Banded Pigeon Found - Assistance Please

[3bird]

Hi, All.

We found a pigeon (with two leg bands) wandering around our yard looking quite disoriented and not entirely well. I have him/her in a box in a darkened bathroom right now, and I've given him/her a container of water.

We won't be able to take him/her to the vet until tomorrow, and we know nothing about pigeons. Would it be okay to offer him/her some 16% layer crumble? He seems like he can stand okay, but is a little wobbly, and he has not tried to fly away. His respirations don't seem overly laboured, but his breastplate is very pronounced.

I'll update with more details shortly, but I just want to get some nourishment into him/her.

Thanks in advance!

 

[3bird]

I'll get a better picture in a little bit, but here he/she is.

 

[3bird]

From briefly skimming some other threads here, it sounds like I can offer him/her some unpopped popcorn, some of our ducks layer pellets and/or crumble (16%), sunflower hearts and maybe some bird seed (if we still have any left from last winter). The water bowl should be at least an inch deep. Anything else?

 

[biophiliac]

From briefly skimming some other threads here, it sounds like I can offer him/her some unpopped popcorn, some of our ducks layer pellets and/or crumble (16%), sunflower hearts and maybe some bird seed (if we still have any left from last winter). The water bowl should be at least an inch deep. Anything else?

You got that right my friend! Its the season for stray racers. The bird may be dehydrated and underweight, so water first was a good choice. Once he's eaten and rested he may be fine.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

Sounds like you are doing great. Some chicken food is fine in a pinch such as this. I'm sure its hungry.
You can try looking up the band number. I would think there is a registry of some sort. Why band them if you don't have a way for anyone to look it up...

 

[biophiliac]

Sounds like you are doing great. Some chicken food is fine in a pinch such as this. I'm sure its hungry.
You can try looking up the band number. I would think there is a registry of some sort. Why band them if you don't have a way for anyone to look it up...

True.
Here is a link to the American Racing Pigeon Union.
https://www.pigeon.org/carelostbird.htm
Since you are in Maine a Canadian registered bird is also a posibility.

 

[3bird]

Thanks all. We had some really nasty weather the last day or so. I wanted just to get the bird inside and safe before dusk, so i only did a quick inspection for obvious injuries. I'll grab the band numbers later and look it up. For bedding, do pigeons roost? How should we set it up for overnight?

 

[biophiliac]

Thanks all. We had some really nasty weather the last day or so. I wanted just to get the bird inside and safe before dusk, so i only did a quick inspection for obvious injuries. I'll grab the band numbers later and look it up. For bedding, do pigeons roost? How should we set it up for overnight?

Should be fine in the box as is. They do like to perch so you could put something like a short length of 2x4 flat side up, just laid on the floor of the box, or it might nest in a bowl.
I have birds like that one and if ever one was lost I would hope he'd find someone like you.

 

[3bird]

We got in from feeding our ducks, and we checked out the bands on the pigeon. It's an I.F. bird from the Central Maine Pigeon Flyers (about 100 miles away). I'll contact them tonight. The bird seems exhausted.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

We got in from feeding our ducks, and we checked out the bands on the pigeon. It's an I.F. bird from the Central Maine Pigeon Flyers (about 100 miles away). I'll contact them tonight. The bird seems exhausted.

Could have been blown off course. Poor thing is probably very tired.