# Could you help please? (UK only)



## lynnig (Jul 7, 2014)

Hi,

I rescued a wood pigeon 3 months ago. He was found in a garden. He may have been hit by a car or mauled by a cat? I am unsure on this? He came with a badly injured wing and had several wounds on his body. We (my husband and I) took him immediately to a woman we know who runs a rescue center for pigeons. Unfortunately she was over run with birds and could not take him in (breeding season!). She advised us to take him to a vet for antibiotics immediately for the wounds, which we did, and apologized for her being 'full up!'

She said she didn't think the wing was broke and advised us on what to do to look after him. She said it was muscle damage by the looks of it, but who knows?

Anyway, to cut a log story short, we have had a lot of trouble with him and in the early days, didn't know if he would survive? We initially put him in a cat box, to try to prevent him damaging his wing anymore and then borrowed a dog cage from family. This is in our front room on a sideboard and we put perches and food and water for him and covered it on 3 sides with an old dust sheet. We don't use the room much and the doors are always closed.

Being a wild male wood pigeon in the prime of the breeding season you can imagine how frisky he was/ and still is!!! He is left alone for 95% of the day in the quiet. We do have to hoover occasionally (he is messy with the food and feathers etc) and also clean the newspaper out daily that we line the cage floor with. I try to change his food and water and clean at the same time to avoid stressing him too much. He still "goes mental", which unfortunately sometimes opens his wounds back up.

We are now having to live in the kitchen, we spent a lot of time in the garden during the summer so it was easier. Now when family come to visit we are all stood about in the kitchen. He knows people are there so it still can send him crazy at times.

I was wondering if any of you has anywhere that would be better for him? Maybe an aviary? He will possibly be releasable in the spring. He is looking quite fit and healthy now (at one point he lost most of his feathers and looked like a "plucked chicken", they have grown back nicely now! A vet said it was probably due to stress.) I am also looking after another rescue juvenile woody in the next cage to him. He lost all his top beak from canker. We have to hand feed him 3 times a day, which in turn disturbs him. My hubby has got Multiple Sclerosis and my health isn't good. So it is getting a lot for both of us. Nobody will visit now as there is nowhere to sit (in the summer we could sit in the garden). Everybody thinks we are mental but what could we do? We couldn't let them die! But just took too much on I think!?!? He has been through a lot so I would like to find him somewhere nice...

So here is my "plea for help", before I end up in the nut house (lol)! If you could help I would be very grateful, if not I understand.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi

You have gone to a lot of trouble for this woodie, well done! Yes, they are real loony birds inside.

Can't suggest anything not knowing whereabouts you are.

Also, if you are on Facebook I would much recommend you join the Pigeon Protection group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/PigeonProtection/

as it is a UK group of rescuers and several of us do have woodies, or it may be possible to locate a pigeon friendly place where he could be released with others if he recovers well.


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## lynnig (Jul 7, 2014)

Hi John_D,

Thank you very much for your reply. 

We are not members on Facebook unfortunately. We are located in West Yorkshire and are prepared to travel with him. I am sure he would be happier with someone who knows what they are doing with him and not in someones front room! We just want whats best for him.

I feel the other one (Beaker), the one who lost his upper beak, would also be better with someone who knew what they were doing. He is a baby from this years brood. He won't be releasable as he cannot preen or feed himself properly. He was found in a garden also, we were told he flew into a trampoline. Unfortunately it was canker he had, probably from his parents feeding him? He is in a large parrot cage and is very tame (at the side of the psycho!) lol. Any suggestion to make him happier would be most appreciated.

We will be looking to join FB if that's the only way to help these woodies...


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi

I can post your needs on the facebook group. Personally, I don't know where all the members but a very few are located, so will have to see if anyone in your area can help or offer ideas.


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## lynnig (Jul 7, 2014)

Thankyou John if you could? Bless you, like i have said i am prepared to travel and don't know how much more i can cope with him.


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## Smidge (Sep 14, 2014)

Hi, 

Sounds like you're doing a great job!  You've probably heard of this website for the UK, but this link offers a selection of pigeon rescue centres in the UK - showing a couple in Yorkshire.... 

http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/rescuecentresinengland.htm

It might be worth a try, or maybe someone at one of the centres can give you some support. 

All the best!


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Be very wary. As one can see on a recent update to the page, the list is now, really, rescue centres which were at the time of adding to the list reported as being pigeon friendly.

We can't say with certainty that they are still pigeon friendly, so a rescuer needs to check with them to their complete satisfaction that pigeons (and woodpigeons and collared doves) will _not_ be PTS if deemed non-releasable.


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## Smidge (Sep 14, 2014)

That's true -  Good point! Check and double check!


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi Lynn - 

Have tagged a lady in Manchester to see if she can help regarding wild woodie. I can't say if she could or not, but she does rescue and take in various pigeons.

Re Beaker - Cynthia (Feefo) said that she would be willing to look after him. We currently have had a little stock dove (Doodly-doo) for over a couple of years who Cynthia feeds 3 times a day, and who spends the daytime in our smaller aviary with a few collared doves, couple of woodies and a handful of the most vulnerable pigeons.

If you want, PM me or EMAIL Cynthia (she doesn't use pigeon talk much so may not pick up a PM).


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Lynn ... Stephanie in Manchester will be happy to take on your crazy woodie  She could take Beaker, but I think it would be better if we did (think she had an issue with a relative over another disabled bird).

Do you want to PM me your number (for Steph) and also what town you are in (to look at logistics of moving Beaker - I'm in Norfolk 2 weeks in every month and can willingly drive at least some of the way).


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## lynnig (Jul 7, 2014)

Hi John you are an angel!!!,

Thank you so much! The thought of Beaker with other birds (disabled) and in an aviary makes me cry. I will PM our numbers and location etc, sorry for the delay in answering. Been out and then seeing to the pigeons. The better the wild woodie is getting, the more aggressive he's getting with me! I will ring Stephanie tomorrow. Have I to email Feefo? Or do I arrange it through you? Stephanie is an hours drive from us so that will be no problem. How ever far we have to drive for Beakers happiness, and my peace of mind, will be a small price to pay! We'll speak soon... 

You are all 'Pigeon Angels', but John, you angel you!!! 
Thank you again!

Lyn


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi Lyn

You can PM me if you want. I am at Cynthia's anyway, for now. I will be going back to Worthing on this Sunday, then returning to Norwich two Sundays later. If we can sort something out for sometime between Tuesday Nov 4th and Sunday 16th that would be fine.


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