# Baby Pigeon found, needs a home



## PidgeonBaby (Jun 30, 2010)

An friend of a friend found a pigeon in her pool. It is here with me in Vacaville, CA now. I've taken it to the vet and it is a healthy baby, approx 4-5 weeks old. It's got all of it's feathers, but is too young to fly. I have it safe in a cage outdoors, but it really needs an experience pigeon person. I am an experienced bird owner, but I have parrots. Can anyone guide me in the right direction for this little one?

Thanks so much!


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## PidgeonBaby (Jun 30, 2010)

Also, if I end up not being able to find a home for this tiny tweeter I'll need to stay on this board and get all the help I can to do what's right for it. If that happens, someone needs to help me change my name to PigeonBaby.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi 

At that age it should be ready to 'test its wings' - they are fledged around 35 days. If you have a safe room inside, let baby show what he/she can do.

I assume it is eating and drinking without help by now - what are you giving it? Wild bird seed is OK to start, 'mixed corn' is good and better supplemented with dried peas, maybe some lentils, split peas, brown rice ... others will have ideas. Real pigeon mix is best, of course, but that's normally sold in bulk. That's in case you do end up with an addition to whoever you have already 

Is the cage fully predator proof, or is it actually in an aviary?

If you do want to change your ID, just let us know (you can use 'contact us' form and select 'contact PT admin'.

John


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## PidgeonBaby (Jun 30, 2010)

*Baby will be rehabilitated and released!*

I found a wonderful organization called Wildcare. 

http://www.wildcarebayarea.org/site/PageServer

They have taken in the baby and will care for it and ready it to be released back into it's area. Thank you for your help and your time.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Wildcare is excellent--you did the right thing. Thanks so much for helping this baby.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

I also thank you for helping.

However....

Wildcare is absolutely NOT excellent. Fortunately for you and the baby....the baby is healthy and uninjured, and probably free of disease as well.

Wildcare puts down ferals with the slightest of injuries...claiming that "if they do not recover to 110% , they are not viable for re-release so the humane thing to do is put them down".

This is a direct quote from their own head vet.

They have put down birds with pox, they have put down a bird with bb pellets in its crop, they have put down birds with string injuries which resulted in them losing a few toes. They have put down a bird with a head-peck injury where it was clear the dermis was so damaged that feathers would not regrow (skin was growing back but follicles were gone). They have put down birds with droopy wings although the birds were still able to fly and land. They have put down birds with wing injuries which although splinting and meds would have yielded a 75% likelihood of recovery....they didn't proceed with treatment.

After taking 4 ferals in consecutively and having them ALL put down, and 5 out of 6 put down in a year period...I decided that my avian vet is a far better choice. Montclair Hospital in Oakland (or maybe Berkeley) is also a far better alternative.

Funny that they like to go all-out on saving hawks and cute, furry lil' mammals...& other such 'good press' sorta species, but when it comes to pigeons, well... less than 60% of those brought in ever make it back out (this is a statistic once offered to me by their director). You lucked out on this one in that the baby is likely physically uninjured. For future reference to you and all in Bay Area....best not to bring an injured feral there in the future.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Wow! Thank you for posting that info. Jaye. Good to remember and pass on.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Thanks for the correction, Jaye. My bad--I had only heard good about them. But it was from someone involved with ducks and geese, not pigeons.


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

Thats terrible!  Thanks for letting everyone know how this rescue stands concerning pigeons that need more medical help.


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

PidgeonBaby said:


> I found a wonderful organization called Wildcare.
> 
> http://www.wildcarebayarea.org/site/PageServer
> 
> They have taken in the baby and will care for it and ready it to be released back into it's area. Thank you for your help and your time.


thats what i like to hear when they get released... aint no better life for them but the free life.. where they can roam the sky with their flock
u did good.. thank you


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## Margret (Jun 23, 2010)

Thanks Jaye for the information. I have rescued and hand-fed a feral pigeon starting from day 5. The baby is 5 weeks old now and doing pretty well. I once thought about taking him/her to a wild life organization, given the fact that I don't have any experience about birds. But, after reading some posts online, I learned that the bird need to be strong enough to be released. I have decided to keep the baby myself and thanks to Pigeon Talk, I have learned a lot on taking care pigeons. The vet information is good too, I once called up an avian vet in South Bay for a regular check but they said they don't take feral pigeons ! NOW,it's good to know there's a nice place where I can take my baby for vaccinations.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Margret...your bird won't need vaccinations.
There are plenty of vets that will see pet pigeons be they feral heritage or fancy.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Actually, after I posted I worried that I might have alarmed you...which wasn't my intent. As I said, if the pigeon has no significant medical issues other than having been lost or abandoned or such, they will do the job...

...it's just that in my humble experience...things have not turned out well for the pigeons and quite honestly, the attitude of the establishment towards ferals is less than stellar.

All of that aside, it's nice to hear you are keeping him/her for now.

A about 8-9 weeks of age, he/she can be released using the "soft release" method of acclimation (i.e. don't just open the door one day and let her/him fly off  ) providing you can find a nice, healthy-looking flock to visit.....

Soft release process takes about 15-20 mins a day for about one week. They will usually give definite signs when they are acclimated. If they aren't giving those signs, they aren't ready to go out into the feral world.

At your leisure, read up on it a bit or PM me for info.

Until then, keep doing what you are doing...post some pics ! (we all lllllove pics here !)....and thanks for saving your lil' pal !!!


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## Margret (Jun 23, 2010)

The reason I am thinking to get my baby pigeon vaccinated is because there are two feral pigeons come to my balcony from time to time. Although I have tried to make sure no food left out there,they still come. I usually put my baby out at balcony during the day and am afraid that he/she may get diseases from them....

Attached are pictures of my 5 weeks baby ! 

Thanks


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

In that case, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get him vaccinated. He/she is very cute.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Very sweet looking pigeon ! Healthy and alert-looking...you are doing well !!!!

When you have him out on the balcony....is he loose or in a cage ? At 5 weeks old she can definitely get airborne so it's a bit dangerous having him loose outside...many a story of folks who believed their baby was grounded when one day they lifted off and out of reach of their caregiver.

That can be a very heart-wrenching situation should it happen. Because although flighted, they are still 3+ weeks to young to really make it in the feral world.

When they fledge from their nests, they still hand very close to home for 2 weeks or so...just taking small flight-hops here and there while awaiting their parents to return to feed them. This is about the stage your baby is at. They can fly, but are not yet following their parents out and about during the day.

If you do have him loose on the balcony....I would advise you to keep her/him in the cage whenever you are outside, anywhere. For flying practice, use indoors.

I am on the fence about vaccination. I mean, he is gonna be released in a few weeks and among ferals anyway. I suppose it wouldn't hurt....but most folks don't vaccinate before release. Your call.

He seems very hand-tame...is he. Does she show any skittishness around humans ?

Still 3 weeks shy of release....he's old enough to begin the soft-release visits if you want. Not necessary yet, but IMHO the more visits to a feral flock you make, the better. Should someone ask you what you are doing, just tell them she's your Homer (you already have the foot banded, good idea).

Thanks for the pics !


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## Margret (Jun 23, 2010)

Thanks! He is actually 6 weeks old as of today. He likes to stay with us whether we are working on computers or watching TV. He loves to stay on our shoulders or arms and once he is on it will be hard to take him away. 

I usually loose him in the balcony- I have a big cage in the balcony but he hates to be locked in. Every time I put him in the cage, he would act restlessly trying very hard to get out so….
I guess he is trying the softrelease method himself. Yesterday morning he made a “small” fly up to the top of our building (we live on the top floor) to join some feral pigeons but could not come down. I called him several times and he tried to fly down but couldn’t aim to land at our balcony properly–he was scared so flew back to the top of the building. Anyhow, he did come down in an hour and for the rest of the day didn’t want to near the edge of the balcony. Yet, this morning he did it again and stayed there for about one hour then come down back home. He has acted like usual since then- I guess he wants to make it a routine trip on a daily basis. Should I lock him in the cage when he is out in the balcony?  Here’s a video I took today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2NxPGvCpqI


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I wouldn't let him out where he is free to fly outside. He isn't yet ready to be on his own, and could very easily get into trouble, or something could get him.


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## Margret (Jun 23, 2010)

Thanks! I will keep him/her in the cage in the balcony when we are not home !


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