If he flew onto the church roof then there is not a lot you can do about it and it maybe that he can intregrate into the flock, follow them around and find food. 

However Lee, if possible, I would perhaps keep a daily look out for him - I mean is it possible to pass the churchyard every day at some time, just to check that he isn't grounded for some reason? You need to have a good search around - look behind tombstones and any sorts of nooks and crannies that a little bird might hide ( I am hoping this is not a big churchyard ) - it might also be of some help that you leave some food there for a couple of weeks (without bringing attention to yourself or getting into trouble of course) so that if he is around, you may see him or at least you know that if he is still in the area ( and I would think so) that he is getting some grub.

Just some suggestions - I'm not sure what other members may think so please post if you think I am giving Lee some wrong advice. 

Tania xx


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

HI Lee,

As Tania says, please look out for him and try to catch him again. 

He is too young to make it on his own because he needs to have learnt more than just pick of seed, he needs to learn to forage and compete. At this age he would be flying with the flock while being fed by his parents.

If you could feed the flock daily he might come down with them. I hope so.

I think it is important to note that vulnerable pigeons should *NOT *be let loose with the flock in order to familiarise themselves with other pigeons, because the likelyhood is that they will fly off if given an opportunity. Any familiarisation should be done in captivity.

Cynthia


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Where we live it is just getting daylight at 7:00 am. Was it even daylight when you took him to the churchyard? Pigeons are not good night flyers and can easily fly into something in the dark.

I realize you were following a member's advice but Phil's feral flock is at his building and probably the fledglings he introduces to his flock are smaller than yours was. Please check the churchyard daily just in case he comes back.

This is just my opinion but we need to be careful when we give advice to people and not be so set in one direction that we completely overlook what is in the best interests of each individual pigeon.


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## lee1234 (Oct 5, 2006)

yeah it was daylight. i will look every day for him, but i dont think i will find him.
and if i do i probably wont be able to catch him.  

lee


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

lee1234 said:


> hi guys, i took him to the church yard and put him with the others, it was going well untill he flew on to the church and wouldnt come down.
> he then flew arround the back of the church out of sight and was gone.
> i couldnt find him anywhere.
> 
> ...


Hi Lee, 


I may have messed up here, I thought this Pigeon was like 20 days old or so.

Please forgive me if I goofed up remembering he was 30 to 40 days old or thereabouts.

Otherwise, if he was for sure pecking and drinking in your company prior...and he is now released to an area where he for sure sees other Pigeons, then probably he is fine and will manage well.

When they are young and pre-flying, that is the only chance we have to make sure they can get some basic socializaiton and time to overcome their shyness of the flock.

Once they are flying, we can not do this the way their pigeon-parents would have.

If yours flew that well and promptly, he likely was headed back to wherever he was from to find his parents and sibling...

I expect all is well, and he is in good shape to continue on his own recognisance now, and you helped him out during his time there of compromise, so, sounds like all went well to me...!

Just a surprise that he was actually much more developed than I was thinking...!

Anyway, sounds like a success story no matter...well done Lee...

Good work!


P.S. 


I just went back to review his image and appearent age...

He may have fledged a little early, or just been rambunctious and fell from the Nest area... to have ended up in that Canal like he did.

And he is sure lucky you came by when you did.

I sure was not expecting him to fly like this so soon!

Best wishes!

Phil
Las Vegas


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## lee1234 (Oct 5, 2006)

i think he'll be fine  

thanks for all your help guys! keep up the good work!!!!

laters dudes! lee


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