# Young pigeon found, need advice.



## katielittle25

Hey there, back again. I must first apologise for not doing an update for the injured pigeon i found ages ago, who had a puncture hole in its back. It died unfortunately, I was so upset I forgot to update on here. I am very grateful for the advice that was given.

So, 2 days ago my dog alerted us to a young pigeon sitting underneath this tree we have in our garden that is the home to many birds.

We put it back in the tree on a lower bit in the tree that is sort of flat, couldnt see the nest i presume it was a lot higher for about 8 hours and not a single pigeon came back. I have looked at that speedracing site and worked out its about 20 days now.

We have put it in a hutch right next to the tree, but on a table so its slightly high and so my dog cant get anywhere near it. I have been hand feeding it warm peas (opening its beak and popping them in) and runny porridge mixed with water from a thick syringe. Ive done this every 6 hours, except at night.

It cant really walk, it just wobbles. its not injured thank goodness and its got bright eyes. Its got towels and leaves as bedding.

Up until the last feed which i did an hour ago, it has been silent but this time it was churping, and it was difficult to feed it, it didnt want to let me open its mouth and then sort of pecked me and shook its head. but then it was pecking at my hand and at the food in my hand (it couldnt seem to pick any up with its beak). I'm worried cuz this has just changed and i dont want to think its refusing food because its giving up, or its saying 'dont feed me i want to try for myself', i hope its the latter but doubt it.

I've been giving it about 10mls of porridge and about 20 peas each feed, is too much/too little? I've been feeling the crop before i feed it and its empty.

I'm just really worried about this churping, maybe its trying call for its mom to save it..?

Should it be able to drink on its own at this age? i know i am not meant to feed it pure water, and it is getting lots from the peas and porridge.

I have probably forgot to ask something.

But if anyone can offer some advice that would be brilliant.

Thanks so much, Katie


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## Dobato

Katie, why don't you have a read through of the information in the link below (follow the links contained within), then if you have any other questions, ask. Also, at 20 days it should be making its way around pretty well, best post up a photo if possible, if you could also manage to get a weight for him, this would be a bonus.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/rescued-feral-help-please-48513.html#post522672

Karyn


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## John_D

Also, Katie, is this a woodpigeon baby or a feral pigeon? I'm assuming it is a woodpigeon, being under a tree, but as Karyn suggests, a photo would be good.


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## katielittle25

Hey guys thanks for linking me to that other post 

here are 2 pictures i managed to get yesterday. It is eating very well, and i think i've figured out that it was squeaking to say 'feed me' 









By katielittle25 










By katielittle25 


How old do you think it is? i think its a wood pigeon. I couldnt get its weight.

Katie xxxx


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## Skyeking

That is one pretty little bird...and it may be a wood pigeon.

Our UK members should be on shortly to assist.


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## Feefo

Yes, that is a wood pigeon. Katie, if you can get it to a rescue centre it would be best as you have to avoid it getting attached to you and it needs to mix with other woodies. I am always tempted to keep them too long, so now I race them up to the rescue centre as soon as I am able to.

You could put a bowl of very small seed and a bowl of warm water within easy reach of it to encourage it to start self feeding early.

I would feed about 50-60 peas at each feed to start with, 3 or 4 times a day. The trick is to keep checking his crop to see how full it is, but you have to wait a few minutes to let the peas settle. The crop should feel like a beanie baby, so you can feel the peas but they move around when you touch them.


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## katielittle25

Thanks for the advice 

Is it normal for them to keep squeaking even when the crop is full? Not hard full, but full and still squidgy.

There is a rescue centre in burton on trent that will take pigeons so i will send them a message. Reluctantly of course because i've totally fallen in love with he but i undrstand he needs to be with other pigeons.

Is there anyone on here that would take him? I am in sutton coldfield, birmingham but i drive so can travel a bit. It would be nice to be able to still be in touch on here about him.

Also, does anyone have an idea how old he is from the pictures?

Katie

ETA, Its really annoying because there is a pigeon fancier around here somewhere becuase of all the fancy pigeons that come to our garden its a shame i dont know where this person is because that would be perfect!!


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## Feefo

Yes, they will squeak even when full!

amyable is in Sutton Coldfield, I don't know how she is placed re releasing woodies but I will ask her to have a look just in case she has babies to release.

Your baby is still a nestling, I would say about 12 days old.

Cynthia


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## amyable

Hi Katie,

Yes, I remember your last pigeons post, sorry it didn't make it.

I can take it if you like to carry on rearing it but I do tend to still take them up to Amerton once they've started to self feed as they have a release aviary and always attempt to send them off with other Woodies which is so much better for them in the long run.
I have loads of Woodies coming into my garden but it's hard to do a soft release with Woodies as they're so skittish and fly off as the slightest sight of a person even at the window.
I do have two Woodies at present but they're adult and injured, unfortnately going to be unreleasable otherwise they could have been your babies instructors!

Anyway, I'm willing to help if you need me. 

Janet


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## katielittle25

Hi Janet, thanks so much for responding. Again i'm so sorry about not doing an update about the other pigeon, i was so gutted and forgot. 

I've just done a search, by amerton do you mean Amerton farm?

I'm very happy to look after him until he needs to leave, and he is right next to the tree he fell out of which has loads of birds singing all the time. So if its not neccasary that I give him up immediately i'm very happy to continue on, if this is what you mean?

Do you think I should take him to Amerton when he's ready? when will this be?

Thanks again, Katie xxxx


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## amyable

Hi Katie,

Yes it is Amerton Farm. It's one of the rescue centres that do give pigeons as much of a chance as any other wild life in trouble. They do only treat birds that have a chance of a successful release and so it's never a good idea to take a bird that is likely to be deemed unreleasable though.

To be honest though if your Woodie is being kept where it can see other Woodies coming and going and also if you're able to avoid it becoming totally imprinted on you, (that's the difficult part!), then it's possible you could release it from your own garden.
If you are happy to carry on looking after it then great, I'm always here if you think there are any problems with him and I could come and have a look if needed.

I'll send you my phone number in a Private Message just in case and you can call me if you want me to check him over at any time.

Just a thought, have you checked inside his mouth to see if it's a nice pink colour, any signs of yellow growths would mean he has canker which would need treating. It's a good idea if you have any worries about his change of eating habits as they are in danger of developing this if their parents have it will they're feeding young.

Anyway, so keep us posted as to how he's doing and we'll see how you want to deal with releasing him when he's ready.

Good luck

Janet


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## katielittle25

Thankyou so much Janet, its nice to know there is someone there if I need help.

His mouth looks very normal, he's very eager to show me it at feeding time! I will take him to Amerton then if I struggle releasing him myself. 

I'm really suprised how tame he is, its so strange i thought he'd be trying to get away from me but i think its just because i'm feeding him. I am getting better at feeding him quite quickly as to shorten the amount of time i spend with him.

I'm suprised that the other member suggested he is 12 days old, i thought he was quite a few days older than that because of the pictures i've seen on the internet.

Thanks again, Katie xxxx


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## katielittle25

Hey great news! He's just pecked seed out of my hand!

Surely this means he is older than 12 days? 

Katie xxx


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## amyable

That's very good news, he's doing well.
I'm not sure about his age to be honest, but anyway they do tend to develope self feeding at varying stages depending on their exposure to seeds might be one reason. Maybe, like children, some cotton on sooner. Just keep the seeds available for him to try but keep up the feeds as well so you're sure he's getting enough until he's really feeding on his own.

Good job Katie,

Janet


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## katielittle25

Hey everyone, 

My pigeon is coming along scarily fast. He is drinking water by himself and also eating seed. Although I am still doing feeds.

The last couple of days I have been sitting outside with him and he has been trying to fly. Just 15 minutes ago he flew off my arm and landed on our bird table about 15 feet. It was really impressive, and I am nervous now as I feel the time looming.

I keep reading conflicting info online about when they usually leave nest, some pages say 22 days, others 30, and wikipedia says 3 months. So I'm not sure what to do. If he was 12 days old on the 25th then that makes him 22 days now. He looks exactly like the pigeon labelled 'Juvenile' on this webpage
http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/woodpigeon.htm

I dont want to upset him unnessecerily, but is there a way i can do a homemade ring for his leg, so when he does go i know which one he is and if he's coming back? Is it normal for them to come back (to the garden i mean)?

Thanks a lot, Katie xxx

ps. I've been handling him with my bare hands, and got scratched by his claws today, i've no reason to worry have i?


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## Feefo

No need to worry about the scratches, but I would worry about the possibility of him flying off when you are unable to follow as his parents would. They will continue to feed him after he leaves the nest, if he flies off before he learns to forage he could be in trouble.

*This video* tells the story of Hope, a wood pigeon in Paris in pictures. Hope took her first flight to the roof opposite when she was 21 days old ( Jane Grey, who watched over her, is a member of this forum where she is known as Paris)....but some might take longer and they also often return to the nest to roost after they have fledged


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## katielittle25

Hey everyone, my pigeon is approx 34 days old now. We did an attempted release 2 days ago and she just sat in the tree in the garden and squeeked when i stood near her, i panicked and got her back again. 
She is pretty much self feeding now, although i give her 24 mls of porridge twice a day.

She is pecking at the bars and generally looks eager to get out, shall i try again, i need to wait till thursday my day off to do it. If she sits in the tree and cries again, should i ignore it? (going to be hard)

And shall i leave the hutch open so she can come back if she decides?


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## Feefo

It would really be better for her to go to a sanctuary where she could be placed in a release pen with other juvenile woodies. There is safety in numbers.


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## Quazar

if this baby has been hand reared, it needs to go through a "soft release" routine as it will NOT know how to forrage for food on its own in the wild, also it will not know what to do if there is a predator around.
It needs to learn this from other pigeons.
Being a wood pigeon, It will probably be more difficult for you to do this on your own as wood pigeons dont really hang about in as large a flock as normal pigeons, and are also more wary of approaching humans when trying to feed.
I would suggest that if he is now flying relatively well & is otherwise healthy, that you do as Janet said earlier, and take him to Amerton where he can be with other woodies & released as a group which will give him a much better chance of survival.


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## katielittle25

Hi guys thanks for the advice. I will take her if its absolutely neccesary, but i thought it would be ok as we have a lot of pigeons including wood pigeons in the garden everyday in her sight, and i figured if i left the hutch open she would be able to come back if she wanted to.

On a more personal note, i'm really worried about giving her to someone else where she is just another pigeon, and i will miss her like mad. i kind of hoped she would stay around in the garden where she will have food everyday.

Is there no way i can release her myself given the circumstances?

Katie x


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## katielittle25

I spoke to the lady at Amerton Farm, she says to give it another go and see what happens. She said they dont have any wood pigeons there at the moment, but to bring her up if anything goes wrong. She said the main thing is that she can self-feed and that there is always food.

Ergh! stressing!

xxxx


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## Quazar

katielittle25 said:


> Hi guys thanks for the advice. I will take her if its absolutely neccesary, but i thought it would be ok as we have a lot of pigeons including wood pigeons in the garden everyday in her sight, and i figured if i left the hutch open she would be able to come back if she wanted to.
> 
> On a more personal note, i'm really worried about giving her to someone else where she is just another pigeon, and i will miss her like mad. i kind of hoped she would stay around in the garden where she will have food everyday.
> 
> Is there no way i can release her myself given the circumstances?
> 
> Katie x


Since Amerton dont have any woodies at the moment, and you have other woodies that visit then you could try it.
What soft release entails is to gradually introduce your bird to other pigeons, so he can watch them & see their reactions, Also so you can see his, without him actually being free to fly away untill he is ready.
You will need a large cage to put him in, big enough so that he can flap his wings, and so that he can see out all sides, rather than the hutch, .
Do you already feed the pigeons in your garden ?
If not, I suggest you feed them regularly for a few days to get them used to having somewhere specific to go for food, rather than just random visiting (just scatter food on the grass).
Once they are visiting regularly & feeding, put your bird in the cage (make sure it is closed & he cant get out) in the middle of your feeding area, sprinkle some seed around the cage & on the floor of his cage.
When the other pigeons come, (they may be wary at first) keep an eye on him to see his reaction. 
If you do this for about 15 minutes or so for a few days. then when they are used to him being there & feeding around him, make a noise to scatter them.
This is very important as he has to learn what to do when in danger.
If you do this for several days also, he should learn exactly how to react.
When the other pigeons are around, he should be getting "excited" and wanting to get near them, as well as pecking around on the bottom of the cage at the seed.
When they scatter, he should also get excited and want to go with them.
This process needs done quite a few times over a period of a couple of weeks, with as little interaction between you and him in between times.
The more he is bonded to you, the longer it will take & the less chance he will have of survival out in the wild, where he will in fact be "just another pigeon".
Once he has learned to react like a proper pigeon, then you can leave the cage with the door open & hopefully he will go with them.
He may well still return to the hutch at night as he knows he is safe, but hopefully if he does, this will gradually decrease.


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## amyable

Excellent advice from Quazar. I'd follow this closely before you consider letting your little Woodie go yet as it sounds to me as if it's very much used to you feeding it and being the provider. It's very hard but you do need to try and distance yourself from now. Sounds harsh but it's for the bird's safety in the long run.
If he doesn't flee along with other birds when they're alarmed he's at risk from preditors. Just that hesitation to leave can be the difference between life and death for him should a cat or hawk be stalking a group of pigeons.

I'm sure it'll go well, just take your time and don't be in too much of a rush to open the cage, the build up of watching the wild birds and their behaviour is so important.

It's amazing that Amerton don't have any Woodies as they say that they're the most popular bird they get taken in. I have a friend about to take a couple up so that's a start!!!

Good luck with your release programme. Let us know how it's going. 

Janet


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## katielittle25

Thanks for the advice guys, but i've totally screwed things up  

We put the top half of an old rat cage (fancy rats) on the grass so her feet were on the ground, then sprinkled a load of seed in her section and around. About an hour later a pair of woodpigeons came down, might be wrong but i think they could be her parents i think they came from the tree she fell from. Anyway we watched for a while and she was frantically trying to get nearer to them, so i went outside to move the cage closer to the bird table, trying to inch it across the ground, it got stuck on something on the grass and she managed to get out the back part by my feet, i managed to get her and then totally lost her, she flew towards them, they flew off and then she flew into the tree she fell out of. I've been calling her all day and i dont know where she is, she hasnt come down since, this happened about 11am today, i've just cried all day, hate myself, i shouldnt have even tried it. And also that you say your friend is taking some wood pigeons now to Amerton i wish i could get her back and take her there. 

I just dont know whats happening and where she is, i've left the hutch open with food on top and inside and she hasnt come down, i dont understand why, unless something bad has happened 

I keep calling and calling, neighbours think i've gone mental, well to be fair i actually have now.

I dont know what to do now, i'm worried about tonight and what she'll do. Should have taken her to amerton in the first place.

katie xxx


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## Quazar

Katie, dont beat yourself up over it, whats done is done and if she doesnt come back then theres not a lot you can do.
The fact that she wanted to go with the other birds is good.
If it was her parents, they may well still recognise her as theirs & may still teach her their ways. If not, she may still hang around with them & learn anyway, one can only hope. 
You could leave some food scattered on the lawn for her & the others, also leave her hutch open just in case. (would always help her if she starts foraging anyway)
She knows she is safe where she was & there is food availlable for her.
Keep an eye out for her, and I would also have another look around the tree where she went, Especially when it starts to get dark, If she is around, she may just not have the knowledge to roost high up & may be closer to the ground where you can get her. (Its easier to approach a pigeon at night as they cant see as well to escape)
If she does come back, you could try and entice her and catch her but dont panic her.
My only concern is her safety from any predators. 
If she is with the other pigeons and they accept her then hopefully all is well.
Normal wood pigeons are notoriously "skittish" and not as timid as the ordinary feral pigeon and will fly at the slightest danger or movement towards them, if she learns this fast then all should be ok.
If others fly off in panic & she doesnt or lags behind then thats the problem.

If you do get her back you can start the soft release again (with a bottom on the cage) and hopefully get back on track.


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## katielittle25

Hi guys, just a quick update to let you know I think I just saw the runaway pigeon in the garden, because it had the same missing feathers on his head, I am very happy about it now. Hopefully there will be no more injured/orphaned pigeons in the garden for a while!!

Thanks for all your help,
Katie


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## amyable

Hi Katie,

Glad to hear the news. It knows where to find a good meal then !!! 

I's a busy time at the mo with various fledglings coming out of the nests, not able to fly well yet and coming a cropper from the neighbourhood cats.
Had five this week so keep your eyes open just in case.
Thanks for the update.

Janet


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