Son brought home a young pigeon

[doihavtasay]

My son rescued a young pigeon yesterday. He had been sitting on the roof with out any parents coming to feed him for a full day. He still has some yellow down poking through adult dark feathers. His wing feathers are not fully in, I would say about half way. Same for his tail feathers. He is about half the size of an adult bird. How old do you think he is? And what kind of activity is normal for a bird this age? Is he still just sitting in the nest all the time at this point?

He seems to be healthy and whole, when holding him, he is warm. He is in a cage with a small box for him hide in. I have been feeding him seeds ground up in my coffee grinder and mixed with a bit of water off a baby spoon ( no shells in this mix btw) will make a run to the store and get him some Exact as soon as they open.
I gently pry his beak open a bit then allow the mix to run into his mouth and he happily eats it. I am going to get a syringe though.

Question is : Does he need a heat source at this age still? Does he need a 'nest' or is the box OK? A perch? What kind of liner for the cage? Anything that is offered at the pet store that is ok for birds works? How often and how much does he need with regards to food? Looking at his size, I am guessing a lot? :-) Do I have seed and water available to him in the cage?

He is also filthy after being in a box yesterday but i am guessing bathing him at this age would not be a good idea? I can live with a messy bird. :-) I don't want to stress him out any more then the poor little guy has been, nor give him a chill. Being dirty isn't going to hurt him, is it? He has poo caked to his breast feathers.

I am guessing we need to decide if he is going to become a member of the family or be released now and treat him according to our decision??
ie; keep, lots more handling and talking to him-released- less contact.
He was found downtown Chicago-so we would need to release him near the city where we find other pigeons? We are out in the burbs and have none here.

This is not my first experience with wild bird rescue. I've raised robins and finches before to be released so I am not a novice, but it's been a while and each bird is different in some ways. Always to good to ask experts!!!

Thanks for your help!

Carol in Chicago

[doihavtasay]

http://www.speedpigeon.com/20-Day_Ol...ing_pigeon.jpg
This is his age. :-)
Great resources!!! So what do babies this age 'do'? Eat, sleep and poo?

[Kevin]

Looks like your doing everything you can to help the little guy and your doing a great job!

These are links that will also help you, I'm not sure if you have seen it already.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f20/yo...what-9556.html

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f20/pr...rds-13600.html

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f20/fo...eeds-8755.html

Keep us posted

Kevin

[doihavtasay]

Thank you Kevin! I think I have found the answers to all my question in your links, except how much food/water this little guy needs to take in a day to be healthy? Maybe it says on the formula can, can't remember.

He is feeling better already! Perking up and of course not so interested in eating off that spoon anymore. ;-)

Off to purchase formula and a syringe.

Carol in Chicago

[Kevin]

Always happy to help!

Keep us posted, and if there are any other questions, don't hesitate to ask. The staff and members here on the forums are always happy to help out.

God Bless

Kevin

[superflyer]

Hi Carol we have a group here in Chicago land that looks after birds. Especially pigeons.
The link is http://www.meetup.com/Wings-of-Hope/
I have several baby pigeons with me. I recommend putting food in the mouth with your fingers. I use broken raw sunflower seeds, broken raw peanuts, barley and seeds from Baden pigeon food. Exact baby bird food works with small birds. It sounds like your bird may be ready for seeds. Older babies that are well fed by their parents have puffy filled crops full of seed. If you like you can bring your baby over to visit with my babies. I have some extra Baden Pigeon food and grit that I can give you. I can show you how I feed. My number is 708-297-5493

[Charis]

Originally Posted by superflyer

Hi Carol we have a group here in Chicago land that looks after birds. Especially pigeons.
The link is http://www.meetup.com/Wings-of-Hope/
I have several baby pigeons with me. I recommend putting food in the mouth with your fingers. I use broken raw sunflower seeds, broken raw peanuts, barley and seeds from Baden pigeon food. Exact baby bird food works with small birds. It sounds like your bird may be ready for seeds. Older babies that are well fed by their parents have puffy filled crops full of seed. If you like you can bring your baby over to visit with my babies. I have some extra Baden Pigeon food and grit that I can give you. I can show you how I feed. My number is 708-297-5493

It's wonderful to know there is another resource in Chicago. Good luck with all your efforts.

[doihavtasay]

This forum has been a fantastic resource! You all have made if very easy to find the information needed to take care of this little guy and the support has just been wonderful- thank you all!!

He is relaxing and taking food on his own as opposed to me putting it in his mouth. I am using Exact squirted onto my finger along with some roughly ground sunflower, raw peanut, millet, flax , lentils and steel ground oats- organic of course- added to the exact. He is happy to take more at the feedings now and is chirping, happily I think? Also hearing a little more out of him after the feedings too.

I assume that means he is feeling better and bit more at home? His breathing has slowed down nicely as well. Yesterday his respiration's were very fast.

[Reti]

Great update. You are doing a great job.
Thanks for letting us know the bird is doing good.

Reti

[Msfreebird]

Originally Posted by doihavtasay

This forum has been a fantastic resource! You all have made if very easy to find the information needed to take care of this little guy and the support has just been wonderful- thank you all!!

He is relaxing and taking food on his own as opposed to me putting it in his mouth. I am using Exact squirted onto my finger along with some roughly ground sunflower, raw peanut, millet, flax , lentils and steel ground oats- organic of course- added to the exact. He is happy to take more at the feedings now and is chirping, happily I think? Also hearing a little more out of him after the feedings too.

I assume that means he is feeling better and bit more at home? His breathing has slowed down nicely as well. Yesterday his respiration's were very fast.

They are adorable at that age, and so trusting
We LOVE pictures too!

[doihavtasay]

If I don't find my camera soon will take a pic with the phone!
Baby is continuing to do great!!! Turning into a proper pigeon bit by bit- starting to eat on his own, cooing is starting to come between the chirps and peeps and I just saw him preening. :-)

Everyone here is taken with him! The boys are looking up training tips and everyone is helping with his care. So all is well and progressing!

They grow SO FAST!