Questions about taking care of a baby pigeon?

Question

Some of us found a baby pigeon at work, and we decided someone should take it home and try to take care of it. If we left it, it would have just been killed. We work in a manufacturing plant, and it wanted to stay around a high traffic area. There wasn't anything around that would have been a safe place to sit it. Feel bad for taking it now, but it was the only way to save it.

It has feathers and hops around, so I think its a fledgling, but not sure how to feed it. I tried an eyedropper with some corn meal, and a little bit of honey and banana. Read on one website that they are fruit and grain eaters, and it suggested honey or sugar with water as a emergency meal.

It didn't really want to eat. Was that the right way?

My wife is freaking out, saying I should take it to a vet because we have kids. She wonders if it can give the kids any strange illness. I would imagine as long as we wash our hands, and keep the cage clean, it should be ok. Any help on this?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Pigeons are seed eaters only. They will eat greens sometimes. Find either some wild bird food or pigeon mix. Take a few  pieces of grain and put it in the birds mouth. Then take an eye dropper and give it a few drops of water. It takes a while but once the baby learns the procedure it gets easier. The baby should wean out about the same time that the feathers grow in under the wing. Those are the last feathers that grow in.

Answer 2

keep them by water,and make sure it has fhish.

Answer 3

the baby pigeon will not give your children any strange illness, but they shouldn't handle the bird to begin with.  it sounds cruel, but you should have left it where you found it.  if it is a fledgling, the parents should have been taking care of it.  you can always try to find a wildlife rehabber in your area to see if they will take over the care of the bird.

Answer 4

Here's what you can do if you'd like. Just follow the directions on this page:

http://pigeoncote.com/vet/feedbaby/feedb...

If the youngster already has feathers about 3/4 grown, he may even be able to feed himself somewhat. Put some small seed on the table - the roundness will help set off his pecking instinct. Big thing is water, he needs it in a cup or bowl at least an inch (2.54 cm) deep. Pigeons drink by suction.

If you don't have time to tube him, you can even just hand feed him (his beak is large but soft and not any sort of a threat to anything at all.)

Yes, adult pigeons feed a type of food called pigeon milk (however DO NOT feed the bird cow's milk or any other mammal milk. - it ain't the same thing and the bird has no lactase to digest the milk sugars and it will make him sick)