Just-born pigeons on my doorstep - HELP!

[Cherlyn]

Ok, I know just about nothing about pigeons... Chickens are my area of knowledge, not pigeons! Yesterday, several young girls from the village brought some day-old pigeons to me - they had found them surrounded by cats with no nest to be found. I know that you are not supposed to take them, but instead put them up somewhere, but these girls of course did not know that, so... here I am, with two extremely young pigeons.

I have been mixing chick starter with water and then using a syringe to squeeze it into their mouths every few hours. One is eating somewhat eagerly - it looks fine. The other will tolerate it, just barely, and does not look too healthy. His upper chest (crop?) area is quite swelled. Both are voiding just fine. They are in the incubator at about 75 degrees F.

What else do I do? I am just about completely clueless.

~Cherlyn

 

[WingingIt]

I have no idea about pigeons, either. Are there any wildlife rehabilitators in your phone book? Hopefully someone who knows will come along soon and see this. Good luck!

 

[RockyPhoenix]

good luck im hoping to help u get help by "bumping" good luck! im sorry i cant help u!

 

[klf73]

I think you would have better luck posting in the pigeons section...IMO good luck

 

[Kittymomma]

http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.org/S/00Man/AvianHusbandryTechniques/UKBHusbIndTech/HR_Av_Pigeons_Doves.htm

http://www.angelfire.com/ga3/pigeongenetics/handfeed.html

I've never done it, but these links may be helpful. Good luck!

 

[cejones119]

The best choice is going to be to get those guys to a wildlife rehabilitator. Mom pigeons and doves make something called crop milk for their babies (they eat food, partially digest and then regurgitate for them). This is hard to reproduce without a whole bunch of crazy ingredients. They do need to be in a much warmer environment, between 90-100 degrees. Keep them warm for the time being and you're better off not feeding them anything else. Do some research on the web or call your local environmental management department or and look for a wildlife rehabilitator in your area, their best chance is with one of them.

 

[Getaway Gal]

I always used cat food soaked in water and feed with a toothpick with birds with good success. Good luck!

 

[tigerrrrrrrlilly]

i raised one on a slurry of cat food to save it, she grew up and continued to eat moistened cat food as a juvenile until she finally integrated with the other wild pigeons in my yard about a year later. Don't know if it was the right food but it did work. You have to feed them every 3 to 4 hours, and they do imprint on you, it won't leave you until it's time to mate (maybe). I used pedialite in the slurry the first week or 2 if I remember correctly. Once feathered I put her outside in the yard to learn how to live in the wild and I taught her to fly, she never left but stopped tapping on the glass patio door for food every day when she began to learn from the wild pigeons, found a mate and nested in my chimney lol.

Oh and I believe the young eat primarily insects (in the wild anyway) and have very high protien intake, which is why I chose cat food. I think chick feed might not be enough nutrients for them.

 

[ellieroo]

Pigeon for 45yrs. the post about pigeon milk is right it can not be duplicated But you can possible use weak milk mixture with cracked wheat bread/ dry cat food It should look like a slurry. Use a gentle pump action with the little head tilted up and only small amounts at a time.Warmth is just like a chicken if you have a small stuffed animal it will help! It can be done but tis an adventure

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/archive/index.php/t-5331.html