# Baby wood pigeon



## Jacqueline hyde (Aug 4, 2015)

Hi everyone I am a brand new member hoping to get some help with my baby wood pigeon. We found him under a tree fallen from his nest along with his sibling that sadly was already dead, he was very very cold and had only yellowish fluff hardly any feathers so I,m guessing he was about four or five days old he was very distressed displayed by the wide gaping mouth but I warmed him and put him on a blanket on a warm hot water bottle untill he was showing signs of recovery, i quickly found out how to feed him and he took food greedily from a plastic bag with the corner cut off. He has thrived and is now fully feathered and feeding himself from the food I prepare for him three times a day. He is very very tame allows us to pick him up. We have had him 18 days. When I put him into the garden he walks around the grass pecking contentedly stays mainly on the ground but will then fly up onto the window sill and look into the window if I open the window he will come inside. When it gets dusk I put him into a large cardboard box with a grid in the side. In the morning when the box is opened he will fly up the the top edge of the box and happily sit there all day. My problem is how to encourage him to go to freedom, I do put him in the garden but he doesn't seem to want to leave and we also live next to a main road which worries me because he see,s our car come home into the garage where his box is every day and he has no fear of cars, or of people. Any advise on how to give him his freedom would be appreciated


----------



## jill3 (Feb 18, 2009)

Sorry if this is a bit late but I have only just seen your thread.
I would give a wildlife hospital a call and ask them for advice. Or failing that someone that keep birds.


----------



## pepey05 (Aug 25, 2015)

Hi 
The exact same thing happened to us at the weekend. Same age and circumstances. The squab is feeding very well but already sees myself as mummy! We have already decided to keep him as a pet. I rescued a seagull a few years ago but he was older so released him but Lucky,we've named him,we will keep as he will have no predator fear. Would you consider this? I have always kept birds and rescued them but this is my first rearing. Good luck whatever your choice


----------



## Dustyfluff (Aug 20, 2015)

Good luck with your rearing! When lucky gets big enough, you could buy him 'squeaker mix' which is the pigeon feed you give to fledgling racing/homing pigeons. Its got none of the bigger, harder to eat grains in it.

Good on you for rescuing him! The rspca doesn't tend to take pigeons as they are a 'nuisance' breed nor would a wildlife trust I expect, so its nice someone is willing to help them aww. Its wonderful hand rearing a bird isn't it.


----------



## pepey05 (Aug 25, 2015)

Thank you so much for your kind reply. Yes looked on line and many suppliers for this. Different prices so will choose the best. I have two questions: 
When do they perch, as I am a little unsure if one foot isn't damaged 
I have other birds in the house, how long do I need them in separate rooms? Or are they ok as long as they are not in the same cage
Thanks 
Jules


----------



## Dustyfluff (Aug 20, 2015)

I couldn't say with regards to how long before they will perch, hand reared birds tend to take longer to do stuff. But if you are concerned he is struggling with a foot you could try putting his foot on your finger to see if he will grip. Birds feet can be splinted carefully if necessary, but they do heal up quite well on their own (think of all the one foot pigeons you see in town managing ok!!)

Its best to maintain quarantine for a few weeks, but so long as the bird doesn't have mites and is doing normal looking poops they should be ok in the same room. Just grab a bottle of anti mite spray if you aren't sure and spray everyone and all their nests etc, babies can get pretty scabby if mites get to them.


----------



## pepey05 (Aug 25, 2015)

Hi just a quick update. Lucky is now 4 weeks old and doing great. He is far too tame to release so a new pet we have. He is very friendly and loves cuddles. Still likes to be hand fed but is eating peas now. Moving him onto squeaker mix this week. Will keep you posted


----------



## Dustyfluff (Aug 20, 2015)

Aww excellent! Bless you for looking after him!


----------



## Charity (Apr 17, 2013)

Well done, that's lovely.


----------



## pepey05 (Aug 25, 2015)

Thanks guys! He really is adorable or she! It is really hard to get him weaned but then I know everything takes longer in captivity. He just loves being hand fed


----------



## Dustyfluff (Aug 20, 2015)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pigeon-Leg-Splints-Packet-of-2-/161748596418?hash=item25a8f7b6c2
Saw these pigeon leg splints if you still think the bird has a bad leg. I have been going through the bird medicine section of ebay as I have a sick zebra finch.

When I hand reared my finches, they took a month longer to wean to feeding themselves after their bird reared brother! Just having offerings of delicious stuff like chopped spinach/ lettuce, wax worms, seeds about in his cage he may start to peck at it between feeds from you.


----------



## BrackenFlight (Mar 9, 2015)

Hello,

My family used to raise and race pigeons we had about 30 of them at one point. The reason why pigeons were used to send messages in war times, and why we race them as a sport is because piggeons have a natural homing ability. They have an instinct where they know where home is.
We had a pigeon shed in our garden, we opened the doors in the morning and they all flew out for the day, completly free to go where they want and do as they wished, and because of their homing instinct they all come home for the night.
We even used to go across to france and race them back over the channel, all the way back to our little garden in england, and all of them came home everytime, except for one who went missing, but turned up back in our garden 3 years later! We think someone tried to keep him as a pet because his ring was cut off and his feathers were all bashed up. :c
It's wonderful because they can littereally be free, and yet always come home, this is the reason why your bird was hanging around the house still. When he is old enough to find his own food, you should build a pigeon shed, throw seed out in the garden every day, and train him to go in and out of the shed.
On another note, I wouldnt mix a wild born bird with pet birds, due to dieseased and parasites it may carry - also depending on what birds you have, they may bully him/her for being different.
I've seen whole flocks of birds gang up on an individual and peck it to death. :c

Good luck with your pretty pigeon though! :3


----------



## pepey05 (Aug 25, 2015)

Well its been four months since we rescued Lucky! I am pleased to say he is doing really well and very happy. We registered him as a pet and got him ringed. He loves sitting and watching TV with us. Very large boy though! Anyway photo of him


----------

