Hand feeding Babies

931 Views 13 Replies 5 Participants Last post by maine123, Mar 30, 2009

maine123

Discussion Starter · Mar 29, 2009

If you have seen my nesting boxes you will know how this worked out, if you haven't please look in my loft album.

Basically its just a cubbard. when I went out to the pigeons this morning, it got tipped over. I suspect from the wind because behind it is just wire. But it was always secure. So it some one could have come and pushed it over through the wire. but most likely it got pushed over from the wind.

I lifted it up. And I saw a dead babie, that was smashed, and its nest mate was alright with its parent in the box. Then the second pair of babies (that was in the top box) were alright, but their clay nesting bowl was broken.

The babies that both survived are 27 days old, and what ive been told are leaving the nest in three days.

The second pair of babies, (one died, so now there is only one), are 12 days old. So I brought them in in a cage with the parents to hopefully make sure the parents didn't abanded them. But so far I haven't seen them being feed.

The 27 day old's mom died yesterday, from unknown causes, I put medicene in their water yesterday, and going to continue that for a week or so. So they only have their dad.

My questions are. if the dad of the first pair doesn't contiue to feed them, what should I start to feed them?

And if the pair doesn't feed the 12 day old, what do I feed and how do I feed it to them?

Your help is much aprectiated.

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Skyeking

· #2 · Mar 29, 2009

The 27 day old babies should be eating seed about now, but if they are not yet weaned and dad doesn't feed them, you can hand feed them pigeon seed. If they are drinking on their own, they will soon learn to eat.

Meanwhile you have to make sure to hand feed them about a tablespoon of seed with each meal, about 4 meals per day. Make sure they drink afterward. If they can watch other birds and other youngsters eating this will help generate an interest and get them started.

The 12 day old babies should be on a baby bird formula, that you can feed several different way, check the resources section, in the DAILLY forum, as it has different feeding methods. Make sure the crop is always empty before feeding again, and keep babies warm and follow directions carefully as listed on the label of the baby bird formula, like Kaytee.

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maine123

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 29, 2009

I cant get Baby bird formula today. Is there anything else I could use to feed it? Until tomorrow when I can pick some up.

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Lovebirds

· #4 · Mar 29, 2009

You don't have another clay nest bowl? I don't understand why you didn't just leave the babies and parents in the loft.?

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Skyeking

· #5 · Mar 29, 2009

maine123 said:
I cant get Baby bird formula today. Is there anything else I could use to feed it? Until tomorrow when I can pick some up.

Here is a substitute, fo newly hatched:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f25/macmilk-crop-milk-substitute-15236.html

For one day, you can mix a slurry of small pigeon seeds and water, drain well and feed that. Be sure to make a new batch with each feeding. You can also use canned peas, and or corn, drain and hand feed.

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LUCKYT

· #6 · Mar 29, 2009

If all else fails, grind up old fashioned oatmeal till it is powdery, than mix with warm water and let sit until all the water is absorbed. Rewarm, in micro, or what ever, and feed a very wet mix of this with a syringe, or as i have done in the past suck it up in a drinking straw, and at first you will have to force them, after that they can not wait... JMHO. Dave

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maine123

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 29, 2009

No I do, but what I have heard on this forum, is that if the nest is ruined (which it was) they will abandon the babies and the nest.

Do you think I should put them back in?

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Lovebirds

· #8 · Mar 29, 2009

maine123 said:
No I do, but what I have heard on this forum, is that if the nest is ruined (which it was) they will abandon the babies and the nest.

Do you think I should put them back in?

If just the nest bowl was damaged, but the nest box is still fine and where it always was, I'd pile some straw/hay/whatever in there and put the babies back. I think Dad and Mom will take care of them. If they were only a few days old, I'd say maybe or maybe not, but at 12 days...........I'd sure give it a try before I started handfeeding...........

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maine123

Discussion Starter · #9 · Mar 29, 2009

Okay, thanks Renee I will try that right now. Only one of the 12 days survived the other one died. but yeah I will try that.

I wasn't going to hand feed until tonight hopeing that the parents would start to feed the babie.

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Lovebirds

· #10 · Mar 29, 2009

maine123 said:
Okay, thanks Renee I will try that right now. Only one of the 12 days survived the other one died. but yeah I will try that.

I wasn't going to hand feed until tonight hopeing that the parents would start to feed the babie.

I think once you get the baby back in it's "home", even without the bowl, they'll be fine.
Just make sure you've got enough stuff to keep the babies legs in place, since there isn't a bowl.

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maine123

Discussion Starter · #11 · Mar 30, 2009

Lovebirds said:
I think once you get the baby back in it's "home", even without the bowl, they'll be fine.
Just make sure you've got enough stuff to keep the babies legs in place, since there isn't a bowl.

Thanks! It worked, after I put him back in its box the mom came and feed it in like 2 min.

It has a nesting bowl it was the other pair's that broke. but theirs got messed up. but thanks

It sucks I lost 2 birds in 2 days.

But at least one baby is okay

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Lovebirds

· #12 · Mar 30, 2009

maine123 said:
Thanks! It worked, after I put him back in its box the mom came and feed it in like 2 min.

It has a nesting bowl it was the other pair's that broke. but theirs got messed up. but thanks

It sucks I lost 2 birds in 2 days.

But at least one baby is okay

Good for you! I'm sorry you lost the two birds too.........

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pigeonpoo

· #13 · Mar 30, 2009

What an awful shock to find your poor babies like that. I am sorry for your loss. Can you secure the nest box to ensure it doesn't blow over again?

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maine123

Discussion Starter · #14 · Mar 30, 2009

Yeah that is my next project. right now there is a big rock, that I put temporarely in the way.

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