[travel4gud]

Hi, all! I found a feral pigeon outside of my house yesterday. It clearly has a broken foot, but it also wouldn't fly away yesterday when I approached him. I brought out my cat carrier and the the pigeon went right in. So I brought her inside, gave her a bowl of water and some seeds from my gerbil's food, and she has been quiet and seems content. However, now I'm not quite sure what to do with her. Should I keep in the carrier until her leg heals? How long if so? Does she need a "nest" (all I have in there right now is a pillow case, which she seems to be avoiding)? Also, the carrier is one of those plastic ones for traveling, so I think it helps the pigeon feel safe because it is pretty enclosed and dark; however, I'm wondering if I should let it outside for sunshine and so it can spread it wings a bit? Perhaps see if it can fly now?

 

[Marina B]

Can you post some photos of her and her droppings. Is she eating?

Don't let her outside for now.

 

[SilverFeral]

Hi, all! I found a feral pigeon outside of my house yesterday. It clearly has a broken foot, but it also wouldn't fly away yesterday when I approached him. I brought out my cat carrier and the the pigeon went right in. So I brought her inside, gave her a bowl of water and some seeds from my gerbil's food, and she has been quiet and seems content. However, now I'm not quite sure what to do with her. Should I keep in the carrier until her leg heals? How long if so? Does she need a "nest" (all I have in there right now is a pillow case, which she seems to be avoiding)? Also, the carrier is one of those plastic ones for traveling, so I think it helps the pigeon feel safe because it is pretty enclosed and dark; however, I'm wondering if I should let it outside for sunshine and so it can spread it wings a bit? Perhaps see if it can fly now?

Broken foot will not prevent pigeon to fly. Unfortunately I one saw a bird that flew away with both legs broken and dangling. Probably there is something more involved, either pigeon being ijured or sick. So yes as Marina B said, photos would be great, poops, and please be careful about the food some pelets from rodent food will cause severe diarrhea.
Can you contact a vet or a rescue center ASAP? The pigeon should be checked up, be given some rehydration fluids probably, proper food etc. Pigeons are tough, but birds in general are sensitive so even a toughest pigeon needs adequate care fast.

 

[travel4gud]

Thank you all for your help. I did order her some actual bird seed - a mixture of sunflower seeds, cracked corn, white millet, and peanuts. I am now unsure if she is a pigeon though. She has only made a sound once when I was giving her new seeds, and it was more of a chirp or peep sound. She hasn't cooed like a pigeon at all. If she is a grackle, then I could get the local wildlife rescue to take her. I can't seem to upload photos here, but I'll keep trying.

 

[travel4gud]

Here are the photos!

 

[SilverFeral]

Ow that is a young pigeon. He either just left the nest or needed just a few days to leave it.
He is able to eat on his own but probably would need some encouragement. You can put seeds in shallow bowl in front of him and just tap with your finger imitating like you are pecking the seeds. he will get interested and watch. Same for water.

You can give some defrosted peas via beak - take frosted peas, put them 30 min in hot water - hot from the tap, not boiling! After 30 min you get rid of the old water that will now be cold and put in some warm water again, just warm to the touch and leave for a minute or two. Than wrap him in towel so that only the head sticks out, take some peas and give directly in the beak. Don't give much, maybe 5-6 for the begging. Then let him out of the towel, take a cup full of water and bring the cup to his beak so that 1/3 of the beak gets in the water, he should drink on his own. After he drinks he will start to shake his head which is a sign he doesn't want any more water. Keep him calm and warm.

Vet should look at the leg, looks broken but probably much higher than a foot, probably broken femur. Birdie will probably need some antibiotics, maybe something to manage swelling so that nerves are not damaged.

Baby should eat on its own and drink on its own but you should monitor via poops. His poops on the photo look good, but if the colored part becomes very small, or like a small slime ball he is not eating.

And of course please remove the granules for the gerbil, they are not got for him and can cause problem.

PS it is probably 25 day old feral pigeon, it is a bit confusing as he is black with pale eyes, not a usual color for pigeons. The chirps you are hearing is squeaks that young pigeons make, you can type in "baby pigeons squeaking" on you tube and hear the sound.

 

[travel4gud]

Ow that is a young pigeon. He either just left the nest or needed just a few days to leave it.
He is able to eat on his own but probably would need some encouragement. You can put seeds in shallow bowl in front of him and just tap with your finger imitating like you are pecking the seeds. he will get interested and watch. Same for water.

You can give some defrosted peas via beak - take frosted peas, put them 30 min in hot water - hot from the tap, not boiling! After 30 min you get rid of the old water that will now be cold and put in some warm water again, just warm to the touch and leave for a minute or two. Than wrap him in towel so that only the head sticks out, take some peas and give directly in the beak. Don't give much, maybe 5-6 for the begging. Then let him out of the towel, take a cup full of water and bring the cup to his beak so that 1/3 of the beak gets in the water, he should drink on his own. After he drinks he will start to shake his head which is a sign he doesn't want any more water. Keep him calm and warm.

Vet should look at the leg, looks broken but probably much higher than a foot, probably broken femur. Birdie will probably need some antibiotics, maybe something to manage swelling so that nerves are not damaged.

Baby should eat on its own and drink on its own but you should monitor via poops. His poops on the photo look good, but if the colored part becomes very small, or like a small slime ball he is not eating.

And of course please remove the granules for the gerbil, they are not got for him and can cause problem.

PS it is probably 25 day old feral pigeon, it is a bit confusing as he is black with pale eyes, not a usual color for pigeons. The chirps you are hearing is squeaks that young pigeons make, you can type in "baby pigeons squeaking" on you tube and hear the sound.

Thank you! I just don't have the funds to take it to the vet, so I'm wondering if the leg will heal on its own enough so that it can live comfortably? I know that a broken leg can heal on its own, but it just might hobble the rest of its life? I found out about a local pigeon group, though, so I am going to contact them to see if anyone can help, now that I know it's just a baby.

It is eating great. I removed the gerbil food and replaced it with the wild bird seed I bought. So hopefully that will be a better diet for it right now.

 

[SilverFeral]

Legs can heal on their own without any vet assistance but there can be some complications. If the bone is sticking on the side or rubbing on against the other this can create an abscess, if the swelling presses on the nerve pigeon can loose feeling in the leg forever. I saw both ends of the story, ferals healing the leg completely and being left with a shorter leg but walking almost normal, but also ferals becoming septic if the break opens. Vet might just need to bandage it so it might not be that costly at all, it might be worth it to ask and set your limitations, some might give discount considering the situation. If it is an option you can contact a rescue center and ask just for covering of vet bills while you continue to take care of the pigeon.

 

[travel4gud]

Legs can heal on their own without any vet assistance but there can be some complications. If the bone is sticking on the side or rubbing on against the other this can create an abscess, if the swelling presses on the nerve pigeon can loose feeling in the leg forever. I saw both ends of the story, ferals healing the leg completely and being left with a shorter leg but walking almost normal, but also ferals becoming septic if the break opens. Vet might just need to bandage it so it might not be that costly at all, it might be worth it to ask and set your limitations, some might give discount considering the situation. If it is an option you can contact a rescue center and ask just for covering of vet bills while you continue to take care of the pigeon.

Okay! Thanks so much - I certainly don't want to cause it to become septic. I haven't been able to look at it closely since it walked into the cage, but when it was hopping around outside, the knee looked white, like bone was sticking out possibly. Or the skin could have been scraped in the fall - it was hard to tell. I'll start reaching out to folks to see what help I can find and what cost the vet might be. Thank you!

 

[SilverFeral]

Okay! Thanks so much - I certainly don't want to cause it to become septic. I haven't been able to look at it closely since it walked into the cage, but when it was hopping around outside, the knee looked white, like bone was sticking out possibly. Or the skin could have been scraped in the fall - it was hard to tell. I'll start reaching out to folks to see what help I can find and what cost the vet might be. Thank you!

You can very slowly palpate to try to figure out what is happening, but it is better to try with a vet and not touch unless you absolutely have to. every additional feeling of the area can just irritate it more.

 

[travel4gud]

Thank you all for your help! I was finally able to find a vet in the area that receives and cares for injured wildlife. They will take in the baby pigeon, heal it, and release it back to the wild if able. Thanks again!

 

[Marina B]

Thank you all for your help! I was finally able to find a vet in the area that receives and cares for injured wildlife. They will take in the baby pigeon, heal it, and release it back to the wild if able. Thanks again!

Just please make sure they won't euthanize him. Pigeons are not considered wildlife.

 

[harleydenning99]

Still too young to eat fully on it's own, cooked oatmeal and a syringe. Keep cage clean w fresh shavings and clean water. Good luck. Not many make it 🥴