resuced a pigeon--poo question

[Trace]

Hi! We are the new "keepers" of an injured pigeon. It is part of a flock that hangs around the winery, and it has been hurt...but I'm not really sure how. It has a foot and wing injury, but I'm not sure that's as important right now as is the bird's poo. It is white/green and runny. Somehow, I don't think that's what it should look like. I have a bowl of water in the cage, and he/she jumped right in and cleaned off and drank. I'm going to get it some grit today, but I'm wondering if I should do something else for it?

The foot looks like it's been cut, but it's an old wound. I'm putting antibiotic cream on it--just in case the skin has an opening. There is no pus. However, the bird uses the leg with great effort. The wing will flap, but it is tender to the touch. It sits where it should, so I'm not thinking that it is broken. But, He/she can't fly. Since we just got it last night, I'm letting it get used to the noises of the house before I really investigate what the problems are.

Any help would be appreciated!

[Trees Gray]

Hello and welcome to pigeons.com

Thank you for helping this needy bird.

If he is taking a bath he may not be feeling that bad.

The poop can be an issue in itself (as stress can bring that on), or maybe there is an underlying health issue causing it.

Have you stabilized the bird initially?

Is the bird eating and drinking well?

Have you looked down the birds throat?

The wing and leg will definitely need attention, can you post a picture? Is the bird trying to hold the wing in normal position? Are either leg or wing swollen. You can tell by comparing it to the normal wing and leg.

If the bird has been stabilized you can go ahead and start some supportive measures.

Put a piece of garlic clove in the drinking water, as an antibacterial, and fungus.

Buy some colloidal silver at the health food store, Sovereign Silver, is good for any kind of infection that may be brewing. Put a few drops down the birds throat.

Probiotoics ( Solaray, Multidopholis) on the seed to help stabilize gut bacteria, and support normal healthy digestion & poops. A little powder mixed on the seed (with a drop of wheat germ oil)

[pdpbison]

Hi Trace,



Thank you for grabbing the Winged-one...!


Yahhhh...just as Tressa says above...

That and get them some good Bird Seeds of course too!

Make sure they are free from drafts and disturbances.

One sometimes sees such indistinct injuries and it is good of course to do a through inspection of the Bird to see if anything more may be discovered.

Is their little butt feather area clean and nice? NO old poops soiling the feathers there?

They might be fighting a systemic infection from their initial foot injury for that matter, which could have wore them down some.

Watery poops of 'green and white' can occur if the Bird is a little anxious or worried, which new surrounds of course can do to them.

Is the 'water' part "like" Water actually? - or is it more like a clear syrup?

If the former, then likely mere 'nervious-anxiousness'...if the latter, might be Coccidiosis or other ill.

Anyway, keep them on a light colored towell if you can, so it will be easy to see the poops as they continue to be made...

Get some decent 'Bird Vitamines' to add to their water or feed...

And if you have a small electric heating Pad, set it up so the Bird may be on it or off it it as it pleases, with the towell on it as well as on their box or cage bottom.

Is the Bird preening and overall fairly active?

Till next...


Phil
Las Vegas

[ratified]

If you are in California, there is a great bird vet who does see feral pigeons in Oakley, out in Contra Costa County.

You can see a break in the wing only by wetting the feathers with a few drops of rubbing alcohol. As the bone knits, it forms a smooth,large, white bony lump under the skin around the break. Same side injuries sound like being hit by a car. But I think they can occur during an unsuccessful attack by hawks, owls, or cats too.

Very green poop is stress and starvation. Go to any feed store and buy pigeon food. You can make your own too--there are recipes on this site, if you will hunt around. Safflower seed (hulled) is part of it, as are "maple" peas, some bird seeds (not sunflower). Pigeons don't need grit (though mine likes to eat the vermiculite and dirt out of the potted plants, go figure).. But there is a grit advisory around this site somewhere too. Also, it is said-put a drop of apple cider vinegar in her water once a week, to keep her crop acidified and healthy. If there are a few yellow clear drops too--that's urine, and is a good sign she's been getting water.

I need to find a nice flock that's away from traffic and cats to release my young rescued pigeon. Are you near here?
Thanks
Ratified

[feralpigeon]

Hi Ratified,

I'm wondering about the avian Dr. in Oakley. Is this a place where you can bring a pigeon requiring medical attention and sign over to the vet for care and release?

Thanks,

fp

[Trace]

The pigeon is doing much better, now. The poo's are formed, and , he's cooing at us. His foot is much better today. He's standing on it, but I think that's more to balance himself than it is to walk. It "gives out" on him. Again, we can't see anything wrong with it. I'm wondering if he didn't fly into a tank or window at the plant?

When he's outside, he pecks at my vermiculite in the pots and he shakes the wing like he's testing it out. He wants to go...but, he can't.

No, I live near Fresno....I've called my dog's vet and my reptiles' vet and neither can tell me a good avian vet. My next call is to the pet store where I get my food....they have a wonderful aviary in the store. Surely, they can help us find someone.

He really likes his bath, and he's in it right now. He's picking out the safflower seeds from the mix and tossing them aside. He likes the hulled sunflower seeds....why aren't these good for him?


Thanks for all your advice.....

[Trees Gray]

Thanks for the update.

My pigeons LOVE the safflower seeds and the sunflower seeds. Both sunflower seeds and safflower are good for them, but they should be just a small part of the variety of pigeon mix (seeds, legumes, and grains) the birds need (2%)

The variety provides them a full spectrim & variety of the nutrition the birds need. Just give him aliitle over a tablespoon with each serving and he will learn to eat everything.

The bird may be looking for minerals and micro minerals in the vermiculite pot. Have you provided him with some pigeon grit and oyser grit? They need the extra grit for digestion as well as the minerals it provides.

You can also pick up an avian multi-vitamin/and mineral for him that will help him to heal and make up for the deprivation of nutrition he might lack from living outside and the stress. A good human probiotic, might also be in order, if his stress level was high, as his gut may be empty of gut bacteria.

[pdpbison]

Hi Trace,


Strained/sprined legs or thighs may take a few weeks to resume normal use.

Similarly with Wings, so, figure a few more weeks anyway.

Nutrition also as above posts mention is important, so make sure he has lots of good Seed variety, and good grit and vitamine mineral suppliments.

Is the Wing hanging 'low'?

Was there any blood or appearent site of injury or anything?

Mighta been tapped by a Car or had a bad landing...

These things happen...

I just released a young adult who simiarly, had a strained/sprained wing and leg...leg was held up and not in use and the wing was slightly droopy and showed a bad bruised bloody area at it's front most joint. I put topical antibiotics onm the injured area and had him on some additional ones in his water for a while. Anyway, about a month or so and he flew fine and the leg was long since fine, so I let him go.

A hand towell rolled loosely and bent into a "U" shape is a nice fixture to provide for them to rest in so they may keep weight off of their sprained led/thigh...



Phil
Las Vegas

[Dovena]

I wouldn't waste any more time, trying to analyze poop. I'd just run to the nearest qualified avian vet and have the little bird examined. Better to be safe than sorry.

[Trace]

I think I'm getting the hang of this! Today he hopped up on my hand and began to flap his wings....when I started to walk with him, he began to coo.

The wing doesn't hang "low"...it's positioned sort of high...he does control it, though. I called my reptile vet, and she agrees with Phil, it's probably a strain.

Question---can I put in some greens and fruit for him? I'm sure he had a more varied diet out in the wild....and since I cut it up for the reptiles I figure he might like some....could it hurt?

thanks!

[Trees Gray]

Hi Trace,

Glad to hear the bird is doing so well.

You can give a little greens, like spinach and kale, nothing from the cabbage family, from what I have read. Lettuce is not as nutritious like the above mentioned, and give very little as they can get the "runs" from it.

I haven't tried fruits yet, but Phil has and I'm sure he will have some info on that.

While vegies are a good source of minerals and certain vitamins, pigeons should have little of it, as their main diet, is seed, legumes and grains.