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BABIES
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thank you for being here
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not sure if the baby needs help?
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how old is he?
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photos of baby pigeons
(a baby may have slower growth due to hunger or illness)
daily growth chart:
www.mumtazticloft.com/BabyPigeons.asp
eight day old baby:
https://i0.wp.com/www.helpwildlife.co.uk/...
sixteen day old baby:
https://i0.wp.com/www.helpwildlife.co.uk/...
fledgling:
https://i0.wp.com/www.helpwildlife.co.uk/...
needs of younger baby pigeons
(with mostly yellow feathers)
feeding
Young babies eat mushy food, which gradually becomes more solid as they grow up.
Young babies need to be fed more often. Most rescuers feed young babies as soon as their neck pouch (crop) has emptied from the previous meal. This usually takes 2-3 hours. Do the best you can with your current work and sleep schedule.
~> ~> !! Most new rescuers tend to over-feed young babies. !! <~ <~
warmth
Warmth helps a young baby stay healthy and digest his food.
Keep the young baby's body covered with a small towel. You can use a heat pad on "low", a microwaved sock of rice,or hot water bottle wrapped in a thick towel. Keep him at a comfortably warm temperature, and do not overheat or burn him. Your hair dryer may contain a piece called "teflon", which is toxic to birds.
environment
Place a towel or blanket under the young baby so his legs will grow strong and healthy. A slippery floor makes it hard for his legs to grow properly.
A sock of rice next to the baby will replace his nestmate. It will give him something to lean against and help him to develop his muscles.
needs of older baby pigeons and fledglings
(with mostly adult feathers)
feeding
An older baby is ready for "seed school", but he may need to be hand fed as well so he gets enough to eat.
warmth
An older baby's feathers will keep him warmer now. If the he is sick or very tired, he should be kept warm. You can use a heat pad on "low", a microwaved sock of rice,or hot water bottle wrapped in a thick towel. Keep him at a comfortably warm temperature, and do not overheat or burn him. Your hair dryer may contain a piece called "teflon", which is toxic to birds.
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seed school
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in-person classes
To teach an older baby to eat, tap the seeds with your finger as if it is a beak.
online learning
https://m.youtube.com/watch...
tips
Tip: Place light coloured seeds on a black plate or piece of paper to help your student see them
Tip: It is normal for a baby pigeon to pick up and drop seeds while he is learning to eat. While he is learning to eat, make sure to hand feed him as well so that he gets enough.
Tip: Pigeons are vegetarians, and mostly eat grains and seeds. They do not eat meal worms or cat food unless they are very hungry. These foods are not good for them.
teach the baby to drink water
You can encourage the baby pigeon to drink by holding the water bowl to his beak. His water bowl should be at least 2.5cm (1 inch) deep for his beak, which he uses like a straw. He may prefer to drink warm water. For safety, always let the baby pigeon drink water on his own
If he will drink water, you can add peanut butter to it for extra calories.
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easiest feeding methods
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tips
Tip: Baby pigeons and doves feed differently than other types of baby birds. The baby's dad or mom opens his or her beak, and the baby puts his beak inside.
Tip: For safety, always let the baby drink water on his own.
Tip: Pigeons are vegetarians, and mostly eat grains and seeds. They do not eat meal worms or cat food unless they are very hungry. These foods are not good for them.
the peas and corn method
The peas and corn method is good for getting started with older babies. The baby will need more variety in his diet soon for health reasons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch...
https://www.pigeonrescue.org/2019...
the cup method
All you need is a cup and some oatmeal or mushy rice in water for this tutorial. You can also use apple sauce or a cereal called "cream of wheat". You can add a boiled egg yolk if you have eggs. The pigeon will need more variety of food soon for health reasons.
Use one part grains and one part warm water. The warmth will encourage him to eat.
https://m.youtube.com/watch...
https://www.reddit.com/r/VetTech/...
the bag method
The bag method is one of the most popular methods for feeding baby pigeons. Place the baby's beak inside a hole in a bag of wet food, and let him eat on his own.
www.caringforbabypigeons.sirtoby...
https://m.youtube.com/watch...
https://m.youtube.com/watch...
https://m.youtube.com/watch...
using soaked seeds and grains for food
bird seed
seeds and grains from your kitchen or local grocery store
Pour boiling water into a bowl of seeds and grains, then let it sit overnight, or while you go to school or work. They will be ready in 8-12 hours.
how to encourage a baby to eat
baby peeping sounds
https://m.youtube.com/watch...
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more feeding links
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full list of feeding methods
(and care instructions)
www.caringforbabypigeons.sirtoby...
articles
https://www.avianempire.co.nz/...
https://www.helpwildlife.co.uk/...
https://vetspace.2ndchance.info/
turkey starter pellets
https://www.reddit.com/r/pigeon/...
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common health concerns
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behaviour to expect
Expect lots of crying, screaming, chirping and peeping. Most baby pigeons will cry even when their crop is full of food. He may cry for attention when he is excited to see you. Baby pigeons also shake and lift their wings when they are excited. He may seem to attack you for food.
He may "yawn" or open his beak to adjust his crop after he eats. He may bob or tilt his head to talk to you. You can tilt your head to talk back to him.
The baby pigeon will learn to fly on his own by flapping his wings in place.
baths
It may be best to wait until a baby pigeon is bigger to give him a bath. He will get too cold after his bath if he is small and skinny. You can wipe him with a damp cloth if he is dirty.
pigeon pox
Keep checking the baby's face and feet for bumps called "pigeon pox". Bumps may also be dried food or poop.
canker
Gently check inside the baby's mouth for an orange, cheesy growth called "canker". A white growth may be candida.
how to open a pigeon's beak
crop stasis
Crop stasis occurs when a baby pigeon's crop stays stuck and does not empty between meals. Feeding a baby pigeon soaked seeds and grains may help digestion.
healthy legs
Place a towel or blanket under the baby pigeon so his legs will grow strong and healthy. A slippery floor makes it hard for his legs to grow properly.
splayed legs
Splayed legs are a health problem that occurs when a baby pigeon's legs start growing apart from each other. If needed, there are many ways to carefully tether the baby's legs together using items from around your home.
curled toes
Vitamin B2 may help with curled toes in some cases.
entire common health symptoms list
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garlic water
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Hand-raised babies may miss getting healthy bacteria from their parents. Healthy bacteria helps pigeons digest their food and have healthy immune systems. This recipe may help build healthy gut bacteria in pigeons.
Garlic water can sometimes help a baby pigeon who is not growing, or it can help a sick pigeon.
Garlic water is
recipe
smaller batches
or
1/16 clove of garlic, 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, and 250mL (1/2 pint) of water
tips
Tip: Raw garlic is most effective when it is freshly crushed, so make this recipe fresh every day, or even twice a day
Tip: A clove is one of the small pieces in a head of garlic. The head of garlic usually contains 10-12 cloves in paper wrapping.
Tip: Apple cider vinegar reacts with metal, so use ceramic, glass, or plastic (unless the dish is made from a high quality stainless steel).
read this before you go shopping
The vinegar needs to be an unpastuerized brand to work. It should say "unpastuerized" or "with the mother" on the label and there should be some sediment on the bottom of the bottle. This is what makes it good for gut bacteria.
Raw garlic is very strong on its own, so if you can not find unpastuerized apple cider vinegar or need time to go to the store, just use raw garlic.
mixing garlic water with medicinal tea
If you are mixing garlic water with a medicinal tea, first brew the tea and cover the tea while it cools, so the good oils stay in. Once the tea is cool, add garlic and unpastuerized apple cider vinegar.
read more
garlic and racing pigeons
https://www.pigeonracingpigeon.com/...
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post on social media
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post often
Posting cute photos and videos on social media is the best way to help your baby pigeon stay healthy. It gives people the opportunity to see how he is doing and offer support.
To share photos through messages or comments, you can use an image hosting website like www.imgbb.com
focus on positive comments
Hearing about different opinions or personal experiences is always helpful, but if you recieve comments that are cruel or if someone continues to harrass you, then please ignore or block that person. There are people who target the online rescue community, especially users who seem young or emotionally vulnerable.
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adoption and sanctuaries
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adoption
City pigeons (rock pigeons) are a domestic species, so you can adopt them like a lost cat or dog.
Wood pigeons are a wild species, so the legality of helping them or keeping them may depend on your country. In some countries, a vet will sign papers for you if he is "unreleasable".
Your baby will normally have a behaviour change when he is about six months old as as he goes through puberty.
adopting your rescue pigeon
(coming soon)
sanctuaries
how to find local help
(coming soon)
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soft release
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what is a soft release?
City pigeons, or rock pigeons, are flock animals, so the most important thing about releasing a city pigeon is that there is a flock for him to join, and that flock needs to accept him. This is how he will find seeds and water stay safe outside.
The easiest way to do this is to attract a flock to your window ledge, balcony, garden, or yard by putting out seeds and water. If small birds come, then pigeons may follow them. Allow the baby to watch them outside and slowly start letting him visit them. If he can socialize and eat next to them through the window that will help.
You can also take him to a park where pigeons live and feed them together. Give them food in a long line or large area so they will not need to fight. Releasing him early in the day with a lot of food around gives him the best opportunity to bond with the flock. When possible, continue to provide food and water for a few weeks.
where do you soft release a pigeon?
When possible, try to reunite a pigeon with his family and friends by releasing him near where he was found.
If he can not be released with his flock, then look for a flock that looks healthy with nice feet, clean feathers, and large body sizes. Pick a flock that lives close by your home or work so you can visit them easily.
Make sure that he has a safe place to sleep and rest that is up high and off of the ground.
how to prepare a pigeon for soft release
If you say his name when you feed him, he will learn to fly to you when he hears it. You can also give him a treat like an unsalted sunflower seed or peanut to train him.
Before release, make sure the pigeon will eat seeds off of the ground, not just from his bowl.
Encourage him to listen to and watch pigeons through videos. You can also give him a mirror so he will get used to seeing other pigeons.
cooing noises
https://m.youtube.com/watch...
video
https://m.youtube.com/watch...
when is a pigeon ready for a soft release?
He should only be released when:
what to do after a soft release
Check back to make sure the pigeon is energetic, alert, and accepted by his flock. Bring water and food to the area often to help him settle in.
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thank you for being here
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www.helpifoundapigeon.com
