# Bad splay leg "s" and bad wing



## gigizach (Sep 1, 2012)

I have a horse farm and am home to too many pigeons! We were mucking stalls 6 days ago and found a big baby (he has yellow downy fluff on his head still) flapping wildly but not moving, upon closer look one leg was out to the side and the other out past his tail feathers!!!! The leg at the side has movement in it but not much and the toes are curled! The other leg is dead and not moving at all! Also his right wing is not neat and in place like the left. It is missing some feathers (probably from flapping) and it droops in half.
I brought him inside and read online about his legs and followed the instructions? First I made him a plastic brace for the legs, brought them into position and vet wrapped them in place. I then vet wrapped his wing in a neat position. While doing all the treatment he pooped a BIG poop! I then figured his mom is still feeding him. So I kept him quiet in the bathroom over night and the put him back out in the stall early in the morning. During the day his mom came to feed him and encourage him to fly! 
I brought him in at night and changed the bandages. I noticed his legs looked sore and indented where the plastic rubbed even though the holes for his legs have duct tape coating the rough edge. I then switched to a sponge. 
I returned him again in the morning to the stall for his mom and she came again. He and she would do this calling, squeaking and she would get louder then leave. 
On the forth day I decided I was going to have to take him from his mom and start feeding him because he was still trying to flap like mad and his feet were always slipping backwards. 

So now I have been looking after him 2 days. I have to force feed him and am using parrot hand feed formula with a syringe and tube long enough to go past his air hole. I tried the bottle with fabric and slits, tried the syringe with balloon and the bag he will have none of it! He eats seeds minimally, he plays with them more than eats them. I read about round seeds and they have an instinct to eat them. He didn't at first but has been today. However he has no clue about water and won't even try!!! 

I am having difficulty wrapping him and keeping his legs in place and I am concerned about his wing and if I am wrapping it correctly.

How often should his wraps be off for air and how should I do it correctly? His legs are very weak especially the one that was way back past his tail.

For tonight I put him in a hammock to let his legs air but the hammock does not keep his legs forward enough. They hang down but I figured for tonight it would give him a breather.

Please post links to things that will help me. I am not sure he will have a quality of life but I also don't want to give up on him just yet if at all! 

I am in Ontario near Kitchener, Waterloo 

I don't know how to post photo's?

Thank you

Sandra


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

would you email a picture to me?
It would be good if you would supplement his diet with calcium. You can pick up some powdered calcium at the pet store and give him a pinch every day.

[email protected]


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qCydR02tN0&feature=related


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I got your pictures and I'll try posting them after I do my bird chores.It will be several hours.
It looks like the legs may be out of joint. Please feel to where they connect to the body and tell us how that connection feels.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Here are the pictures:


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

One more, as it would only let me add 4 pics at once.


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## gigizach (Sep 1, 2012)

So my Pigeon is panting not sure if if because it is hot or done! Should I have him put down? Help would be great. 

Thank you


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

gigizach said:


> So my Pigeon is panting not sure if if because it is hot or done! Should I have him put down? Help would be great.
> 
> Thank you


1--This is someone elses thread, and on another topic. Can you start your own thread so that people will see it and try to help you?

2--Would you put your dog down because he started to limp?

3--I have PMed you on how to start a new thread.


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## gigizach (Sep 1, 2012)

Um this is my thread!!! I started the post. Let's get one thing straight I have NEVER PUT AN ANIMAL TO SLEEP!!! I own over 40 and have saved over 100 birds since owning my farm!!! It was a question not an "I am putting an animal to sleep. However not that I have your attention read the 1st post and help me with the bird instead of jumping the gun and forcing me to leave your board!!!!!!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Sorry. I thought someone else came in as it sounded like a new problem. Happens all the time. No reason for you to get so dramatic about it.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Why would you have him put down because he is panting? Could be lots of reasons. Could be hot, could be respiratory problems.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

His legs are splayed. I don't think is efficient to wrap him around his body. It won't stay too long. 
Please warp him as in below pic. betwwen the ankle and knee and put him in the dounut and make sure he is sitting properly (just as pigens sit). Do not put sticky side of the tape directly on his skin. He is a fully feather pigeon and it will take 4 -7 weeks to stand all right.
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1193591190044786621MuWGtk

Could the panting be from the tie around his body?


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## gigizach (Sep 1, 2012)

As I said no one has put or is putting anyone to sleep! Pretty sure you started this by not reading my original post. This bird is sick and at the moment has a poor chance at life! Unless you have some input on his tx!


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Gigizach, i know you are here because you want to save the pigeon. I thank you for taking care of it. 
Please lets put our minds together and save the pigeon and forget the misunderstandings. 
Would you try please wrap his legs as in the link i sent? I had splayed leg pigeon and it got corrected. The sooner, the better. The warp doesn't have to be too tight so his feet don't get swollen, enough to allow circulation. Leave 2-3 inches space between his legs (do not tie then too close).
The wing is most likely damaged because he is using the wing to walk. Can you tell of it's broken.
About feeding: you said he doesn't drink water. Defrosted peas give him nutrients and the water intake for hydration. I will post instructions shortly on handfeeding.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

The bird may be panting because of pain. If the legs are out of joint at the hips and you are taping to correct the splay, it may be causing much pain. If that's the case, taping the legs in normal position isn't going to work. If that's the case, a correction won't work.

Splay is caused by poor nutrition, lack of traction underneath the feet in the nest or both.
If you don't feed the barn pigeons and they forage for food, nutrition may be part of the problem.
Pigeons need protein. Wild bird seed, while they love it, doesn't have protein and so if you will feed the baby some defrosted peas, as Dima suggested, that would be very good.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

*Hand feeding defrosted peas*

_*Here are some prewritten feeding instruction...

You can hand feed defrosted peas. Run some hot water over them until they are defrosted and slightly warmed. Put the bird on your lap and hold it next to your body. If it helps because you are having a hard time handling the pigeon, you can wrap a towel around it or put it in the sleeve of a tee shirt, with the head out the wrist. This method confines the pigeon without hurting him and makes it easier to handle. Gently open the beak and pop a pea at the back of the mouth and over the throat. It gets easier and faster, with practice, for both you and the bird.
You will need to feed 30-50 per feeding [depending on the size of the pigeon] and every time the crop empties until you know the baby is eating on his own. After a couple of feedings, most squeakers get the hang of it, pick up the peas on their own and naturally transition into a seed diet.
This is a wonderful method for teaching babies to eat because they feel the whole food in their mouth and it’s soft and easy to pick up and hang on to. 
The crop is located right below the throat and with food it fills up like a little balloon. The peas make the crop feel lumpy and squishy.*_


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## gigizach (Sep 1, 2012)

Thank you Diana but he can't be wrapped like the picture because his leg is very deformed and will not stay. He can not stand up. At the moment I have him in a sling and his legs wrapped. Problem is I don't want pigeons in the barn so I won't be feeding them. They scare the horses and humans fall off and risk hurting themself. We had a scammer that sold Pigeons for food he was called the Pigeon King!!! He went bankrupt and all the people that had thousands of pigeons either destroyed them or let them go. 

I am doing my best and will try to keep him going as long as he is comfortable and I am not doing more damage.

I have also added calcium to his feed.

Thank you


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## gigizach (Sep 1, 2012)

Oh and how often should he be fed. I have done the peas too. 

Again thank you


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Sandra...he needs to be fed every time the crop empties.

Have you felt the legs/hips yet? Do they seen to be out of the socket?


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## gigizach (Sep 1, 2012)

He is a very determined pigeon! I left him for a couple hours to see if the panting was because I have been carrying him around. Well, I just came to check on him and he is out of my hammock and my leg contraptions! He is not panting anymore. So it must have been because he was hot!!!
Someone please tell me how to wrap his legs so he can stay this way and maybe fix the legs enough so he can have a life!

Thanks


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

This is a very good article about leg conditions in pigeons.
I think your leg contraption was hurting him and that's why he was panting. Pigeons do pant when they are in pain. They do not have a vocalization for pain.
Please check the hip joints/sockets.

http://www.epah.net/birds/Plimbdeformity.shtml


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...YVCUMLmMIm9igKb2ICAAQ&ved=0CCgQ9QEwAg&dur=968

Birds have air sacs through out the body. I suspect the tapping of the leg may have been pressing on the abdominal sac causing pain and breathing problems.
The above is a link to a diagram so you can see what I'm talking about.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Sandra...I've watched the video and it helps. The curling toe is an indication of vitamin deficiency. The baby needs B vitamins especially B2.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Could you take the bird to a vet to have him examined? Where are you located in Canada?


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## gigizach (Sep 1, 2012)

So I now have a pigeon attached to my hip! He wants to be held!!!! Looks like the next month will be me and a baby Pigeon in my arms! My patients will love me! 
The vet wanted to euthanize him. They know me and how I roll so I took the bird home. 

Charis thank you for the links I think he has Rotated Tarsometatarsus on the right leg and a very weak left leg. 

I have him back in the plastic one that I made first. Now that I am holding him he seems quite happy!!!! 

OMG what have involved my self in this time

I have looked after raised and released over 20 hatchling starlings and a robin this summer!! My last starling just stopped coming home to be fed! He comes to say hi but no longer eats from me. Now a pigeon for life I think!!! He can join my sparrow living in the bathroom which also wouldn't leave.

Thank you everyone


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

gigizach said:


> So I now have a pigeon attached to my hip! He wants to be held!!!! Looks like the next month will be me and a baby Pigeon in my arms! My patients will love me!
> The vet wanted to euthanize him. They know me and how I roll so I took the bird home.
> 
> Charis thank you for the links I think he has Rotated Tarsometatarsus on the right leg and a very weak left leg.
> ...


LOL...I feel your pain!
Do you want the link for the lady that makes the amazing pigeon diapers?


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

http://www.birdwearonline.com


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

What is the plastic bag for? A diaper or sling? I think i missed something.


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