baby pigeon

[coleen]

hi. my name is coleen. a baby pigeon has wound up on my deck and i'm not sure how to take care of it. it is has black feathers and yellow fuzz on it. i'm not sure how old it is. i've been searching the web for advice but i'm not sure how old the bird is so i don't know what instructions i should be following. i put a bowl of water out and i don't think that she has drank any. what should i feed it? i'm scared for it so if anyone can give me advice i will be really greatful.

[goga82]

take the baby inside, u cant leave him out ... get a shoe box, put a towel in it and first thing u do is offer him some tiny bread crums to see if he picks up on that pecking instinct, if not then he is still a baby and not fully weaned.
tomorrow go to a pet store get a baby bird formula and a needless suringe they always sell 3cc which i think its the best. open his beak and stuff him .
feed him as soon as possible.
but in the mean time keep the baby warm
check for any external cuts
hopefully u wont have to take him to a doc
but please feed the baby
whatever u can do.
crush some food and put it between your fingers he will eat if he is hungry and im sure he is
and one more thing U ARE A LUCKY PERSON.
LUCKYYYYYYY
TO HAVE FOUND A PIGEON
take care of him as if he was part of your family, keep him fed, warm and u will see he will turn out to be your all time pet. u will be hooked on tomorrow
good luck

in the mean time, if bread crums dont help, take cerials and wet them, and try to feed him with that..
but im sure he'll eat bread, crums cant be too big cause he wont be able to swallow.
and while u at the pet store get a bag of seed as well for the waning time
but for now tonight use cerials , wet them and put it inbetween your fingers and he gonna put his head there too and try to eat..

[Naunnie]

Warm him before you feed. Can you post some pictures? What area are you in? Someone here can help you with finding out about the age and might be close enough to help.

[Feefo]

First of all, warm him gently. When that is done mix 1/2 pint warm water with 1/2 tablespoon of glucose, or honey, or sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Put the warm solution in a cup, dip his beak gently in it without covering the nostrils and wait a bit, he might drink on his own. If he doesn't, get a claen painting brsuh of the sort artists use, dip it in water and stroke it along the edge of his beak, that might enable him to drink.

It is important not to feed him too soon, because if he is dehydrtaed then he won't be able to digest his food, but if after an hour he is pooping firm poops then you can feed him, otherwise stick to rehydrating for a few more hours.

When he is rehydrated, then defrost some peas and corn in boiling water, While they are still warm, open his mouth and feed them one at a time.

This video shows you how:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU1SO0ZJoow

I would go for 10 at first, watch for a couple of hours to see how he digsests those and let us know how he is.

[coleen]

she is really nervous when i try and pick her up so i haven't been able to put her beak in the water and she doesn't seem to have drank any. should i pick her up? i'm afraid to hurt her or scare or more. her poop is solid but in a puddle of clear liquid. is that normal? she is not hurt. she walks without difficulty, no cuts or visible wounds. i warmed a towel in the dryer and she slept on it on my deck. i put out wet cheerios and she liked them from what i found on the web she is about 25 days old. early this morning there were two adult pigeons with her. do you think these are her parents? would they be bringing her food? i'm worried about her being dehydrated. the pet store opens at 11. on my way there. i can't thank you enough for answering me so quickly. i couldn't stop checking on her all night. she is the cutest little thing! p.s i am located in hoboken nj.

[goga82]

if mom and dad still checkin her out that is great, leave some food for them too.
is she out of harm way on your deck??
so i assume she is eating wet cerials??
her body will absorb all the liquid from cerials, so u can take your time going to the pet store

[Mindy]

Make sure mom and dad are coming back if she is still outside. At that age they leave the baby and go forage for themselves. You just have to make sure that they come back and that the baby is safe from cats or cars or people. Have you noticed a nest near where you found it? You just have to be gentle picking it up, but don't be scared to pick it up. Treat it like you would a kitten when you pick it up. mindy

[Charis]

It would be great if you could post a picture of the poop so we can give you a better opinion.
You can hand feed defrosted corn and peas. Run some hot water over them until they are defrosted and slightly warmed. Put the bird on your lap and hold it next to your body. I f it helps, you can wrap a towel around it or put it in the sleeve of a tee shirt, with the head out the wrist. That confines them without hurting them and makes it easier to handle. Gently open the beak and pop the piece of corn and peas at the back of the mouth and over the throat. You will need to feed 40-50 per feeding and every time the bird’s crop empties until you know it is eating on their own.
This is a wonderful method for teaching babies to eat because they feel the whole food in their mouth and it’s soft and easy to pick up and hang on to. The next step… seeds.
The crop is located right below the throat and with food it fills up like a little balloon. The peas and corn make it lumpy and squishy.
__________________

[coleen]

GOOD NEWS!!!! mom and dad came back around five this afternoon, fed the baby and are still here (it's nine thirty) they are all asleep on my balcony. I am on the eighth floor so i have no idea how the baby got here or where the nest is. It is covered with lots of plants so they are away from the elements. I can not thank all of you enough for your advice. I have no experience with birds so i was at such a loss and so scared for the baby. Once i started to get responses with all of the great advice i needed i knew my new little friend was going to be o.k. It is WONDERFUL what you all do!!! thanks again!!! coleen

[Trees Gray]

Hi Coleen!

I'm glad to hear the family is back together and mom and dad have fed the baby.

Thank you for the update.

[warren11]

Coleen,
Glad to hear the parents are there. Are they feeding the baby mouth-2-mouth? Take some pics. You might consider putting out some straw etc. for them to build a new temporary nest. keep food and water nearby for them. Hope it all turns out well. Peace