# Urgent..Please teach me how to feed baby pigeon



## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

This baby has fallen from his nest, wet and panting. I took him back, dried him and is now keeping him at the usual place I kept other sick pigeons in the past. I think it is quite young though I cant actually tell the age. 









Feathers havent got fully grown. I learnt from the archive in pigeon talk that it is very important to keep a baby warm, but I dont have electricity connection in my place. I have put layers of tissues beneath it, and used towels to cover its body. 









My main problem is I have not handled such a young baby before. All my past rescue babies can or nearly learn to eat by themselves. This one apparently cannot. Is there sth called a baby bird formula? I have taken a look but there is not any pigeon shop in my city and there is no pgi expert to consult about.. Lots of resources are inaccessible. 









What can I use to feed him, that are readily accessible and not too expensive? Any simplified baby formula that will still be good? Dog food or cat food? What apparatus do I need? Would a dummy or a baby bottle be helpful?? 

*I am currently hand-feeding him. I used a piece of brick to smash the pigeon seeds(containing milo, corn and green peas) into powder-like tiny pieces, soaked the powder into water and fed it. It can drink on its own as well. Any feedback would be greatly appreicated


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## The Pigeon Girl (Jul 3, 2010)

Okay. so what you can do is get some defrosted peas, and open his mouth give him one at a time. you don't want to choke him now. you want to give him enough that his crop( the little sack under his beak) is stickong out, and feels like a beanie bag. Now what i do to keep them hydrated is get a syringe and drip water down the back of this throat. DO NOT drip it down the little hole on his tounge. that is to breathe with you can choke him. goodluck. if you need help message me. ive been feeding baby birds for a looong time.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Click on the following link and then click onto "caring for a baby pigeon".

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

This should have all the info you need.*


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Do not drip water in his beak, they can aspirate if you don't know what you are doing and even then it is tricky..the defrosted peas will be enough to keep him hydrated. 

just to mention I hope he was not taken from his parents who do know how to feed him best. they do leave them in the nest alone much of the time at this age. so without knowing the story perhaps he needs to go back if it is safe.


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## The Pigeon Girl (Jul 3, 2010)

I mean puting the dropper past the hole on his tongue.


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## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

His poops~ One thing more, he still keeps panting


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

The Pigeon Girl said:


> I mean puting the dropper past the hole on his tongue.


it is not needed and not wise for a novice to put water down the mouth.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

just to mention I hope he was not taken from his parents who do know how to feed him best. they do leave them in the nest alone much of the time at this age. so without knowing the story perhaps he needs to go back if it is safe.


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## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

spirit wings said:


> Do not drip water in his beak, they can aspirate if you don't know what you are doing and even then it is tricky..the defrosted peas will be enough to keep him hydrated.
> 
> just to mention I hope he was not taken from his parents who do know how to feed him best. they do leave them in the nest alone much of the time at this age. so without knowing the story perhaps he needs to go back if it is safe.


no he has fallen from his nest. The nest is about 10-12m from the ground and I dont know if the fall will have any impact to it...ie any damage to his internal body, though no significant trauma I can observe. I could see no adult pigeons that look like his parents try to approach and care for it on the ground.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

ok, then feed him derosted peas and corn , when his crop is empty, which it seems to in the picture, 40 pieces or so, feed again when the crop is down. he can be start of weaning on grains and seeds in a week or so.


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## Shayan (Apr 1, 2013)

Open his beak to the fullest and put wheat in it untill it stop peeping this is the best and easy way to feed baby pigeon and yes use simple droper fill it and drop it into the beak and make sure water should not fall on baby


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## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

thx for all of your prompt reply.

One thing to make sure
Are these defrosted peas the thing you are referring to? because I am not a native eng. speaker and I am afraid confusing the food~ 









If yes, I can get those from the supermarket tomorrow. 
Is that feeding defrosted pea is enough for its nutrition and no baby formula or my current method of smashing seeds is needed? 
Can I do anything to encourage it to feed on its own, or it is still the best way to handfeed it?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

yes defrosted frozen peas, he will gradually be fed grains and seeds, get this part down first and then in a few weeks you can worry about the grains. for extra nutrition if you could find a pet bird pellet for cockatiels to add would be nice, but I just don't know what they have availible where you live there.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

It would be best if you buy peas in the market that are frozen. Then you can take a handful out of the bag and run them in a strainer under warm running water. They will defrost quickly this way, and you only take out of the bag what you need, so his food will always be fresh. They are also soft and easy to digest. 
You can teach him to drink by dipping his beak into a small crock of tepid water, but not over the nostrils. Eventually he will learn to drink.


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## chayi (May 1, 2010)

What I do here is I get a syringe with baby formula for birds it's real cheap at your agriculture store or pet shop mix that powder with some worm water suck it in the syringe and open his beak and slowly inject the bird formula. It will grow fine and very strong it's full of nutrition just for birds. They allow like it a lot and would think your his mom.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

chayi said:


> What I do here is I get a syringe with baby formula for birds it's real cheap at your agriculture store or pet shop mix that powder with some worm water suck it in the syringe and open his beak and slowly inject the bird formula. It will grow fine and very strong it's full of nutrition just for birds. They allow like it a lot and would think your his mom.


from the picture the bird is old enough to have more solid soft food which is what the parent birds would be feeding. also I do not recommend injecting it in their beak as pigeons eat out of the parents beak and do not gape for feedings like other birds do, it is best if they eat out of something like a baby bottle with the tip cut off.

if you are talking about crop feeding then that is different and hard to do for people who are not trained to do it.


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## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

spirit wings said:


> from the picture the bird is old enough to have more solid soft food which is what the parent birds would be feeding.


So how old do you think it is about?



spirit wings said:


> also I do not recommend injecting it in their beak as pigeons eat out of the parents beak and do not gape for feedings like other birds do, it is best if they eat out of something like a baby bottle with the tip cut off.


But I am feeding him defrosted peas today, exactly the green ones shown in the photo I pasted here from the internet. If I put those peas in a baby bottle with the tip cut off, will it know how to eat?

Also, I don't quite know how much is enough. I am not sure how to feel the crop to tell if it is full or not. I have fed him about 10 pieces of defrosted green peas. Is that enough? I am very afraid of overfeeding so it cannot digest. 

Another question, I bought half a pound of defrosted peas, fed it, and brought the remaining home for refridgeration. But by the time I reached home the defrosted peas have already thawed thorougly. I soaked them again in water and put them back in the fridge. Are they still be suitable for feeding a fragile baby, after the repeated freezing, thawing, freezing, thawing process, or any loss in nutritive value? If not good, I will buy some new tomorrow. They are not expensive, HK$10 per pound.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

longlive_pigeon said:


> So how old do you think it is about?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

Today I discovered that it can eat on its own~!

As usual, I grind the birds seeds into small pieces and mixed them with tepid water. I put the porridge-like food into a bottle cap. At first it sipped the water, then to my amazement it started opening its mouth and ate the porridge. I tore the defrosted peas apart, put it into mixture, and the baby ate as well.

I fed until it no longer wanted to eat anymore. I am not experienced to feel its crop to see if it is full or not. Could any fellows judge for me?


















His poops today. Healthy?









It also started squeaking today.
One thing to ask, if it is currently to eat the porridge made from smashed pigeon seeds, what is the best food I should feed him? The seeds porridge, defrosted peas, or both?
I am doing both for today.


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## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

Another question, I bought half a pound of defrosted peas, fed it, and brought the remaining home for refrigeration. 
You said you fed it and brought the remaining home. Isn't the pigeon at your home? The peas should be fine.

The baby isn't at my home. I very much want to bring it home but it is an offence to keep pigeons at home in HK, even if you mean the bird you get home is a rescue. Also, if you have read my past situation, my mum will never let me do so because she is misled by the government propaganda that pigeons spread H 5N1. Even I brought the defrosted peas home, I have to deceive her that they are for cooking. If she knows that they are for pigeon food, she will definitely throw them away. 

I am keeping the baby in a sheltered place free from cat attack. And the place is quite inaccessible such that people getting there have to risk their own life. Hopefully people will not reach there to take the baby but I cannot rule out any probability. I used to keep my past rescue pigeons in that shelter place and not disturbed by other people up till now, but again I cannot rule out any probability.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

wow, your a pigeon hero! I had no idea of you situation there. good luck with your rescue!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I would mix the peas in with the seed. Some people fill up a baby bottle nipple, and let them put their beak in to eat it. Or place a plastic bag over your hand, Make like a funnel with your hand and fill it with the food. He can put his beak in and eat from there.You can feed more at a time that way.
He does have food in the crop in the picture, but hard to tell how much from that.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Longlive_pigeon..do not overdue it. Feed him only when crop is empty, otherwise will give new food over the old food sitting in the crop; can come out with yeast infection in the crop.

How is Hon doing? Still on his belly?What about the young release, is she still on the fence?


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## The Pigeon Girl (Jul 3, 2010)

I agree partly with you. But the way i do it, they need water. its never failed.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If there is enough water in their mixture they are eating, then they will be fine. It's dangerous for someone to put water down their throat. Better to just teach him to drink. It isn't hard, is safe, and doesn't take long to teach him.


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## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

Re Jay 3: Yes when I put my hand into shape of a funnel it was very eager and squeaked at it. I am continuing to feed both, grinding the seeds and adding defrosted peas. It seems enjoy the food. Can it swallow a whole defrosted pea? I am afraid it is too large and will choke the baby, so I split the pea into two halves for the baby. Will it cause a decline in nutritive value? Moreover as I said the first day I picked it up, it was panting vigorously. It doesnt pant anymore. 

Poops yesterday:


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## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

Dima said:


> Longlive_pigeon..do not overdue it. Feed him only when crop is empty, otherwise will give new food over the old food sitting in the crop; can come out with yeast infection in the crop.
> 
> How is Hon doing? Still on his belly?What about the young release, is she still on the fence?


I am only feeding the baby once very 24 hours...you know my constraint, it is not my home and I can only visit the shelter once per day after feeding the major flock. So I feed the baby as much as possible until it no longer shows interest in eating. I know it will be much better to feed it several times per day as I observe babies are always squeaking at their dad and mum for food, but sadly this is the best I can do

I am sorry that Hon and Dolly has passed away last month. He and Dolly both showed symptoms of PMV before they deceased. I was very sorrowful and dont know what actually happened. I buried them...hope they will rest in peace. I have never brought any PMV birds back to my shelter place. Two months ago there was a major outbreak of PMV in a large flock and I thought of rescuing them back but I never did so because of the safe sake of Hon and Dolly. I fed that flock and washed my hands thoroughly before feeding Hon and dolly. But I could not change all of my clothes and trousers and shoes. I think Hon and Dolly might have contracted to the viruses through this channel, particularly their immunity are already weak.  How is Silver doing ?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If the peas you have bought were frozen, and you are defrosting them, then they are soft. He should be able to swallow a whole one of those. 

Feeding him only once a day will have a very detrimental effect on the poor thing. That really isn't enough nutrition. He needs a lot of nutrition to grow strong and healthy. Leave some of the peas with him after feeding, and some seed and water. Maybe the poor thing will learn to eat out of necessity. You need to teach him to drink. If he eats seeds, then he will need water, or he will get a compacted crop. Don't leave seeds until he is drinking on his own. But do leave extra peas.


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## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

*sprayed leg*

The baby has gained in size. He seems to enjoy his diet of smashed seeds with defrozed peas. Sometimes when I am free I can visit the shelter and feed him 4 times a day, but normally I can only afford to go 1-2 times per day. He first managed to stand up and walk yesterday, but I noticed one of his foot is splayed. The toes are bent inwards, but he is a bit of crippling when walking. Are there methods to correct it?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Do you have him on nesting material, like a nest made of straw or something? If left on a hard flat surface, they are more apt to get splayed leg. You need to keep him in a soft nest made of straw or the like. You can read this thread that is going on now.
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f5/newborn-bird-legs-dont-look-right-67982.html


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## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

I don't think I have created a perfect nest for him. I put him in a cardboard box and put layers of table clothes, newspaper, and tissues beneath him. I think it is quite soft already. I don't know where to get straws. One of his leg is normal but another is sprayed. 
By the way, I start to worry how to practice soft release when he has grown up...because the situation here is too tough with H7N9 and very strict enforcement of the feeding ban, so I cannot stay in the feeding site of the flock for too long.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

I do not see in the pic splayed leg. Looks a bit crippled/curled toe, may be from lack of vit and Ca & D3. Is the leg going sideways? He is too young to start walking now, so he would look like he is dragging himself rather than walking.

You can find pine needles and put as many possible in his nest.
Do not worry for soft release yet. You're doing a good job to raise him. Take each step one at the time  Isn't he squeaking? Can anyone hear him? Don't want him to get hurt by someone.


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## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

Dima said:


> I do not see in the pic splayed leg. Looks a bit crippled/curled toe, may be from lack of vit and Ca & D3. Is the leg going sideways? He is too young to start walking now, so he would look like he is dragging himself rather than walking.


This pict may be more conspicuous. Yes it is more accurate to describe as crippled toes. Despite this deformity, he can still walk quite fast. The legs are not going sideways.


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## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

Dima said:


> You can find pine needles and put as many possible in his nest.
> Isn't he squeaking? Can anyone hear him? Don't want him to get hurt by someone.


I will try collecting those. But will the pine needles contain bacteria or make the baby skin allergic? Do I need to wash the pine needles?

Yes he is always squeaking non-stop, particularly mad when I come to visit him. Don't worry I think people can hardly hear because the shelter is far from places with human activities. Every time I enter the entrance I wait until there are no passer-bys. I have once spent 30 min. Hope that the record wont be broken again. 









Tremendous poops

Recent Photo








How I wish to take him home to ensure him 100% safety. However, I need to admit the fact here is HK..


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Aw. How cute the baby and how sad.

First i think that the knee doesn't bend correctly. Does it? So the problems may start from the knee. Can you bend his knee?
You will have to bandage him. Also you will have to correct his foot. His awkward way of holding his foot may have to do with the fact that leg itself is not ok. I hope that once the bandaged put on correctly, his foot will sit ok and the toes.

Here's the famous Gonzo:


Here a baby one:



I would buy a strong first aid bandage made out of cloth ( not plastic) and i would not put the sticky side directly on his skin ( i would protect his skin with a some bandage cloth). Let the distance between the legs as far apart as his hips are ( may be a little bit closer) Use 2 bandages to make sure is strong enough not to come come off.

Good luck..Let us know by send a pic of the foot.


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## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

It has been about 36-37 days since I keep the baby. His growth keeps me worried. This is how he looks now:








The area around his ears still have not been feathered. Seems quite bared. Also very limited feather growth under his wings and on his back. I manage to correct the splayed legs partially by sponge and placing him on an uneven surface. Now he can walk fairly well. 
But he is *very skinny*, and not very eager to learn to fly Maybe he is so thin due to the fact that I can only feed him one or two times per day due to the my constraints mentioned above. Is this level of growth abnormal for a >1.5 month old baby? How can I prompt his growth? Or he will eventually be ok if allowed to continue the current trend? 

* He is still feeding on the smashed seeds soaked in tepid water and Ca+D3 solution, with defrozed peas. He still has not yet learnt to peck. When I place him one the ground, he pecks randomly at sand and gravel, sometimes even swallowing them(harmful?) But when I place seeds on the ground he simply pecks and discards the seeds. It seems to him sand and gravel are more interesting than seeds.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

THe lack of feathers on his face and throat indicate that he probably has canker. He needs to be treated for canker. Can you get Metronidazole there, or a drug that can be given individually, rather than mixed in the drinking water? A tablet? Why not hand feed him the defrosted peas, by putting one in his beak, toward the back of the throat and over the tongue? Give him enough to make his crop feel like a 3/4 full bean bag. Then leave some with him. He will eventually learn to pick them up on his own. Dip his beak gently in some tepid water, not over his nostrils, and if you keep doing that he will learn to drink.
But he needs to be treated for canker.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Jay3 said:


> THe lack of feathers on his face and throat indicate that he probably has canker. He needs to be treated for canker. Can you get Metronidazole there, or a drug that can be given individually, rather than mixed in the drinking water? A tablet? Why not hand feed him the defrosted peas, by putting one in his beak, toward the back of the throat and over the tongue? Give him enough to make his crop feel like a 3/4 full bean bag. Then leave some with him. He will eventually learn to pick them up on his own. Dip his beak gently in some tepid water, not over his nostrils, and if you keep doing that he will learn to drink.
> But he needs to be treated for canker.


*THIS ^^. He needs the medicine as there is NOTHING ELSE that will get rid of canker and he will eventually sucumb and die. *


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## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

Jay3 said:


> THe lack of feathers on his face and throat indicate that he probably has canker. He needs to be treated for canker. Can you get Metronidazole there, or a drug that can be given individually, rather than mixed in the drinking water? A tablet? Why not hand feed him the defrosted peas, by putting one in his beak, toward the back of the throat and over the tongue? Give him enough to make his crop feel like a 3/4 full bean bag. Then leave some with him. He will eventually learn to pick them up on his own. Dip his beak gently in some tepid water, not over his nostrils, and if you keep doing that he will learn to drink.
> But he needs to be treated for canker.


Thank you for your reply. I will try metronidazole. How much dosage I need to get him? He can eat the defrosted peas when I place the peas in a large deep bottle cap, no need to hand feed. Is it better for him to drink water first and eat afterwards, rather than mixing the water and food so he drinks and eats simultaneously? And yes every time after feeding his crop feels full, not of air but I can actually feel the seeds in it.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Pigeons usually drink right after eating, and other times during the day. He should be able to pick the peas up in a small dish.
Give him 25 to 30 mg once a day of the metronidazole. For 7 days. Then see how he looks. Sometimes you need to give it for longer. Can you get it in pill form? Just cut the pill down to the right size for the dosage, and put it way back to the back of his throat, and over the tongue. Then let him close his beak and swallow it.

Give it after he eats, as it can upset his stomach. The same time each day.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

The fact that he pick at sand and seed it's good. That's how he will learn to eat on its own. Sand is just like the gravel he will need when he start eating seeds.

The leg improved a lot. But you should have kept him in the bandage in my opinion, as he is still young and can be corrected better. 

The little toe in underneath. To correct that wrap self adhesive bandage around the foot and then with narrow cut strips from bandage swirl them around toe. It will not stop him from walking.

Here's a pic partially of how you can do it, only that you will have to go around toes also. It will correct it in about 2 weeks. But the fact that leg is bit twisted it's possible that makes his toes go under his foot.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

If you handfeed him 2 times a day then feed him until his crop is full. Doesn't look to have a crop in the pic.

Beautiful color has your rescue. I am glad he is in your care. You are doing the best job ( not only with him; by the way, is Hon still alive? what about the pigeon you released and was hanging on the fence?)


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## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

Thank you Jay3 and Dima for your replies.

After bandaging his toes, do I have to change the bandages everyday, or just the same bandage until the foot is corrected?

The picture was taken prior to feeding. That's why his crop looks empty. 

Do you mean that let the baby eat on his own until he feels enough, and then change to handfeed to make it full?

I am sorry that both Hon and Dolly have deceased about 2 months ago. They showed symptoms that resembled PMV before passing away, not able to accurately peck at the food, but I guess it was not PMV since the poops and other behavior didn't match. Anyway, I buried them in the park next to where the flock thrives so that they can embed in where they belong to and always stay with their friends. The young pigeon that I released(used to hang around the fence) has immersed herself happily into the flock. How is Silver doing?


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

I don't know if the comment about feeding was mine; IMO you should keep feeding the baby and let seeds for him also so he can learn on its own ( pecking and droping the seeds its a start) Since you feed him2 times a day, he will get hungry and will learn to eat eventually.
As long as the bandage is not too tight and the foot doesn't get swollen, i would keep it 4-5 days then change it again; meanwhile you can see if any improvement.

I am so sorry Dolly & Hon passed away. They are in a better place and watching their friends.. You tried the best you could. 

So glad to hear the released one is thriving 

My rescue Silver died after one week. 

RIP to all.


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