found homing pigeon

[Mudsow]

Wow, never realized there was a pigeon part of BYC.
Well, Sunday I found a homing pigeon. he was very tired, cold and thin. looked up homing pigeons, and "what to do when you find an exhausted homer" and put him in a crate with heat, and food and let him rest, Well Monday night I finally got ahold of the owner via tracking him by the band, He told me this bird has been gone since JUNE!

So, my thoughts shift from just exhausted to emaciated and near death. So now I'm worried that he;s not eating any of the food I'm offering. (organic chicken feed with lots of grain) So now I'm syringe feeding him exact hand feeding formula and babyfood peas. in addition to the gatorade water I had been giving him.

He is more alert, not heavy eyes anymore. He seems to want to pay attention to what's going on in the house, But he moves very little, only when necessary. And still will not eat on his own. Since he's been "lost" for 3 months, what are the odds that he is just emaciated, and not full of parasites? I would assume he was well taken care of before he was "lost" but alot can happen to a stressed bird in 3 months.

Any suggestions for things to help aide in his speedy recovery are welcomed. He is a very sweet little guy, getting stronger in his fighting not wanting me to open his mouth to squirt in food. His poop was more green when I got him (and minimal) now since we've been feeding the HFF and peas surprisingly the green is gone. (even w/feeding peas) it's now more white. with solids, Still minimal, but at least he's pooping.

So what are his chances? has anyone ever taken a bird from emaciation to recovery? and what do you think the owner is going to do if I DO get him back to health. Honestly? would he race him again? (this is a young bird banded 2012)or is this wishful thinking and he is going to cull him. (he obviously did NOT make it home) If he is more than likely going to be culled, I think I may ask to keep him. OMG, like I need a pigeon

Mudsow

 

[aarontheman]

well most owners of pigeons will not take the bird back but he might and i used to soak chicken pellets in water and open his beak a little and keep feeding him then put food for him and he might eat it and is his poop like swirly if it is he is healthy and can he fly check all of him/her and see if it has any wounds or cuts hope i helped

 

[Mudsow]

Just thought I'd update you. This morning he showed minimal desire to preen and, he showed a few pecks of interest in the food bowl, so I ran out and got pigeon food. ( I was reluctant to spend the money if he wasn't at all interested in eating) After a while he began eating on his own !!!!! WooHoo. I hope the worst is over. I turned down his heat lo low. And I've given him a 2x2 perch in case he feels like it. Not that he's action jackson all of a sudden, but he walks to the bowl of food! more than I've seen him do in 4 days. So I am very optomistic that he will recover.

 

[sourland]

Any positive news?

 

[Mudsow]

Yes actually! Well he was afraid of the perch ;-) and he chilled a bit with the temp lowered. So I warmed it back up, he has a heating pad under the cage for radian heat and a 60w bulb on top bringing the temp to 90* He seems to like that temp. I added a "shelf" so he will now jump up there (he was sitting in his food dish, so I was thinking he may want to get off the warm of the floor) He seems to like it. He's up and down, and eating regularly. He will need quite a bit of time to fill out. He is still feathers n bones. But from the way he's been acting the last couple of days, I'm thinking he might just pull through this.

A question to you pigeon people. How important is each individuall? I did get ahold of the club guy on the band, he said he would see if he could find someone in the area to "take him off my hands" (I live in Illinois, he lives about 3 hours away in Michigan)

I told him the bird is fine here, we were hand feeding him and not quite sure if he will pull through. So no need in finding a ride for him until he is stable enough to know if it's worth it, (don't want him making a trip for a dying bird)

However, I haven't heard back from him. So I'm wondering. This is a 2012 banded bird, so he's young. But obviously he did NOT make it home ;-) Gone for 3 months, starving to death.... what are the chances that this bird will be culled. I mean, I don't know if he meant that he would find someone to "take it off my hands" meaning to take him home and wring his neck, so I wouldn't have to worry about the bird. Or do you truly think he's going to want this bird back. Has he just written him off since he's been gone since June? Because if his fate is to be culled, then I guess he is not going anywhere, and I'll be building a pigeon house ;-)
-Mudsow

 

[sourland]

In all of the birds that I have rehabbed, only one person came to get the bird, and it was apparently a very special pigeon. I have been told everything from just kill it to take it down the road and toss it into the air. You have made a righteeous attempt at getting the bird back to it's owner. Keep it. Great job. I commend you!

 

[Mudsow]

yeah, I was all excited when I actually was able to track down an owner, how often does that actually happen. But I did get the feeling that it was not that important to him to loose this bird. He nevr actually said, he'd find someone close to help with transport, or maybe we could meet inthe middle to get the bird back.... it was "to take it off my hands" that just sounded ..well, not too good for the bird's fate. So, I did make sure he knew, that we had no problem trying to nurse this bird back to health. I told him I would do all I could without going to a vet, I mean, they would do bloodwork, and it would cost ALOT I'm sure. ALthouth, if he said to take it, I would gladly ablidge. However, I didn't have much hope in the fact that he would want to spend lots of $ on a bird that never made it home ;-) So, I figured, I'm not going above and beyond either, however, I will give him every chance to get back on hus feet. He deserves a warm home and food and safety. And from the looks of things, it appears we now have a pigeon.

My DH keeps telling me that he was exhausted because he was trying to find HERE,not go home. He claims there is a "all wayward animals stop here" sign on our house somewhere, Although, I'm NOT the one who said... "we need to name him, he needs a name". So I guess there is a reason I married that man

 

[aarontheman]

glad to hear the bird is healthy

 

[newfoundland]

How I identify with you Mudsow. I have just acquired an injured pigeon who will probably never fly again. Somehow or other, despite injuries to his wings, he is recovering nicely. Don't need a pigeon either but, am planning an aviary for him so that he can be outside, yet safe from predators. With all the best of intentions not to acquire more needy animals, they just keep on coming!

 

[cmgn9712]

Not to sound harsh, but the whole idea of a homing pigeon is they have to go home. There are many reasons why some never make it. At any rate, the bird is of no value to the previous owner because he/she did not "home". Now you have choices - keep it, find it another home, or just let it loose. There are thousands of feral pigeons nearly everywhere, many of whom had origins just like yours.