# Baby Pigeon fell out of it's nest. I don't know what to do.



## NewWithBirds (Aug 24, 2008)

Today as I walked out my front door, I saw a Baby Pigeon on the floor that had fallen from it's nest. I don't know what to do with it, but it looks like its right leg is broken (I'm not sure though) and the mother hasn't returned yet.

I put the pigeon in a shoebox with some of the twigs that fell out of the original nest, and I gave it a very small cup of water.

It looks very very young, but I don't really know how to tell. The only feathers I see are about half a centimeter long and at the tips of its wings. It's overall body length is about two and a half inches long.

Just yesterday, I found a baby pigeon from the same nest, dead, on the same spot, I don't want this one to die, too. Any help?

For the Record, I'm 15 and have no experience with Pigeons/Birds whatsoever.

Pics:








Broken Leg


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## KIPPY (Dec 18, 2003)

General location where your at? There may be a rehabber in your area. 
Maybe you can put a towel on a heating pad set on low. Get a long sock and make it donut shape that he can lay in.

Someone should be on shortly to help you out.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Can you possibly take a picture and post it?

Pidgey


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## NewWithBirds (Aug 24, 2008)

Sorry it took a while. I couldn't figure out how to work the camera so it wasn't blurry.



KIPPY said:


> General location where your at? There may be a rehabber in your area.
> Maybe you can put a towel on a heating pad set on low. Get a long sock and make it donut shape that he can lay in.
> 
> Someone should be on shortly to help you out.


I live in California, in the San Jose area. I'll try the sock thing, thanks.

I'm not quite sure about the Rehabber part. My parents aren't really into 'wasting time' to go there.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Okay, looks more like he's got a "splay leg" than a broken leg. Can you do me a favor? Can you pick hold him in one hand while moving the leg about with the other? What we're looking for is basic solidity of the leg. If, for instance, he can exert pressure with the foot outward but in a somewhat backwards direction, then that would mean that it's not broken. Give that a try and I'll go looking for information on treating splayed legs to bring back here and post. Thanks!

Pidgey


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

NewWithBirds said:


> Sorry it took a while. I couldn't figure out how to work the camera so it wasn't blurry.
> 
> 
> 
> I live in California, in the San Jose area. I'll try the sock thing, thanks.





Hi NWB, 



This looks more like a very young Mourning Dove or other grey Dove sort.


Leg could be a 'splay Leg', a dis-location, or, a broken bone.


Possibly some of our members could check to see if there are any friendly Avian Vets or experienced P-T members near you...since it would be best if this Leg issue could be evaluated by a practiced eye.


Also, at this age, this Dove will have to be worked with as far as feeding and getting onto self-feeding, since it is too young to have ever eaten or drank on it's own yet.


The latter part, you can do right now if you like -


Dissolve a pinch of regular table Salt, and a pinch of regular white Sugar, into a Tea Cup of room temperature Water.


And, having the little Dove up a litle, say, on a rumpled Towell, bring the Cup up to him and gently guide his Bea into it, keeping your finger tips on his Beak...jus so his Beak is say, 1/2 way into the Water...and he should drink either on the first try or on the 2nd or 3rd try anyway.

It is warm where you are, and he is likely pretty thirsty by now.


( Edit - I see Pidgey is walking you through seeing if it is a 'splay leg', so that's good...)


Phil
l v


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

What, if anything, are you feeding the bird? He's not old enough to know how to eat on his own OR drink water. You're going to have to hand feed him.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Thank you for helping this baby.

The baby needs some traction under his feet so his feet don't slip out from under him. Rubbermaid shelf liner works as well as a towel.

It is vital that you place both feet and legs under him in the sitting position, otherwise it will be permanently splayed.The splayed leg needs to be put in the same position as the good leg. You can also restrain the legs from coming out from under him by placing him in a bowl that is not too big nor too small.

You can give him a little water from a dropper, just let it run down just inside the beak on the edge, disperse slowly.

You can feed this baby thawed and drained frozen corn or peas, or puppy chow that has soaked and then drained well. break into tiny pieces, and gently open beak and put to the back of the beak behind tongue. Then allow the baby to swallow and repeat.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Go read this one:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f25/treatments-for-splayed-legs-17869.html

Pidgey


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## NewWithBirds (Aug 24, 2008)

Pidgey said:


> Okay, looks more like he's got a "splay leg" than a broken leg. Can you do me a favor? Can you pick hold him in one hand while moving the leg about with the other? What we're looking for is basic solidity of the leg. If, for instance, he can exert pressure with the foot outward but in a somewhat backwards direction, then that would mean that it's not broken. Give that a try and I'll go looking for information on treating splayed legs to bring back here and post. Thanks!
> 
> Pidgey


After I moved its leg for a while, it jerks it to the side, not to its rear. Does that mean it's broken? And I don't have any bowl the size that would hold it's injured leg underneath it's body. Would using the Sock as a tube work instead?


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

It usually means it's broken when it's completely limp and you can move it in directions that it shouldn't be able to go too easily. Splay-leg is what happens when the nestling grows up on too slick of a surface and can't keep its legs underneath it. Usually, one of them ends up growing more out sideways like this.

Pidgey


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

As Phil posted, that's definitely a little Mourning Dove or another type of wild dove. Would you be able to get it to the wildlife center in San Rafael? http://www.wildcarebayarea.org/site/PageServer?pagename=contactus

Terry


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## NewWithBirds (Aug 24, 2008)

TAWhatley said:


> Would you be able to get it to the wildlife center in San Rafael? http://www.wildcarebayarea.org/site/PageServer?pagename=contactus
> 
> Terry


I don't think so. Like I said, my parents think that I should just leave it outside and wait for one of the parents to come back.

I'm on my own on this one and I have no way to get around.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Tell you what I did once and it worked out just fine: I put the feet together on a splay-legged bird with a wide rubber band and then kept her in a close box so that she couldn't really move around for awhile. Are you up for giving that a try? Of course, you're going to have to teach this one to eat and drink, which won't be too hard if you get the right stuff.

Pidgey


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi again NewWithBirds,

I'm pretty sure you are going to have to hand feed this little dove at least for few days to a week or so. Will you be able to do that? 

Terry


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## NewWithBirds (Aug 24, 2008)

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I can hand feed it. 

But I talked to my dad, and he said he saw the Mother Bird come by a few times. He knows because it's the only bird that goes close enough to my house. Should I just stop interacting with the Baby one? I checked outside, and the mother bird wasn't there, should I take the baby bird inside? Or leave it and let the mother bird take care of it? I really don't know what to do right now.

EDIT* Actually, I just checked outside again, and my dad put some support to where the old nest was and he put the baby one back on top. He doesn't want me to help it. He said as long as it's with it's mother it's out of our business. I really don't think that's the right thing to do. We're not even sure if the mother is definitely coming back.


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Please DO bring it in. It's completely vulnerable to predators not being up high in its nest. The parent will *not *abandon it because you touched it, but unfortunately it sounds as though you can't get him back in the original nest. Do you have any dogs? You can soak some dog kibbles or biscuits for the time being, and feed bits of that to him. Or, frozen peas (thaw and then feed). I am in Santa Rosa (an hour N of SF) but I can't drive long distances due to a hip injury, and Wildcare in San Rafael is actually closer to you than I am. Is there anyone you know that would give you a ride there? Or any wildlife centers in San Jose? You can set the baby up in a shoe box or similar if you have something like that; if you have a heating pad you can set it on low with a towel covering it for him. Let me know if you have any of that stuff to feed him, I'll check back in a few minutes.

Just looked up wildlife centers in your area. There is the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley, at 3027 Penitencia Creek Rd, San Jose, CA 95132. Can you get him to them tomorrow? I would call first and make sure they'll take him, but I'm sure they will, as mourning doves are a species that only rehabbers with permits are allowed to rehab. Hopefully they are close to you.

Okay, just saw your edited post. If the baby has something wrong with its leg(s), it will grow up crippled without intervention and cause it a hard life. Please do try to get permission to bring it in if only for the night to keep it warm and safe. Doves are much flightier than pigeons, and though it is a myth that touching them will scare off the parent, it is totally possible that the parents simply are too stressed to return to the nest and care of the baby. Even if you're not allowed to bring it in tonight, can you possibly call the Wildlife center and ask their opinion tomorrow? I would be very surprised if they didn't tell you to bring it in. Again, I hope they are close to you, maybe you could run over in a bus after school or have a friend give you a lift? I understand you don't want to push the issue with your dad, and for the most part, he is right of course about leaving things be. . .except that this baby is injured. Let us know what you're able to do. And thanks for helping him out.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Let's please keep this young dove inside and safe for tonight and into tomorrow. I've PM'ed Birdmom4ever who also lives in the area and knows the MickaCoo contacts and may be able to help with transport herself. It really is NOT in the best interest of this little dove to be back outside. The splayed leg needs to get fixed or it will not survive for the long term in the wild regardless of whether the parent birds care for it now. The leg has to get fixed.

Terry

PS: NewWithBirds .. if it will help, your Dad can call me at 949-584-6696 .. I've been doing bird rescue for about 13 years now, and you AND your Dad really do need to keep this little dove safe until we can assist with transport to a wildlife center or to a rehabber.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Just got a PM from Terry about this little dove. I will PM the finder with my phone number and ask if she wants help getting it to the Wildlife Center or a rehabber (I know two in San Jose).

-Cathy


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Birdmom4ever said:


> Just got a PM from Terry about this little dove. I will PM the finder with my phone number and ask if she wants help getting it to the Wildlife Center or a rehabber (I know two in San Jose).
> 
> -Cathy


Thank you, Cathy!

Terry


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