Pigeons are all around the city in huge population, so you can sometimes find an abandoned pigeon baby. If you have found one or your own pigeons have abandoned their baby, you need to care of it.
Taking care of a baby pigeon is not easy especially if you have never kept any pigeons. But with all the details that I have shared in this article, you can easily take care of the baby pigeon.
There are two basic cares that a baby pigeon needs.
- Food
- Warm housing
The food and housing requirements of baby pigeons vary with their age. Newborn baby pigeons cannot eat the same food as self-eating baby pigeons.
Similarly, newborn babies cannot keep themselves warm while fully covered (with feathers) baby pigeons can keep themselves warm. Their housing also varies with their age.
So as long as you don’t know the age of the baby, you cannot take good care of it. Check this article: Pictures of Baby Pigeon From Birth to 1st Flight and identify the age of the baby.
Once you know the age of the baby, take care of it according to the below tips shared for its age group.
1-10 days old (Newborn) Baby Pigeon Care
Newborn baby pigeons are extremely sensitive; they need to stay warm. They do not survive if their temperature drops.
It is recommended to keep the baby pigeon in an incubator. However, if you cannot arrange an incubator, keep the baby in an insulated cardboard box. Place the cardboard box in a warm room. Or you can install a 40-60W bulb on the top of the cardboard box to keep it warm.
Just make sure the baby stays at 90-100 degrees Fahrenheit temperature.
Add 2-3 inches of wood shaving, dried grass, or any other kind of nesting material inside the box. It helps keep the baby dry as the nesting material absorbs its poop and also makes the box more comfortable.
At this age, it cannot feed itself so you need to hand-feed the baby pigeon. Check this article on how to hand-feed a baby pigeon and how to make a feeder and feeding formula at home.
You can either make the feed and feeder at home or buy from any pet store. Usually at this age, you need to feed it 3-4 times a day.
Make sure you change the nesting material at least once every 2-3 days. Cleanliness is essential to keep the baby healthy. Also, ensure there are no insects in the box.
Also, protect the baby pigeon from mosquitoes as they can cause pigeon pox. You can either keep the baby pigeon inside a mosquito net or you can spray mosquito killer in the room where you are keeping the baby. Make sure you don’t spray a lot.
30-45 Days Old (Fully Covered) Baby Pigeon Care
If the baby is fully covered with feathers, the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit and there are no mosquitoes, you can keep it in a regular cage. Otherwise, keep it in a cardboard box as explained above.
Since at this age, baby pigeons can walk around, and start eating, they need more space and food to eat. You can put seed and grain mix, the same diet that adult pigeons eat in their cage along with water in a pot.
Even though baby pigeons start eating at this age but they are not yet independent. They eat just a bit, and that too once or twice a day. So you still need to hand-feed them. However, now they don’t need to be fed 3-4 times, you can feed them just 2 times a day.
Also, keep a check on their stomach. If it is always full, you don’t need to feed them at all.
45-60 Days Old (Flying-aged) Baby Pigeon Care
By this age, the baby pigeons start eating on their own and no longer need to be hand-fed. However, they are still vulnerable to weather stress and other factors that can discourage them to eat. So keep them under observation and if they don’t eat, hand-feed them no more than once a day.
60+ Days Old (Independent) Baby Pigeon Care
By the time, the baby pigeon turns 2 months old, it is completely independent and can fly well. If your baby pigeon seems healthy and eats on its own, it is time to release it. However, if the climate is cold, I recommend keeping it for at least another 1 month.
This is because baby pigeons are vulnerable to catching colds and falling sick. Moreover, when a baby pigeon is released outside, it has no place to go. Sudden changes in temperature and place can cause weather stress in baby pigeons.
Anyways, after you release the baby pigeon, it might keep coming back to your home. Place a pot of seed mix and water so it has plenty of food to eat even if it doesn’t find food outside.
Other Recommendations.
Take the baby pigeon to an avian for a detailed health checkup. Or if you can’t join any local pigeon hobby group on Facebook or any other platform, connect with pigeon keepers.
There are many clubs and communities in the pigeon hobby that help guide new pigeon keepers. So you can take guidance from them if you need any further help.
What If You Can‘t Take Care of the Baby Pigeon?
If you are unable to take care of a baby pigeon for any reason, call the rescue department. They will pick up the baby and take care of it until the baby grows.
You can also contact local pigeon keepers and pigeon clubs, they also adopt orphaned and abandoned baby pigeons. Check this article on 16 Platforms That Sell Fancy Pigeons Online in the USA to find and contact a local pigeon keeper near you.
Final Thoughts
Aside from keeping the baby pigeons well-fed and warm, also make sure you keep them out of the reach of cats and other pets.
Also, make sure you release the baby pigeon only after it has grown enough to take care of itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you touch baby pigeons?
Yes, you can. It is safe. But always wash your hands before and after touching the baby pigeon. This helps keep both of you safe.
How long can baby pigeons survive without their mother?
Baby pigeons can survive without the mother pigeon if they are kept warm and hand-fed as explained in this article. Otherwise, they cannot survive for more than a day especially if they are cold.
How to save a baby pigeon from dying?
Keep it warm and hand-feed it. Otherwise, call rescue departments to rescue the baby pigeon.
Bilal is a freelance writer and a content creator. He has been in the pigeon hobby for over 15 years. His deep interest in pigeon keeping enabled him to explore the development of various pigeon breeds and share them with the community.
