Found large baby pigon please help

I found a pigeon in our back yard that can not fly and does not want to eat the seed(black oil sunflower) that I have put by him. He came from a nest on my neighbors roof that is being replaced. The roofers put him on the ground and he came over to my yard. I plan on bringing him in for the night so he does not become ally cat food. My question is what to feed him. I have been over the info on the site but am still wondering. He is about 3/4 the size of an adult and still has some long yellow feathers around his neck. So should I give him adult food in a dish or try to feed him with a syringe. TIA. BTW I am on the east side of Chicago.

[maryjane]

Hi, thanks for taking in this baby. You can get some frozen corn and/or peas and defrost them to room temp, then feed him 25-30 at a time, three times a day. You can just open his beak and pop one in and he'll swallow it. You can also get some bird seed other than sunflower seeds--they don't really eat them much in the shell--and "peck" at it with your finger to teach him how to eat. He will play with the seeds for a few days and then hopefully pick it up. You can gently dip the end of his beak into some water and that will likely trigger him to drink. Let us know if you have any more questions.

[lizzie8686]

I have gotten him inside and into his box. I am having trouble feeding him though. Should I hold him while I feed him? Also how should I open his beak? TIA.

[Jay3]

He probably doesn't know how to eat seed yet, but he can be taught, only not with the sunflower seed. Ferral pigeons do eat it, but it is too large for a baby just learning to eat. If you have wild bird seed with the smaller seeds in it, or if you can get dove mix, that would be good. Put it in a small dish, then use your index finger like a beak, and peck at the seed to show him how to peck at it. Or sprinkle some on a towel, and see if he will peck at it. If you put a small dish of water in front of him, and gently dip his beak down into the water, but don't cover his nose at the top of the beak, he will eventually learn to drink. If you feed the peas and corn, when you place it in his mouth, push it toward the back of his tongue. He should swallow them. Be patient though, as he isn't used to this kind of food, so he won't really know that he is supposed to eat it. He'll catch on though. Good luck. Was there only one? Pigeons usually have two babies, so there may very well be another one roaming around out there, and he too could be injured or hungry and won't know how to get food. It would be really great if you could check to see if you could find him. Otherwise, he could starve. Then they could also keep each other company. I hate to think of this little guys sibling out there all alone. Thanks for caring. Please let us know how it goes.

[Jay3]

Lizzie, hold the baby in front of you. If you are right handed, face him toward your right. Now come behind his head with your left hand, and gently grasp his beak with your forefinger and thumb. Now holding his beak use your right hand to pry open his beak, and use the left hand to kinda hold it open as you put in a pea. Push it toward the back of his tongue, and he should swallow. Maybe it would be easier to explain how to do it by talking to you. If you would like me to call you, send me a private message with your phone number. I will be up for just a little while longer as I have work tomorrow, and it is late.

[Jay3]

Lizzie, some people place the bird on a table to feed them. Some wrap them up like a little burrito, in a towel. I put them on my lap, and hold them against my stomach. That is how I have the most control. It works for me.