Help, another pigeon crisis

[angela]

Ray

First I had and egg - Didnt Hatch
Then I saved a squab - Didnt Live

Now here's Pigeon Crisis Three and Four

Mom and Dad pigeons in my barn had one baby, Ive been handling it since before it had feathers, but let mom and dad raise it. A couple weeks ago he began to fly, yeah!

Something happend to mom - I keep finding her on the floor instead of up high, she would hold her head like she was looking up at dad up high, now she just stays on the floor with her head twisted upsidedown resting on the ground, weirdest thing to see, but she can get her head right to drink the water I put on the ground - I dont know if she is getting any food. What do you think this is, how did it happen? She cant fly, before her head got really bad I put her up on the framing where dad sits and she fell off and plunked on the floor , never moved her wings, when I pick her up then put her back down on the ground she will move her wings but she just goes aroung in a circle on the ground. Is she suffering - its been almost two weeks now? If she is how do I humanely "put her down". (remember I do horses not birds)

Crisis Four

Baby bird now flying must have got caught on a sticky fly trap and messed up the end of one of his wings and now he cant fly very well if at all, in fact now I know pigeons can float cause I found him last night in the water trough, I thought he was dead, but when I scooped him out with the pitch fork he lifted his head and I put him on the ground and he walked off. Do their wing feathers grow back? its about an inch and a half of smushed quils and no feathers on the tip of his right wing. I want to take him up to the house until he gets better, it doesnt seem like he is eating because he doesnt feel as heavy and filled out like he used to and I think he was trying to get water when he either fell or landed badly in the water trough. Is there something I can do for him?

You've been so much help in the past, please give some advice on these two matters.

Angela

[bigbird]

I believe your sick bird has Paratyphoid.
Treatment should be when first symptoms show up. I am sorry to say that this bird will probably die within a few days. If you wish to treat for Paratyphoid, you can purchase vaccines from: http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/vaccines/
If you determine the bird is going to die, and suffering, then you can put it down. The most common way to dispose of a sick bird is to chop or pull the head off as is done with chickens. If their is a more humane and faster way than this, I have not heard of it.
Regarding the baby bird. The feathers will return. The bird needs to be put into a cage for protection, with water and feed available. You might wish to give it a new medicine called bayatril, purchased from
Foys (see above). This is an excellant anti-biotic, given to small birds orally once a day, 1/4 tablet or 1/2 tablet for 14 days.
I usually give 1/2 tablet. If the bird has been exposed to Paratyphoid, then you should consider a vaccine, because I am not sure about the Bayatril to prevent or cure this disease. Bayatril is just a good all around
anti-biotic, and it is safe if given in small doses.
So when your baby gets well, starts flapping its wings, and looks like it can fly, place it on your shoulder, in the house or barn, and get it used to riding on you, everywhere you go, eventually outside. It will practice flying so then just pick it up and put it back on the shoulder. When it learns the shoulder is safe, it will fly back to you when outside. This is a good way to ensure that it learns to fly outside without getting eaten by a cat or dog. Keep it close to you, it will be safe. Eventually it will learn the dangers of the outside, but you have give it a chance to learn in a somewhat protected way.
As lone as the bird is around you, you will need to provide it with a place to sleep and eat and drink, a cage or loft is best for this, in the house or in the barn. It should be up high if in the barn, away from cats.
Good luck my friend, and thanks for your kindness to these wonderful animals.
Regards,
Carl

[angela]

Thank you so much, I will check out the local bird store for vaccines first - If they dont have I order online. Im going to vaccinate baby for what mom has and I'll try it on mom too. She seemed to hold her head up well this evening.

These birds are feral and we have pigeons all over the property, much to our dismay, but only these two live in the barn and now the baby and they have grown on me, I hate to see them suffer.

Will try to let you know how things turn out

Angela

[raynjudy]

This may be PMV. If it is, the bird may survive it. Carl has prepared you for the worst. The odds are 50-50, at best.

Currently, we cannot cure a viral infection. But we can treat secondary bacterial infections. It's kind've strange, since a bacterium is something like 10,000 times more complex than a virus...

The virus and organism, in this case a pigeon, must run their course together. One will win.

If the pigeon survives, it may have some permanent neurological damage. I have on occasion, suspected that my beloved Bernie endured this, as "unusual head positions" are still common with him. But he was involved in a traffic accident as well...

At any rate, he's alive and well--and a force to be reckoned with, I'll tell you! I would not hesitate to recommend a feral pigeon as a pet! If you'd like info on Bernie, email me and I'll reply.

The vaccination against PMV will not treat a bird already infected with the virus--it may well worsen the symptoms! But secondary infections can be effectively treated with Baytril.

Under the viral attack, the pigeon's considerable immune system is compromised.
This leaves the bird wide open to pneumonia, etc., much like an AIDS patient.

Do not be afraid of getting sick from the pigeon. Just wash your hands after handling it. Judy and I have been kissing Bernie for years, and have never gotten sick from him.

You are most kind to care as you do!

--Ray

[SandyDove]

I don't know much about pigeons yet, but I do have a feral pigeon with my Homers. (He was actually my first pigeon) He is a white roller and my guess is that he escaped from somewhere and just never went back. (I could be wrong)
Also, if you have to put down the female, what you do is get a large jar - big enough for the bird to fit comfortably in - and put her in and then screw the lid on. The oxygen depleats slowly and the bird goes to sleep and then just never wakes up. (I got this tip from a vet when I had an extremely sick guinea pig) This method works well since most people don't want to take a smaller animal (birds, mice, rats, ect. . .) to the vet to be euthenised.
I do hope it gets better and doesn't have to be put down.

SandyDove