Baby Wood pigeon Found Last night

[fran booth]

Last night while watering my back garden I found a helpless baby bird,I discovered it was a Wood Pigeon,I left it overnight in an old nest filled with rabbit hay, it settled down well for the night.I expected to find it had died this morning but low and behold it was still alive and quite strong,it looks about 2 weeks old and I'm feeding it on liquidized garden peas and bird suet treats also mashed and water added,what consistency liquid do I feed it,it's quite runny and it is going down his gullet well with the aid of an eye dropper.Also how often should I feed it.Thankyou.

[fran booth]

I forgot to add that this baby pigeon is being contained in a unused cat carrier and is quite safe.

[John_D]

Hi

This link is to care of baby pigeons specifically. On the same site you will also find a map and list of rescue places who (as far as we still know) take in orphaned pigeons/wood pigeons.

http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/caringforababypigeon.htm

but please do post any questions if anything seems unclear, or doesn't fit with your situation

Also, may be helpful if you could post a fairly clear pic of baby

[amyable]

Hi fran,

At this age the baby can take it's food a bit less runny although what you're doing sounds fine.
You could fed the peas now as whole if the baby is two weeks old. They should be defrosted peas and fed warm. If you have the baby on your lap, wrap it in a towel if it struggles, and gently open it's beak and pop a pea in, one at a time. SLightly push it to the back of the throat and it will swallow. It will need about thirty each feed approx.
If you can see where the crop is, under it's neck, where it stores the food while it's digested, then wait until it's empty before feeding again. It maybe around every four hours. Just don't try and feed if it's still puffy and full.

There's a good site one of our members has that will help you a lot more and will also list some rescue centres that will take pigeons for release in case you spot one near you.
The site is Pigeon and Dove Rescue UK.

Let us know how you're getting on and please ask if you need more help,

Good luck

Janet

[amyable]

LOL, posted at the same time as John.

[fran booth]

Hi Janet,Thankyou for the super advice re the warm peas,the baby pigeon woolfed them down like feeding strawberries to a donkey.I feed other birds in my garden with sunflower hearts,nyger seed and suet treats,will the baby eat any of these at this stage or is it best just to stick to peas,I have looked on the Pigeon and Dove Rescue UK website and as you say it's very helpful however I'm concerned about baby Pigeon as I'm going away in 4 weeks and am wondering will it be old enough to fend for itself by then,I thought I would try and get it used to being outside when it can walk a bit better,we have lots of Wood Pigeons visiting and nesting in our garden including older baby ones.The Pigeon and Dove website warned about some rescue centres as they euthanase pigeons thinking they cannot adapt to the outside World---what do you think??? Thankyou again for your help.Regards Fran

[amyable]

Hi Fran,

Yes the woodies will eat wild bird seeds, greens etc, in fact I'm quite surprised that I get a Woodie that hangs onto my Nyger feeder and eats those that have fallen into a tray I have underneath. you'd think as they're so small it would take millions to satisfy a woodie.
For now the peas are ideal as they get moisture from them aswell. Also what you can do is start to leave a few scattered around it along with some seeds and if you play with the seeds with your fingers, it may try and start to pick them up for itself after a while.
Peas are easy for them to begin with as they're soft and they can pick them up better, seeds take a bit of practice.

Whereabouts are you located? We may know of a suitable rescue place for the youngster where it can mix with others before release. Those type of places get them used to fending for themselves before letting them go.

If not then four weeks will see quite a big difference in your Woodie. Try not to let it become too used to being handled, if they're too human friendly, that will make them an easy target for preditors that's all. They need to have a healthy wariness for their own sakes. Difficult I know if you're hand feeding. Once it's feeding itself then only handle it if necessary.
If it's possible for it be located where it can watch the other birds feeding that will help it cotton on and then maybe it can be allowed to go in your garden.

Keep us posted as to how it's going for now,

Janet

[fran booth]

Hi Janet,Well I had a bit of a drama last night with Woodie as I found him quite cold and quiet last night,it had been housed in the garage in it's cat carrier with cotton wool in the nest which seemed to have been fine as it had been warm til then but I think the temperature had dropped.I brought it in and placed it on a wrapped up warm hot water bottle and covered it in an old woolly hat which it snuggles under ,it wouldn't eat much last night but this morning has had quite a lot,I have put the covered over carrier on the bench in the sun this morning til it gets shaded,I thought it would be useful for it to hear other birds twittering,so fingers crossed it makes it.I will do as you suggested and introduce it to seed and scattered peas.I have to call it and it because I can't tell the sex of wood pigeons only that the males seem to be a bit bigger(aren't they always lol) than females.Yes the wood pigeons in my garden eat all the dropped nyger seed and I was amazed at that because of how small the seed is in fact they have ousted the collard doves who previously tucked into them.You have been of great help--thankyou.regards Fran.PS Did you get the picture of Woodie.

[amyable]

Hi Fran,

Glad you found Woodie and got him warmed up. They should be able to regulate their own body temperature at that age but he may be a bit vulnerable if he's a bit underweight.
Didn't ask you if you'd had a look in his mouth to see if his throat is clear. They can suffer from canker which would look like yellowy cheesey growths inside the mouth, so might be worth having a look just in case.

I can't see any pictures if you've posted any.

By the way I end to call them 'he' as it's impossible to tell really until they're amongst others by behaviour, so don't really have a clue either!

Janet

[Jay3]

Is he drinking own his own? I would keep him inside where he would be warmer, maybe on a heating pad which is set on low. At least indoors where it is warm. If he is not warm enough, he can't digest the food your have given him, and it could just sit in the crop and go bad. If he is under weight or sick, he won't be able to keep himself warm enough.

[fran booth]

Thankyou for your advice Jay3,I only left him out in the sun in a covered cat carrier and he had a woolly hat over him too,just for a short while about an hour,he is safely inside and eating well,warm too as he walked off the water bottle,sorry I haven't got a heat pad,Iv'e just fed him on warmed up peas and warmed up liquid suet treats mixture( these treats I throw to the other birds) incl other wood pigeons.He is not drinking on his own but then I haven't tried that,so would he drink out of a little dish or something like that,I use an eye dropper for the liquidized food.Thanks again,I have downloaded some pics of him in an album called "Baby Wood Pigeon" I hope you can locate them.Regards Fran

[fran booth]

Hi Jan,I had a look in his mouth and it seems fine no yellow stuff or anything that I can see,when I feed him--especially the peas I just gently stroke his throat to help things move down a bit.He looks a bit bigger to me and my mum thought he has grown too,he is walking better as well and seems more active,the first pic I sent of him is taken in an old unused nest I found in a low down bush,he seems to like being in that but I have also downloaded some more pics I took of him on a towel on the coffee table,I hope he seems clearer as he kept wandering around every time I posed him.I'm really used to taking care of cats,but don't worry I haven't got one at the moment my last one died last December.Thanks for advice.Regards Fran

[amyable]

Hi Fran,
You're doing a great job. I was confused as to how old he was as there is another thread going about a Woodie and I was thinking those were your photos. That one looks older from looking at the little picture I saw of yours.
So yes, he may still be needing warmth as he looks quite small.
I can only find a thumbnail picture on your status. I maybe going mad but I couldn't see an album. Did you upload them on your profile. Excuse me though I may have looked in the wrong place, wouldn't be the first time!

Janet

ps. I just noticed you're in West Midlands as well!!!! what area? I'm in Sutton Coldfield

[Jay3]

Couldn't find any pictures either. Where did you download them to?

[fran booth]

I put my pictures in an album called "Baby Wood Pigeon",I followed the websites instructions for creating an album and downloading photo's,try clicking on my name that's the only way I can get to the pics.Let me know if you still can't get to them.