# 1 week old baby pigeon, what to feed and how much?



## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

Hello, my name is Mateo, and I'm new on this forum. I just want to say this community is great, i read almost everything here, and you guys are the reason my chick is still alive. Thank you very much for that. 

In short, a week ago I found a baby pigeon, it fell out of the nest and i couldn't find nest since it was somewhere on top of the 4 story building that I couldn't get on top of. It was cold and almost dead, I think it was 1-2 days old at the time, weighing around 20 g

I couldn't leave him, so i took him, warmed him up (don't ever give food to a cold baby birds as they can not digest it, and would lead to a sour crop and eventual death), gave him some puppy biscuits, I think I did everything right, so if anyone needs any advice on raising pigeons that young, I would be glad to help

Feeding:
I'm feeding him with baby "Patee Universelle" from Padovan, formula for baby birds. First i was feeding him every 2-3 hours, now I feed him 3-4 times a day, with amount of food of 20 ml. I give him very thin and watery formula, since it seems to have slow crop (it takes about 6 hours to completely empty), so I don't wait for his crop to be completely empty (except once a day, which is over night)...I also got him non pasterised ACV, his crop seemed very slow, almost not moving a few days ago, but extremely watery formula with some ACV in it and massaging the crop gently seemed to get things done, as in the morning, his shoe box was full of dropings (10-15, i don't know, it was all over) and i was so happy. 

Housing: I keep him in a shoebox, I live in Zadar, Croatia (it's very warm here, my room temperature never drops below 30 degrees celsius, (or somewhere around 88 F). I keep two bottles with hot water placed in socks, forming an "L" shape in the box, so he can move closer or further away, depending on is it too hot or too cold for him. One mistake I made was keeping him between two water bottles, he was getting two hot, i found out later, but luckly soon enough, if your bird is shivering with his beak open, it is probably too hot.

He is about 7-9 days old now and weighing around 110g, and I wanna ask a few questions. Firstly, am I doing everything right? I think I am because bird is doing great, and that's all thanks to the guidelines I read on this forum.

Second, can i feed him anything else in this age? Problem is Zadar is very small city, and our country is almost third world considering stuff we are not able to get, like kaytee baby formula, and we do not have many many bird formulas, I could only find this one and it was a last one in store, another pet shops I wisited didn't even have any, and I don't know if there are any left in the city, don't know if I would be able to find another one when this one runs out (I'ts already half empty), so what happens if I switch him to another formula?

And I contacted every wet and every pigeon breeder in town, but they weren't interested in helping me in any way (and I only asked them for advice), so no one will accept him, and I can't let him go in the wild because our city is full of wild cats and very aggressive seaguls (and they are known to attack and eat pigeons, seen it few times on my own), and lonely pigeon that didn't socialize with other pigeons would be easy target, so It looks like I'm keeping him as pet 

I hope information I provided will help someone in the future like other threads helped me, thank you all in advance for your replies, I would post some pictures but it wouldn't let me , oh and forgot to mention, I named him Larry (after my favorite basketball player Larry Bird).


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Sounds as if you're doing everything right! The first couple of days raising one that young, is always crucial, but he's surviving and gaining weight, so well done. You can always add unsweetened baby applesauce to his formula, that will help with digestion. 

I'm glad you're going to keep him, being handraised from that young age he will not survive out there and will probably be human imprinted. At about 3 weeks you can start introducing him to smaller seeds and then he will have to start drinking water as well.

If you're going to keep him indoors, you will need to add vitamins, especially calcium with added Vit D3 to the drinking water. If it's a female, she will start laying eggs in the future and the calcium will help prevent her getting eggbound.


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

Thank you for the advices! I live on the top floor and i have a balcony, so i tend to give him some outside time on the sun whenever i can, It's sunny most of the year(95% of the time), but i don't trust these seaguls, they usually share rooftops with pigeons bc there is plenty of food, but you never know...so I will supervise him, I can give him vitamin D manually but I think natural is always better (when possible) 

He is 2 weeks old now and I'm switching him to a new formula...the old one is universal formula for all baby birds, has some dairy products (not lactose), and the new one is a little bit different, it's formula for baby parrots, it has yolk instead dairy products, 18% protein and 4,2% fat...that is only formula available...any advices?

Another question about temperature...my room is around 28-30 degrees celsius, window open, I still keep hot water bottles in his box but I think that It's not necessary anymore...he has developed quills and little feathers, doesn't seem to be cold...

Yesterday i was feeding him 20 ml of creamy soup-like formula 4 times a day, today it's 25 ml 5 times, his crop works faster and he is growing so fast


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

He probably doesn't need the extra heat now, but the formula needs to be thicker. More like a pudding. If it is too watered down then he doesn't get enough nutrition.
Here is a link with info on amounts just to get an idea of what they should be getting. I know not all with be able to handle the same amount, but gives you an idea of where he should be.

http://www.internationaldovesociety.com/Recipes/handfeedinghelp.htm


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

Well done on your care and he's a lucky little fellow to have you as his parent. They grow so fast and when they start getting their pin feathers before you know it 'pooof' you have a proper pigeon, lol. I love raising them and I hope you enjoy every moment with him as much as he will enjoy every moment with you. 
If you run out of formula and can't get any more you can blend up pigeon mix in a blender with some defrosted peas, porridge oats (uncooked) a little baby apple sauce and a couple of drops of calcium ( every other day in one feed). Blend it to the consistency you want by adding water and sieve it to get any large lumps out. He'll do well on that and you can decrease the blending a little to get him used to the occasional lump or two. 
Larry is a very special baby by the sound of it and will be a wonderful friend too.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Actually, Freda's mix sounds pretty healthy, and not so hard to do. Good idea.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

The balcony sounds like a good place to keep him. Maybe you can close it off so that no predators can get to him, but he will still get the benefit of being outside in the sun.


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

Thank you all for your wonderful advices.
I thikened the formula,he gets around 25-30 ml of puding-like thick formula like you said, but still it takes him around 3-4 hours for his crop to empty...two days ago i was feeding him 20 ml of watery formula and it took him around 6 hours for crop to empty...i guess this is the part when they grow the most.

I am switching him to new formula, seems to like it, but not as the old one (one i can't get anywhere), he started refusing formula around 30 ml, before he never did that, maybe he developed a sense that lets him know when he is full, and has nothing to do with a new formula...so if there would be problems with formula, i will definitely try your mix...in 5-6 days I'm gonna start introducing him to water and small seeds, should I also try with defrosted peas and corn or should i wait for him to be at least 1 month old?

There are no predators on my balcony except seaguls, and they are danger to pigeons only when they can't find another source of food, but i would definitely keep him in a cage, + keep an eye on him.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Can you post a picture of him?
You only need to feed him about every 6 hours. It's better to let the crop empty between feedings. At 3 to 4 weeks old you can start introducing him to seed by sprinkling some around him and his curiosity should lead him to peck at them.


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

I will try that today...but the problem is his crop empties about 4-5 hours, I have a 20 ml syringes, and i slightly overfill them, mixture is very thick, like cement...when he finishes that one, i prepare him another one, he eats about half and refuses to eat more, so i guess it sums up to about 30 ml per feeding...He is around 15-16 days old now, and when empty he is stuck (for two days now) around 170 g, when full he is about 190 g, he seems to change and everything seems normal, but he just kind of stopped putting on weight like he used to, is that normal?

EDIT i have had him for 11 days now, and I think that he was 2 days old when I found him, which would make him 13 days old, i just got lost in time (didn't sleep well since i found him)

EDIT 2 I just fed him for the second time today, after 6 hours, and I noticed something new...he seems to get a lot of air in his crop while eating, and i noticed the air before, but it would come out eventually, and only appeared after feeding...last feeding, he would get some air in there, and would stop eating now and then to let the air out of his crop, downsizing his crop for 30% and making room for more food...he got around 30 ml of thick formula and refused to eat any more, he is about 195 g after feeding


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The feathers will fill in. Do you cover the end of the syringe with something with a hole in it and let him put his beak into it? Or do you put the food into his beak? Like this:

Hand Feeding Babies With Cut Off Syringe (Directions and Pictures)

http://urbanwildlifesociety.org/WLR/BabyPij&DuvFeedg.htm

You can feed every 5 hours if you like, as long as the crop has emptied. He is too young to be fed twice daily. I would be doing 3 or 4 times. Which is what I did with my first babies at that age. I had to go to work, so on occasion they got fed three times a day, and sometimes four, depending on what I could get in. Using the cut off syringe is the best way to feed him, but you need to stop and let him breath now and then. And you also need to hold the syringe up so that air doesn't go down to where the food is, or he will suck it in.


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

Im using glove tips (I invert them cause there is some powder on the inside of the glove, so i wash it off and that side is outside on a syringe), and because of the shape of the fingertip it has a loose top, so he pushes that loose top inside of the syringe and has a hole in the middle. I tried various methods and this one is the best for me.

The formula has a weird consistency like a mash potato, he seems to get air inside, but as he is feeding he stops i pull him out so he can get some air, and get the air of the crop out, literally deflates himself. Sometimes i give him a very gentle push on the crop, and it causes reflex and he does it. When he does, i reward him by letting him to continue eating. When he is full he stops eating and being interested in food, and simply wont eat anymore. I also check his crop (it should be full, but squishy like a bag) and he gets it right every time and also about same amount 30 ml, so I think he knows when is enough.

And he got more muscular and active, his legs is strong enough to get up on them and take a few steps, when i was preparing his meal he was crazy, flapping his wings like he tried to fly and he is only 2 weeks old. And i love that he has a favorite spot in the box and never poops there. Today he started stretching his wings, so everything seems normal.

Today i did it every 6 hours, so 4 times, I will do the same tomorrow, as it seems to work well. Thank you for the advices, I will post an update.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Everything sounds good. He is doing well. Good job.


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

Everything seems fine, except he started to eat less, he weighs 200g now, but he takes less food and wont eat any more, and his crop empties in 4 hours...is it normal and should I feed him more often (more times a day) or should I stick to feeding him every 6 hours?

UPDATE: never mind, he just ate more than ever before, i found thread on this forum where someone had similar situation, and it turned out that it was just for the day...It turns out, in this age, they know how much they want and need, some days they eat less or more than usual. I'm just little too obsessive and panicking, and view every little change as something went wrong.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Just relax and give the guy chance to grow. I've never weighed the babies that I've raised, one can actually see the changes every couple of days. As long as he's eager to be fed, and "what goes in comes out", he will be ok.


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

Crush him up some raw peanuts and add some hemp seed to his feeds and he'll gain weight faster. He sounds like he's doing just fine to me though. 
Not too many peanuts and hemp because you don't want him fat but if you're worried he's a little thin they will help.


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

Hi, I noticed something new

Every second feeding he eats more food than previous feeding...his crop empties in time, but it looks like it could take the rest of his digestive system more time, so on the first feeding he is still processing food and eats less, on the second feeding all that food is gone, he is mostly empty and eats more, so i changed to feeding him every 7 hours.

I don't think he is thin, he is 16-17 days old and weighs 200 grams, I think that is normal, but he isn't putting any more weight, I guess this is the part where they don't put on weight rapidly, i read posts by other people and their pigeons seem to weigh less than my in this age, so he can even have more than is required...I was thinking waiting for a few days, and then I will start giving him water and small seeds, don't know anything about that, so i have a lot to read before doing so.

When do I start feeding him 3 times a day? And when will he start drinking on his own? I tried introducing him to water but he doesn't like it...


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

First of all relax. This is not as complicated as you are making it. Nothing is exact.
He needs to be drinking on his own when he starts eating seed. To teach him to drink, gently dip his beak into some tepid water, but not over his nostrils. Do this a few times a day and he will learn. To get him to eat seeds, sprinkle some around him on a towel, and kind of peck at them with your finger to get his attention. He will eventually try picking them up. They normally learn from watching their parents and copying them. Just like baby birds do in nature. He is doing well. Stop worrying about every little thing. Relax and enjoy him.


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

You're right, I've been to anxious, didn't get enough sleep in two weeks, he is doing fine and I'm always trying to find something that is wrong...just wanted him to live so much it became an obsession...I will listen to your advice, thank you very much


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

You are doing a good job. He is fine. You should be enjoying him while he is a baby. They grow so fast and he will be all grown up before you know it. Don't miss this time by looking for trouble. If he were being raised by his parents, they would be feeding him and taking good care of him, but there would be times when they could not find as much food, or it took them longer. Not an exact thing. Enjoy this experience and enjoy him.


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

Hi

He is 19 day old now, i have been feeding him formula every 6 hours, he hasn't gained any weight for 4-5 days (stuck at 200 g), but he is developing feathers.

I started teaching him to drink water and bought him small seeds for parrots. He takes a sip when I make him but doesn't seem interested, and never drinks any on his own. Same thing with seeds, sometimes he pecks them and gets a few, but only when I peck with him, never on his own.

I bought him frozen peas, so how do I feed him? Should I give him some in between meals or should I replace some of his meals, and give him some instead of the formula? Everything else seems fine.

Thank you in advance


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

He looks good. Very cute. I would start with the peas every other feeding at first. Once he sees them as food, you could leave some with him and he might practice on picking them up. Sometimes they can learn faster with peas because they are soft.

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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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

I have tried giving him peas but failed. Holding him and opening his beak method is impossible, i tried putting peas in a bag or syringe, but no success.

He pecked a few, but it keeps falling out of his mouth and then he gives up. He ate around 15-20 and now i'm scared giving him formula and mixing it all. I put some in his nest and hope he will peck them when he gets hungry. Don't know what else could i do, maybe he isn't ready for the peas yet.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

If the peas fall out of his mouth, then you are not putting them in deep enough. I won't switch to feeding peas, he is used to eating from a syringe and feeding him peas now, must be really confusing for him.

Just leave some seeds sprinkled around his "nest", it's normal for them to start pecking at them. Just be patient, he will eventually start eating. Feed him in the morning as usual, and then when it's close to his next feeding, put a bowl of seeds in front of him and "play" with the seeds by using your fingers. He will start copying what you're fingers are doing, just like in nature they copy what their parents are doing. You will just have to be patient, he will either start eating by himself fairly quickly or it might take a while before he does.


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

He is so adorable, you've done a great job with him. I found with my hand reared babies that when they started going offf of the formula and pecking at seed they actually lost a few grams in weight but they soon made it back once they started eating seeds on a regular basis. They'd start pulling away from the syringe half way through feeding and I knew weaning was on its way. I have raised six, three ferals and three tumblers and they all did the same thing - although my last tumbler was six weeks old before she refused the syringe entirely, can you believe six weeks? Lol but I love raising them so was more than happy to oblige. 
They peck around the seed for days until that eureka moment when they toss their head back a little and actually swallow the first seed, then after that it's all plain sailing. I found none drank on their own until they'd had a few days on seed and before then I just trickled water at the edge of their beaks off of a finger.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I agree that you should feed the formula for another week or so, then change over to the peas if you need to. But sprinkling the seed around him on a towel in another week or so may encourage him to peck at them. When he does that I would gently dip his beak into a small crock of water, but not over the nostrils. This will help him to learn to drink on his own. If he is eating seed, then he should be drinking. It helps to soften the seed in his crop, without which he could have a problem digesting it. He looks good. Very cute bird.


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

I'm sorry forgot to tell i have been teaching him to drink water and peck small seeds for two days, but he would just toss them, but today (after 3 hours trying to get him eating peas, didn't let me open his beak) he learned how to eat. I put a small dish with small seeds (smallest possible, like little dots) and he is eating, he also drinks water when i come to remind him to drink, not so sure he drinks when I'm not, so I will wait with the seeds until I'm sure he drinks. I'm so happy he learned that, i just gave him another 2 peas and he ate them, and wanted more. So now i can feed him peas every second meal for now, and give him a small amount of seeds now and then. 

I learned that they he doesn't like the taste of the peas, so i had to give him whole, but they were too big for him in the beginning and I tried giving him in smaller pieces, but as soon as he tasted it he became disinterested for peas. Thank you all for replies


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

It probably isn't the taste, it is just he isn't used to getting that kind of thing.
As far as opening his beak, you can't worry about upsetting him. You just do it. It's really easy if you are holding him right. 

I'm glad he is eating some on his own. Just keep an eye on him that he eats enough, as they normally don't, so still need some feeding in the beginning. 
If he is drinking and knows where the water is, then he will drink when he needs to.
Good job!


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

Greetings again

It didn't work out, he doesn't like peas. Eats like 5-6 and then stops, and I can see he is hungry bc he's asking for food, but when I give him peas he just pecks it and throws it around. I try every few hours but never eats enough and stays hungry. Forcing peas into his mouth doesn't work either, he is super aggressive when i try to open his beak and moves around too much, even in a sleeve, i tried everything, he is just too wild. I have been giving him formula every second feeding, so every 12 hours and he gets super hungry and crazy, so I thought of feeding him formula every 8 hours (3 times a day) and give him some peas in between, is that ok?

And the seeds i bought him seem too small for him, he tries to get it into his mouth but in the end he scatters it all around. It's extra small seed, look like little dots. Is it ok to buy him a little bigger seeds, he is drinking water on his own...what is the best strategy now?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If you hold him like I explained, and reach around and open his beak, he really has no choice. I think you are being too gentle with him because you are afraid to upset or hurt him. It really is easy, and the bird cannot do anything about it. You need to hold him against your stomach. That gives you control. You don't just give him the peas to eat. You put them in his beak and push them way to the back of the throat. Then let him swallow, and he will.

If you are trying to get him to eat seeds, it isn't really better to give him the smallest seeds. They can eat all the sizes, and most start with the medium sized seeds. Some even go for the very large whit peas first. Don't give just small seeds. Give him a mix.


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

Oh and I think it's a female, has flat skull, middle finger longer and wide pelvic bones, i read a lot and it's obviously hard to tell the gender, so if it has all these characteristics does it mean it's a female?

Your method with peas worked , i was just too soft on him, thank you a lot. But poop from the peas is dark green, almost like it wasn't digested. Now she pooped round whole pea, and keeps asking for food although she is full of peas. Poop from peas is litteraly darker and mushier version of raw pea, is that supposed to be like that?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Their droppings do change depending on what you are feeding them. Is she still eating seeds?


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

Yes, but has problems with picking them up, i'm gonna buy even bigger seeds then...My main concern about peas is that they look almost the same when they come out as they came in, and when she gets formula, she seems full, but after peas she seems pretty hungry

EDIT: in the meantime she got better at picking up seeds


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

How much peas are you feeding? He's now almost 4 weeks old, so 40 peas 3 times daily will be enough. You can also tease him when you feeding peas, keep the pea in your finger and let him peck at it. Once he's able to peck a pea from your finger, he will be able to eat them by himself. So then you can start leaving peas with him in a small bowl. If he's eating the peas by himself, then you can start adding seeds and he will eventually start eating those as well.

The droppings will be green and mushy on a pea diet, that's normal. Some will also resemble the shape of a pea. Nothing to worry about. That will change when he starts eating seeds.


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

She is getting baby formula every second feeding, 6 hours apart, so 2 times around 30 peas a day, and baby formula twice a day. She knows how to peck peas, but when I give it to her she pecks only one, and then pretends she can't peck it and throws it under her legs, thinks I'll be fooled haha, looks like she is a baby formula addict, i have to get her off baby formula somehow. 

She eats seeds, but only when she gets very hungry, maybe an hour or two before feeding time, especially before baby formula. (She seems more hungry after peas then after formula, when she gets formula she goes to sleep, but after peas she keeps asking for the formula.) She also drinks water, but very often she poops in the ashtray where the water is. Are there any tricks to solve this?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

pilimer, you are babying her too much. She can eat seed. She has. She isn't going to eat more if you keep feeding her. What is the incentive to eat? If you wait, you will be fed. Don't feed in the morning. Let her be hungry. That is her incentive to eat. She doesn't have a hard time picking up the seed. She just doesn't want to. If you keep feeding her every 6 hours, you will be doing it forever. In a few more days, she will be a month old. She can be eating on her own. When they leave the nest, the parents show them how to eat and where to find food. They show them how, and start feeding them less and less to encourage them to pick up the seed on their own. In my loft the babies would be eating seed on their own. I leave seed and water in the nest box, and they learn from watching the parents. Doesn't take long for them to learn. But you need to give her a mix of seeds.


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

I listened to your advice and I'm giving her dove mix + small parrot mix (dot like small seeds). She eats more seeds now. I'm feeding her 3 times a day now, 40 peas in the morning and afternoon, and for her last feeding I'm giving her formula, is it time to stop giving her formula now?

She still isn't eating peas on her own, eats 2-3 and then she doesn't want anymore, so I have to force feed her peas. What do you recommend to do next?
When will she be old enough to start potty training and what would you give as a treat? I found some info on that and I would like to try that. Everything else seems fine. She weighs around 120 g now and I upgraded her housing, now she has a shelf (like a second floor). Also, she started flying around the room, also she likes to climb on me and rest, I swear, pigeons are like flying dogs


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If she is eating enough seed on her own, then you don't have to feed. If she is eating some but not enough, then just top her off with the soft defrosted peas at the end of the day. She knows how to eat and will do so if you aren't feeding as much.

If she is eating seed and knows how, then why are you feeding 3 times a day? She will not eat by herself if she isn't hungry. Just leave the dove mix with her, and give the peas at the end of the day. Why would she eat if you are filling her up? She isn't hungry. Don't worry about her eating peas on her own if she knows how to pick up seed.


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

Once mine started eating seeds I just gave a formula feed at bedtime and that way if they weren't eating enough I felt okay about going to bed, lol. I kept offering the syringe until they refused and was doing so until five to six weeks of age. I have to admit to being a little sad when they no longer wanted feeds from me because I love raising them and knew that part of their life was over - for me anyway. They all got to a point where they'd stick their beaks into the syringe, take a couple of gulps and then pull out shaking their heads (covering me with formula) and running away, lol. So I just let them decide when to call it a day and I would do the same if I raised another. I never force fed any of mine because they still had formula at the end of each day until I saw a nice crop. 
I haven't a clue about potty training but have read it can be done, mine just go when nature calls wherever they stand, ha ha.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Some pigeons don't like to soil their cage, particularly hens when they have eggs or babies. There was a pair that was inside for a while, and she would hold it until I let her out toward the end of the day, for exercise. Then of course, it was huge. So what I would do is to put her first into a small travel type cage on paper towels, where of course she will go because she is out of the cage and has to go. That wasn't training her to go in that cage. She just had to go, and was glad to be able to go anywhere that wasn't her cage. So that saved my room from that, but that doesn't mean that she didn't go later on if out of cage for a couple of hours. These are birds, and don't think you can potty train them to go in one particular place. That is just something they do when they have to go. Don't think you are going to get him to fly over to a particular spot to go. Birds are just not wired that way.


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

She is eating seeds on her own now. When should i limit her food, and how much? For now she has unlimited food.
Problem I have now is she doesn't like being in her house when I'm in the room. She wants to get out badly, flies around and I'm afraid she could hurt herself. When I'm not around, during the night and when i cover her so she can't see me it's ok. I'm not letting her out for her to learn that I'm not letting her out when she wants to. What can I do to change her behavior? Also, are there any books on pigeon behavior?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

pilimir, if she is eating on her own then you don't need to feed her. If you are not sure she is getting enough, then hand feed a few defrosted peas at night. Don't limit her seed. Give her a dish that gives her enough for the day. 
How old is she now?
Never mind, I went back and looked. She's about a month old. Nothing you can do about her trying to get out of cage when you are there. You are all she has, and that's normal for her to want to be with you, and out of the cage. After a while she will learn that she can't always be out with you. I doubt that there are books on their behavior as a pet, as most aren't kept that way. Not really considered a pet type bird. They are flock birds and are normally with other birds, so not their nature to be alone.


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

Too bad there aren't any, as we clearly don't know much about them. If I got things correctly, only last year they found out that pigeons can be taught to read, and this year scientists found that pigeons can share and build common knowledge through generations just like we, humans. Who know what new we will find out about them, very interesting creatures. Thank you very much for your help, you guys were really the only source of information I had, thanks to you I have a fully feathered friend now


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I don't believe they can read. Just doesn't make sense. They are smart, and can recognize many many people. And can reason and are very smart though.


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

https://www.livescience.com/56176-pigeons-can-learn-to-recognize-words.html

"In a new study, researchers trained pigeons to distinguish real words from gibberish, using 308 four-letter words that baboons had learned in a previous study. Some of the birds learned to identify dozens of words, with the most successful pigeon being able to recognize 58 words, the researchers said."

They can't read, but they are able to memorize words as array of letters, and can distinguish correct spelled words from incorrect.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Pigeons are very smart and with good memories.


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## pilimir (Aug 25, 2017)

Here is she with flight suit i made for her...she is eating only seeds now, everything is going fine...I just want to know about suplements to her feed, like vitamins, what should I give her, and how much?


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