[speckle]

Hi, I rescued a pigeon yesterday that was found under a car on its back. It looked dead, but, when put the right way up, ran off into the undergrowth. Unfortunately, when I went back to the same place at night, a livery yard, it was running up and down the main yard. I know they have a cat that is quite a hunter, and I didn't want it mauled to death, so, despite me not being too good with birds - find flapping wings difficult to deal with - I managed to trap him and get him into a container to bring him home. (Luckily, my husband was brought up with a brother, who brought all sorts of injured birds home, so he is used to handling them.) I am calling the pigeon "him" at the moment - makes life easier.

Now he is sitting in an old gerbil cage (will transfer him to a bigger cage today), puffed up, not eating or drinking, I think, but looking at me when I look at him.

Having read the warnings about taking pigeons to vets, I will take him to our vet if possible, BUT with the proviso that he would become a pet, and that I don't want him PTS, unless it is a catastrophic injury. I would like him checked over, as he seems to have been bleeding around his neck/shoulder area. I would like to try to rehabilitate him, but it would be unfair if he has an injury that is unrepairable and causing him severe pain. He does seem to have a broken wing, as it stands a bit out from his body, when he is at rest, and it seems that, even if not fixable, pigeons seem to be able to cope with this, as long as kept in captivity, and the wing trimmed to stop them standing on it. Not sure if the bleeding would be related to this or not.

Pigeon food here seems expensive, and, until I know the situation, I wondered if I could feed him on chicken food, which seems cheaper. Would chicken food have the necessary grit in it, or would I have to buy it separately. I also know someone I could pass the chicken food on to, if he doesn't make it.

Look forward to, and will appreciate very much, any advice you can give me with regard to helping this little pigeon. Thank you.

 

[Feefo]

Thank you for saving him!

Where in the UK are you? I may be able to find a rescue centre or a rescuer near you that can help.

In the meantime you will find guidance on how to stabilise and examine him at this link: http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/

Chicken food will be fine.

 

[whytwings]

Whenever I have a bird with a wing injury I always twist a towel and put it in a donut shape....it will allow him something soft to perch on and rest the wing on at the same time.

I'm not sure if your talking about chicken pellets or grains ....only a select few of my pigeons will seek out the pellets , but a lot will go for thr grains if thats what you have . Even a wild bird seed mix should be favourable to him also .

wishing you the best of luck with him .

 

[speckle]

Thank you for your reply, Feefo. I had a look at the excellent link you posted. What a lot of commonsense information, well laid out and described in such a way that it is simple for the novice pigeon carer to understand, and follow.

It looks like, on the Rescue Centre page, Gorgie Farm would be reachable for us, and sounds, from the description, like a centre who would take care of him. I can contact them and explain the situation, see what they advise.

The chicken food that I found this morning seemed to be purely wheat and maize, but I found a bird food that had wheat, cut maize, whole oats, red darl, black sunflower, naked oats, and red and yellow millet, so hopefully this will be more suitable. Good to read that you feel bird seed would be ok, Whytwings. I also bought some oyster shell.

I think the donut towel idea is a great one, and will find somthing suitable to do this with.

Will let you know how things go. Once again, thanks for the great information.

 

[speckle]

Oh, dear, bad news. My little pigeon has been sitting in a corner of his cage, looking very inscrutable and quiet, and, unfortunately, continues to look that way, but he has died, within the last hour. My husband had checked him just after lunch, and his eyes were alert then. I only found out he had expired, when I made up the honey/salt water mixture, which I put in a bird water bottle, and dipped his beak in it, with no reaction at all.

I had hopes that he would make it, as he looked relatively robust, running around the yard last night, but evidently not to be.

Short foray into the world of pigeon rescue. Thank you for your help and advice, which I will put to use, if the occasion arises again. It was lovely to be part of a forum, where everyone seems very helpful and friendly, from reading lots of the threads, unlike some forums I've ventured on before!

 

[Feefo]

I am so sorry! Thank you for looking after him and keeping him safe. Fly high, little one.

 

[whytwings]

What a shame.... I was hoping there might be a better outcome for piggy and you and your husbands efforts.

til next time ...take care !

 

[speckle]

Thank you for your kind words, Feefo and Whytwings. He was a lovely pigeon, and I rather liked him. Onthe positive side, I've found a lovely, friendly forum, with good advice, and would be better prepared if I find an injured pigeon again, so I might be of more use to him or her, by taking pro-active measures right from the start.

Thank you again. If any more injured pigeons come my way, I'll be back on the forum straight away.