[Guest]

I was driving to take my son over to his dads house this evening to go and visit, and we were going under this train bridge and I see a pigeon wobbling around on the ground as not one but THREE vehicles run it right over.
The poor little thing was trying and trying to figure out what to do and just kept getting pushed back and forth under the vehicles and the wind from them was making him roll all around, so I stop the truck and throw my hazard lights on and jump out and grab the little guy.. all the while people behind me are honking their horns (rush hour traffic lol) I just smile and hopped back into my truck.

So now I have this little pigeon, he doesn't seem too interested in my hand feeding goodies, but I put a little bowl of lightly sugared water in front of him and as soon as I did he started drinking which I hope is a good thing. Hes now in my cat carrier, on a towel with a cat heading pat tucked beside him in a towel as well. and he is napping quietly. He wakes up when I come in but isnt even alarmed. I think the mom and dad were trying to teach him to fly only to find out he isnt a flyer yet, hes a faller. I couldn't just leave him there for the rest of the cars to run him over or something to pick him off because he couldn't fly yet.

I just checked on him and he drank again and is cuddled up with the towel and the heating pad beside him.

Any advice would be appreciated... also if I can get him to eat the hand feeding formula should the temp be in between 102 and 104f like other birds?

 

[Charis]

Mix the hand feeding formula with warm water. Test it on your wrist. If it's too hot on your wrist, then it's too hot for the baby.
Can you post a picture?

 

[Pagan22]

Here is a pic of the little one

 

[Pagan22]

Is there anything else I can leave in his dish to see if he will eat it? Maybe some pellets softened with water? Or Cheerios softened with water? Anything? I'm worried that what if he isn't being fed by mom and dad and eats on his own and that's why he doesn't want my hand feeding formula. Ill pick him up some dove seed tomorrow (I work in a pet store lol)
and some millet as well but in the mean time is there anything I can leave him with? Can he be left alone tomorrow if he makes it thru the night?

 

[Charis]

He probably doesn't know how to eat on his own.
You shouldn't need to feed formula at this age.
Does the bird have any food in his crop? Do you think he is injurged? Have you looked him over for cuts or swelling?

 

[Charis]

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f20/basic-steps-to-saving-the-life-of-a-pigeon-or-dove-11265.html
You can feed this bird corn and peas that have been defrosted under warm water.
gently open the birds beak and place individual pieces at the back of the throat and the bird will swallow them.
It may take you a bit to catch on and for the bird to catch on and so until that happens it will feel very awkward to you. Just be gentle. You will need to feed between 35-40 pieces at each feeding and feed every time the crop is empty. You can make Dove mix always available and he may start eating on his own. If he is drinking on his own, your half way there.

 

[Pagan22]

when I looked him over, it looked like he had broken a few blood feathers but they were cleanly out and he didnt bleed very much at all, a few tiny smears when I first picked him up and that was it, He didnt feel like he was swollen anywhere and his winds when I moved them out he pulled them back and opened them again, and he stood on my hand on his own and balanced and now he stands and walks around a bit on his own, and poops a little but he seems content to just lay next to the heating pad and drink his water. His crop still has food in it from when I first found him so whatever he had before he got ran over is still in his crop and I just felt it again and he still has some left. Ill try to feed him again tomorrow morning when I get up again I think he really just wants to rest right now, but tomorrow I will give him some more hand feeding formula again and see if by then he is a bit more hungry. His eyes are clear and alert when Im there doing anything with him, but when I walk away and peek in a little while later hes asleep.

I really hope he makes it thru the night. thank you for your help with him I appreciate it.

 

[Charis]

I hope he makes it too.... he's darn lucky that you were there.
Keep us posted. We're here if you need us.
Oh...heating pad no higher than low.

 

[Pagan22]

the heating pad is one that they use in cat beds.. it doesnt have any controls, just plug in or off so I hope it wont be too hot for him?

Ill let you know how it goes, I guess if he does make it the night, he will be ok at least.

 

[Charis]

Good luck. Talk to you tomorrow.

 

[Pagan22]

Update

so far so good... this morning 6 30, I fed him the hand feeding formula, not that he liked it at all but he still took a full dropper, and drank once again. His crop was soft and squashy. He is back in snuggled with his blanket and heating pad. He was much more alert this morning but still not even trying to get away from me which is good but kind of worries me at the same time.

I have to leave for work so Ill be back here at around noon to try feeding him once again.

 

[Charis]

A dropper full is not enough.... he should have 20 ccs per feeding. If you aren't experienced at hand feeding, I really would recommend the corn and peas over the formula as it is easy to get formula into the lungs.
The bird must be very sore. It is worrisome that he didn't try to get away form you.

 

[Pagan22]

Update #2

Ive hand fed everything from day old baby finches, to newly hatched mcaws, so I am very experienced with hand feeding all birds but never a pigeon lol I even raised tiels and orange winged amazons for a long time. I guess he really didn't care for the hand feeding formula at all lol and today he is standing, and drinking and eating on his own
Yes, eating the dove and pigeon seed. Its actually kind of funny because when I pick him up and I poke around in the seed dish he pokes around in the seed dish and eats more lol

He still doesnt try to get away from me at all, and is still pretty quiet, but he is looking much better than what he was the first day!

Is his feathers supposed to stick out all around his head like they are? Thats kind of strange...

 

[Jay3]

Oohhh, he's cute. Those are his baby feathers. He's just a young one. They will disappear in time, and yes, it's very normal. I'm praying that he makes a full recovery. He sure was put in front of you for a reason. Not everyone would have stopped in rush hour traffic. You were there when you were for a reason.

 

[Jay3]

You want to see feathers sticking out?

Very normal. LOL.

 

[Pagan22]

OMG! LOL what a cutie!!! Thats the sweetest thing I have ever seen! LOL love the little feathers lol at least now I know that isnt something he isnt supposed to have on his head I was looking at him and saying *good gods what is that sticking in his head?* ha ha ha

thats great! Do you breed these little guys?

 

[Pagan22]

Oohhh, he's cute. Those are his baby feathers. He's just a young one. They will disappear in time, and yes, it's very normal. I'm praying that he makes a full recovery. He sure was put in front of you for a reason. Not everyone would have stopped in rush hour traffic. You were there when you were for a reason.

yea I knew no one was going to stop, it seems people just dont care and when I seen him there under the cars in between the wheels I just prayed he wasnt going to get hit and he would be ok till I reached him, I was horrified
No one cared they just all drove around me and honked and got pissy because I stopped... come on whats 5 min out of your drive home? honestly! My son was crying holding him as I drove, telling him *dont die little birdy, dont go we will help you*

 

[Jay3]

I have a loft for rescued pigeons. They have been injured like yours, or homers that have gotten lost, or hit by a hawk, or whatever, and never made it home. I have fancy pigeons that somehow have gotten out of someones loft, and almost starved to death, as they get lost, and have absolutely no idea of how or where to find food. I started by coming home with six little babies after an old porch was torn down. Two of them were only a few days old. I just love them, and we built a loft for them. They are my pets. I try not to breed, but on occaision, we may have an oops baby or two. That one just happens to be one of my original six that I brought home to raise as they would have died. They were nested in that old porch that was torn down, and by the time I got there, they were all over the persons yard. I couldn't just leave them to starve and it was cold in April in New England. Her name is Roxie.

 

[Charis]

Great Save!!!

Well that's great news.
I'm glad he's eating.
I'm happy you are an experienced hand feeder.
Ya just never know what the skill level is of some of the folks that post here.

 

[Jay3]

yea I knew no one was going to stop, it seems people just dont care and when I seen him there under the cars in between the wheels I just prayed he wasnt going to get hit and he would be ok till I reached him, I was horrified
No one cared they just all drove around me and honked and got pissy because I stopped... come on whats 5 min out of your drive home? honestly! My son was crying holding him as I drove, telling him *dont die little birdy, dont go we will help you*

Sad, isn't it? So many people that just don't care if another one of Gods creatures suffers, or feels pain, or dies needlessly. Those people are empty. If you can't have empathy and compassion for another living thing, than you have nothing. You are nothing.