Tinkerbell update - and I sign off for a while

Wed 23rd Sept 15 – Tinkerbell was brought in yesterday late afternoon, looking at death’s door. Sodden, cold, hungry and with one eye gummed up, and the other nearly closed. Obviously I sprang into action to warm her up and look after her. I decided that no way was she going to be released for several days, and until her eyes were much better. I weighed her this morning – if I had to guess I would’ve maybe thought 170g which would be very low, but she was only 162g which is about the weight of an 8 day old squab! From my recent records, Pan weighed 204g at 10 days old – and Tinkerbell is a fully fledged pigeon with no sign of baby down or a squab’s beak and must be at least 35 days old or more. But today one eye seems a bit better.

 Tinkerbell today

 Below, the flock on the sunny roof

Thursday 24th - I am hand feeding Tinkerbell three times a day and she always has food with her in case she wants to eat on her own – and water of course. I also treat her eyes three times a day, and they are not worse but not much better I am afraid to say.

Below - the white dove is my Autumn. She is now over three years old and the oldest living surviving known dove hatched in my cote, that still visits me.

Sat. 26.915 – I had hoped that Tinkerbell would be so much better by today that I would be able to release her but such is not the case. I am surprised she is alive she is so poorly. She is practically blind and the drops don’t seem to be helping her.

There is another small grey pigeon with one bad eye that I grab and treat when I can, and a black and white one who is reasonably tame, also with one bad eye. I call her Tigerlily. The little brown one that I mentioned before never made it back.

There was an attempted hawk attack and I heard the birds fly off and went out to look around. Tigerlily was standing in the flower bed, frozen to the spot. I netted her and brought her in for eye treatment, and kept her in a while, but released her when the other birds came back. She is small and a bit skinny, but feisty and can fly. At night sometimes she sleeps under the scaffolding, which is sensible of her!

 Above, can you spot Tigerlily?

There she is!

Pan seems spooked and wants to spend more time with me, but I discourage it as he has to be a bird not a person. He came back with ruffled back feathers one time and may have had a near encounter with the hawk himself. I do leave the kitchen door open when I am around so he has a quick refuge if he needs it, or I put him in the run with Cloud and Cissie. Tinkerbell has the hutch at the moment.

Sunday 27th - 

 Tinkerbell's eyes today

Monday 28.9.15 – Tinkerbell weighs 179g today so gone up a bit. If she is still alive and I can get her to a reasonable weight I may consider taking her to the vet for her eyes.

Afternoon – she’s worse, got diarrhoea.  I doubt she will be alive tomorrow......... her toes have curled up which means the end is near. All I can do is keep her warm....

At the end of the afternoon, a few pidgie stragglers arrived – and also Tigerlily! I was pleased to see her and managed to grab her to treat her bad eye. I also stuffed a few peanuts down her, before setting her free again. She is small, and a bit thin, but obviously managing fairly well. A great little bird!

Early eve – I put Tinkerbell to bed as usual, with the snugglesafe  bottle under the padding in the bed to keep her warm, and kissed the top of her head and blessed her. I’d rather she died tonight if she can’t get better but if she does I will miss her. She responds when I talk to her, though she can’t see me, snuggles into my lap for protection and is so good and patient, but must be the poorliest bird I have ever had. It’s pathetic to see her.

Tuesday 29.9.15 – Tinkerbell was dead this morning. Just like her namesake Tink she was in the same position I left her, just frozen in time. I'm sure she just drifted quickly away. I was sad for me, as I loved having her, but not sad for her. I wished I could've made her better.

Pan is 9 weeks old today and likes to hang round with the homies more than with the main flock. He is big, good looking and still comes in at night – what more could you want from a boy?

Thursday 1.10.15 - Tigerlily is also doing well – she seems to arrive late, as she did today, but I was able to grab her, treat her bad eye (which is much improved) and make sure she gets a good feed. Like Siena and Florence, I think she will recover from the eye infection and be fine.

I won’t now be blogging til my review of the year at Christmas time, so look after yourselves until then, and thanks for reading. It is much appreciated.