Rescuer needs help! How best to keep a flock of kings healthy?

[Elizabethy]

Hi-

I've been fostering and adopting out rescued king pigeons from the SF animal shelter for several months. I'm providing what I think of as great care (not crowded, good hygiene, healthy food, clean water but no vaccinces or preventitive meds) for them but recently have had some illnesses come up and need advice.

Currently I have 13 birds housed outdoors (as of 4/18, were indoors prior to that) in an 8' wide by 14' long by 7' tall enclosure. There are 15 nestbox areas. There's great air circulation as well as shelter from sun, wind, cold. I feed them either medium or high protein mix pigeon feed, oyster shell and lots of fresh water. See pictures attached.

To date, I've had birds develop the following illnesses while in my care:

*Tony: arrived 1/16 as healthy, bold young adult. Mated w/ Rocky, sat on (dummy) eggs till 4/20. On 4/24 I discovered that his depression (what I thought) was illness and rushed him to the vet. He'd lost 20% of his weight. Vet found him to be full of the red grit that I used to provide which we had tested for metal content (was within limits). He was hospitalized for a week, responded eventually to antibiotics and has now fully recovered.

*Tank: arrived 3/5 as big, heavy, appearantly healthy bird. Mated w/ Country (he's a great husband!) Developed an abscess on his lower mandible that became an infection to the bone and was hospitalized for over a week. He's recupcerating at home and happy to be back with Country. Diagnosed as a survivor of pigeon pox transmitted by mosquito bite.

*Louie: arrived 1/21, older bird (breeder?) w/ respiratory illness and infected/swollen closed eye. Treated as outpatient (w/ baytril and cipro) and recovered but remained frail, stays out of the dating game. Fell from an unfamiliar perch 5/3 and hospitalized for lethargy and head tilting/pressing. He got pretty bad and had a couple of seizures with spastic wing flapping while corkscrewing head into the ground). Treated w/ antibiotics (if I remember correctly) and ibuprofen. Has responded well and is back to pre-fall frail but stable state. Diagnosed as probable PMV.

*Rocky: arrived 11/24, pij she came in with died in shelter, cause unknown. Treated for respiratory illness and recovered well but always ignored by other birds. FINALLY got a mate (Tony) towards the end of March, laid eggs and sat through a cycle. When Tony was at the vet's, she was courted by and took up with a young hen named Doll. Laid one egg 5/17 and abandoned it. Brought indoors yesterday for listlessness and is currently on heat. Breathing sounds like respiratory illness so started cipro (will return her to the vet tomorrow). Doll and Tony are now a couple.

As a rescuer, quarantine is a challenge. I brought home my most recent bird on 5/1. I'm dreading the reality that I will need to turn away new birds (for flock health and vet budget reasons).

Beyond the quarantine issue, what am I doing wrong? How can I keep the birds that I am caring for healthy?

I know that many of you have had large, healthy flocks for years. How do you do it?

Thank you in advance for your expertise.
And- more info about the birds is available on my website (as if anyone would want MORE info!)

[Maggie-NC]

First off, those of us who only do rescues can tell you that you can't compare the birds you take in with those that breeders/racers care for. Even though you are rescuing Kings, they are still rescues that probably have illnesses because of their prior living conditions.

When we started caring for ferals, or any other pigeon that needed help, we went a couple of years treating the pigeons as symptoms arose, taking them to the vet and getting meds for individuals. Then, I talked with our vet and what we decided to do was acquire meds that would treat worms, bacterial infections, coccidiosis, canker, yeast, etc.

The first thing we do when we get in a bird is either spray or dust them for mites, even before they come in the house. We check their legs, wings, body for any breaks/abrasions/sores/boils, and their throat for canker. We weigh them. Then, we set them up in a cage with a heating pad, and cover the cage on 3 sides and the top to keep the warmth in and give them some feeling of security. We provide only water initially until they have pooped. After we some poop, we put seed in with them and watch to see if they start eating. If necessary, we hand feed for a few days. Unless the pigeon is in really dire straits, we let them rest overnight.

The next day they are wormed, usually with Pyrantel and given a milder antibiotic, Bactrim, as well as Nystatin for any yeast problem. We watch their poop and whether they eat.

You just have to take each bird individually and observe it. As far as quarantining them, we are limited in space inside the house so have kept them in the same room but at a distance from each other. I feel as long as I have the sides covered, that helps.

I can only say that after we started this automatic treatment when we get them in, our losses went down and the birds recovered more quickly than before plus we didn't have to go to the vet several times a week. Fortunately, we have a wonderful vet who trusts us and any time I have a problem or question I can call her. Of course, we still have to carry some birds to her because of specific problems that we can't handle.

[Maggie-NC]

I wanted to mention too that if you don't have an enclosed loft, and I can't exactly tell by your pictures, you need to cover the openings that are showing at the bottom of your aviary. Rats, mice and snakes could get under those spaces and cause injury or disease.

[Trees Gray]

Make sure their coop and aviary allow them plenty of sunshine, that it is predator and weather/rain proof. Any openings larger then 1/4 inch should be closed up.

They should not be exposed to any drafts of air, dampness, nor standing water. They should however, have acces to bathing and/or showers should they desire it.