Rescued bird! Help please!!

[crimsonmama]

Hello. I'm in the UK and rescued this bird from a boy hitting it with a stick. Can someone please tell me what type of bird it is? I thought pigeon but it's markings are not like a wood or city pigeon. It's like a stock dove but doesn't have the shiny green patch on neck. It's acting very tame too... Although still scared of us it is pretty calm when we are close and will sit on our hands. I don't know what is wrong with it as it won't fly but it's wings seem to move fine. It's throat is clear (no cankers) and it's legs look clean of scabs and over all good condition. It's calm nature makes me think it is from someone's collection rather than wild?? Or maybe it's in shock?? I haven't seen it eat or drink although I dipped it's beak in water. I've had it about 24hrs now. I had it on a heat blanket overnight.

 

[biophiliac]

Sounds like you know your way around birds! Looks like it could be a juvenile pigeon(I'm not sure - just looking at the beak), too young to fly well. Try feeding it some thawed frozen peas. Good job keeping him/her warm and safe.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Can someone please tell me what type of bird it is?

It may also be some sort of morning dove by the look of the colouration. It is lucky it fell into capable hands that did not continue beating it with a stick. Keep up the good work.

 

[crimsonmama]

Thank you!
She is doing well! Mostly. I have been told she is maybe five weeks old? About a week from learning to fly. We have fed her peas and sweetcorn and soaked wild bird seed. I'm just unsure of the next steps? My daughter's want to keep her 'as a pet'. Which would be lovely but I'm not sure where or how we would keep her other than on a stand like a parrot!!
But she seems so sad! Well not sad but ... Indoors she just sits doing nothing. She shows no excitement when we feed her and although she will sit on us (she likes to flap from my arm to my shoulder) I put her out in the garden and she seemed so much happier and even pecked around so maybe she can feed herself but indoors she won't drink or peck at seeds of her own accord? There are wood pigeons that come feed in my garden. I am wondering whether to put her out for a few hours a day and see what happens? Or wait until she can fly better? She can glide from my shoulder to her stand just short distances at the moment.
Do I keep force feeding her (opening beak and putting food in) or should I back off and see if she will eat by herself once she gets very hungry??

 

[Hokum Coco]

Do I keep force feeding her

I would guess where it seems to be fully fledged with no yellow down that it should be old enough to eat on it's own.

 

[crimsonmama]

What if she won't eat?? I thought tomorrow I could put seed down in the garden and see if she eats it when I let her out? If she does then does that mean she is very very unhappy indoors? I'm not sure the best thing to do? Leave her outside but just get her in at night so predators can't get to her?? If she manages to flap over the fence I won't be able to protect her anymore....

It's a tough one! Balancing her safety with her happiness!!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

Food:

Suggested foods for hand-rearing pigeons and doves include:

• Canary rearing food, mixed as indicated on the packet.(D29)
• Mixture of chick crumbs/rearing mix/millet/water for hand feeding with boluses of food. (D24)
• Bread soaked in creamy milk may be used initially for hand feeding with boluses of food.(B186.8.w8)
• Proprietary rearing food for tube feeding, e.g. KAYtee Rearing food (D24), Tropican Rearing Mix (Rolf C Hagen).(B151)
• An appropriate vitamin/mineral supplement must be used in the rearing mix. Appropriate quantities of calcium and phosphorus are particularly important to avoid metabolic bone disease which is a particularly common finding in fledgling collared doves (Streptopelia decaocto - Eurasian collared-dove).(D24)

Feeding Frequency:

Suggested feeding frequencies include:

• Feed every 30 minutes.(B151)
• Offer food every hour initially.(B194)

Feeding Technique:

Suggested feeding techniques include:

• 1) Place the food in a strong plastic bag or tube, cut a hole in the side of the bag and push the squab's bill gently into the food, allowing it to suck the food.(D29)
  • Similarly the squab may suck food from e.g. a feeding nipple with an enlarged hole (B194), or a small container such as a egg cup.(B186.8.w8)
• 2) Hand feeding with boluses of food.
  • This requires opening the bill to place the food well inside the bill avoiding the opening to the trachea, as the squab will not gape. (B186.8.w8, D24)
• 3) Crop feed (gavage), i.e. place food into the crop using a suitable tube.(D24, B151)

 

[Hokum Coco]

What if she won't eat?? CC?

You may be forced to feed her until she is out of shock.
I thought tomorrow I could put seed down in the garden and see if she eats it when I let her out? If she does then does that mean she is very very unhappy indoors? I'm not sure the best thing to do? Leave her outside but just get her in at night so predators can't get to her? All excellent ideas.

Check out the link this:

 

[crimsonmama]

Excuse pic of me! Lol. I don't like showing myself usually!

Anyways, I put Silvier (as we named her) in the garden this morning and she pecked around as if eating and again seemed so much happier! She wouldn't let us feed her at all today and wouldn't drink water either. Some other birds landed in the garden but she showed little interest in them. At one point anther wood pigeon landed on the fence and they eyed eachother but that's all. After an hour I got her back indoors.

A couple of hours later I was taking her to put out again and she flew down the length of the garden and landed on the fence! She seemed content to sit there but when I went towards her she flew to a garage roof where I can no longer reach her.

She sat there for a while preening and stretching (which she never done indoors) and looked so happy! Now she has gone. I wasn't watching so I don't know if she flew or not. I hope she is ok! My oldest daughter is very sad but I explained we rescued her from the nasty boy and let her rest for a few days to get her strength back. The whole point of rescue is to help and release not imprison indoors. If she was happy and liked us I could have considered it but it was clear she was happier outside and even though she is still at risk from dangers, they are the same risks as she had before and same as all the other fledglings out there!

I am a little sad she's gone but happy I helped her and had the privilege of holding her for a few days!

 

[3riverschick]

Huge congratulations! good for you guys! that's wonderful news. you should be really proud of yourselves! Best,
Karen