Hookbills on baby pigeons - What to do?

I've got a question about what to do with a hookbill on a baby pigeon?


At the rescue centre where I work we received a baby pigeon with a very pronounced hookbill. We have been feeding her and she's grown but she doesn't know how to eat seed. She wants to eat seed but cannot seem to figure out that she needs to open her beak wider than normal to be able to pick up the seed. We cannot trim the beak too much because of the shape of her beak (the 'quick' so to speak extends down quite a bit).

As anyone else come across a baby pigeon with a hookbill before?

Any suggestions on what to do? ... At the moment it seems that this little squeaker is going to need a permanent home. I will keep trying to teach her how to eat seed but all she wants to do is squeak at me, not pay attention to what my hands are doing. With time I guess she'll learn but I just thought I'd ask you lovely people if you have any ideas.

(Here's her original story: http://www.pigeonsaspets.co.uk/?p=737)

My Sammy pigeon has a hook beak due to injury/attack form my parrot, several years ago. I keep his beak trimmed back although he can still eat when the beak is slightly hooked.

With this baby, I think you need to start trimming the beak but be careful not to cause the beak to bleed. You will need to get the beak in more normal shape over time.
It might be best to have a vet trim the first time.
The beak will need to be trimmed the life of the bird and so this bird we need to be permanently placed.
You might try popping the defrosted peas and corn to get her eatting on her own. Because they are soft, they are a good way to wean a youngster.

Oh my, what a little doll baby she is.
She really does have a hookbill beak.

Once she begins to eat on her own, I would suggest placing the seeds in a deep dish, in the event she has trouble picking up the seeds while you are working on her beak.

Matilda wrote:

My Sammy pigeon has a hook beak due to injury/attack form my parrot, several years ago. I keep his beak trimmed back although he can still eat when the beak is slightly hooked.

With this baby, I think you need to start trimming the beak but be careful not to cause the beak to bleed.

You will need to get the beak in more normal shape over time.
It might be best to have a vet trim the first time.
The beak will need to be trimmed the life of the bird and so this bird we need to be permanently placed.
You might try popping the defrosted peas and corn to get her eatting on her own. Because they are soft, they are a good way to wean a youngster.

When I 'trim' our guys nails I file them down using an emory board because I'm so leary of cutting too close and causing a bleed. Could the same be applied to trimming the beak?

Matilda wrote:

With this baby, I think you need to start trimming the beak but be careful not to cause the beak to bleed. You will need to get the beak in more normal shape over time. It might be best to have a vet trim the first time. The beak will need to be trimmed the life of the bird and so this bird we need to be permanently placed.
You might try popping the defrosted peas and corn to get her eatting on her own. Because they are soft, they are a good way to wean a youngster.

Thank you! I will get started on this tomorrow. The poor darling is so eager to be fed that she is a bit hyper. She has tried to pick up seed before but kept knocking her beak against the seed instead of opening her beak to pick them up. Oh well, with time she may learn.

Fancyfeathers wrote:

Once she begins to eat on her own, I would suggest placing the seeds in a deep dish, in the event she has trouble picking up the seeds while you are working on her beak.

Will do! Thank you.

Fancyfeathers wrote:

When I 'trim' our guys nails I file them down using an emory board because I'm so leary of cutting too close and causing a bleed. Could the same be applied to trimming the beak?

I guess it could apply. But I think it would take longer to do than nails.

It's going to take a while to get that beak in shape.
Do you have a vet that works with the rescue?

Matilda wrote:

It's going to take a while to get that beak in shape.
Do you have a vet that works with the rescue?

No. We use a local veterinary surgery. But I will see if I can get the pigeon to the avian vet specialist.

Please do keep us posted.