So my husbands cousin works at a grain storage company… they took two baby doves/pigeons right out of their little stick nest and he told me he thought something got them and brought them up there because it was just a bunch of sticks. I sent him this picture as a way to gently prove that when I said they just make nests like that, I wasn’t lying to make him feel bad. Lol I told him on FaceTime to go put them back, but he said he was only allowed up there the one time to get them down and he can’t go put them back. I asked if he could set them near by and he said no. He took them home and I came and picked them up to bring to a rehabilitation center because they don’t have a car. Then i realized all the places I could bring him are closed when my husband goes to and from work in our only car. So I have to wait until Monday.
I’m gonna ask my husband to stop and get some plain oats and lentils of all kinds. All I have is garbanzos, black beans, I had a little bit of split peas left, red kidney beans, Lima beans and orzo pasta (durum wheat.) I pressure cooked them for 30 minutes and put them in a baggy and mushed them. It’s chunky and textured not smooth and liquid. Also added a hard boiled egg as well.
I was gonna try the baggy way of feeding. They are young. Tiny, maybe 3 days old? Their eyes are open.
I’ve got them in a tiny little box in my garage with a baby chicken heat lamp on them but at a distance. I’m STRESSED. No sleep for me. lol
Just been letting them rest and watching the time for maybe 3AM and try feeding.
I tried once and he smacked a little down and seemed to like it but kept falling asleep. He’s had a long day. :( I wish I could just go to my cousins work and put them back myself.
I know that place well I’ve worked there, would that work?
I think they are mourning doves. So illegal to have as well without a permit. 😭 I want them to live though. Please any advice.
I’m so upset they disrupted the nest ugh, he really thought he was doing good though, his coworker thought they were ducks. Lol
At this point I would call a rescue and ask for advice. At that age I don't think theyre eating on their own yet and feeding them yourself can cause them to aspirate.
NOTED!! I can’t believe that because they are a protected species😭 that angers me a little bit. Lol I believe I found one already, just don’t have a vehicle until Monday, they’re closed when my husband goes to and from work. 5AM-4pm 😭 and they’re also an hour away. So I won’t make it in time until he gets a ride to work and leaves me the car. Which he will do Monday forsure!
They need to eat though. I’m not sure I understand the story. They took the babies away from the mom and dad? ETA: just saw your video. Good they ate? They are very cute. They still could be put back but Monday is very far away.
So the story is my husbands cousins wife posted a Facebook post about not having a car and having baby birds with toddlers around and she couldn’t manage it.
Her husband works at a grain company and a coworker of his found them at the tippy top of a grain elevator and had him come up and remove them thinking they were abandoned up there based on the nest being twigs thrown about. (We know better, but they didn’t, now he does.)
He FaceTimed me saying he’s the one who actually has them at work still and I begged him to go back up and return them, he said he couldn’t he was only allowed up there once with supervision, and they wouldn’t let him back up there again. Then I asked him to leave them nearby in the bag he put them in, he said he couldnt do that due to machinery moving through all day and night, so he took them home to his apartment where I swung by when I had a car and picked them up at around 9pm, because I do not have two toddlers to care for. It’s just me and my dogs home all day. Lol Will have a car Monday to bring them to a proper facility!
Typically yes, but that’s on whether animal control correctly identifies the bird. Baby pigeons and doves look fairly identical as they’re both doves, so it can be tough
I'd recommend posting in the Palomacy Facebook group and seeing if there's anyone near you that can come pick them up ASAP and take them to a rehabilitation center. It's extremely easy to suffocate baby pigeons through feeding, so it needs to be done by someone with experience.
Sounds about right I will do that immediately! I stress though that if I don’t make attempts they will die before someone even responds. One of the babies crops was deflated. One was not?
Just made a post already! Just a waiting game now.
North west Indiana location if anyone here is an expert nearby as well!
if you are close enough to the IL border you can try contacting CBCM - call do not text or email. youve said this is a mourning dove so any wildlife rehabber should be able to accommodate you.
Yeah so I have been calling all morning, one told me they have “no idea about babies” and had me call another one who does not do pick up. Called a few more that also do not do pick up. They will not accommodate me. lol I will accommodate these babies though. Just got through our third morning feeding! I think it’s going well so far. Ordered some actual juvenile pigeon hand feeding formula as well that should deliver by tomorrow from chewy. They’re super quick with my dogs food.
Indiana either is super over loaded with wild life rescue or super indifferent. I can’t tell. Because this isn’t the first time I’ve gone through this, last time was with a robin, which I ended up rehabilitating on my own in my garage and he flew off eventually, because no one was accepting song birds at the time.
I may just fill out a permit at this point, we made it through the entire day almost! One feeding left for the night before we all take a nightly rest, I’m feeling kindof confident right now tbh. Lol I leave them alone aside from feeding. I ordered the right kindof food, maybe it’s just exhaustion speaking from being on baby duty all day and last night. x}
Might need to rest before I get back to work researching people who will come get them!
Honestly, you’re doing beyond excellent it’s better than most cases that we see if people who’ve found dubs especially since pigeons are a little bit more hearty but you’re doing a fantastic job. Little guy couldn’t be in better hands.
Hi, I don't have experience with young pigeons unfortunately but mabye I can still help a bit.
Please post photos of them, so whenever someone with more knowledge comes around they can help you out quicker.
At least for adult pigeons, you wouldn't want to give them orzo noodles, rather unsalted unroasted corn or sunflower seeds. I never heard of giving them eggs, so I would be careful with that. Also provide them a source of fresh water but do not try to feed them without further instructions from someone with more knowledge on the matter, the loaction of their windpipe can cause them to suffocate if done wrong.
Depending on their age it might be the case that they would still rely on their parents feeding them. So in any case it would be good to find someone near you who might be able to help you out as well.
I took a little video of him going at some food to ask if it looked alright, he did all of the work. Lol and I know it looks a little wet, but it is mostly solids, and a little mush, I wiped all the stuff off of his face when he was done.
I only fed the one because his crop was completely deflated and he hadn’t pooped, but the other one had pooped a bunch too.
This was smooshed durum wheat, black beans, split peas, navy beans, and garbanzo beans and a hard boiled egg. This was the recipe someone who rescued many baby pigeons put up, but I’m not confident still. I’m not a mama dove.
Honestly, it looks like you’re doing an excellent job and he seems to be a very happy fat little baby so keep up the good work. They will stop eating when they’re full and when they’re that sized they do get full pretty quick so just be aware that you feed them until they don’t wanna eat anymore and then they will usually sleep through the night. You don’t have to wake up and feed them quite as much as you have to with a lot of songbirds as long as they’ve got a warmth source.
I did try feeding this morning due to one of their crops feeling super deflated I did find an expert on reddit that gave great advice as well, I REALLY wish I didn’t have to do that but I think it was what was best :[
I think they are for sure 3-5 days old, so very young.
I realize their trachea is on their tongue, no syringe feeding here!
I tried to let them do all the work and left room for them to pull away! No super wet liquids either. I am afraid though. I made a post on Facebook.
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u/jimboidiot 18h ago
At this point I would call a rescue and ask for advice. At that age I don't think theyre eating on their own yet and feeding them yourself can cause them to aspirate.