found a baby pigeon...UPDATE! Might have crop slow-down help!

[Kasia]

Did you see my reply in the other section? You're doing good. I would never euthanize the bird for no reason. I'm a rehabber and I take in any and all birds and I believe each one deserves a chance.

Baby pigeons don't need feedings as often as other birds. You should give him enough to where his crop is pretty full, you'll feel it and see it. I feed my baby pigeons every 4 hours and never at night. In the wild birds go to sleep at dusk and don't eat till morning. So I try to stay on that schedule unless it's critical, which sometimes I get birds that need round the clock care, but never a baby pigeon that's healthy and orphaned.

You don't want to feed him too often because the baby needs to empty its crop almost completely or it will be at risk of getting sour crop. Every hour it too much, unless you're only giving him a little bit at a time, but since I have so many during baby season, I feed them every 4 hours. Don't overfill the crop till it's bulging, but I'm sure you'll be able to tell when the baby has a full crop.

 

[bock]

Thank you! We just finished feeding him again, and he is doing great. Next time I will wait longer, it was two hours between this time. I am going to go get some Katee Exact at the pet store in a few hours. The last two feedings I gave him medicated chick starter, cat food, and some hard boiled egg whites. I was a little worried because the chick starter was medicated, so I didn't give him very much. Thank you so much for all the help!

 

[bock]

I checked on the parents and the mom was in the nest. They reshaped the nest, but she has already laid another egg! She has been gone ever since I went in there. We really don't need any more pigeons, so I think I should just take the egg and force the parents to start going back into the loft.

 

[bock]

I got some Kaytee! He still has a small amount of food left in the bottom of his crop though, so I think I will wait another hour until feeding him. He is doing great! I think this method of feeding is much better for me than using a syringe for me. I hope he continues to thrive!

 

[95yj]

Oh, my bad, seriously, wikid sorry. I thought you were saying your dog found them out in the woods. sorry i was telling you to kill your baby homing pigeons... like, really sorry.

 

[bock]

Quote:
No problem, your forgiven.

 

[Kasia]

You're doing great! I'm so glad the baby is thriving.

Just wait till he starts getting feathers and flapping those wings to ask you for food. Does he whistle when he sees you? If not, he will soon enough, they love to eat and love to ask every time you walk by.

 

[bock]

He is very attached, and he sure knows who feeds him! You can't even pick him up without him constantly trying to find food between your fingers! I also noticed little starts of wing feathers today! They grow so fast.

I am a little concerned about him digesting his food slowly though. I fed him last at 1 PM today, now it is almost 8PM, and he still has a little less than half a crop full of food. Is this normal, or should I be worried? Thank you!

 

[Kasia]

No worries, you can space the feedings 5 hours if you'd like. We went out of town for the day a couple weekends ago and I fed my 3 baby pigeons (3 weeks old) before we left at 9 am and came back home after 10 and they still had food in their crops but ACTED like they were starving.

I found that baby pigeons and baby doves will keep asking for food no matter how much you feed them. Greedy little things.

Just wait till those huge wings come in. They do get in the way when they are flapping while you're trying to keep them still so they can eat.

 

[bock]

Thank you! It is hard to beleive he will be all grown up so soon!