Is this a racing bird? This type of excess urine can be caused in the morning prior to feeding, of if a bird is nervous and disturbed by something, that sounds like it as you say pigeon is more active than normal. But at the same time "rice water" poops can be a sign of a inflammation in the bowel caused by a pathogen. So it is best to take the poop to be checked at the vet. Unhygienic conditions will not cause this poop as if bird is stress by filth, but unhygienic conditions will cause disease so always try to keep the place clean. If that is cardboard and it is not swapped for fresh sheets regularly it can easily mold, or even help bacteria develop on it.
If the pigeon has difficulties feeding because of PMV or neurological salmonella you can try deep big bowl of food full of seeds. let it practice feeding, it is remarkable how many pigeons learn how to eat again. It is better that force feeding.
I agree with SilverFeral, what I see is bowel inflammation which could be caused by a pathogen or food.
I I always leave a deep bowl of budgie seeds mixed with pigeon seeds (small seeds are easier for him to pick up). I've seen him pick some up but drop it - he's still learning co-ordination and how to swallow. I'm a bit stuck at the moment because he isn't eating seeds, so I'm having to hand feed him formula 2x a day. The formula I'm feeding him is for hatchlings (0-20 days), so it's definitely not the right stuff. But I'm not sure what to do. I think I might force feed him half the formula + seeds and then just formula at night, hoping that he'll recognise the seeds as food. Should I do this today given that his weight is stable? He's currently 420 grams.
Let it practice eating. I wouldn’t force seed down his throat. Continue with formula in the morning and let him try the seed on his own. In the meantime try to find some frozen peas and thaw them out 30 peas, 3 times a day, unless you replace one meal with formula. Then it would be . Formula. 30 thawed green peas. 30 thawed green peas. Try to get as many of the 30 down as you can but monitor the crop to make sure it isn’t getting impacted.
For the formula you can try to find pigeon pellet food. It a complete food for adult pigeons and looks like granules. You can grind them up in a food processor or anything of that sort, and if you have that wide neck syringe it will go trough easily for feeding. This is just for instead of formula. If not you can sift the grinded pellets 2 times and use that. As for seeds in his bowl add more larger seeds, use defrosted peas as Vicious explained, and even these pigeon granules. I've observed pigeons learn easier with larger seeds and especially granules. In first he will pick the large seed and his head will go all crazy and he will toss the seed over his back. But once he overcomes this and finally manage to get the food to the back of the throat, larger things are easier for him to push back and swallow. When I say larger things I mean like corn kernels, peas, and pigeon granules, not something he can choke on. If he eats pigeon granules just be careful that he also needs to drink water and they expand. So give in the begging just 5-6 so he practices, but not as main food untill he eats and drinks on his own. Also he will be more motivated to eat if he has larger seed because a few larger seeds eaten will provide some satiation, as budgie seed has very little energy value to pigeons. Corn, especially red one if you can find it, sunflower seeds, large grain, peas and granules would be better to practice.
This is really helpful, thanks!! I’ll give the pellets a go. I think I’ll blend the pellets, add water and feed it to him in a syringe. Would this be alright?
Yes. Just make sure they are well hydrated, blend the grinded pellets with water, leave it for 3 minutes then add some more water if needed, so it is like ketchup.
