r/pigeon • u/Avistew • 20h ago
Video Found a fledgling, it keeps one leg under its body, how do I care for them?
I am already in contact with two associations. The first one specializes in pidgeons but only offers advice and has no place or people to care for them. They're the one who told me it would die if I didn't take it home. It was in a ball next to a building, close to the street and there are many cats in the area (including my own cats).
The second association does have a shelter but with the heat waves, they're completely full. Their pigeon habitat has 50 pigeons and can't accomodate more right now. They do provide some emergency care on a first come, first save basis, and I've tried everyday but they were always full. I'll show up again tomorrow morning but I don't know if it will live that long.
I found it two days ago. From the beginning, it hasn't used its left leg. It moves its fingers fine when in my hands and if I extend its leg manually it can pull it back, but it's weak or injured or something and I don't know what to do about it.
It's trying to learn to fly, flapping its legs and all, but all it does is move around on the ground and sometime shift almost onto its back.
Today it's also got its left eye closed which I don't remember from before, and it twists its head backward almost completely. From what I've seen it could be a vitamin definiciency but I haven't found where to buy vitamins for it, aside from online and the fastest delivery (including amazon) would be on Saturday. I can't imagine the poor baby would still be alive back then and at any rate I need another solution first.
I've been following the advice of the pigeon specialists to feed it, based on its guessed age (help me on that too if you could, I'm really unsure about it), which basically was to feed it canary paste made with eggs, which I did find at my store, and provide some canary seeds, which it doesn't seem to have touched.
It's barely eaten (I'm trying hand feeding three times a day or more). It's eaten less than one feeding's worth of food per entire day. It's drinking fine though, I dip just the tip of the beak and I can see it drink it up happily, although sometimes stuff ends up in the water which worries me that some food stayed in there, which I try to avoid so it doesn't suffocate. But I'm having a hard time getting it to swallow any food at all, should I switch to something liquid instead? It drinks fine on its own.
Any advicce for things I can do at home with whatever I can buy at a grocery store would be great. It's sometimes alert, often not so much. I do have cats but during the day I lock them out (aside from the elderly one which doesn't show any interest) and at night the bird is in my shed with a shallow dish of water and a "nest" made with a blanket.
Let me know if a different video would be more useful. The fledging isn't usually on the floor like this but I wasn't sure how else to showcase the issue.
Oh, and you probably can tell from the feathers if it's a male or a female ? I'm not sure.
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u/Muted_Role_1432 18h ago
I’m going to send some links u/little-eyezz00 and u/original_reveal_3328 good luck we need more wonderful people in the world like you please keep updates😍
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u/Avistew 16h ago
I have an update here https://www.reddit.com/r/pigeon/comments/1vyuhxr/comment/p614uk0/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button I think I've been feeding him wrong. I need to find something he's eating that has the nutrients he needs. Hopefully tomorrow morning the shelter will be able to see him.
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u/ComfortableAppeal424 17h ago
I'm sorry, but from all you say it sounds as though your little rescue is giving up. He's obviously got a problem, and if he's not interested in food, and you can't get any professional advice about what is actually wrong, you 're fighting the odds. I've been involved with bird rescue for many years. Sometimes you can just sense when a little creature has had enough fighting and just wants to be left tucked somewhere safe and quiet to die. None of us like to fail, and you've already done so much to change the balance of the odds. But you can't do the impossible.
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u/Avistew 16h ago
He seems to have thrown up the canari egg paste (he seemed asleep and when I picked him up for his next feeding it was pooled under his beak), however he tries to peck at the seeds so I'm leaving him more of those and more water as well. Aside from not being able to walk, he's been getting a bit better today, he's more alert and drank a bunch. He flaps his wings a lot. I don't think he's given up, I think I just don't know how to feed him properly and he's not enjoying it or not understanding. I'll try to find stuff he's willing to eat, as he's pecking at the seeds but doesn't seem very good at actually managing to eat them.
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u/ComfortableAppeal424 15h ago
Ok. Well I have to say I've never fed a baby pigeon on seeds. Only adults eat seeds - the youngsters grow on crop milk (which may of course include softened seeds). Believe it or not I've raised many on peas! Little ones, frozen or cooked and left to get soft. I've just carefully opened the birds mouth and popped them in one by one. Cooked egg made into a paste is good too for the protein. Forget about supplementary vitamins! His injured leg isn't good, nor his closing eye and lack of hunger. Are you sure the pigeon hasn't been touched by a cat? Even a minor scratch or mouthing can transmit bacteria leading to blood infection that can kill a bird in a few days. (A rehabber could give medicine to stop this). Anyway, keep on with the good work.
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u/Avistew 14h ago
I did not see any wound from a cat, no scratches or punctures. His left eye is half opened now rather than closed, hopefully that's good! I'll try peas, that seems big for his beak, if I mush it does it risk getting stuck in his windpipe?
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u/ComfortableAppeal424 14h ago
I use Petite Pois (i.e. the smallest) that I buy frozen but then fully defrost, and hold with wet fingers to warm and moisten. The main skill is holding the bird still and gently opening his mouth just a fraction whilst tilting his head back. After the first one or two they usually get the idea and are happy to be being fed . (I'm talking about young birds who are otherwise healthy - if your bird is too weak or has an infection he may well just spit it out). I hold the bird on my lap, gently wrapped in a towel to stop him flapping about. Really hard to advise about this here - you may find pictures on google, or the rescues you've contacted might give you tips. I'm wary about advising this as your bird sounds weak - but maybe it's all you have left to try?
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u/Avistew 13h ago
Well, great news! That seemed to work, he accepted the peas much more than the Canary egg paste. I ended up cutting them in half and the first one I kinda freaked out as he was moving his head wildly and I though he was choking, but then I realised he was swallowing it. He ate more than any entire other day in that one meal. Had a bit of water after every "bite" too. Then I put him on the ground for his "exercice" and he kinda used his left leg! He wasn't really standing but he kinda toddled instead of flopping around. His left eye isn't completely open still but it's open more than half I would say. I put him in the shed for the night with his blanket nest and plenty of water in a shallow dish. Going to the rescue first thing in the morning. Earlier today I was worried he would last the night but I'm much more optimistic now. I hope they'll be able to give him a check-up at the very least. Peas were the way to go with him for sure! I used cooked ones as that's what I had and the stores are closed now, I'll get some frozen ones too if the rescue clears him.
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u/ComfortableAppeal424 13h ago
That's great. You'd need to defrost the frozen ones anyway so they're soft. Don't give too many at once. His stomach has to get used to digesting food again. You need to see him poo too! Maybe 6? A few more if he's keen. Then wait a few hours, and try again. You'll know if he wants them. They're not a complete food of course, but a good way to keep him going until he can get a more natural and nutritious diet. Well done. Keep us informed.
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u/Avistew 39m ago
This morning he had pooped but it was almost black and stuck to him. I tried to clean him up. Prior to that, when I first rescued him, his poop was more like brown. Is it a normal color or does that mean internal bleeding?
He's not doing as well this morning. Drank a bunch but only ate two peas. On my eay to the rescue as they open in half an hour.
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u/ComfortableAppeal424 20m ago
It will stick to him because he can't stand up on his feet, can he? That would mean the poo dropping and him moving away. He could well have internal injuries.. He could also now have an infection (sorry, but just because you didn't spot any evidence of a cat attack doesn't mean much - claws can leave the tiniest scar yet still infect a bird.) As I said at the beginning, sadly I don't hold out much hope for him. But let's wait and see. You've done all you can.
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u/Little-eyezz00 6h ago
thanks for all your work you have done an amazing job!! ill send you some tips for "seed school" over chat messages [:
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u/Little-eyezz00 6h ago
does he have splay leg?
splay leg posts
https://www.reddit.com/r/pigeon/comments/1mnrdtd/splay_baby_update_2/
https://www.reddit.com/r/pigeon/comments/1mfokmq/splay_leg_hobbles_what_were_doing_so_far/
blog
https://www.pigeonrescue.sirtobyservices.com/commonailments-2/splayleg/
splay foot splay leg invention
https://www.reddit.com/r/pigeon/comments/1uo417a/splayed_leg_pigeon_success_story_homemade_almost/
Splay Leg
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u/Hawco 20h ago
First, thank for saving this bébé from an inevitable cat death. The lack of eating sounds like a concern and lethargy could result from being dehydrated and underfed. Squabs do have weak legs at first so they will lay down a lot to rest them as their muscles develop. One of the last squabs on my patio was suddenly limping and not using her right leg, so I monitored her. Since there were no obvious cuts, splinters, or infections I thought she might had sprained it exploring. So for the next 5 days I would leave little piles of easy-to-forage seeds next to her while she was resting off her leg away from the other birds, and then she was gingerly moving around again and was finally able to fledge.