# Sick Adult Pigeon - Not Flying and Watery Poop



## HK Birdie (Jul 12, 2016)

Hi All Pigeon Experts

I come from HK and am desperate for advice for a sick pigeon my sister rescued about 3 weeks ago. Vets in HK are forbidden to attend to wild sick birds, which should be surrendered to the government dept for killing. 

My sister picked up the pigeon becoz she had observed it for a period of time and found that it could not fly properly. She brought it home, but found no obvious problem with the wing nor the bone. The birdie seems rather bony in the chest area, yet it is eating and drinking well. However, it has very watery poop. A secret appointment was arranged with a vet majoring in cats and dogs. He gave the birdie some drops at the back of the neck for the removal of lice and mites and some oral medicine for deworming. But nothing improved for the birdie. It seems to be drinking a lot of water. Iam not sure if it drinks that lot juz becoz it is stressed out in the cage or as a result of some kind of illness. 

So please experts, kindly advise what I should do to help the pigeon!!! I am eager to release it back to the wild as it seems to be highly strung under confinement!

Many thanks!!!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Thank you for helping the bird.

What are you feeding the bird? 

If the keel/breast bone is sharp-that makes the bird weak and may be why it is unable to fly. Make sure to allow the bird access to pigeon seed and water 24/7. Pigeon seed will give the bird what it needs as well as the following.

Have you given it probiotics? The bird's bad gut bacteria may be out of control-and stress will deplete the good gut bacteria further, so giving it a probiotic or good cultured plain/fat free yogurt will do the bird good. It will help get the good gut bacteria multiplying as well as help it put on weight.

Also, if you have organic apple cider vinegar you can put a drop of that in its bowl of drinking water, to help with gut flora.

Please update and let me know how the bird continues to do after that, and we will help further.*


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Skyeking said:


> *Thank you for helping the bird.
> 
> What are you feeding the bird?
> 
> ...


Agree with Sky. That and if he is really drinking a lot, he could be sick. Coccidiosis and canker are 2 things that will cause that. Is this an adult pigeon?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Could you please post a photo of the bird and his droppings? Thanks for helping him!


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## HK Birdie (Jul 12, 2016)

Thanks so much for all the advice!!! Iam terribly sorry for the late reply due to the time difference. 

As far as I understand from my sis, she has been feeding pigeon staple to the birdie. She was advised by a pigeon friend to treat it for trichomonas. But after medication, the poop still remains watery. Her friend also asked her to try another type of medicine. But some else stopped us for testing the birdie with medicine. And more confusingly, another friend suggested us limiting the water intake for the birdie while observing it. I tried to upload pictures, but failed. Should keep trying again so that you guys can have a better understanding of its condition.


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## HK Birdie (Jul 12, 2016)

Hi Jay3, I guess it's an adult. coz it's rather big in size, just being bony in the chest.


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## HK Birdie (Jul 12, 2016)

*Not Flying and Watery Poop*









This is what poop looks like after medication for trichomonas


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## HK Birdie (Jul 12, 2016)

*Not Flying and Watery Poop*









This is what poop looked like before medication


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## HK Birdie (Jul 12, 2016)

Since we have been keeping it for like a month now, I see it still being in fear and stress. Always tuck itself up to the corner, looks very scary of ppl. But I cant release it before it gets better. But Iam afraid that the confinement is giving it pressure and in turn adversely affecting its general health. How could we put it at ease? And what s the longest we could keep it? Coz I worry that it would lose all its frens when it's away for too long... But we do not seem to be any near to the right track to put it back to good health!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

HK Birdie said:


> Thanks so much for all the advice!!! Iam terribly sorry for the late reply due to the time difference.
> 
> As far as I understand from my sis, she has been feeding pigeon staple to the birdie. She was advised by a pigeon friend to treat it for trichomonas. But after medication, the poop still remains watery.
> 
> ...


............................................


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

He is a wild bird, so isn't happy in a cage. He thinks you are predators and has no idea of what you will do with him. Nothing you can do about that. Just move slowly near him and talk gently to him. Don't bother him too much. Make sure he is eating and drinking enough.
I would give probiotics for good gut bacteria, and a few drops of apple cider vinegar in his water a few times a week. I would treat for canker as stress will bring it on, and he is certainly stressed right now.
What is he eating?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Jay3 said:


> Make sure he is eating and drinking enough.
> I would give probiotics for good gut bacteria, and a few drops of apple cider vinegar in his water a few times a week. I would treat for canker as stress will bring it on, and he is certainly stressed right now.
> What is he eating?


*THIS^^^^ 
Stop with the medicating, you are making matters worse. Also, the stress is depleting the good gut bacteria, (limit contact with bird) which leads to bad bacteria overgrowth, therefore watery droppings and possible canker. 

Get some good gut bacteria going with a clean culture filled plain yogurt or probiotics, and the ACV wouldn't hurt either. 

YOU came here for help from experts, like Jay, you got it, please use it. Thank yoou*


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## HK Birdie (Jul 12, 2016)

*Status*

The first one .. poo on the floor was the latest one 

Brown poo was the oldest when the first day I picked it home

I also checked the under wing


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## HK Birdie (Jul 12, 2016)

There's some problem of one of his wing


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Thank you for the photos, ....your point????

If you follow our guidelines on posts, the poops will get better. Did you read our posts?

The bird may not be eating enough, please supply with a good pigeon seed mix or wild bird seed, that will also help with poop.

Give a good probiotic.

That is known as a "pigeon fly", please worm the bird...treat for parasites, ect/endo with Ivermectin, or Moxidectin, or Scatt. Follow dosage guidelines carefully.

Then we shall see about the feathering issues. Are there any open wounds on the bird? We need a clearer closer picture of lesions/wounds*


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## HK Birdie (Jul 12, 2016)

Wing problem


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## HK Birdie (Jul 12, 2016)

Sorry for not replying in time, as I tried to get a clear picture of what my sis has done with the birdie. So she took advice from a parrot shop owner who sold her some powder for canker. The medicine is product from mainland china. She added a pinch in water for it since Jul 12 and is supposed to continue for 5 days. She was told that the powder contains anti-biotics therefore she is worried if she could stop it prematurely. 
No other medicine is given to the bird for the moment.
My sis has been feeding the pigeon with commercial pigeon staple which contains seeds and rice. What do you think about Harrison’s high potency fine? Coz I have been giving this to another rescued pigeon I picked up a year ago.
So specifically pls allow me to clarify the following:
1. Should we stop the canker powder immediately? It was started on Jul 12 and is supposed to go on for 5 days.
2.	If not, that means we could do the apple cider vinegar only after the completion of the medication treatment?
3.	If yes, would the abrupt stop of medicine cause drug resistance?
4.	Should I get medicine for pigeon fly and start it on pigeon right away while stopping the canker treatment or to have them both at the same time?
5.	If I give probiotic medicine for the bird, should I also give apple cider vinegar a few times a week as suggested by Jay? 
The vet I went to last time did examine the pigeon and found no noticeable wounds or lesion.
Thanks again for all the advice.


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## HK Birdie (Jul 12, 2016)

Some of the photos that uploaded try to show you one side of its wing droops, looking a bit abnormal, or so I think.

I shared the poop poop pictures coz I wish they would give you a better understanding of what I try to describe. 

Yes, we had been seeking advice around before I came to this forum for help. Sorry if I sound confused coz I am not experienced at all with birds and no vet assistance is available in HK for wild birds. The only thing I could do is to ask around for advice, but there are loads of different opinions! Therefore I tried to look beyond local forums and found this discussion group. Surely, Iam reading your advice seriously and hopefully by following your instructions will get the birdie in good health again.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

You might want to give him calcium. Thank you for helping him!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

HK Birdie said:


> Sorry for not replying in time, as I tried to get a clear picture of what my sis has done with the birdie. So she took advice from a parrot shop owner who sold her some powder for canker. The medicine is product from mainland china. She added a pinch in water for it since Jul 12 and is supposed to continue for 5 days. She was told that the powder contains anti-biotics therefore she is worried if she could stop it prematurely.
> 
> I don't know what it is that you are giving the bird for canker, so don't know what is in it. I don't even imagine that it is getting the right dose, by giving a pinch in his water. If not getting enough, then it will cause more harm than good. Can you find out what it is? I would, in that case, finish the treatment. But I'm not even sure if it is actually a canker med. Hard also to treat in the drinking water, as you can't be sure the bird will drink enough, and if he doesn't like the taste of the water, then he drinks less. I usually treat therefore, with tablets that you can put down their throat.
> 
> ...


That wing is pretty bad. He isn't going to fly again. Is your sister or you prepared to keep the pigeon as a pet?
Can you put a solid floor in the cage, and cover it with paper towels or something that you can just change daily? Those bars are very uncomfortable for him to be on.


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## HK Birdie (Jul 12, 2016)

The Chinese medication powder is packaged in sachet with little information written on it. Otherwise I would have given you more information about it. Guess that’s simply rubbish!

May I confirm my understanding as below:

1.	Continue with the canker treatment. 

2.	Give him calcium as suggested by cwebster. I guess eggshell will do, rite?

3.	Give him yogurt daily for a while and reduce it to a couple of times a week afterwards. Should the dosage be a drop at a time?

4.	After stopping the canker powder, also start ACV a few times a week. A drop a day ok?!

5.	Should I alternate the use of ACV and yoghurt? Or both in a day?

6.	Put on medicine for Pigeon Fly right away. 

7.	Get a mat in the cage for more comfortable standing.

8.	How about the treatment for Coccidiosis as Jay mentioned before?

Very sad to know he is not likely to fly again. HK is such a crowded city and most of us are packed into tiny flats. Iam sure he would also miss his frens and the freedom he used to have. But if he cant fly again, I will have no choice but to keep him. Do you guys really think his wing can’t recover to good shape? How do you think he has hurt himself like this?!

Grateful for all the patience in guiding a bird idiot along! :>


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

HK Birdie said:


> The Chinese medication powder is packaged in sachet with little information written on it. Otherwise I would have given you more information about it. Guess that’s simply rubbish!
> 
> May I confirm my understanding as below:
> 
> ...


.............................................................................


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Our dear Phoebe was a feral who had a broken wing and couldn't fly. She was a member of the family. Hope if your friend can't fly that you will adopt him.


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## HK Birdie (Jul 12, 2016)

Thanks Jay, Sky and cwebster! Instructions are crystal clear now! I will get back to you guys later about his condition. Please rest assure that I will give him a home if he cant make it on his own again. We will do our best to make him a happy birdie! :>


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