Sick pigeons

[mellors]

Out yesterday I found several sick pigeons along one of the tracks at the side of a shelter belt. The last couple of weeks I've found quite a few in different areas just sat on the floor looking very sick and have dispatched them. Speaking to one of the farmers he said there had been a report from the NFU that a farmer around the Gainsborough area had found a considerable number the same. I remember some years ago a report of the same which they attributed to a bumper crop of acorns. 

Anyone else noticed this. 

[ditchman]

we seem to get this very same thread every year...............

which is good.........as we are monitering the health of our pigeon population....it seems to come down to ...2 things 

1. over eating some foods
2. a pest or desease that is about at this time of year

dont think it is anything sinister...just the way of the world and the seasons cycle...............

[Teal]

Huge acorn year - there will be a lot of pigeons dying this winter from Trichomoniasis. As per above it's not the only cause, but very likely. Found a few sick and dead ones here already. If you grab one it will have no meat on the breast as it is unable to feed.

[mellors]

12 minutes ago, Teal said:

Huge acorn year - there will be a lot of pigeons dying this winter from Trichomoniasis. As per above it's not the only cause, but very likely. Found a few sick and dead ones here already. If you grab one it will have no meat on the breast as it is unable to feed.

Trichomoniasis. Think that's the human one. 

Found this one. You learn every day. 

[Teal]

Trichomonas is the protozoan, Trichomoniasis is the disease it causes.

[mellors]

8 minutes ago, Teal said:

Trichomonas is the protozoan, Trichomoniasis is the disease it causes.

Trichomoniasis is a type of sexually transmitted infection caused by a tiny parasite.

---

Symptoms of trichomoniasis include pain when peeing, sore or itchy genitals, and abnormal discharge from your vagina or penis.

 

Trichomoniasis can usually be treated with antibiotics. You can get treatment from a sexual health clinic or GP.

 

Trichomoniasis is usually spread by having sex without a condom or sharing sex toys. 

 

Hope it's not transferred looks mighty painful. 🙄

[Teal]

Trichomonas gallinae is the one you should be interested in, and you linked to above. The disease it causes is called Trichomoniasis in pigeons as per above.

You are looking at Trichomonas vaginalis, which is not relevant here.

[JDog]

38 minutes ago, Teal said:

Trichomonas gallinae is the one you should be interested in, and you linked to above. The disease it causes is called Trichomoniasis in pigeons as per above.

You are looking at Trichomonas vaginalis, which is not relevant here.

 

I am sure that a number of PW members will have had experience in dealing with T. vaginalis.

[old'un]

we get birds in our garden every year with canker, mainly pigeons, tends to-be more prevalent in flock birds like pigeons.

[Gas seal]

I spotted three last week along the same tree line. I was told by a farmer friend it’s toxins in the acorn and it can make horses ill. I’ve seen this in pigeon before we were told that they were drunk and fell off their perch. It could be that some pigeons can’t digest the acorns and they will starve , it must take a lot of grit to grind a crop full of acorns .  I kept pigeons a a schoolboy and l can’t get over how many acorns a woodpigeon can  swallow. I expect a lot more pigeons to be affected this year as we have a lot of acorns and more pigeons . When finding dead or dying birds, it’s best not to handle them. It could be a type of avian flu and if suspected it should be reported. I have seen pigeons sick and dying with a crop full of rape the crops were tightly packed but the pigeons couldn’t digest it. I’ve noticed town woodpigeon eating bread and scraps with feral pigeons for a few years now I hope they don’t catch disease from them. I was told about diseases and how the fine dust from pigeons can get to your lungs when handing pigeons, in my loft, by a old guy puffing on his woodbine . I didn’t take much notice of him. The acorns could have more (toxins) in them if they are still growing on the tree or they are fresh, or they may ferment when on the ground. Or maybe they are just front heavy and just fly in circles until they hit a tree. 

[ditchman]

ive seen pigeons mutherless on fermented apples.................that is funny................lost all their dignity.............totally slaughted

[Walker570]

Used to find quite a few , just skin and bone with a crop full of ivy berries. Never come across the problem with acorns.

The two which sit on the bird feeder trays by my back door are almost too fat to fly, feasting on sunflower seeds, wheat, kibbled maize and a variety of small birds seed.

[Gas seal]

 When I kept pigeons I had a few rollers/ Tipplers, they would fly high and drop and roll at the same time, when my friends saw them for the first time they couldn’t believe it. I use to joke that they were always drunk. The local pigeon flyers didn’t like them in case there pigeon followed the rollers as racers Couldn’t pull up and would hit the house roof. It would be a good idea if shooters would take notes of diseased birds as not many people have access to the places were they fall. Some years I have seen dozens of pigeons just walking under the tree or perched in trees. There must have been a lot in the area at the time. When shooting pigeon on rape in the winter on very wet and windy days they would sit on the next wheat field. I have had them walking to the rape to feed.They would fly to the front of the flock but most would walk. The crops were full of rape and some of the pigeons looked to be on their last legs. I don’t think the (flock) pigeons recover well after the winter .the local pigeons do better. In the early nineties I checked the condition of pigeons and weighed the pigeons and crop content. Most were young birds in poor condition. I found a lot of dead birds that year and most had a full crop.

[Gas seal]

Hi walker 570 . re ivy berries My friend feeds his cat pigeons breast once a week , One day it didn’t eat them and he noticed the pigeons had been feeding on ivy berries . He gave it meat from another bird and it ate it all.   Ivy berries could have a toxin.    I don’t feed pigeon ,that have fed on rape in winter, to my ferrets  And he won’t feed them to his cat.

 

 

 

 

[old'un]

19 hours ago, Gas seal said:

Hi walker 570 . re ivy berries My friend feeds his cat pigeons breast once a week , One day it didn’t eat them and he noticed the pigeons had been feeding on ivy berries . He gave it meat from another bird and it ate it all.   Ivy berries could have a toxin.    I don’t feed pigeon ,that have fed on rape in winter, to my ferrets  And he won’t feed them to his cat.

 

 

 

 

Can I ask why you don't feed your ferrets with pigeons that have eaten rape?

[Gas seal]

Hi old un , after feeding on rape leaves for a while it taints the meat . I always pluck and clean the birds before giving them to the ferrets it’s cleaner and better for them and me when cleaning the hutch. When cleaning winter pigeons they really smell of bad cabbage. I don’t eat the pigeons shot in late winter they don’t look healthy . These pigeons are the birds from the large flocks that move about the country they are always small and don’t look good. I keep birds in the freezer for ferret food but I don’t use the birds from late winter. I don’t think they would harm ferrets , but it wouldn’t do them much good. The cats eat cut up pigeon breast but won’t touch  winter pigeons. Maybe they think we are feeding them veggie pigeons.

[old'un]

55 minutes ago, Gas seal said:

Hi old un , after feeding on rape leaves for a while it taints the meat . I always pluck and clean the birds before giving them to the ferrets it’s cleaner and better for them and me when cleaning the hutch. When cleaning winter pigeons they really smell of bad cabbage. I don’t eat the pigeons shot in late winter they don’t look healthy . These pigeons are the birds from the large flocks that move about the country they are always small and don’t look good. I keep birds in the freezer for ferret food but I don’t use the birds from late winter. I don’t think they would harm ferrets , but it wouldn’t do them much good. The cats eat cut up pigeon breast but won’t touch  winter pigeons. Maybe they think we are feeding them veggie pigeons.

Ok thanks, must say I have not noticed the actual meat smelling of bad cabbage, the crop, yes.

When I kept ferrets I used to feed them pigeons shot on winter rape, it did not seem to do them any harm.

[Gas seal]

Hi yes it wouldn’t do them harm but when the cats left them l wouldn’t give them to the ferrets. Maybe a few months of eating rape their crop went sour. The town or City pigeons are healthy. We find more town pigeons feeding on winter rape. It could be down to bird tables made pigeon or squirrel proof. These birds are different to the large flocks ,they don’t feed solely on rape and a lot heavier. I don’t know how the big flocks survive the winter. A lot of them must die in the roost at night.