[birdtalk]

Hi,
I noticed a baby pigeon today at the parking lot. I went upto it it didnt move. So I decided to grab it and take it home.
But then it started running and flew a little. It cannot fly high, maybe 2-4 feet.
So I thought ill leave it alone.

But, again after a few hours, I saw the baby back at the same spot. Also noticed a cat nearby. So I decided to catch it this time.
Its about 12-14 days old.

1) I have gotten it home. Force-fed with about 30 peas + corn (defrosted). Plus ACV water.

2) It doesnt move much.. but tries to escape. It does not like me.

3) The problem is, when i hold it, I feel it warm, like maybe it has fever. Im not sure.

4) It does not eat enthusiastically. but its beak opens up readily.. like it may be loose.
Cannot fig out. No signs of Canker.

I seriously hope this one is not sick.

Pics.

 

[Marina B]

Give him a day or 2 of feeding and check if there's an improvement in the droppings. At that age one can feed 30 peas 3 times daily, total of 90 per day. Does he drink water by himself? You can dip the tip of his beak (not over the nostrils) in a small bowl of water. Safer than squirting the water into his mouth with a syringe.

 

[birdtalk]

Update.

I just fed it with about 30-40 (Peas+Corn), and it vomited 11 peas soon after.
Its crop seems hard.
The bird is pretty active, it pecks me and attacks me with its wings everytime I try getting near it.

Does he drink water by himself?

It does when I dip its beak 2-3 times in the bowl. It wont go by itself to the bowl to drink.

Ill observe it for 1 more day for canker growth.
Just hoping this one is not sick. Maybe it does not like defrosted peas and corn.

 

[Marina B]

Maybe you are just feeding too much. Let the crop empty inbetween feedings, you will see it becoming flat and there should be plenty of droppings.

Always a good sign when they act aggressive. Leave a small bowl of peas with him they quickly learn to eat peas by themselves.

 

[birdtalk]

Maybe you are just feeding too much. Let the crop empty inbetween feedings, you will see it becoming flat and there should be plenty of droppings.

I did that.
This morning i woke up by 7, noticed the bird had made just two droppings, and crop still felt hard. So i did not feed it.

Checked back on her at 11am, plenty of droppings and crop was rather flat.

So force-fed her 30 peas + corn. Then again at 4pm 30 more. So far so good, not throwing out any peas or corn.

But she doesnt move much. Does not eat by herself, does not drink water by herself.
Only when i go near it, she starts attacking me and running away.

Pics
(Notice the droppings are all in one spot. she does not move until I go close to her)

 

[birdtalk]

Also she has made three attempts of flying out, but hit the window glass.

 

[Marina B]

Don't you have a cage you can put her in? Otherwise, take a large box, turn this on the side and cover the front with 20% shadecloth. Line the floor with a couple of newspapers (each morning remove the top layer) and put a brick inside for her to perch on. Give her a spot where she would feel safe. She is scared and view you as the predator.

Be patient, she will eventually start eating the peas by herself.

 

[birdtalk]

Be patient, she will eventually start eating the peas by herself.

Update:

So she finally did open up.
She can eat by herself. She eats about 25 peas in less than 10 seconds, all by her self.
Today she has eaten about 160 peas.. is that too much for about a 15-20 day old baby ?
I feel she overeats as after eating she couldnt fly up (3 feet) onto the clothes rack. Her perch.

Her droppings are Green and Mushy with sufficient urates.

 

[Marina B]

I'm glad she is doing ok. She will know when to stop, especially if there's always food around. Now you can start adding small seeds to the peas and she will eventually start eating them as well.

You can also put down one of those big round plastic trays (that fits underneath a potplantholder) and fill it up with water. Get her interested by playing with the water using your fingers. She will need to start drinking and might even take a bath.

 

[birdtalk]

Hi,
I have been noticing for a few days, when she eats the peas.. after about 5-7 peas,
She backs up, and twitches her neck. im not sure what is causing this.. is this ok?

Here is the video. please have a look.
https://youtu.be/YHHQpekPufQ

 

[Marina B]

You can check for canker again, not only in the mouth but in the back of the throat as well. Does not look normal to me.

 

[birdtalk]

No signs of canker. I check two times everyday.
Also she does not drink water at all.

Any idea on how to check if canker in crop ?

Also she goes to the corners of the wall and windows and eats dust and dirt even when the crop is full.

Also, her crop is shifted more to the left side. Sometimes I see the crop bulge circling from left to right. (i will try taking a video of it).

 

[Marina B]

I know what you mean by the circular movements of the crop. I've seen a dove doing that, turned out she had canker. After treatment, everything was fine.

Your pigeon just eats so well. Have you got metro just for in case? When sick with canker: they start eating less, drink more water, losing feathers on the breast, can have yellow urates in the droppings.

Does she drink water at all? If not, try teaching her and see how she responds to that. Just monitor her for now and have the canker meds available.

 

[birdtalk]

Yes i have meditrich. And nystatin.

She does not drink water at all. I have to force her to sip water, even then she refuses to drink, looks away and struggles to fly away.

But she eats quite a bit. 100+ peas in a day. And She eats only peas, no corn.. and she cant really peck the smaller seeds.

She also eats a lot of dirt.

 

[Marina B]

Is her crop empty in the mornings with plenty of droppings? She might be eating the dust because of slow digestion.

If you feel its necessary, start treating her with the Nystatin and metro. The metro dosage about 35 gr.

 

[birdtalk]

Is her crop empty in the mornings with plenty of droppings? She might be eating the dust because of slow digestion.

If you feel its necessary, start treating her with the Nystatin and metro. The metro dosage about 35 gr.

Yes Her crop is completely empty by 2-3am. She wakes around then whistling for food.

Bowl of peas is kept there.. but she eats around 5:30 with the sunlight.

Plenty of droppings.

Im afraid of starting Meditrich/Nystatin now.. in the lockdown.. if any complications and something is required.. I will not be able to get it.

Also, for how many days Meditrich to be given ? on empty crop ? and nystatin ?

 

[Marina B]

I still think as long as she is eating well, then don't medicate. You will notice a change in her behaviour and eating pattern when she gets sick.

Info: Nystatin works well on an empty crop. She will need 30 000 units per 100 gram twice daily. You can check the label to determine the strength you have. So first thing in the morning: Give Nystatin, then wait an hour. Give the metro and then put down food. In the afternoon only Nystatin again before feeding.

Focus now on getting her to drink. The amount she drinks will also tell you if something is wrong. And you will need to put acv in the water if you start treating her.

 

[Marina B]

The metro needs to be given 7 to 10 days.

 

[birdtalk]

I still think as long as she is eating well, then don't medicate. You will notice a change in her behaviour and eating pattern when she gets sick.

Ok, I will wait it out.
So far she is eating only peas. And a lot of Peas.
About 30 in the morning at 5:30, then around 30 at 7am, then around 30 at 10-11am, then at 2pm, 5 pm and 7pm before sleep.

In between she eats Mud and Dirt.

I have added ACV to water, and I force her to drink.
I shall observe for some time now.

Info: Nystatin works well on an empty crop. She will need 30 000 units per 100 gram twice daily. You can check the label to determine the strength you have. So first thing in the morning: Give Nystatin, then wait an hour. Give the metro and then put down food. In the afternoon only Nystatin again before feeding.

Focus now on getting her to drink. The amount she drinks will also tell you if something is wrong. And you will need to put acv in the water if you start treating her.

Thankyou

 

[Colombina]

I don't know if this is the case but usually pigeons eat weird things (like walls, mud, etc) when they feel a need. In this way they try to get minerals, calcium, insoluble grit, etc.

When lockdown will stop you could look for a pigeon picking block/pickstone. Here there are many kinds of blocks with different ingredients like oyster shells (calcium), insoluble grit (the small stones which help to grind up the seeds), anise (it helps the digestion), clay (it helps to regulate the digestive system and in case of poop a little bit watery. It also has many other advantages like neutralizing some dangerous pesticides, some heavy metals, etc), minerals, etc.