Injured feral pigeon - need help!

[sophtoph]

My wife and I rescued a show pigeon a couple years ago, it escaped and couldn't find it's way back home. If the bird is letting you hold it without much fuss, chances are it is very exhausted and likely starving and dehydrated. Go to a pet store and find some bird feed that says it's good for doves or pigeons, try to feed it that. Also make sure the bird always has access to fresh water and food and a comfortable, safe, low-stress environment. Doesn't seem like there's much to do other than that without a vet visit.

The pigeon we rescued just needed a couple days of TLC and a safe home with food and water. It couldn't stand for the first three hours we had it, until he had time to digest the feed we gave him. After two days, he was back to a healthy, chipper, cooing boy, who just wanted to snack and flap around.

I hope that is the case and he perks up soon! Any ideas on what I can feed him from my kitchen? It's late now and the pet store is closed. I have some seeded bread and various cereals but don't want to feed him something entirely unsuitable through lack of knowledge. Thank you for your help!

 

[sophtoph]

Yes, I think you should do that. First open his beak and see if the mouth looks nice and pink with no obvious yellowish lesions.

I will do that. Should I drop water into his open mouth or bead it onto his beak? Also, would you recommend a simple electrolyte solution of tepid water with a pinch of salt and sugar?

 

[CCUK]

Hi,

I'm not at all experienced in rescuing animals and am not very familiar with birds, so I'm hoping someone can help me with an injured feral pigeon.

He/she cannot stand, but otherwise seems in good health. There are no obvious injuries I can see, it doesn't feel emaciated and is defecating fairly frequently with quite normal looking bird mess (white/dark green). I'm not sure if the issue is with one or both legs; it seems to stick one leg straight out and won't put the other foot down. I have had a feel around for swelling or any indication or internal injuries but I don't really know what I'm looking for. Its wings seem to be functioning normally, as it keeps escaping from the enclosure I've built for him in my shed. But when it lands it just tips forward onto its chest and face. Should it be restricted to a smaller area? If so, I have a cat carrier I can use.

I'm unsure how to proceed or what is wrong with the poor fellow. He definitely needs a wash, as he keeps falling over into his own mess. Would a warm, damp cloth be best to just lightly sponge the mess off its feathers? Also it's been at least 24 hours with no water, so I'm aware I need to get some fluids in it before dehydration sets in. It seems uninterested in a small water bowl I have placed out, but I have a small syringe tube feeder (I work in an aquarium) so wondered if I should attempt to feed it some water? I am trying to keep it warm with a hot water bottle under a towel in the cat carrier I am using in a makeshift enclosure.

Any guidance would be much appreciated. I'm in North Devon, UK, by the way.

Thank you,

Sophie (and pigeon)

Hello @sophtoph. Good job on taking this pigeon in. They do end up in predicaments some times! Looking at the pictures it mostly seems OK. But on the last picture of its legs, the left leg, looks like a red mark by its ankle. Could it have got caught in a fishing net? You say it was able to fly, which is good, just not land without falling over, which isn't good. I'm thinking it could be broken but it would swell noticeably or it could be strained. Keep it in the pet box overnight and let it give it access to clean water. Do you have any probios you could add to the water? I have a pigeon that had a broken wing and she doesn't drink noticeably very much but drinks what she needs. Try giving a few drops onto the side of its beak. You can give it some corn if you don't have anything quickly to hand or could you get some budgie or pet bird seed? Don't worry about poo on its feet, that will be because it was in the crate. See how it is in the morning after a rest and a little food and water.

 

[biophiliac]

I will do that. Should I drop water into his open mouth or bead it onto his beak? Also, would you recommend a simple electrolyte solution of tepid water with a pinch of salt and sugar?

I'm not an expert (has @casportpony answered yet?) but yes I think an electrolyte solution would help. Maybe just try drops of plain water on the tongue... I guess what I'd be tempted to try is my 'go to' for hydration and nutrition in one - that is frozen green peas, thawed in hot water. You will need to open the beak and place the thawed pea in the back of the mouth then close beak and let him swallow, one by one, or several at a time if the bird cooperates.. See if you can get him to take 20-30 peas that way.

 

[sophtoph]

I'm not an expert (has @casportpony answered yet?) but yes I think an electrolyte solution would help. Maybe just try drops of plain water on the tongue... I guess what I'd be tempted to try is my 'go to' for hydration and nutrition in one - that is frozen green peas, thawed in hot water. You will need to open the beak and place the thawed pea in the back of the mouth then close beak and let him swallow, one by one, or several at a time if the bird cooperates.. See if you can get him to take 20-30 peas that way.

I just checked his beak very delicately, it was really hard to see inside but it looked pretty normal. I syringed 2-3 drops of water into the side of his beak at a time, then he closed his mouth and definitely swallowed. I'll repeat this every hour or so until I go to sleep. The peas are an interesting idea! How far back into his mouth should I try and place them? His beak is pretty tiny, I'm not confident I could get a pea in there... I don't want to choke him on top of everything else, poor thing!

 

[biophiliac]

s! Looking at the pictures it mostly seems OK.

I thought so too. Eyes and plumage... I missed the red mark on the leg..

I just checked his beak very delicately, it was really hard to see inside but it looked pretty normal. I syringed 2-3 drops of water into the side of his beak at a time, then he closed his mouth and definitely swallowed. I'll repeat this every hour or so until I go to sleep. The peas are an interesting idea! How far back into his mouth should I try and place them? His beak is pretty tiny, I'm not confident I could get a pea in there... I don't want to choke him on top of everything else, poor thing!

That's great you got him to take some water! I forgot if you said what you are offering for food?
Oh yeah, the peas have to go all the way back, like giving a pill to a dog.

 

[sophtoph]

Hello @sophtoph. Good job on taking this pigeon in. They do end up in predicaments some times! Looking at the pictures it mostly seems OK. But on the last picture of its legs, the left leg, looks like a red mark by its ankle. Could it have got caught in a fishing net? You say it was able to fly, which is good, just not land without falling over, which isn't good. I'm thinking it could be broken but it would swell noticeably or it could be strained. Keep it in the pet box overnight and let it give it access to clean water. Do you have any probios you could add to the water? I have a pigeon that had a broken wing and she doesn't drink noticeably very much but drinks what she needs. Try giving a few drops onto the side of its beak. You can give it some corn if you don't have anything quickly to hand or could you get some budgie or pet bird seed? Don't worry about poo on its feet, that will be because it was in the crate. See how it is in the morning after a rest and a little food and water.

His foot is probably broken, or at the very least incredibly sore. I just gave him a bit of a wash and one of his feet behaves normally with outstretched toes, while the other stays curled up and when I tried to clean it he pulled away. The heel/ball underneath his foot in between his toes is visibly swollen, it's a lot larger than on his other foot. On his poorly foot his back toe just sort of hangs there. Is there anything I can do to support it? I'm concerned that he's sitting on a broken foot and likely in pain. Just successfully got him to swallow some water by dropping it into the side of his beak with the syringe, so I'll repeat this every hour or so until I go to sleep. I'm off work tomorrow so can provide TLC all day!

 

[sophtoph]

I thought so too. Eyes and plumage... I missed the red mark on the leg..


That's great you got him to take some water! I forgot if you said what you are offering for food?
Oh yeah, the peas have to go all the way back, like giving a pill to a dog.

Well my focus has been on water up until now, but I need some food suggestions. It's late here so the pet store is closed now until tomorrow. I have some multigrain bread and various cereals, but I've been reluctant to offer him anything entirely unsuitable through lack of knowledge. I will try the peas... This might sound silly, but I'm not that used to handling birds and I don't want to hurt him so what's the easiest way to get him to open his mouth?

 

[CCUK]

His foot is probably broken, or at the very least incredibly sore. I just gave him a bit of a wash and one of his feet behaves normally with outstretched toes, while the other stays curled up and when I tried to clean it he pulled away. The heel/ball underneath his foot in between his toes is visibly swollen, it's a lot larger than on his other foot. On his poorly foot his back toe just sort of hangs there. Is there anything I can do to support it? I'm concerned that he's sitting on a broken foot and likely in pain. Just successfully got him to swallow some water by dropping it into the side of his beak with the syringe, so I'll repeat this every hour or so until I go to sleep. I'm off work tomorrow so can provide TLC all day!

Sounds like it is probably broken. You can put some cotton wool then some vet wrap around it to support it. But in all honesty I'd leave it be and see if it swells. If you wrap it and then it swells it could cut off the blood supply. It's good you managed to get some fluids in him. Make sure he knows where the water bowl is and what's in it. He'll help himself probably when your not looking! Let him rest. When he knows he's safe and not going to be eaten he'll settle down and hopefully accept your helping him!

 

[CCUK]

Do you have any wild bird seed?