advice on my first fledgling pigeon

[valerie]

As of last Sunday a fledling pigeon has been living with me! I came across it on a bike ride - huddled in the gutter of a road used by trucks in the middle of an industrial area. Everything was fenced off - and there was nowhere to leave it - so after worrying about taking it away - and there being nowhere for it to go, I brought it home - at first its eye and wing looked not so good, but after rest & feeding, the next day the eye was better but the wing still hangs down a bit. It can't fly (as yet) it is starting to stretch its wings and flap them. at first i had trouble feeding it - but eventually worked out how to handfeed it & now it has moved to picking at food (I bought a chicken grit mix). So i am working now on teaching it to eat on its own.

What i'd like to know is some guidance on when i will know that it is ready to be set free. Obviously i'll need to wait till it is flying proficiently. but is there anything else to look out for? Also, any advice on why its wing 'hangs' a bit? one of the wings tucks away fine, the other wing quite often is tucked away. i am concerned that maybe it is injured? or perhaps it will recover with rest?

I also want to say that i am really suprised by how much i like this pigeon - i never knew these birds could be so sweet! They are such characters!

cheers
valerie

[AliBlack]

Originally Posted by valerie

As of last Sunday a fledling pigeon has been living with me! I came across it on a bike ride - huddled in the gutter of a road used by trucks in the middle of an industrial area. Everything was fenced off - and there was nowhere to leave it - so after worrying about taking it away - and there being nowhere for it to go, I brought it home - at first its eye and wing looked not so good, but after rest & feeding, the next day the eye was better but the wing still hangs down a bit. It can't fly (as yet) it is starting to stretch its wings and flap them. at first i had trouble feeding it - but eventually worked out how to handfeed it & now it has moved to picking at food (I bought a chicken grit mix). So i am working now on teaching it to eat on its own.

What i'd like to know is some guidance on when i will know that it is ready to be set free. Obviously i'll need to wait till it is flying proficiently. but is there anything else to look out for? Also, any advice on why its wing 'hangs' a bit? one of the wings tucks away fine, the other wing quite often is tucked away. i am concerned that maybe it is injured? or perhaps it will recover with rest?

I also want to say that i am really suprised by how much i like this pigeon - i never knew these birds could be so sweet! They are such characters!

cheers
valerie

Hi Valerie, if the eye was closed/partly closed but is better now the bird was probably concussed from flying into something and the wing may be bruised or may be broken, if so it will need to be strapped up there maybe details of strapping wings on this site, if not let me know! Is there a rescue centre near you, or a vet who may have a clue about birds (not many do!) and could do a examination/x-ray? A very simple method is to tape the wing to the tail with micropore tape, taping it in its natural resting position, let me know if you need a photo of this, I would have to send it privately as my 'puter freezes when I try to send pics here!
If the wing isn't broken it won't harm it to strap it for 10 days, but ideally needs to be done within 48 hours of break occuring.
Eye problems may also mean trich/canker, look at the Chevita link on this website for details, where are you, one of us may be able to send you something to treat it with just in case, if you can't get to a vet? Runny poop/sharp keel (breast) bone (emaciation) may also mean trich.
Hope this helps?

Alison

[valerie]

hi alison-
have now had the pigeon for a week. i don't really know much about birds and their wings, but my guess is that it isn't broken - as it is able to move it about and stretch it - and is even trying a little bit of flying. so i think maybe it is bruised. the eye has also cleared up.

it is getting more active and keen to move about now.

thanks for the advice
valerie

[John_D]

Good of you to help this bird, Valerie. just give him time to see how that wing goes.

Glad you've developed a liking for him Until I first met a pigeon 'beak to nose' a few years back, I had gone most of my life hardly even being aware of their existence. Having now had many 'close encounters of the pigeon kind', I am still fascinated by how very individual these little characters are, and how much affinity there is between pigeon and human

John

[valerie]

pigeon has now graduated to spending the day in my great dane's old crate (this is a huge dog cage) it keeps the bird safe and there is plenty of room for exercise. had to do this bird decided my desk was a better spot for it than its own perch.
I thought it had learnt to eat on its own but it still wants me to feed it - it loves to 'drink' a mix of watery oats with pigeon mix - and only when i offer it to it. i'm a bit wary of not offering food/drink at all as it may not be getting enough - so i am gradually easing off.
my guess is that i will be caring for it for another week or two before it may be ready to go - and this will depend on the wing factor.
btw it wasn't till i met this pigeon that i learnt how much 'pigeon prejudice' there is - i can't believe how much people don't like these birds.
cheers
valerie

[valerie]

this was taken a week ago.