need some advice

[paula]

Hi, i rescued a baby pigeon that had fallen out of our tree about 3 weeks ago, when i first got it, it was yellow and fluffly and looked like a duckling, but now it has some feathers and looks so cute,i have 4 daughters and they decided to call it chicken! I have been keeping it in a gerbil cage with bedding and hand feeding it wet brown bread and water, it seems to be doing really well, but ive noticed that the last 2 days it seems to have a bad leg or foot cos its using its beak to lean on to move about! Can someone give me some advice as we dont want anything to happen to it as we love it!! I dont know how old it is or if its a boy or girl,this is the first time i have ever held or had a bird before,but all i know is i couldnt just leave it to die,so i would be really grateful if someone could let me know what to do!!

Many Thanks Paula

[robbie1]

probably a dove or wood pigeon paula take it to ur local vet

[REDCHEQHEN]

Has the little fella got splayed legs?

 

ie - projecting out either side of its body rather than tucked in to its body?

[Tony C]

Paula I think the best advise we could give is for you to make contact with one of the wildlife centres listed on the following link.

 

http://www.britishwildlifehelpline.com/Centres%20_%20England.html

 

Perhaps there you could find one local that are willing to take a look at your patient and advice accordingly.

 

Wish you and your baby pigeon well

[Peckedhen]

Paula, If you take your 'baby' to a vet or wildlife centre, you must make sure that they know it is a pet and must not euthanise it.

 

Here is a link to a site of pigeon lovers, many of whom live in the UK and are rehabbers, they will do all they can to help you to save your new friend's life. I advise you to register and ask for help on this site.

 

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/index.php

 

Sue

[paula]

I Think it might be a wood pigeon cos i have been looking things up on pc but to tell you the truth i cant believe how little info there is, its mum and dad still fly into the tree and i can hear another baby cherping the same as my one, and they do look like woodpigeons,i dont want to hand him over to anyone as you cant be sure what they might do to him, and he has become part of our family now,we would be devestated if something was to happen to him so i think i will try and get as much advice as i can and bring him up myself, i have had a few messages about giving him vitamins and different food so i will try everything to keep him fit and well! Tonite he started flapping his wings so he must be getting stronger!

So i will be grateful for any advice and i will go on the pigeon lovers site,thankyou for your replys back!

Paula

[Guest IB]

I've maybe picked you up wrong in your feeding of this bird, but you are giving it more than just bread and milk? It is eating seed and drinking water from a jar by itself? Pigeons are grain eating birds, and wild bird food would be a good start, although your household food supplies might help out, if you have barley and long-grained rice (both dry and uncooked) in a shallow dish for the bird to pick at..

 

You also need to be thinking about returning this bird to the wild. You know where the parents are, you might be able to choose a safe spot to leave it under your watchful eyes to see if its nest mate will join it, if it does the parents may (re)adopt your bird and feed it too.

[Peckedhen]

Good advice from  IB re feeding. You can also give it thawed (not cooked) peas and sweetcorn.

 

Paula, Are you able to post a photo of the bird so that we can see it's legs?

[paula]

Hi, IB and Peckedhen, im not to good with this computer lark but i will see if my friend can put a pic on hear so you can have a look at him and tell me what type of pigeon i might have, do you tell this by there feet then? And when do you think i should try and return it to his parents now or when he can fly? When i first found him in my garden i did put him into the neighbours garden under the tree where he fell from, cos i did think that his mum might come and get him, i left him from 9am until 8pm that night and he hadnt moved and was looking really weak, and i do have 2 cats so i was worried that they would of got him, so do you think there might still be a chance she would want him back? That would be so lovely for him! This morning he has been trying to fly  spreading his wings out an giving them a good flap!

Paula

[Guest]

try and find some one capable of climbing the tree and put it back in the nest im sure the parents wont desert it ATB les.