Baby pigeons dying overnight.

[lightchick]

I've had five baby pigeons die in the past 2 nights. The first night the three babies were fine and the parents were taking care of them and everything, but then in the morning I found all three of the dead, splayed out in the nest.
Then today I found a different nest with both babies dead. Exactly the same position and everything.
What is going on??? I haven't wormed ever or anything, but would that really kill the babies overnight? The first set of babies that hatched this year are over a month and a half and are doing awesome. I have two babies that just hatched and I don't want them to die. The babies that died were just over a week old.
This is my third year raising pigeons and I've never had anything happen like this before.
I just started feeding chicken layer crumbles and before that I was feeding chicken scratch with grit and oyster shell grit.

I could take pics if needed.

 

[jak2002003]

I've had five baby pigeons die in the past 2 nights. The first night the three babies were fine and the parents were taking care of them and everything, but then in the morning I found all three of the dead, splayed out in the nest.
Then today I found a different nest with both babies dead. Exactly the same position and everything.
What is going on??? I haven't wormed ever or anything, but would that really kill the babies overnight? The first set of babies that hatched this year are over a month and a half and are doing awesome. I have two babies that just hatched and I don't want them to die. The babies that died were just over a week old.
This is my third year raising pigeons and I've never had anything happen like this before.
I just started feeding chicken layer crumbles and before that I was feeding chicken scratch with grit and oyster shell grit.

I could take pics if needed.

So sorry for you.. I know from experience how upsetting this can be.

Are you still feeding seeds and scratch as well as the chicken pellets... or are you only feeding pellets?

I don't think a pellet only diet is good for pigeons.. as its got way too much calcium for squabs.. causing them to get damage to their internal organs.. but the pellets are fine if they are fed as part of a mixed diet.

Do the birds have food and water all the time? They should if they are raising young.

Also squabs can die from mites sucking out their blood.. check the nest boxes at night to see if there are any mites or insects running about.

Finally... Salmonella bacteria can kill the young birds. This happened in my loft. It affects the young birds.. and the adults are usually resistant to in.. but pass it on to the chicks. Look too see if any of your birds have runny watery or green poops.. which could be a sign of this disease.

If more of your birds die I think you should take one to a vet and they can test to see if its a bacterial disease.. then you can treat the flock with the anti biotics to get rid of it.

I let the disease happen.. and I los a lot of young birds.. squabs and ones they just left the nest. It was very upsetting. All the adults were fine.. and after a few months they started raising healthy chicks again on their own without treatment.

\I think all my birds have salmonella now.. but they are all resistant to it.

Please let us know how you get on.

 

[lightchick]

Thanks for your advice. Yesterday I cleaned all the cages and dusted all of the pigeons with parasite repellent stuff. I have some new babies that are a week old today and they don't seem sick or anything yet so I'm hoping for the best. The deaths of the squabs still remains a mystery, but hopefully I don't lose any more.
I found bumblefoot on one of my pigeons though and I'm trying to figure out what to do about that. It's really swollen or anything just has scabs on the bottom of his feet and when you pick them off their white stuff under them.

 

[laughingdog]

Try to cut/tweeze whole "plug" or "kerne" out, get all "seeds" out, clean/rinse any pus or fluid out, and put NON no pain (has asprin in and can cause sickness or death), antibiotic cream on n lightly wrap to keep dirt etc out. bumbles caused by staff infection let into foot through something sharp edged remotely poking to scratching their feet constantly and not dry enough floor n perches. one coop, any bird i put in there gets bumbles but recover once removed from that coop (except a duck). I've heard garden grade lye spread on soil will kill staff in soil (rats mice roaches flies said cause of in loft). i found just original dawn dish soap works on birds bumbles once clean wound.