# Baby feeding change; time and formula with age...



## Canavian (Aug 13, 2010)

I have been raising a baby feral Pigeon for about a week, and based on other baby photos (http://www.mumtazticloft.com/BabyPigeons.asp), I would assume it to now be roughly 15 days (based on the larger baby, with slightly more feathering shown in the pictures). Up until recently, I was feeding it very regularly at 1, 1.5, then 2-3 hour intervals. It could consume quite a good deal at these high-frequency feedings, which is why the sudden decline in feeding requests just comes as a suprise. I gather this may be normal, but now four, even five hours can pass before he/she gets demanding. Even then, he/she does not consume nearly so much as at earlier feedings, in spite of their much greater frequency. What's considered typical for a two-plus weeker? From raising other birds, I wonder if he/she may be simply beginning to reject baby food. Is two-plus weeks too early for solids?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

they do get fed less as they get older..you need to make sure the crop is empty before feeding again.. that is how you should gage it.. not good to put formula on top of the old that is in there already..is the crop emptying? If not then you may need to do some other things for him. hand raised babies can be behind where they should be..they will start to peck at seeds when young if you show them the seeds with your fingers to get them interested..they may not eat them at first but one day they will try it and then start to eat on their own..he still sounds too young for eating on his own right now.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Canavian,



Is the Crop passing more slowly now?


What is the food, and how are you preparing it?


Can you post some images of the poops/urates?


And, of the Baby himself?



Phil
Lv


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## Le0NezZ4 (Aug 31, 2010)

*Lil' Pidg'*

Sorry for my late reply; I had a service outage for a week, and also forgot my profile info' ... ~shrugs~ ... at any rate, lil' pidg' isn't doing to badly thoz ... I think I was probably just a little over-anxious about the natural reduction in the lil guy/girl's appetite. Think he/she's near fledging now, though I haven't actually seen him/her fly yet (certainly flaps a lot). As per release, I was thinking of putting him/her outside so as to adjust to the climate within the next few days, and also to see whether the neighborhood flock (just three or four birds that do the apple-tree circuit every morning) takes any 'friendly' interest. He is pretty much self-feeding, although I am still give one feeding a day 'just in case.' Not sure what else to do other than just see how things go. He/she's at least come a long way from resembling a cross between a chicken mcnugget and a hedgehog (suspect maybe a week or less old upon landing in my care).


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Canavian, just thought I would make a few comments, as you have two very good people with Phil and Spirit Wings advising you. Not sure if I would not put him outside, as his wings look developed enough and he is at an age he might just surprise you and get up somewhere that you can't retrieve him from. Also, he will need a good few more weeks with you to further develop and he should be over 325+ grams before you even think about letting him try it on his own out there, to give him his best chance at making it. There are lots of threads on soft releases and getting them ready to return, plus others will help you out with the steps you need to take for him.

Good luck with him,

Karyn


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Canavian, 



Make sure the youngster gets to have volentary Baths, and, see how the Water effects their Feathers.

If their Feathers get soaked ( instead of repelling the Water ) 'release' into a clime where Rain is common, or where rain and cold occur, could be a death sentence.


He needs to have his Feathers in good condition for the out of doors.


More later...


Best wishes!


Phil
Lv


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Dobato said:


> Canavian, just thought I would make a few comments, as you have two very good people with Phil and Spirit Wings advising you. Not sure if I would not put him outside, as his wings look developed enough and he is at an age he might just surprise you and get up somewhere that you can't retrieve him from. Also, he will need a good few more weeks with you to further develop and he should be over 325+ grams before you even think about letting him try it on his own out there, to give him his best chance at making it. There are lots of threads on soft releases and getting them ready to return, plus others will help you out with the steps you need to take for him.
> 
> Good luck with him,
> 
> Karyn


Ditto...if you want to relese her/him..and do the proper Soft Release acclimation...so, when you bring that pigeon outside, it absolutely HAS to be in a secure cage. 
Too many sad, sad stories of folks who 'thought' their pigeon wasn't fully flighted yet, or thought 'they'd be easy to catch'...only to have the baby take off and land permanently out of range of their caregiver....sans ANY knowledge of how to survive in the Feral world.

Such a story would end very badly...

You have done such a tremendous job of rescuing and raising her/him so far...in order to see it thru and give him the best chance you can, you have to do a complete Soft Release regimen....no skimping, no shortcuts.

Also, don't release until at least 8 weeks old.

Keep up the good work !!!


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Yes...as Jaye says...very true.


Criteria for a 'release' needs to be understood and the Bird evaluated with care.


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## Le0NezZ4 (Aug 31, 2010)

Hello all, it's several weeks on and I still have little Pidg' (well, that's what I call him/her ... he/she's actually kinda humungous ... nearly the size of my parrot). Trouble is, the more I read about 'soft release' philosophies, the more apprehensive I get about trying. I've invested a lot (mainly in terms of effort, time etc.... ) into raising the lil (big) bird, and don't really want to risk all that gambling on a release where I can't be certain of him/her having strong survival odds. Acclimatization is easy, just means seeing well he/she takes to the outdoor temperature(s), right? My main areas of concern are the lil bird's ability (or lack of ability) to be accepted into a local flock (has basically no prior bonding/socializing experience with other pigeons), and his/her ability to find food for him/herself in the wilds of the rural, northern Ontario suburbs. I am not sure if building a multi-pigeon sized loft is within my financial means (a student), but would some, somewhat smaller housing be appropriate for helping just a single bird adapt to outdoor life at a survivable pace? I raised an American Robin last year, as well, who got away during one of my outside feeding attempts (cage I have lil pidge' in, designed for a conure, was large enough for Robin's outdoor needs - given a little rain protection). I was more confident of "Wobyn's" survival, however, because he/she'd already been self-feeding from the natural covering-like bedding I'd created in his/her cage (digging up worms, pulling wood mites out of semi-rotted wood, etc).... any suggestions... ?


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## 2 Pigeons (Oct 1, 2010)

I have 2 that I removed from a big exhaust fan at work. The parents were there at the time, but I had to repair the fan and that would have been certain death for the babies, so I took them home and hand fed them till they started to eat on their own. My plan was to release them back to the wild when they could fly good. I have tried and sometimes they are gone for a few hours, but they always return before dark and are ready to come back inside. They even returned with a third pigeon the last time they were out. Now they are pretty much full grown. I am happy they give me the priveledge to be their friend.


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