Had a bird go missing 3 weeks ago from a training toss. Wrote her off.
Just showed up this morning! Thin but alive. Clearly been surviving somewhere.
How do I care for her now? Normal feeding or special treatment?
Great news! They’re tougher than we think.
Special care needed:
- Isolate her - don’t know what she picked up while away
- Light feeding first - small amounts often, not big meals
- Warm, quiet space
- Check for injuries, parasites, illness
- Fresh water with electrolytes
Birds that gorge after starvation can die from refeeding syndrome. Slow and steady for the first few days.
Definitely treat for canker and worms after she’s stabilized. She’s likely picked up parasites.
Also watch for respiratory issues. Stress weakens immune system.
Keep isolated for at least a week even if she seems healthy. Better safe than infecting your loft.
Had one come back after 6 weeks once. She fully recovered and even raced again the next season.
Pigeons are resilient. Give her time to rebuild condition. Might take a month or more before she’s back to normal weight.
Glad she made it home!