# Took care of injured pigeon, will not fly.



## ConcernedMom (Jan 24, 2010)

I am currently living in Northeast Mexico, in the city of Monterrey (Heineken's new home in Latin America) Shelters for birds are virtually unknown here so putting an injured one to sleep is the usual solution, and one I do not share. Concerned mom fits my situation exactly because I have two female Fox terriers and a Mackerel Tom (also rescued by one of my daughters). Internet has proven to be an invaluable tool in raising and caring for orphaned or injured animals, so once again I turn to the generosity of the members of this forum to help us out with our injured feathered friend.

On December 10 I arrived home with my 8 year old daughter, just as an injured pigeon was passing our gate. It would not fly and it was definitely injured, so we chased it down, put it into a box and took it to the vet. Needless to say, they gave it something for the pain, because it did have a left broken wing but it was not a recent injury. From what the vet told us, it was malnourished and dehydrated, so a splint was nor recommended because the bone was already healing and it had a callus (whatever that is). I kept it in a small cage they lent me and took care of it, including whatever medicine it needed for the infection, and a "deposit" painkiller, which would last 15 days.

We kept it caged for three weeks and tried to see if it could fly. Although it tried, we noticed it was bleeding so back into the cage it went. Today we tried again and were happy to notice the wing did not bleed, yet it still lacks the long feathers on the left wing. These fell off in a big clump a few weeks back. The species and gender remain a mystery. I will try to add a pix.

I assume wing feathers grow back, but lack very little knowledge on the anatomy of wings. Is it a matter of exercise, or will it be disabled for the remainder of its life? Caging it is the only way it has survived unharmed, but it flaps constantly and I am afraid it will harm itself. In the beginning it tried to peck our hands but now allows itself to be helped in and out of the cage.

All your help will be greatly appreciated. I firmly believe children respect life, all life more, when they have to work hard to save one. This is a great opportunity for all of us to teach and learn as well.


----------



## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

I don't know about your set up for exercise arrangements for your bird-Do you have an extra room that you could put the cage into and leave the cage open each day for awhile and have tables it can jump on to because it does need exercise to strengten those muscles and thats why it is flapping its wings inside the cage and other places. It depends on where that wing is broke to see if it ever could be released again someday but it does need to have flying exercise place--starting off small--cage to table and table to cage etc and it will do this itself as long as you keep food and water in the cage with its door open it will go back to that cage itself eventually for night--I think--pigeons are different---but anyway you could grab and place it in its cage for nighttime.
There are rehabbers in this forum that could probley help you out better than me for I would believe they know more about these things. I had a pigeon by the name of Mr. who was shot and its wing right one was broke in three places and he eventually healed and flew pretty well after babying and a exercise place where each few weeks I moved the table further away to give him more to stride for and he eventually got really good at flying but he could never be released but your bird might be different and your a good person to take him in and if you give yourself time you will become very very attached to him so get him or her a name for now and feed him the right food as well and fresh water every day and some grit as well....c.herts


----------



## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

My mr. Pigeon the vet put a splint on and taped it but your vet did seem to be concerned about splinting and that sounds good....c.hert I think a callus is a spot or bump of healing that started already but I am sure when other people help you in this forum they can tell you about that for I don't know...Good luck and bless you c.hert


----------



## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

correction: did not seem to be concerned about splinting ......


----------



## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, it certainly depends upon which bones of the wing were broken and how. You don't usually see the primary flight feathers falling out due to a break, so that's kind of odd. Here's a webpage with various skeletal drawings that can be useful for determining what's what:

http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/skeleton.html

Pidgey


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

First I want to say you're great to have taken him in and tried to help him. He needs a cage large enough to flap his wings, as they do this, and he will injure himself if the cage isn't large enough. It needs to be more wide and long than high. Maybe a shelf, by putting a brick on either end of the cage, or something similar, with a board resting between them. And he does need time out of the cage each day. Usually a couple of hours anyway. We have a house pigeon who is out a good portion of the time. I just cover anything that I don't want pooped on where he hangs out. Also, they do make diapers for them that some use. If he remains unreleasable are you planning on keeping him?


----------



## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Hi and thank you for helping this bird.
With wing injuries one is never sure how will recovery go. Only time will show if he is capable to fly well enough to be released.
Feathers should grow back in couple of weeks, but recovery of bones and muscle tissue takes a month or bit longer (depending on injury).
He definitely needs wing exercise and good nutrition to recover. The fact that he was under weighted when you found him shows that he wasn’t doing to well before injury. Even healthy birds have some hard time to survive.
If you decide to keep him, large enough cage to flap wings, food, water, some chopped greens and mineral grit are enough to keep him healthy and happy. Exercise time out of the cage under your supervision preferably once a day is desirable.
Pigeons has been domesticated thousands of years ago and all pigeons around us are descendants of the escaped birds. They are semi-tame and adapt well as house pets.


----------



## ConcernedMom (Jan 24, 2010)

*Long wing feathers*



Pidgey said:


> Well, it certainly depends upon which bones of the wing were broken and how. You don't usually see the primary flight feathers falling out due to a break, so that's kind of odd. Here's a webpage with various skeletal drawings that can be useful for determining what's what:
> 
> http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/skeleton.html
> 
> ...


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

ConcernedMom said:


> Pidgey said:
> 
> 
> > Well, it certainly depends upon which bones of the wing were broken and how. You don't usually see the primary flight feathers falling out due to a break, so that's kind of odd. Here's a webpage with various skeletal drawings that can be useful for determining what's what:
> ...


----------



## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, let's see if we can get a picture of that entire wing on that side. You should try to get us a picture of that side with the bird standing normally, and one of the wing held stretched out so that we can tell (hopefully) what the wing tip looks like (the skin, bones and flesh).

Pidgey


----------



## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

You put a lot of time into this bird so I know you want to do the right thing. You were great by helping it in the first place. Since your daughter is attached to the bird I hope you just end up keeping it for a pet. I hope you consider that if he can't fly again. min


----------



## ConcernedMom (Jan 24, 2010)

Bird probably won't be able to fly. Vet has confirmed it after an x ray. Need to get a bigger cage because it flaps around so, it has frayed the tail feathers. I imagine it is desperate to get out because the weather is really nice, but there are a couple of stray cats that might just go for him if I let him out.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

ConcernedMom said:


> Bird probably won't be able to fly. Vet has confirmed it after an x ray. Need to get a bigger cage because it flaps around so, it has frayed the tail feathers. I imagine it is desperate to get out because the weather is really nice, but there are a couple of stray cats that might just go for him if I let him out.


Pigeons really need to be kept in a cage wide enough so that they can flap their wings, which they do for exercise. Wouldn't want him to cause more injury to that wing. Height not so important.


----------

