20-day old pigeon? Found on the street

[rubyseeds]

I found a decent-sized baby pigeon with a few feather-sheaths and yellow down around its head and shoulders out on the street this afternoon. I put the poor thing in a cardboard box and placed it in the sunroom with good ventilation.

I tried to feed it cereal mush but it appears as if it is too scared to even move. It's been three hours since I picked it up; should I wait for it to get used to its surroundings?

Thank you so much!

[Trees Gray]

Hello and Welcome to pigeons.com

Thank you for helping this needy youngster.

The bird may be in shock and needs to be stabilized. Please follow these instructions:

Please keep the baby on a heating pad set on low for at least twenty minutes. put a towel in the box between the baby and heating pad.

Place the baby in quiet warm room with subdued light, with no air drafts.

After 20 or 30 minutes rehydrate the youngster with clear Pedialyte or mixture of sugar/salt water. ( A pinch of salt and equal amount sugar mixed well with a cup of water).

Administer to the bird with an eye dropper slowly to the back of the throat behind the tongue. Give about 5 ml's every 2 hours.

Once the bird responds, you can give it soaked and drained puppy chow, broken in tiny pieces. Or thawed corn or peas that has been drained. Feed one at a time, behind the tongue.

The bird should eat about a tablespoon of this food every 4 hours.

[rubyseeds]

Thank you very much for your help! I will post again if any problems arise...

[bklowe]

Hi rubyseeds,
Thank you for helping this baby. Sounds as if this bird is younger than 20 days at which time they would be well feathered.
First, line your box with a towel or cloth [ no holes/strings ], if you have a heating pad put it under the box on low. Keep in a quiet place.
While it is roosting in the box move your hand [ palm facing away from the bird ] try moving your fingers [ facing down ] toward the beak so that you get the tip of the beak in the gap between your fingers next to your knuckles. If the bird gets excited and " squeeks " s/he was likely still being fed by the parents.Please post the results.Where are you located ? Can you post a picture ?

[rubyseeds]

Originally Posted by bklowe

Hi rubyseeds,
Thank you for helping this baby. Sounds as if this bird is younger than 20 days at which time they would be well feathered.
First, line your box with a towel or cloth [ no holes/strings ], if you have a heating pad put it under the box on low. Keep in a quiet place.
While it is roosting in the box move your hand [ palm facing away from the bird ] try moving your fingers [ facing down ] toward the beak so that you get the tip of the beak in the gap between your fingers next to your knuckles. If the bird gets excited and " squeeks " s/he was likely still being fed by the parents.Please post the results.Where are you located ? Can you post a picture ?

It's quite dark in the sunroom, so I will leave it alone for the night and try the "experiment" in the morning. Thank you so much!

[Trees Gray]

Please check the following link and see baby pigeons at various ages and let us know exactly how old the baby is:

If the baby is younger then 14 days it will require baby bird formula.

http://www.speedpigeon.com/baby_racing_pigeon.htm

[rubyseeds]

Originally Posted by Trees Gray

Please check the following link and see baby pigeons at various ages and let us know exactly how old the baby is:

If the baby is younger then 14 days it will require baby bird formula.

http://www.speedpigeon.com/baby_racing_pigeon.htm

It appears that this bird is about 19~21 days old.

[Trees Gray]

Thank you for your care and consideration of this pigeon.

Please continue with the original instructions.

Have you tried to stabilize the bird?

[rubyseeds]

Originally Posted by Trees Gray

Thank you for your care and consideration of this pigeon.

Please continue with the original instructions.

Sorry for all the questions, but how should I feed it? When I rescued a baby sparrow I fed it using chopsticks -- can I do the same with pigeons?

Thank you so much.

[Trees Gray]

Once the bird has been stabilized and has had the rehydration and is responding you can:

Hand feed one small piece of food at a time. Either thawed corn, peas, that have been drained, or the soaked/drained puppy chow.

You can also wet wild bird seed for ten minutes and feed a tablespoon of that. You can use a tiny spoon, but make sure when the beak is open you place the seed behind the tongue. You can also use your fingers and feed the corn or pea one at a time, allow the bird to swallow and repeat.

[rubyseeds]

Thank you! I'll try feeding it in the morning, when it's well-rested (It's sleeping now, and looking very adorable). I tried feeding it an hour or so ago, but it ignored me and continued sleeping...