Pigeon Talk

[WVduckchick]

Ok, advice welcome….
I have a couple squabs that are about 10 days old. I noticed one was growing faster than the other, which I know is normal. Today I thought the little one was dead, not moving at all. As the saying goes, they aren’t dead until they are warm and dead, I brought it inside and warmed it up. It’s still alive and starting to move its head, etc. but still not standing or fully mobile yet. It’s still warming up slowly.
I’m not sure when I should try to feed or get any water/nutrition into it. Thoughts?

 

[WVduckchick]

Ok, advice welcome….
I have a couple squabs that are about 10 days old. I noticed one was growing faster than the other, which I know is normal. Today I thought the little one was dead, not moving at all. As the saying goes, they aren’t dead until they are warm and dead, I brought it inside and warmed it up. It’s still alive and starting to move its head, etc. but still not standing or fully mobile yet. It’s still warming up slowly.
I’m not sure when I should try to feed or get any water/nutrition into it. Thoughts?
View attachment 2985346

I gave her about 1cc (a little more) of water with Sav-a-chick electrolytes, will repeat in a little while. But she is definitely improved. I’ll probably have to keep her inside for a few days, at least.

 

[Qwerty3159]

She looks a lot better in that second photo. I would keep her inside since cold seems to be the culprit

 

[cavemanrich]

WVduckchick​

Can you possibly bring the parent inside and place with lil junior inside cage,,, for a while..??
Parent would feed the GOOD STUFF

 

[WVduckchick]

WVduckchick​

Can you possibly bring the parent inside and place with lil junior inside cage,,, for a while..??
Parent would feed the GOOD STUFF

Eh, I suppose I could. I’ll think about it, but this week is supposed to be warmer than it has been, so I’m not sure it will be necessary.

 

[sourland]

How is it today? You've done just what I would have - rehydrate after fully warmed up. I would remove the stronger sibling, place the smaller one in the nest, feed the flock so that the parents then feed the squab, bring smaller squab back inside and put stronger back, I'd do this twice a day until the bird regains strength. Good luck.

 

[WVduckchick]

How is it today? You've done just what I would have - rehydrate after fully warmed up. I would remove the stronger sibling, place the smaller one in the nest, feed the flock so that the parents then feed the squab, bring smaller squab back inside and put stronger back, I'd do this twice a day until the bird regains strength. Good luck.

I would have tried that! But the little one died overnight.

It was doing better when I was about to go to bed, had pooped a few times, so I gave it a little Kaytee Exact. Very little, actually. But I probably rushed that and should have stuck with just electrolytes until today. I know it happens, but it always breaks my heart anyway.

 

[sourland]

I would have tried that! But the little one died overnight.

It was doing better when I was about to go to bed, had pooped a few times, so I gave it a little Kaytee Exact. Very little, actually. But I probably rushed that and should have stuck with just electrolytes until today. I know it happens, but it always breaks my heart anyway.

Frequently, I believe, such birds that fail to thrive have a congenital defect (perhaps heart) that eventually catches up to them and eventually kills them.

 

[WVduckchick]

Frequently, I believe, such birds that fail to thrive have a congenital defect (perhaps heart) that eventually catches up to them and eventually kills them.

It’s almost like the parents know they aren’t going to survive, and turn their concentration to the other sibling. Their instincts are better than ours but I had to try, just in case.

 

[sourland]

It’s almost like the parents know they aren’t going to survive, and turn their concentration to the other sibling. Their instincts are better than ours but I had to try, just in case.

I've done the same, and some have died, some have survived for a while and then died, and some have flourished.