Amy from Boulder Colorado has just called needing help with 2 baby Pigeons just found, Amy spoke with my wife as I was away.
Just to bring everyone up to date, I invited Amy to come to ParrotChatter so I can help her better, Soooo Amy if your out there I will try and help you the best I can.
First, there is a 24 hour time frame to return the babies to there nest (if Possible).
Next, when do they fly on there own, Pigeons fledge between 8-10 weeks.
Pigeons wien between 5-6 weeks, but to be safe, 6-7 weeks.
I understand you are moving soon, there maybe a need to take the babies along with you, I wouldn't reccomend leaving them behind at that young of age.
Please keep the babies in a cardboard box with a sealable top, poke holes for proper ventalation, would be best to bring the box into your home where the little ones will remain cool in the high heat season, I understand you have a cat and dog, maybe you could keep the babies safe within a closet.
You stated the babies are fuzzy, so I will assume they are between 4 -5 weeks old, Please see other threads here in the Pigeon-Dove forum "my newest little wonder" or "Grandmas Gem".
I use a medium sized Syringe for feeding, I use Kaytee Exact baby bird formula.
The formula should be mixed with warm water and mixed runny to prevent a impacted crop, not to warm as it will burn there crop.
I would feed your baby half a medium sized syringe every 3-4 hours, I understand you work and are away for 8 hrs, feed at least 3 times per day, maybe once when you get home andonce before you go to sleep, once before you leave for work.
Using your hand feel that the crop is empty, the crop is the chest area...
if possible you can sneek a feeding in just before you go to bed for the night.
All should be okay if you can feed them 3 times a day, as the feathers start to grow you can begin to use a full syringe during feeding time, Mixing the formula RUNNY is very important, never to hot, I go by placing my finger into the mix, it should be body tempurture, if I feel hot, then I cool it down my stiring and blowing onto the mix...
You can offer a small amount of Gatorade or mix the formula with Gatorade to assure hydration.
One can also use a baloon, fill the baloon with runny formula tie, and cut a very small slit in the baloon and stck the beak of the Pigeon into the slit and let them eat as much as they can.
If you can open there beaks and look inside you will see a small hole in the bottom of there bottom beak, when syringe feeding it will be important to get the end of the syringe past this small hole as this is there breathing hole.
I place the tip of the syringe into the throat area just up to where there upper and lower beak meet (back of the Jaw) and fill there crop with one plunge.
Hand feeding may sound hard but it really isn't.
You will also want to hold the syringe up and tap on the side to get all unwanted air to the top and push the plunger as to get all the air out.
Thank you kindly for helping these 2 little ones, If you need more help please e-mail me at
tallship30@yahoo.com
Or call, you have our number.
Arty & Rose.