# Baby wood pigeon going to die!! HELP ASAP



## Shulchan (Oct 1, 2017)

Found a baby pigeon that's a fledgling so it's at least a few weeks old. I have absolutely zero idea what to do with it and every website says something else. I've been feeding it cooked corn, canned peas, and eggs... Is there anything else I should be feeding it? I feed it 4 times a day and also give it 20 ml of water with every meal. I live in Israel where there are no rehabilitation centers so really I am on my own, living in a dorm without a car and barely any access to transportation. My fellow dormmates would like to kill it, so no help there. I have no idea how to tell when the crop is full. I put it on a hot water bottle with a blanket so it stays warm but I am scared its overheating. It refuses to eat or drink so I force it's mouth open and feed it that way. By force it's mouth open I mean that I kind of pry it apart with my fingers because I don't know what else to do. The crop feels exactly the same all the time so idk. I've had it for a day and it sits around and stares and does nothing, is that normal? Looks kind of traumatized. 

What should I feed it?
How much?
How often?
How many ml of water, how often?
Can I give it cooked food, like rice or lentils or quinoa? (It's 2-3 weeks old)
Can I give it hard seeds?
How do I open it's mouth without hurting it?


Thanks so much


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Some of the below would be relevant but, as the wood pigeon is past the small baby stage, some will not.

It seems you already have pretty much the right idea.

At this stage, seeds - a wild bird seed mix is fine to start - would be right for him. When they are fed peas they may start to pick them up from a hand - some do, some don't.


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## bootface (Jun 29, 2017)

Can you post a picture so we can get a better idea of how old it is?
It sounds like it's lethargic. If there's no signs of injury, I would be worried about hypothermia and dehydration. Feel under its wings, does it feel very warm and humid? If not it needs more heat. Is it's saliva stringy? How does its poop look?
If you're giving it 20 ml of water on top of the food, I don't see how the crop doesn't feel different. Either you're not giving it enough, or it's not digesting it's food. What does the crop feel like?

_What should I feed it?_
I'm privileged enough to have access to giant bags of squab formula, which is ideal. I'm not convinced peas are adequate for a baby pigeon, but that's often recommended here. At this point calories are the most important thing. I can try to find a recipe from a trusted source. 
_How much?_
Feed it until the crop feels full. Depending on what you're feeding it, it should feel like a beanbag or a water balloon when it's full. It should be able to hold about 2-3 tablespoons of food at a time.
_How often?_
Feed it whenever the crop is empty. Probably 3-4 times a day. Let its crop empty for at least 8 hours overnight. 
_How many ml of water, how often?_
That depends on how much moisture is in the food you're giving it. If it's very moist food, like non-dry peas or corn, I wouldn't give it any.
_Can I give it cooked food, like rice or lentils or quinoa? (It's 2-3 weeks old)_
As far as I know, cooked grains won't help it much, but it shouldn't hurt in the short-term.
_Can I give it hard seeds?_
Yes, if you're giving it enough water
_How do I open it's mouth without hurting it?_
Carefully. I've never actually had a problem with that. Wrap it in a towel so it can't thrash around. Hold its head in your hand and gently pry it open.


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## Shulchan (Oct 1, 2017)

It's food is not exactly dry but not really moist either- I'm giving it cooked/ canned food that I warm up in hot water, and then after I give 20 ml in an eye dropper- is that too much? It REALLY does not want to eat I literally need to fight it. You can see the poop in the picture, don't know if that's normal or not. What does lethargic mean? Is that bad? How often should he be on a hot water bottle? Im scared if he's on it all day he will overheat. And yes if you can find a recipe for me that would be AMAZING. I only have access to parrot or parakeet seeds, would that be ok?


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## Shulchan (Oct 1, 2017)

Ive never had a pigeon before so I really don't know what a full crop is supposed to feel like:/ you think about 15 peas is good? Also if I feed egg- am I supposed to use the yoke or the white or both?

Thanks so much honestly you are saving his life


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## bootface (Jun 29, 2017)

_I give 20 ml in an eye dropper- is that too much?_
Not if the food is dry. I am concerned that you say the crop always feels the same. Either he's not getting enough, or he's not digesting.

He won't like being force fed. It can take a while for them to learn that you are a source of food, even when you're using a more natural feeding method. We tube feed pigeons, and I think that makes weaning them much easier. I wouldn't worry about his reluctance to be fed. He'll start eating on his own when he's old enough.

Lethargic means low energy, sluggish. It could just be fear, but I expect baby pigeons to be vocal and spend a lot of time flapping and either harassing you for food or running away.

He should be on the heat all the time. It looks like he has enough space to move off it if he gets too hot.

Parrot seed should be just fine, I think he's old enough to be eating just seeds, peas, corn, whatever's easiest to get in him. His poop looks fine.

Edit:
I don't think 15 peas is enough, but you'll have to measure it out. 2-3 tablespoons per feeding. I have never fed eggs to pigeons, and I doubt I ever will, but I assume you'd feed the whole egg. I'll go through some books and see if I can find that info.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

As regards egg, I've never given it to a baby pigeon, but have used packaged egg food. For egg itself, I'd suggest just hardboiled and chopped as is into small bits.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

You may also want to try Facebook group (international) https://www.facebook.com/groups/pigeon.rescue/


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## Shulchan (Oct 1, 2017)

Would mixture of peas, oatmeal, wheat kernels and soy milk be ok?


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## bootface (Jun 29, 2017)

So I found a recipe for crop milk, but he's past the age of needing that. For older birds, there's all kinds of random recipes. Either their diet isn't terribly important at this age, or nobody has any idea what they're doing. Your mixture should be okay. Leave out dry seeds for him, so he has the option to pick at it on his own.


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## Shulchan (Oct 1, 2017)

Thank you so much!!


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

To be honest at his size I would give frozen defrosted peas - if you can get the small 'petit pois' variety all the better and if he's too small for normal sized peas I'd pop them out of the outer shell and give him half a pea at a time. You wouldn't have to worry about giving water as the peas contain enough moisture and they will definitely sustain him for a few days until maybe he eats on his own. I weaned all of my hand reared babes with hemp seeds, they were the first seeds they were willing to try but any small seeds - like millet, sesame, budgie seeds, etc are good to start off with. 

Put him on your lap and hold him around the shoulder and neck with one hand, finger and thumb either side of his beak. With your other hand hold a pea in that finger and thumb and with a nail open his beak - hold the beak open with the finger and thumb that you have either side of it from the other hand and put the pea as far back in his throat as you can. He should swallow it easily but if he spits it out it's because you didn't place it far enough back - make sure it's over the back of his tongue. 

It might sound hard but it's so easy once you get the hang of it. Feed around ten peas ever three-four hours at first and check the crop for fullness after a feed and emptiness before one. 

Have confidence in yourself and you'll sail through the whole process and so will he. Thanks for helping the lil fella.


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

Bye the way - he looks like a baby collard dove to me. He's beautiful.


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## Shulchan (Oct 1, 2017)

It really just sits there all day. Doesn't move at all. Is it just really stressed? I think my feedings are super traumatizing for it because I still struggle to get the beak open smoothly. Is it sick or just stressed?


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## Shulchan (Oct 1, 2017)

Ok so I figured out why it wasn't moving- one of it's legs doesn't work. It can't perch on it or walk on it so it mostly sits still unless it has to awkwardly hop around to get something. I can't tell if it's paralysed or just broken but it doesn't seem to be in pain. What should I do?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I would just feed the frozen peas which have been defrosted and warmed under warm running water. It's the easiest way to feed him, and it won't be on just peas forever, as soon he will be able to be weaned. After feeding him the soft peas for a while they will often view them as food and start picking them up for himself. I would start with 25 to 30 peas. The crop should feel like a soft pilow or bean bag when he has had enough. Then wait about 6 hours and see if it has emptied. It should go down, and he will have pooped several times. This lets you know the food is going through. Do this about 3 times a day and he will be fine. They don't need to be peeled or anything. They hold a lot of moisture so that helps keep him hydrated. Later you will teach him how to drink on his own by gently dipping his beak into a small crock of water, but not over his nostrils. You have to be very careful giving him water by syringe, as it is easy to aspirate a bird and send it down the wrong tube. The peas look too big, but they do work. Just make sure to push it way back over his tongue to the back of his throat.
Here is how to do this easily.

If you need to feed peas to a pigeon, hold the bird on your lap and against your body. This gives you more control. Reach from behind his head with one hand and grasp his beak on either side. Now use your free hand to open the beak, and put a pea in, then push it to the back of his throat and over his tongue. Let him close his beak and swallow. Then do another. It gets easier with practice, and the bird also gets more used to it, and won't fight as much. If you can't handle the bird, then use the sleeve cut off a t-shirt, slip it over his head and onto his body, with his head sticking out. This will stop him from being able to fight you so much. Just don't make it tight around his crop area. It helps if you have him facing your right side if you are right handed.


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## bootface (Jun 29, 2017)

Not moving is a sign of pain. You need to take him to someone more experienced, like a vet. We can't really help you with that over the internet. It needs to be splinted if it's broken.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Can you post pictures of the leg and how he holds it? He could have a splayed leg, which can be fixed if done soon enough. If it is broken, then you would need a vet to make sure it heals properly. But first we need to be able to know what is wrong. He could also be sick and that could be why he is quiet. Pictures of the leg would help.


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## Shulchan (Oct 1, 2017)

He doesn't hold it funny at all and you can't tell in pictures because he usually sits on it, but he won't walk and if he does he will only hop on one leg. He only perches on one leg.

I cannot take it to a vet, I live in Israel where these birds are considered pests, there's no rehabilitation center that will take them nor vet that is legally allowed to treat them. I don't know what to do with it. I have no experience with animals whatsover and I am joining the army in a month so I can't care for this bird indefinitely but it doesn't look like it's ever going to walk or fly.

What should I do with it?


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## bootface (Jun 29, 2017)

I have no idea what the laws are in your country, but I doubt it's illegal to treat the bird. Even if it is, a lot of vets don't care. Ideally you find a vet who knows something about birds. A zoo might be able to help, even someone who has pet birds might know what to do in your area.
There is no reason to believe the bird won't be able to fly. Pigeons can survive in the wild with a bad leg. It's not ideal, but it isn't a death sentence.


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## Shulchan (Oct 1, 2017)

This is what the leg looks like. He holds it limp and seems to be fine when sit but puts no weight on it when walking. Seems to be in a lot of pain as he doesn't move ever. Should I try and splint it or just hope it heals? Where/ how would I splint it?


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## bootface (Jun 29, 2017)

You should not splint it unless you know for sure where the break is, and that it's broken. That's why you need someone more experienced to look at it. Does he have feeling in it? Pinch a toe and see if he pulls away.
If it's nerve damage splinting it won't help and could delay any chance of healing.


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