My place of work has a barn on the property. The barn is home to a flock of twenty or so pigeons. There is a popular nesting spot in the rafters directly above a large concrete slab. Indy was born in this spot. When I found Indy she was being shoved out of the rafters and harassed by another bird. I didn’t see her parents anywhere nearby so I chased off the offending bird, grabbed a ladder and placed Indy back in her nest in the hopes that a parent would soon return. The offending bird had flown out of the barn.

A couple of hours later I walked past the door and heard a baby bird screaming so I looked out the window and Indy was back down on the concrete. There were two pigeons (with different coloring than the parents) going after her this time. She was screaming and trying to waddle away while they pecked at her and pulled out some of her feathers. As I ran up to chase the birds off, I realized that she had blood coming out of one eye and the other looked a little beat up as well. I didn’t know if she could take another fall to the concrete or another attack by the adult birds and there is always a risk of young birds being killed by one of my boss’ dogs so I scooped her up, put her in a small animal carrier and took her home at the end of my shift. It was near Independence Day here so I decided to call her Indy.

At home, I started hand-feeding her some Kaytee exact formula and wiped the crusted blood from around her eye. Both eyes appeared to heal nicely and never showed any sign of infection so I thought she was in the clear. However, I would find out later that she had lost her sight. This meant that she couldn’t be released back out with the flock, but that’s alright because I’ve become very attached to the little darling.

She’s been doing well and I make sure to keep everything in the same spot in her cage. Weaning her has been tough and we’re still working on it. I tried the tough love approach for a while but she started losing too much weight and still wouldn’t eat seeds. She did, however, start eating the formula out of a dish on her own, so that was an improvement.

We’ve had a little break-through recently: The last two days she’s been eating peas and a little corn that I’ve thawed out for her(by herself out of a dish). She’s also been pecking at the seeds in her cage, but either she can’t figure out how to get them to the back of her beak to swallow or she just doesn’t want to. She picks one up, tosses it around in her beak and drops it, then repeats the process until she tires of it.
She moved into a new (bigger and safer) cage last night which she seems to like. She finally figured out how to fly forward so I’m going to have to find a way to keep her from flying into things. Maybe some PGwear with a leash?

I truly enjoy having her around. She really is a sweet little thing. She likes to snuggle up to my neck when she’s on my shoulder and even gives me an occasional ‘coo.’ I think it’s cute. And that is how I came to be a piji ‘mama’ to my little Indy.

Hi CJ,

Thanks for sharing your story about your sweet Indy! She is very lucky to have been rescued by yourself and despite her loss of sight, it sounds as though she is contended and happy sharing her new way of life with you. I'm sure she will get the hang of eating on her own soon. :tongue:

You are blessed to have a pet pigeon! They are so sweet and loving when they have formed a close bond with you from a young age. My feral hen jax was hand-reared from squeaker age and I love her to bits. They change your world!

Lindi

It's so good for Indy that you're you! Blind pigeons definitely have their challenges in life. Here's a link to Unie's Story:


Unie's been with us for several years now and is family. I even hate going on vacations where we can't take her.

Thanks Lindi. They really are sweet little creatures and you're right about them changing your world. I've certainly learned a lot.

Pidgey, what a wonderful and inspirational story! Unie sounds like a very sweet and lucky bird. I totally understand not wanting to go on vacations where you can't take her with.

Well, no, not exactly sweet... often very cantankerous! Have you ever heard the stories about how Mother Theresa was? Unie's worse. However, she's family!

Hi CJ,

Thanks for sharing your story of how Indy came into your life. She sure had a bad start, but now is a very much loved pet and obviously cared for very well by yourself! Is she completely blind in both eyes or is there a possibility that she has some sight in one or both eyes?

Pidgey wrote:Well, no, not exactly sweet... often very cantankerous! Have you ever heard the stories about how Mother Theresa was? Unie's worse. However, she's family!

:lol: Well, then I guess Unie is extra lucky. And no, I haven't heard the stories about how Mother Theresa was.

Brad, she could have some sight. It's hard to tell. Both of her pupils are white and she walks right into things so she certainly can't see well, if she sees at all. Someone once suggested that I take her into a darkened room and shine a light toward her eye to see if the pupils dilated but I couldn't tell she wouldn't sit still.
I did set up an appointment with a vet to look at her eyes, but once they found out that she was a feral they refused to see her. They told me that I need a permit to keep a 'wild animal' and that they "don't treat wild animals." I immediately checked into the laws for my state and a permit is not required to keep 'wild' pigeons, starlings, or english sparrows. They still wouldn't see her and that's the only avian vet nearby.
Luckily, I recently called my regualr vet to talk to him about it and he suggested a vet clinic-it's in a neighboring state, but not too far away. So hopefully they'll let me set up an appointment.

Hi CJ,

That's a real shame that the vet wouldn't see her because she is a feral. I once had to take my Jax to the vet and she was treated as a pet pigeon regardless of how she started out in life. I don't know if all vets in my area would feel the same, but I'd like to think that most would at least see an adopted 'wild' pigeon.

I really hope that your Indy will be seen at the vet clinic suggested by your regular vet.

Lindi

Hi Critter,

I know how you feel about the vet's attitude. In the region where I live here in France I'm confronted with the same situation. Even the so called "avian vets" will not accept to see a feral pigeon. Probably they don't know very much about pigeons, anyway. It is very frustrating. I hope this clinic you mention will accept to examine Unie. Good luck, Gladys

Hi Crittter,
Were you able to take Unie to the Clinic? Would you care to update us? Many thanks, Gladys

Hello! Sorry to disappear and leave you all hanging for so long. A friend of mine was getting married, I had relatives visiting from out of state, the animal rescue I voluteer for was having a big fundraiser and I've been trying to get some fencing in before the ground freezes. :o

Indy's doing pretty well. She's just finishing a moult and has lots of nice new irredescent-looking feathers (those purple-green ones). She's developed some new behaviors too. When I take out and sit on the couch with her she'll walk around in cirles on my leg and then walk up to my stomach and 'coo' at me then she repeats it. I'm not yet fluent in pigeon-speak so I'm not sure if this is 'I'm happy' 'I'm annoyed' or something else entirely.

She's thrilled with her thawed peas and corn, but has been refusing any other veggies or fruits that I've offered her so far. She still won't eat her seeds and will even refuse to eat her peas and corn if I mix a little seed in there. She's also been refusing to eat formula out of a dish lately. Since I'm pretty sure peas and corn is not a balanced diet, she's got me a little concerned.

The vet I found has happily agreed to see Indy, so her appointment is on Monday. Hopefully the vet will be able to give me some advice/insight.

If anyone has any tips/suggestions on the whole feeding situation I'd really appreciate hearing them.

Critter wrote:Hello! Sorry to disappear and leave you all hanging for so long. A friend of mine was getting married, I had relatives visiting from out of state, the animal rescue I voluteer for was having a big fundraiser and I've been trying to get some fencing in before the ground freezes. :o

Indy's doing pretty well. She's just finishing a moult and has lots of nice new irredescent-looking feathers (those purple-green ones). She's developed some new behaviors too. When I take out and sit on the couch with her she'll walk around in cirles on my leg and then walk up to my stomach and 'coo' at me then she repeats it. I'm not yet fluent in pigeon-speak so I'm not sure if this is 'I'm happy' 'I'm annoyed' or something else entirely.

She's thrilled with her thawed peas and corn, but has been refusing any other veggies or fruits that I've offered her so far. She still won't eat her seeds and will even refuse to eat her peas and corn if I mix a little seed in there. She's also been refusing to eat formula out of a dish lately. Since I'm pretty sure peas and corn is not a balanced diet, she's got me a little concerned.

The vet I found has happily agreed to see Indy, so her appointment is on Monday. Hopefully the vet will be able to give me some advice/insight.

If anyone has any tips/suggestions on the whole feeding situation I'd really appreciate hearing them.

Sounds like you're VERY busy.......but in a good way. Indy sounds like she/he is "flirting" with you. Now, whether she's a she or a he, remains to be seen. If she's truly "mating" with you and pigeons WILL mate with their human caregiver, she'll lay an egg and then another and will fully expect you to pull you're share of nesting duties. If Indy is a male, he'll be expecting you to LAY the eggs.
Now, see what you've gotten yourself into??
All kidding aside, they will "see" (sorry ) a human as a mate. I guess only time will tell which gender you have.
Far as the food situation, all I can suggest is to keep trying to get her to eat the different seeds. Actually, peas and corn aren't THAT bad of a diet. Pigeons don't really eat fruit, so I'd just skip that part. Some say thier birds will eat some veggies, like lettuce and kale.....however, in 8 years and with over a few hundred birds at one time or another, I've never been able to get any to eat that stuff.

Since I don't think she can see, whenever I give her food I tap the dish against her breast lightly and say 'eat'. When I do this with a dish of seeds she pecks at it a few times, shakes her head to get any of the seeds out of her beak and shoves a bunch of the seed out of the dish (scattering it everywhere) for good measure.
Before her evening feedings I've been trying to put a few seeds in her beak. Sometimes she'll swallow them but she's getting a little fed up with the whole idea and one of the last times she bit me and gave me a stern talking to. (I'm pretty sure I learned some pigeon cuss words )
So if she's 'flirting' with me anyway then I'm pleased. I'd be honored to be seen as his/her mate as weird as that may sound.:lol: I just want the little bird to be happy and healthy.

The vet visit went well. The vet was very friendly and knowledgeable. He used to have pigeons himself. He says that Indy has cataracts in both eyes. He also says that she is completely blind in both eyes and he does not expect her to regain any sight in either eye because the orbs are starting to look sunken in which he says is likely from the damage they sustained(the attack by the other birds).

He ran a blood smear and said that her red and white blood cell counts, and protein levels look normal.
He took a fecal sample and I should get the results of that in a couple days (they send it our to a lab).

He said that she looks like a healthy bird and doesn't see any need for concern over her eyes as she seems to be adjusting well appears healthy and is certainly very friendly.

He gave me a few suggestions to try as far as getting her to eat pigeon feed instead of just a couple of veggies so I'll be trying those.

Thank you everyone for you suggestions and for everything else. Indy and I will certainly keep you all posted on our progress.

The results of the fecal came back negative. No parasites. Yay! We don't like icky nasty parasites.

Hi CJ,

Sorry I haven't been around much lately. Thanks for your confirmation on why you think/thought Indy was blind and now confirmed by your vet. Very good that you were able to find a compassionate and knowledgeable vet to see Indy. Glad to hear that she doesn't have any parasites either, that's a nice bit of news no matter what.

I am a new member, and read your story about Indy...... what an amazing story and hats off to you for doing what you did......I am sure that bird loves you and how rewarding it should make you feel. Again, There should be more people in this world like YOU !!! Beautiful Story ......

Thank you Carol. I really enjoyed hearing about Homie as well.