another sick pigeon??

[4life]

Hey everyone.

I posted a little over a week ago about a city pigeon that was acting oddly and we ended up capturing her after 2 days. She was not in good shape obviously due to my being able to capture her. Well she passed away during the night last week. We feed our birds here where we live and we get a few pigeons as well as other birds( sparrows, starlings, robins etc). Anyhow, today I notice again another pigeon acting the same way the other one did! It is kind of just sitting on my upstairs upper level porch all poofed out. I called the Chicago Bird collision monitor( I live in Chicago) and asked them about this, if maybe there could be a sickness passing between all the pigeons. She said it depends, but she said due to it being winter and due to the fact that pigeons only live a couple years in the wild, it is not unusual to see this( especially people who feed birds see it more often she said because the birds are at their house and they see stuff where normally a person who is not feeding would not see it happening. Not sure what to do. This last time it was super stressful for me ( I have already a chronic illness) and stress makes it worse. I do not think I could go through this again with capturing the bird and watching it die etc, it is so hard to watch.

Anyhow, what are the chances that I have 2 pigeons that are sick with the same thing? Do they have illnesses that they can catch from one another?

 

[sourland]

Pigeons can readily pass diseases to other members of the flock. Canker is generally endemic if feral flocks. When birds are stressed as in winter or young they are most susceptible to this illness. Sadly it is one of the realities of life that only the strongest survive to pass on their genes. It's nothing that you have done wrong, and is out of your control. Please don't stress yourself over this sad as it may be.

I appreciate your empathy.

 

[4life]

Pigeons can readily pass diseases to other members of the flock. Canker is generally endemic if feral flocks. When birds are stressed as in winter or young they are most susceptible to this illness. Sadly it is one of the realities of life that only the strongest survive to pass on their genes. It's nothing that you have done wrong, and is out of your control. Please don't stress yourself over this sad as it may be.

I appreciate your empathy.

Thanks for the reply. I sometimes wish I did not have such a soft heart, I really internalize these things. I Hate seeing anyone or anything suffer, it breaks my heart. So is this Canker usually fatal in birds, I mean even in ones that are susceptible to it? Can they get over it on their own?

 

[sourland]

Canker is nasty stuff. Some birds are just more resistant to the bug than others. There are strains in the feral pigeon population that are especially dangerous to 'tame' pigeons. Metronidazole is the drug of treatment. Understand this is just one of many diseases that can attack a flock.

 

[4life]

Canker is nasty stuff. Some birds are just more resistant to the bug than others. There are strains in the feral pigeon population that are especially dangerous to 'tame' pigeons. Metronidazole is the drug of treatment. Understand this is just one of many diseases that can attack a flock.

Thanks for explaining it to me. Geez, I feel so bad for them. She is up on my upper level back porch sitting on the rail. Looks like she may stay there all night. It is somewhat secluded as it is a semi- closed back porch on the top so she would be hidden. Also, if something did come up to bother her( predator) she has an easy path to fly away. I do not think this flock is tame( though I cannot guarantee it), they are probably feral city pigeons. We have loads of pigeons here in the City of Chicago. I just hate seeing them sick or suffering. How would one know if they are tame or not? Ours are friendly, meaning they will come to our door and beg for food, but that is because we have been feeding them likely.

 

[laughingdog]

If they have bands on legs, or other than bland gray color, or eat out of your hands, let you pick them up and are not showing sickness. I just pop canker and apply "vet Rx" on spot and a few drops down throat. No more prob. Song birds carry all these diseases in by my old lofts they got into. Moved from those spots, the birds recovered more over.. The disease could be various problems some together. Pigeons can also get sick from rodents and eating some bugs, o poison put out on accident and on purpose by some.
Good luck to you and your pigeons.

 

[4life]

If they have bands on legs, or other than bland gray color, or eat out of your hands, let you pick them up and are not showing sickness. I just pop canker and apply "vet Rx" on spot and a few drops down throat. No more prob. Song birds carry all these diseases in by my old lofts they got into. Moved from those spots, the birds recovered more over.. The disease could be various problems some together. Pigeons can also get sick from rodents and eating some bugs, o poison put out on accident and on purpose by some.
Good luck to you and your pigeons.

Thanks!