Injured fledgling wood pigeon

[jmc007]

Hi there, yesterday late afternoon I found a fledging wood pigeon in our back garden and straight away I realised it had been injured by cats.
Our garden seems to be the local congregation point for the local feline populous and what had always been one of my favourite animals, has now become a lot less in my favour.
The first thing I noticed at trying to pick the pigeon up, was as it flapped its wings, that it was severely damaged and alot of flesh was on view under both wings. Also slight damage to the back and neck. Straight away, putting it out of its misery came to mind as I did not know what to do for the best. Thankfully my Father was visiting and he advised getting it safe in a box of towels in the shed overnight.
Oh I forgot to say when I first saw the bird, there was a bluebottle on it's back.
This morning I went to see how the little fellow was, to be honest believing him/her to be most likely dead. Though was out of the box and walking around the shed.
After a little research I decided to try and force feed him with some warm baby porridge, though unsucessful. Basically because he/she was too strong.
I then decided to do some more research and came across this post by pdpbison.
So I decided to bring the little fella inside and get a bit closer.
After getting him (I think it is a him, don't ask me why?) cupped in my hands and feeling safe, I then noticed a few tiny maggots crawling from the very slight damage to feathers on his back. Oh my God no I thought and then instead of giving up took him to the bathroom, where he happily sat in my hand while I removed the very small maggots in the sink. Where they were on his back they had no wound to get into, as there was only a bloody feather. I am worried and hope they don't get to the wounds under his wings. I believe the fly I saw was the only fly to lay eggs and luckily they hadn't got to the very servere wounds under each wing.
I haven't got him to eat yet and am looking for some advise now.

[Pipa]

i'm no expert but if it has such bad wounds under his wings then it's probably going to need vet treatment/antibiotic as it will likely get an infection from the cat bites it suffered

[jmc007]

I guess you are right. With it not bleeding now and still being alive I guess no major internal organs are injured and it may have a chance? I will seek a nearby vet and do some calls now.

[~T~]

Originally Posted by jmc007

I guess you are right. With it not bleeding now and still being alive I guess no major internal organs are injured and it may have a chance? I will seek a nearby vet and do some calls now.

Yep a vet or wildlife rescue centre is your only hope as infection/fly strike will most likely set in very soon. Hope they little guy makes it.

[jmc007]

Thank you.
Well he has had a couple of feeds tonight, blended budgie seed and some milk, warmed slightly. Put it in a baby bottle teat and he was quite vigorous in eating some, sticking his beak right in. He's had two of these and was on my lap in my hands. He even preened himself slightly then started to doze. So I have put him in a box with towels next to the radiator in the bathroom, where it is quietest and just hope for the best now untill I can take him to a nearby vets in the morning who take indigenous wild animals.
Again thanks.
Good night, God bless.


Well just went to take a picture of him in the box and the little fella is wide awake and perched on the edge of the box. Maybe because it was brighter in the bathroom?
Will see if he will eat some more and when it gets darker see if he will settle down on his own.

[~T~]

That's good he is looking brighter and feeding though (and I could be wrong here) I don't think you are supposed to give birds milk as they can't digest it.

[Pipa]

AWW he's so cute i hope the little fella makes it, please keep us posted on his progress

and T is right, i remember reading somewhere not to give wild birds milk
here it isfrom RSPB website

quote "Never give milk to any bird. A bird's gut is not designed to digest milk and it can result in serious stomach upsets, or even death. Birds can, however, digest fermented dairy products such as cheese."

i would use warm water to soak/blend the seed instead of the milk

GOOD LUCK! keeping my fingers crossed he gets a chance to get back out to the wild

[jmc007]

Oh; I had been using a little skimmed milk to blend the seed into a paste and found he was only taking a little. Since I last posted I had been warming a little of the paste in the teat in the microwave and then adding water to get it cool and really watery. Since then he has had five feeds from the teat, taking more than ever. Kind of glad I watered it with pure water and not milk now.
Wish us luck for tomorrow.

*Edit. Thanks ~T~ and Pipa for his morning feed before the vets I shall blend the seed purely with water.
Thanks again.

[werdnal]

I have raised a couple of woody babies before. At the age yours is, you can give him seed mixed moistened with water - no need to blend it. I usually wrap then in a towel as it stops them struggling. Sit it on your lap and with one hand gently ease open its beak, tilt its head back and using a small spoon literally tip some seed into its beak. Then let the beak close and it will swallow it. They will take a surprising amount of seed. Wash down with some water - I use a small syringe with a short piece of fine tubing, as you need to get the water into its throat, and not down its windpipe which is in the base of the beak.

As you are taking to the vet tomorrow, you might not need to feed much more, but I would 2nd not to use milk as birds cannot digest it. The term "pigeon milk" which the parents feed them is a misnomer, as its a porridge of partly digested seed that they regurgitate, and there is no actual milk involved.

We keep domestic pigeons too, and they are suprisingly tough creatures. We have had one attacked by a sparrowhawk that had horrible injuries and with some tender care it fully recovered. Good on you for doing your best to help it.

[posie]

..And please do let us know how you get on at the vet's, and afterwards of course....Posie..