sick baby pigeon....help quick??

[Kirsty]

Hi
about one week ago my husband and I rescued a baby pigeon.
It had been attacked and was missing a few feathers and has a few grazes.
we have fed it (Clementine) wheat soaked in water and it picked up alot.
Since then it was attacked by a crow and lost more feathers and went into shock. For a couple of days after she bounced back again and was always chirping for food. But now for the past two days she does not chirp or act interested in food or water and sits very still. She has cuts to her head and is missing a little of her beak and part of one toe. We really want to care for her but im scared shes got an infection or something???her poos are fairly runny and she can be a bit off balance
please help...?!!!
from Kirsty

[relofts]

Kirsty,

Thank you for caring for this injured pigeon. You really need to keep this youngster warm with a heating pad or heat light or something. You may need to hand feed it to keep it from starving. It does sound like it is in critical condition and the warmth is going to be very important right at this moment.

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi Kirsty,

Thanks for helping this little one. Are you familiar with pigeons at all and can can you tell us approximately how old this bird seems or looks? Do the injuries look infected or are they healing? If you could post a picture this would greatly help us determine it's age and extent of injuries.

In addition to what Relofts has already mentioned to you, please make sure this bird is getting enough water to drink. Is it drinking on it's own?

Others will hopefully be along later this morning to offer more suggestions and advice.

[Reti]

Hi Kirsty,

in addition to heat, feedings and hydration, the bird will need antibiotics.
It is likely he has an infection. It is common after attacks.
Do you have a vet or rehabber where you can take the bird to have a look at?


Reti

[AZWhitefeather]

Hello Kristy,
I would like to extend my "Thanks" as well taking this sweetie under 'your' wing & caring for him.

My only addition at this time, would be regarding hydration:
I would suggest offering your new found friend a bit of 'hydration solution' (mix a pinch of salt & sugar in a cup of warm water) rather than offering plain water.
Given what he has been through, a little boost will be beneficial & the hydration solution should provide that.

If he is drinking on his own, wonderful. If not, I would suggest administering the solution, a few drops at a time, via an eye dropper. This seems to be the safest method if one is unfamiliar with hand feeding a pij.
Make sure his tongue is down.

Please keep us posted on how things are coming along.

Cindy

[relofts]

Cindy,

I found your post to be quite interesting, I am wondering about providing sugar to birds, I have always stayed away from sugar as much as possible due to advise not to give sugar to birds, what has your experience been with this? I am very interested to know and understand this, the salt birds crave and pigeons if not careful will take in to much if you were to allow it in the loft as they love the salt, you can sprinkle salt on spinach leafs, mustard greens and they will eat it up or lick the salt off of it, anyway I am going to post a link for sugar and birds as well as one of the paragraphs on giving birds sugar and if you could tell me what you think of this that would be grate.

Ellen

From web site:
Refined Sugar: Is it in Your Bird’s Diet?
Refined sugar can cause subclinical deficiencies and future health problems and illness. The immune system and other systems of the body, such as the digestive system, endocrine system and nervous system are negatively affected. More specifically, sugar may promote infections, such as Candida albicans or may result in the manifestation of diabetes, gout, heart damage, hyperactivity and nervous disorders, feather-picking, obesity, cancer, calcium/phosphorus imbalance, high cholesterol levels, depression, irritability, anxiety and more.
http://www.naturallyhealthypet.com/refined_sugar.htm

[AZWhitefeather]

Cindy,
"I found your post to be quite interesting, I am wondering about providing sugar to birds, I have always stayed away from sugar as much as possible due to advise not to give sugar to birds"

Hi Ellen,
I've been trying to find the source in which Cynthia (cyro51) obtained the International Rehydrating Solution & of course can't find it. Hopefully she will be along to help me out.
I did find an excerpt from a previous post noting the ingredients of the IRS:

international rehydrating solution (Half a litre of water (preferably filtered) • Half a teaspoonful salt • Half a tablespoonful sugar or glucose Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved and administer lukewarm

I also found a website pertaining to sour crop which suggests a 'homemade' electrolyte solution & also includes sugar.

In an emergency you can make up your own electrolyte formula from every day kitchen ingredients (Lactated Ringers is preferred but this formula can save a chicks life). To 8 oz. of warm water (about 103 to 105°F), add 1/2 tablespoons sugar, 1/8 teaspoons salt and 1/8 teaspoons baking soda. Mix well. Administer as shown above for Lactated Ringers.
(I believe the baking soda is added to treat the sour crop.)
The link to the entire website is:
http://www.cagenbird.com/crop_prob.htm

Other comments on this would be greatly appreciated.

Cindy

[John_D]

Hi Cindy -

The 'recipe' for the IRS is indeed the one which Cynthia obtained, and which we have filed away along with stuff like the 'macmilk' diet, for emergency advice.

I recall someone stating that unrefined sugar is better, but this mix fits what most folk will have on hand.

I'd think that this is pretty much the only good use of sugar for a pigeon, and it is of course only a very temporary measure to boost the bird quickly when his digestive system may not be able to cope with drinking plain water.

John