Can you post a photo of him? Do you "play" with the seeds to get him interested. Pick them up and drop them again, push them around with your fingers. He will copy what your fingers are doing. An alternative will be to handfeed him defrosted peas. A 4 week old baby needs about 90 peas per day divided into 3 meals of 30 each. One usually handfeed for a day or 2 and then they start eating the peas by themselves. Then one can start adding small seeds.
Baby won't eat seeds
Hi, I'm new here but not new to raising baby pigeons by hand. I have one right now that baffles me though, am hoping I might get some answers by posting. So, I have a baby that was abandoned because it's parents lost their nest. I make bottles with baby bird formula and that usually works, sometimes have to use a syringe. This baby is by far old enough to eat seeds but he picks at them and won't eat or drink on his own. I am still syringe feeding him because that's what he wants and won't eat any other way. I have put seeds in his mouth and he swallows them. I've put his beak in water many times but he won't drink. Finally put him back outside with other babies his age but that hasn't helped either. Any help, advise, anything would be greatly appreciated. I've never come across this and have been helping babies when they need it for years.
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We have played with dry peas and little tiny seeds, he pecks at all of it, gets it in his mouth and throws seeds around but just never swallows anything. Only way we've ever been able to get food in him is by force feeding.
Probably some softer foods that can't roll around so easily would help, they usually like cabbage, chopped cucumber, most green things! Perhaps some porridge oats slightly wetted, get him used to them with hand feeding so he knows what they are, then you might have to be tough and let him work it out for himself - he's not that tiny so can stand to be hungry while he works it out. Think I'd leave him to do that for maybe a day, and then perhaps relent and give him a small feed once a day. How long has he been without food before?
I'm referring to the frozen peas that you buy in bags at the supermarket, not the dry peas.
Try handfeeding him the thawed peas. Once he recognizes this as food, he will start eating them. They might seem huge, but it's easy for youngsters to pick up and swallow.
As said, let him go a bit hungry. Feed him in the mornings and then let him practise eating throughout the day. Feed again at night if you think necessary.
Try handfeeding him the thawed peas. Once he recognizes this as food, he will start eating them. They might seem huge, but it's easy for youngsters to pick up and swallow.
As said, let him go a bit hungry. Feed him in the mornings and then let him practise eating throughout the day. Feed again at night if you think necessary.
Lift his wing up and look at the feathers beneath. If they are fully grown and not spikes any more he is ready to eat on his own. Cut down on any feeding by hand and give food in large shallow boxes. A shoe box with cut sides so he can easily go in and out is good. He will lay in the seeds and peck out of boredom. You can also imitate pecking with a finger or bring in a pigeon that is easting seeds. He will peep and do the wing dance but look closely at other bird eating and start on his own. They tend to loose a bit of weight while they learn, but this is normal. I had just once a pigeon that was very slow to learn. His sister was great and started eating but he would not eat even when surrounded by young birds all eating without problem. He would just fly on me and peep like crazy. I had to be tough and he did lost weight but finally he started eating.
If the feathers under the wing are still growing I would hand feed a bit more just reduce to 2 times a day and still offer seeds.
When they are hard to learn they prefer small to medium sized grains. For this purpose wheat or millet sized seeds are good, and he will transition to larger seeds like sunflower and corn later in life.
If the feathers under the wing are still growing I would hand feed a bit more just reduce to 2 times a day and still offer seeds.
When they are hard to learn they prefer small to medium sized grains. For this purpose wheat or millet sized seeds are good, and he will transition to larger seeds like sunflower and corn later in life.
Frozen peas for the win! Put them in his mouth yesterday and this morning, brought him in to eat some tonight and he jumped right in the bowl and snarfed them right up! Thanks so much for all the help, I was at a loss. Never had one that wanted to be syringe fed like this. He's one of the sweetest I've ever helped, was killing me to see him so hungry all the time. His belly is full and it's time for bed.
Ah that is great. Start adding small seeds to the peas and he will eventually start eating them.
I had a similar situation with mine. They can be very picky with what they eat. My little Boo had to be shown how to peck at food using my index finger as a visual aid. It was some time before I noticed she only actually ate certain things. Thankfully, she's grown out of it now and eats quite a bit.
I also showed her videos of pigeons bathing in order to get her to take a bath. That worked great as well 🙂
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I also showed her videos of pigeons bathing in order to get her to take a bath. That worked great as well 🙂
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