Found a baby pigeon, please help.

[LemmysCoop]

Hi! I'm going to cut right to the chase here. My father works in the city and found a baby pigeon today. From what I can tell from looking online it's about 3 weeks old. My mom does not want to take it to a vet..What do I feed it?
Basically I'm the only one really willing to raise the pigeon in my house at this point. It's in a cardboard box with a towel/shirt piece and a cup of water, my father gave it some bread crumbs and nuts of some type (peanuts?).

 

[sylviethecochin]

I've raised pigeons almost completely on whole, hulled corn and water. They're not like chickens; they need only 7-8 percent protein in their feed. You can get that from mixed grains or birdseed sold at Walmart (check the labelling.) You can also buy feed for racing pigeons. No idea what happens if you feed them peanuts, but I sincerely doubt white bread, or even most whole-wheat breads have the nutrients the bird needs. At three weeks, the bird will be able to eat whole grains.

It could probably do with a heat pad, especially at night. Pigeons are usually raised in pairs and keep each other warm when the parents aren't doing it. I'd also line the box with terrycloth, or something else grippy--a t-shirt may not provide the traction the bird needs.

At three weeks, he'll need fed about four times a day. You'll have to do the beak-pinch maneuver and push grain down his throat a few times before he figures it out. He should be able to figure out the water-drinking on his lonesome. Feed until his crop is full and bulging, but not tight like a drum. You want it to be full, but not uncomfortably full.

@biophiliac raises them, he can probably tell you more. Or possibly correct some of my information. It's been a while since I raised any squabs.

EDT: Also, they chill if they get wet, so you may want to just water him with a syringe and keep the water away for the rest of the time. That'll take a few tries to get right; be careful not to choke the bird.

 

[biophiliac]

If it is 3 weeks old it should have most of its feathers coming in and may be beginning to sample seeds on its own. A photo would help to be more sure about its development. One thing that is pretty easy to feed them is thawed frozen peas. Just thaw them in hot water - don't cook. Then with the bird on your lap open its beak and place one or two peas in mouth and close beak so it will swallow. About 30 peas per feeding should be about right, check that crop is mostly full. This is good bc it provides hydration as well as nutrition and no grit required. At the same time offer some seeds like @sylviethecochin suggested and let him experiment - he will get it fairly soon. With the seeds he will need some small grit and water. For a water container that he won't spill all over I recommend a 2 liter plastic bottle with a hole cut about 2 in above the bottom for him to stick his head inside to drink. You can dip his beak in gently to show him.

If he is younger than 3 weeks I probably feed him on a formula made of chicken pellet ground up with warm water in a blender to the consistency of ketchup and fed in a container I can describe if necessary. A picture would greatly help to decide which to do. Regardless its pretty easy and rewarding to hand raise baby pigeons over a week old. I don't think you need to take it to a vet.
If you keep him indoors in a cage with something like a dog dish for a nest with a bit of fleece for bedding I think he will be ok without extra heat unless injured, very thin or deydrated.

Best of luck and give us an update!

 

[biophiliac]

And welcome to BYC! I will ask @KikisGirls to bring you an orientation video over here.

 

[Kiki]

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[LemmysCoop]

Thank you all! I will upload photos in just a minute here but I still have some concerns.
I bought a container of popcorn kernels, no butter or seasoning..is this good enough for him? (I'll look into frozen peas shortly) And if I do feed him the corn do I have to do anything special, (cut it up, wet it, give him sand..or something?)

Secondly my mother worries over the fact of any parasites being brought in such as lice or mites..worms? But she does not want to bring him to a vet. Are those fears unfounded at this age or this this a real concern?

 

[Kiki]

For lice/mite worries:
Permethrin

Martin's PERMETHRIN spray

• Kiki
• Mar 22, 2018
• 6
• flies lice mites permethrin

 

[LemmysCoop]

Here's the corn I bought for him..He's being very difficult to feed so I'll try those tomorrow.
heres
the bird
also thank you for the spray..I'll try and get my hands on some!

 

[Kiki]

Do you have chicken feed?

 

[LemmysCoop]

No, This morning he refused the corn again as well. I've watched a few videos to try and understand how to do the pinch beak method of feeding but he manages to worm his way out of it most times. All I've been able to get in him is some soggy oats/chia seeds and a bit of water..absolutely hates the corn or anything remotely that big.