Dove with possible broken wing.

[CCsGarden]

Today, I have put both doves in the outside loft as it seems that the Laughing dove has recovered enough to start "fighting" over perch space in the cage. I take this as a very good sigh . As mentioned in my first post of this thread, it is eating and drinking on its own; and this morning it was the first one to the food bowl, so there is definitely no problem there.
I will post updated photographs of its wing soon.

These are all very good signs for sure! Did you treat the wound with anything? If it seems happy, I would just let it recover on it's own. Sounds like it's not a big injury.

 

[CCsGarden]

View attachment 3995435
The damaged right wing.

View attachment 3995436
See how it drops / hangs low.

View attachment 3995437
The rescued Cape Turtle Dove.

View attachment 3995438
Both doves in the outside bird loft which was built for the Cape Turtle Dove and other rescue birds such as this Laughing Dove.

Here is a link to an unanswered question on BYC about the bird loft. Please go have a look if you have a moment:
Bird Loft question

I hope these photographs help.

Yes, these pictures really helped! Thank you! It will most likely keep it's wing down since it may hurt when it tries too keep it up.

Hope it heals soon!

 

[R2elk]

However the damaged wing does not stretch out far and is still hanging low.

This is normal while the injury heals. After it heals it should carry it normally.

 

[Gill-b]

Did you treat the wound with anything?

Only washed it with salt water on day one.

 

[CCsGarden]

Only washed it with salt water on day one.

awesome! make sure it doesn't start too get infected. You seem too be doing a great job

 

[Gill-b]

Thank you! Shoooo... I feel much better being reassured that I am doing the right thing so far.

 

[CCsGarden]

Thank you! Shoooo... I feel much better being reassured that I am doing the right thing so far.

You're very welcome. Please let me know if you have any more questions.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

So sorry, just seeing this now. I have only experienced 1 wing injury. It was a few years ago, a wild pigeon, still very young. It is Not easy to keep a bird still, or in a wing sling, especially one that doesn't know me, nor is tame. I ended up using medical tape, the lightweight paper tape. I just used it to hold the wing in place, the tape just wrapped around in one strip width, like a loop sling, all the way around, and it stuck lightly on the feathers but held good stuck to itself, that last inch of the loop, so the bird would not preen it off. Anything else was easily removed or slid off. Then I set bird up in a small cage with food & drink, just large enough to turn around in, or scoot back a bit to poo, but not too big. I wanted to create a calm space so the bird would mostly just hunker down & not move around a lot. She was young, so I hand fed her a bit, too, as she seemed thin. After a week, I gently removed the tape by wetting with water 1st, and saw the bird held her wing up on her own. I did keep the bird in the cage another week to restrict movement, as flapping wings at that point would not be good. She seemed very calm & content, preening herself & cooing. She could stretch out her wing & did so & preened, a very good sign. After that week, I moved her to a larger 2x4 foot cage, for another week. If her wing had drooped at any point after removing tape, I would've taped again, but the wing healed nicely in the proper position. So after 3 weeks the wing seemed fine, the bird could flap & fly. As it was a youngster, I inoculated her & let her choose to stay or go. She flew around with my flock & chose to stay, flew out all day then right back into the loft with them daily. She is in the loft with my pigeons & also became friendly with me. I still have her.


Mine had no injury to skin, I'm not sure how she hurt herself, but if there had been a skin injury, I'd have cleaned the area as you did, and apply a dab of Neosporin. Honey is a wonderful substitute. You've done great!

 

[Gill-b]

Thank you, @Liz Birdlover , for responding to my "cry for help", especially for the detailed description of how you wrapped up the young pigeon's wing. I am going to bookmark it.

It is wonderful that you still have her.

 

[Gill-b]

The Laughing dove is doing well. The swelling on the wing has gone down significantly; and the once open wound has completely scabbed over and appears to be healing nicely. I am trying to handle the dove as little as possible so I have started to closely inspect its wing every other day or so, instead of daily.