Everyone Post Your Pigeon Pics!!!!!

[pigeons4me]

my silver pair has one young one, and they are so excited they are both sitting on it!!

 

[biophiliac]

Awwww!

 

[NathanZee]

I think so, but honestly I wouldn't know what to look for to determine if they weren't. They appear pretty nervous when I open the door to the loft. They are reluctant to enter the aviary, but do so from time to time. I have never seen them eating food yet, but they are pooping everywhere, so I assume they are eating. They have been aloof to me when I approach them, but I'm hoping to change that. Although I was told that pigeons mostly hang on perches, not nest boxes, and only use nest boxes when breeding/setting, etc, I have noticed my squeakers mostly sit in the next boxes, but occasionally I'll find one on a v perch.

Okay, if you spend lots of time in there with them they will tame quickly!

They must be eating then! As someone else said though it's best to give them regulated meals.

When they are older they will probably use the perches more.

 

[LamarshFish]

If you have not seen them eating you must be feeding free choice? I believe most racing homers are fed a set amount, once or twice a day, depending on when they fly. They also stress its important to always make a whistle or sound when feeding as this will help you be able to call them to the loft as well as build trust with you. Remember the magic of peanuts as Hokum Coco has pointed out

. Apparently a pigeon is capable of consuming a days ration in 15 - 30 minutes. Then you can pick up the feeder so it doesnt attract mice. If you have time to hand feed they can become even tamer, although I think homers are a bit more aloof than other breeds.

I plan on starting the ration feeding next week. The guy I got them from advised that I just put a bunch of food in their loft for the first week just to let them comfortably settle in, and then begin the ration feeding for the homing training.

I bought shelled, unsalted peanuts yesterday and attempted to hand feed them, and they were NOT interested lol. I left some in the loft hoping they will develop a love for the taste and they will later on eat from my hand, but we'll see.

Your babies are not long out of the nest box and maybe that's why they're still hanging in the boxes.
I think its so cool your birds will have a job!

helping train your dog. The history of humans working with pigeons in different ways goes back thousands of years. Some believe their first 'job' was to lure in wild birds which were then eaten. Your training activity, releasing the bird to fly back, is pretty much how racers are trained. So maybe you can race too. Recommended to make the first releases very short distances in different directions so they become familiar with the area.

I plan on first training them to use the bob door with the cage thing that we've been talking about. I then plan on starting them off very hungry and releasing them only about 20 feet away, then working farther away for a week or two. Only after that will I begin releasing them out of sight of the loft, so 1/2 mile, then 1 mile, and then I assume they will have begun routing so I will thereafter do 5 miles and more, and will do it in every direction from my home, not just one direction.

As far as why I say your birds look great: The health part is easy, like all birds nice shiny feathers(feathers mostly protein a sign of good nutrition) bright clear eyes and clean beak and legs, alert posture, etc. The well-bred racer part I admit exceeds my expertise, BUT, over the last few weeks I immersed myself in over a hundred hours of Racing Pigeon Videos, interviews with winning owners showing off their best birds, loft tours, watching the birds returning from races, etc, etc HAHA(I'm mostly retired so I have time to become obsessed!). Anyway, your birds look to me like they would fit right in. Sleek, well-put together and have that 'born to fly' look. You can never tell for sure what they've got til you race them.

That is good to hear. The guy I got them is not a hobby racer, but he is very into pigeons and gets his birds from a serious racer. The guy I got the from is actually my dog's trainer and manager of our hunt club, and he is a phenomenal breeder of labradors, english pointers, beagles and treeing feists (squirrel dogs), and he also breeds fantastic draft mules, so he is very much in the breeder mindset and is sort of a guru in that regard. When he picked out my birds he said "I got you some really nice ones," so I had faith in him and assumed they'd be nice ones. But it's great to hear that others can confirm this!

 

[biophiliac]

 

[LamarshFish]

Okay, if you spend lots of time in there with them they will tame quickly!

They must be eating then! As someone else said though it's best to give them regulated meals.

When they are older they will probably use the perches more.

I hope so. I don't expect them to cuddle up to me or even enjoy me handling them, but I'd hate it if they were constantly afraid of me or stressed out by me opening the cage door.

 

[NathanZee]

Sounds like you have researched a lot and have great plans!

I hope so. I don't expect them to cuddle up to me or even enjoy me handling them, but I'd hate it if they were constantly afraid of me or stressed out by me opening the cage door.

Well, if you handle their children you could get some cuddlers!

And eventually I'm sure these ones will get used to you.

 

[LamarshFish]

Sounds like you have researched a lot and have great plans!

Well, if you handle their children you could get some cuddlers!

And eventually I'm sure these ones will get used to you.

At what age of baby pigeons is ok to take them out of the nest box and handle them?

 

[CascadiaRiver]

At what age of baby pigeons is ok to take them out of the nest box and handle them?

I've handled mine from day one, just for a little bit each day. but only really had it out for an hour or two (to hang out with me) once it was about 16 days old

 

[LamarshFish]

I've handled mine from day one, just for a little bit each day. but only really had it out for an hour or two (to hang out with me) once it was about 16 days old

Thanks. This does not create any issues with the parents, such as them getting stressed over it, or even worse, after you handle the baby bird the parents no longer want to tend to the baby?