[Meko]

Hello guys,

Last Saturday I went to work and young pigeon just fall down from rain gutter about 30 feet to hard black asphalt floor. I thought it was dead but i walk it and closer to pigeon, it still moving! It seem pigeon's right side leg is injured which it not able to stand up. Also pigeon's lower part of beak is bent from great fall.

It was very dirty and covered a LOT poops on it. I decided to pick up and give him a deep warm bath to clean the dirty poops on the feather and with light soap.

Then, I took it with me to my home and he seem know how to peck on seeds but it not eating the seeds. I forced put some seeds in his mouth and it does shallow it ok.

His poops very powerful smelly and much alike bad diarrhea. He do poop every about 5 approx hrs and very large size as equal old $1 coin. He don't seem to be too well and like much more sleeping in warm little box.

Any suggests can make Meko (new name for my pigeon) get well soon?

I don't know if Meko can survived it but I'll try my best as what i can do now.

I will try take some pictures of Meko soon. Thanks.

 

[Pidgey]

Did you get him yesterday or a week ago yesterday?

Pidgey

 

[Meko]

Did you get him yesterday or a week ago yesterday?

Pidgey

Yesterday (1/02/2010)

 

[Jaye]

Hello. Thank you for saving Meko !

Can you post a picture of him/her ?

She/he does sound sick. Broken legs can be healed. Internal illness can be healed with proper medication, too. For the immediate time, you just need to keep him/her warm and nourished.

Also....I am going to try to get in touch with someone in Sacramento who keeps pigeons...maybe they can help you.

If not...would you be willing and able to take him to a bird (avian) vet ? It will likely cost several hundred dollars, but it is probably the BEST thing you can do to save him. Or is this not possible ?

If not possible, you are starting off by doing the right thing. keep hand-feeding him (3 times a day). What kind of seed are you giving him ?

Safflower seed is very good. Also...if you can get some frozen peas and corn...and pop them one by one into his mouth, that works very well, too. Feed about 6-7 vegetable pieces per feeding. Or feed about 12-15 safflower seeds per feeding. If he starts shaking his head or open-mouth breathing, the piece is lodged in his mouth and just take it out. But usually, if you put the food toward the back of his beak, they swallow (be aware the "wind pipe" is right behind the end of his tongue; the tongue rests on the inside of the lower beak.

Also, keep him on something soft, like a towel. And keep him WARM. Like in a warm room with the heat on. OR...if you have a heating pad, put it on "low" setting and place it under the towel (you can put paper towel on top of the towel to keep it from getting messy.

LASTLY...try giving her water. if you have a shallow dish or tupperware container, fill it just a bit. Hold it in front of her beak and gently push her head towards the water until the beak tip is in the water. see if she will drink on her own.

OK...so...food, water, and warmth and quiet are the things you can do right now.

Medications will be needed next...but we will get to that.

 

[plamenh]

Keep him warm and hand feed him.
If this bird is too young, it will not know how to feed alone (parents are teaching them).
Use thawed corn/peas run them under the hot water untill slightly warm and feed them to the pigeon. Feed twice a day 40~50 peaces per feeding. Check after second feeding poops. If it still has diarrhea, post some pictures of the bird and poop.
I would consider visit to the Vet to check on bird.
Some of the Vets do not do birds. Some of them do not do pigeons. Check upfront with them. I had best results when telling them that this is my new pet and never agree to put bird down. Some Vets will suggest that.

 

[Charis]

Here is the way I feed the corn and peas that Plamen just suggested. I have also sent an email to an experienced rehabber in the Sacramento area and I'm hoping she will check this thread.


You can hand feed defrosted corn and peas. Run some hot water over them until they are defrosted and slightly warmed. Put the bird on your lap and hold it next to your body. If it helps, you can wrap a towel around it or put it in the sleeve of a tee shirt, with the head out the wrist. That confines them without hurting them and makes it easier to handle. Gently open the beak and pop the piece of corn and peas at the back of the mouth and over the throat.
You will need to feed 40-50 per feeding and every time the bird’s crop empties until you know it is eating on their own.
This is a wonderful method for teaching babies to eat because they feel the whole food in their mouth and it’s soft and easy to pick up and hang on to. The next step… seeds.
The crop is located right below the throat and with food it fills up like a little balloon. The peas and corn make it lumpy and squishy.

 

[Jaye]

....Not to contradict my absolute two favorite Forum members here (really)...but.....

....when I start handfeeding a pigeon who is in a weakened state...I tend to go a bit lighter on the amount of veggies I pop per feeding...just in order not to push my luck and overstress the bird. So if you can get 7-10 veggie pieces per feeding, I would stop at that; and maybe do 4 or 5 feedings daily....at least for the first day or two while your friend gets used to the routine.

..I have just had situations where more aggressive amounts in the first day or two.....may have pushed the patient over the edge.....(the wrong edge).

 

[Charis]

Jaye...what ever works.

 

[pouletchalet]

Hey everyone!
I might be the one in Sacramento that you mention.....
So....Meko,
1. please keep the baby warm, preferably on a warming pad if you have one. keep on low setting. Put it a padded shoe box or whatever you have and place it on the pad.
2. Tommorrow if you can, go to a pet store or a feed store and get some small seed like quail and dove mix. lay it on a towel and see if the baby will self feed. If not, then I would try to feed him some Exact hand feeding formula via a syringe which you can get at the store as well. I will need to help walk you through this.
3. Call Me ASAP. I can take the baby as I am a wildlife rehabber. It's most likely is a feral baby. They have babies year round and I can't imagine anything else out there right now. I will help you with the feeding until we can arrange to get him to me.
Sounds like it also needs meds which I have and a full assessment for vet care which I can provide.
I will try to PM you and give you my number. Call me ASAP so I can assist you.
4. Thanks for caring for this little guy!

 

[plamenh]

Jaye, you are right. If the bird is in weakened state, smaller amounts of food or even just fluids, water with glucose/honey are safe and then gradually increasing untill you reach normal amount.

Thank you!

 

[Jaye]

As Charis says - whatever works Poulet - thanks for helping !!!!!!

 

[Charis]

Hey everyone!
I might be the one in Sacramento that you mention.....
So....Meko,
1. please keep the baby warm, preferably on a warming pad if you have one. keep on low setting. Put it a padded shoe box or whatever you have and place it on the pad.
2. Tommorrow if you can, go to a pet store or a feed store and get some small seed like quail and dove mix. lay it on a towel and see if the baby will self feed. If not, then I would try to feed him some Exact hand feeding formula via a syringe which you can get at the store as well. I will need to help walk you through this.
3. Call Me ASAP. I can take the baby as I am a wildlife rehabber. It's most likely is a feral baby. They have babies year round and I can't imagine anything else out there right now. I will help you with the feeding until we can arrange to get him to me.
Sounds like it also needs meds which I have and a full assessment for vet care which I can provide.
I will try to PM you and give you my number. Call me ASAP so I can assist you.
4. Thanks for caring for this little guy!

Thank you...You sure are the one!

 

[Meko]

Hello guys,

Here updated about Meko,

He is getting better than last Saturday, more alert and start cleaning his own feathers and doing few time wing flipping (not real flying) but he still can't eat his own yet... more likely when he tried to pick up the pea, the his lower beak get pain then drop off the pea.

He will stand up for short time with one leg. His super stinky 'atomic bomb' poop have much noticable reduced than last Saturday. Which I was standing away about 1-2 yard, once he poop it I could instant smell it in 3-4 seconds! But I am glad it got better now.

He does like lot when I rubbering his neck. It appear to behave as female which he do shaking his wing light, couching and tail up? Altogether he don't make bow coo so far.

I am trying to fix my camera so I can post some good pictures of Meko in afternoon.

Thanks guys for help and I am trying contact with lady Stefanie (sp?) in Sacramento to see what we can do better for Meko.

 

[Charis]

Good...do give Stephanie a call.

 

[plamenh]

He is still baby and this wing thing when you touching him is "Feed me!" call. Stinky poop is not good sign, please check with Jaye this. It will be nice to see Meko finally, hope you fix this camera soon.

 

[Meko]

Updated good news:

Today I went to met Stephanie and She going take care with Meko's injuries. Once Meko get better and back to normal I will able to keep as my new pet. I don't have good equipments that take caring serious injured birds. I am really thankful Stephanie and you guys made Meko great success to have good life and going live happy with me as pet.

I don't have pictures of Meko yet but maybe Stephanie can take some pictures and post here.

I think it called "Ash-red" much alike below picture (Not actual picture of Meko):

 

[pouletchalet]

Update:
I just picked up Meko. A very sweet juvenile pj who was very lucky to be rescued by a very nice young man who cared enough to pick him up and bring him to me.
Meko is sitting on my lap as I type this. Sooo sweet! He's doing quite well despite taking a huge fall and fracturing the beak and suffering some soft tissue injury (No fractures found so far). Meko is trying to eat seeds but the beak is too swollen to get much down so we will be getting some "birdie Motrin", antibiotic and tube feedings for a few days to gain some weight. We are a little on the thin side with some green poops most likely from starvation but also could be illness so we'll take all the precautions.
It's possible Meko just got pushed off the nest or perhaps the mother is missing and he starved for a few days on the nest. Who knows, but Meko should do fine and I'm thrilled that Zeke will take him back and keep Meko as a pet. Meko is soo sweet and will make a fine companion. I will try to post pics soon.
Stefanie S

 

[Jaye]

Beautiful job, both of you ! Thanks, Stephanie, for stepping up to help the baby. And thank you, Meko, for rescuing him/her ! Please keep us posted....am sending the lil' pidge my most positive vibes....

 

[pouletchalet]

Here's a couple of photo's of Meko in his "hospital bed". You can see the bent lower beak. Meko can't eat well enough to keep the weight up so I am tube feeding twice a day. Still not using the sore leg much either. Otherwise Meko is

doing OK!

 

[Meko]

It looks good and I can see Meko getting more happy!