[moonshadow13]

A few days ago I brought my little guy with the leg infection inside to put on a heating pad, he was visibly cold and shaking. I can only assume he had chills and fever, I know how I felt when I had an abscessed tooth once.

Anyway... doing so put his feedings in my hands ! Though I am happy to say I have now got a pretty good grasp on it (Thanks Renee I watched your video) I am still a little unsure if I am feeding him enough, often enough especially since I want to get him up to 250 grams so I can give him a whole pill twice a day rather than 1/2. He is up some he was 226 when I wrote the thread and today he was at about 238-240 bout 2-3 hours after being fed.
What I have been doing so far is 1tsp Katee with 1tsp applesause(sugar free) and about 45-50 peas and corn(total not each) about every 4-5 hours. I am still a bit nervous about giving him sour crop or filling him too much. Though when I look at the babies in the loft their parents fill them till they look like they are gonna pop!!!

Another bit of good news-Although he is not yet out of the woods there are definate signs of improvement. The first day or so the color in his legs returned to normal and even though there is still significant swelling it has gone down enough that I noticed he is able to curl his toes (they just hung there limp before this)!!! YAY!!!

 

[TAWhatley]

Sounds like you and the little one are doing pretty OK. I'm no expert on how many peas/corn pieces to feed, so hopefully others will be along. Just envisioning how many 40-50 pieces is makes me think that you've got it about right for a pigeon. I do think that a bit more Kaytee Exact and a bit less peas and corn might be helpful. A "normal" feeding for a pigeon of Kaytee would be 15-30 cc/ml or more.

Terry

 

[Reti]

Sounds like he is eating enough.
How old is the baby now?

Reti

 

[moonshadow13]

He is now 27 days old but looks at LEAST a week younger than that. I can feel his keel bone when I pick him up.
Even though I did have a dish of seed in with him and the parents, he was sitting in a donut so he could watch them but not practice. I do put a little pile in front of him and tap it with my fingers when I feed him. He tries a little but is much more interested in the peas and corn (getting spoiled).
I would just feel better if I could plump him up a bit.
p.s. I have also been stuffing pellets inside his pieces of corn

 

[pigeonpoo]

Peanuts but not too many.

 

[moonshadow13]

I can't believe I didn't think about the peanuts! My husband bought a bag of the raw spanish peanuts to bribe the older birds LOL!! This little guy is going to be so spoiled I will never get him to eat seeds . Right now he pretends to try and pick up seed then just looks at me and screeches loudly as if to say GIMME PEAS NOW!!

 

[Jay3]

Sounds like you and the little one are doing pretty OK. I'm no expert on how many peas/corn pieces to feed, so hopefully others will be along. Just envisioning how many 40-50 pieces is makes me think that you've got it about right for a pigeon. I do think that a bit more Kaytee Exact and a bit less peas and corn might be helpful. A "normal" feeding for a pigeon of Kaytee would be 15-30 cc/ml or more.

Terry

I agree with Terry about more formula, and less of the peas and corn. It contains all the vitamins and minerals. It sounds as though he is gaining enough, but if you wanted to give him Nutri-Stat, or something like that, you buy it in any pet shop. It's a high calorie food supplement. Give maybe a half inch or so a day in the formula. It should help put on a little more weight. Someone else may have a different opinion about the amount. Not sure. I'm glad he's doing better.

 

[moonshadow13]

I agree with Terry about more formula, and less of the peas and corn. It contains all the vitamins and minerals. It sounds as though he is gaining enough, but if you wanted to give him Nutri-Stat, or something like that, you buy it in any pet shop. It's a high calorie food supplement. Give maybe a half inch or so a day in the formula. It should help put on a little more weight. Someone else may have a different opinion about the amount. Not sure. I'm glad he's doing better.

Looks like I was approaching it backwards I guess I was thinking that since he was old enough that he should be eating seeds on his own that giving mostly Katee was a step backwards. I will reverse it!!
I noticed that the applesauce has calcium in it?? Will that prevent him from absorbing the antibiotics properly?? I know with ones that end in Cycline or Myacin you are supposed to take the grit & oyster shell away?

 

[Jay3]

Looks like I was approaching it backwards I guess I was thinking that since he was old enough that he should be eating seeds on his own that giving mostly Katee was a step backwards. I will reverse it!!
I noticed that the applesauce has calcium in it?? Will that prevent him from absorbing the antibiotics properly?? I know with ones that end in Cycline or Myacin you are supposed to take the grit & oyster shell away?

I'm not sure which antibiotics are affected by the calcium. I would love a list on these. So I would just stop the applesauce for now to be sure. Which antibiotics are you giving?
BTW, the nutristat I mentioned also has calcium. Just so you know.

 

[moonshadow13]

He is on 7mg Doxycycline. The simple way I was told to remember is if the word ends in Cycline or Mycin. ex. TerraMycin - AueroMycin - DoxyCycline
Whether that is 100% true... I don't know but I usually try to err on the side of caution.

 

[Lovebirds]

He is on 7mg Doxycycline. The simple way I was told to remember is if the word ends in Cycline or Mycin. ex. TerraMycin - AueroMycin - DoxyCycline
Whether that is 100% true... I don't know but I usually try to err on the side of caution.

That is true as far as I know.

 

[Jay3]

Like I said, I would withhold the applesauce for now.

 

[Lovebirds]

Have you tried safflower seeds? Most of them LOVE these and will eat a ton of them if allowed. If he takes to them, I'd let him eat quite a few every day.

 

[Jay3]

The safflower seeds are a great idea, as they're high in fat.

 

[moonshadow13]

I will stop that applesauce, I will also be sending hubby back to the store to get what I ACTUALLY told him to get which was baby food stewed apples. That's what he gets for thinking on his own LOL!!!
What's funny is 2 weeks ago I was TERRIFIED to handfeed fearful I was going to choke him etc. NOW I love it LOL!! The way he screams at me and wiggles his wings

 

[moonshadow13]

Have you tried safflower seeds? Most of them LOVE these and will eat a ton of them if allowed. If he takes to them, I'd let him eat quite a few every day.

We actually have, we've been sneaking safflower, sunflower and pellets in with the pieces of corn.
I just haven't been sure if I was giving enough at each feeding didn't want to overfill him. Though like I said I look at the babies in the loft and the parents fill them till they do look like they are gonna POP!

 

[Jay3]

At 27 days old, he should be able to eat seed on his own. Have you tried to teach him how to eat it?

 

[moonshadow13]

Although He is 27 days old he looks at LEAST a week younger than that. I did have a dish of seed in with him and the parents, he was sitting in a donut so he could watch them but not practice. I put a little pile in front of him and tap it with my fingers everytime I feed him. He tries a little but is much more interested in the peas and corn.

 

[Skyeking]

I'm glad the youngster is doing better. I would continue the Kaytee just so he gets the nutrition and enough to eat while he practices on the seeds, and just be consistent on getting him to pick up seeds, the best time for him to practice is when he is hungry-hunger is the motivator. If he is small its best to just get him caught up on the weight for now.

I wouldn't give him too many peanuts, safflower or other fat containing seeds/legumes as that may give him the "runs".

 

[Jay3]

Before you feed him is a good time to try and get him to eat seed. Not after. He won't be hungry then. Just use yur index finger to peck around in the seed and get his attention. Give him a little time, to see if he will eat it, before you feed him. If you feed him right away, then there's no reason for him to learn to eat. If he's hungry, he should eventually try with the seed.

Treesa, thank you for mentioning that too much fatty seeds could give him the runs. I didn't know that. Good to know.