How to catch pigeons

[peafowl_Lover]

Hi I live on a farm a while back some racing pigeons got lost and stayed in my shed, they bred and now there is a good few pigeons and the original domestic pigeons died. I love the pigeons, when a chick falls from their high nests I raise it and release it. But now I would like to catch a few to keep as pets and there is a random white one I named Albert. How would I catch them? There is a pair that have a young chick.

 

[peafowl_Lover]

Yes I don't really know the difference between a shed and a barn, there is lots of pigeons in the barn but I can only identify 1 pair and they have 2 young chicks, there is others sitting on nests aswell, this is the mother of the 2 squabs

 

[cavemanrich]

Gravel floor is just fine. I suggest you free fly your pets. That is what I did. let them out hungry, and soon they returned to loft. You can let them stay out as long as they are safe. Predators to watch for are hawks during daytime. Eagles also, but not usually. Eagles are not as swift, and do prefer larger meals.

 

[Qwerty3159]

I see what you mean now. That is a huge and very messy nest.

The other advice you’ve received so far are spot on, flashlight and a ladder at night and you should be able to reach them all. If they have very young squabs or eggs in the nest it might be worth it to wait and take the young when they’re starting to feather and raise them up like you’ve been doing. In the meantime you could catch all the adults who aren’t incubating or feeding young that you want at night. I’m not sure how difficult the transition from barn to loft would be for these birds. I would assume that better nesting areas and a more consistent supply of water and food would convince most of these semi-ferals to live in a loft quickly

 

[peafowl_Lover]

Thanks for that I'll try that soon, I live in an area that the people are very into farming and the pigeons will be shot as they poo in calf food and then the calves get sick. The people are very nice, when i raised a pigeon squab and it flew off they said i can look in their farmyard Sometimes the pigeons come in the shed and just watch me so I think we're getting somewhere. Can they live with chickens, I have a small wooden shed and the hens roosts are low down, I could have the pigeons roosts, feed and water high up?

 

[peafowl_Lover]

Should I free fly the pigeons or keep them in the run, if they need to be in a run how big should it be and can it have a gravel floor

 

[peafowl_Lover]

*Update the squab fell again and it died

 

[Apis mellifera]

Can you close up the shed, or catch them at night when they're roosting?

 

[peafowl_Lover]

Probably not there is lots of spaces for them to get out I'll try a mink trap with some seeds. What seeds do they love? They are kind if mad so if I can't catch them I'll raise chicks that fall from the nest.

 

[cavemanrich]

Thanks for that I'll try that soon, I live in an area that the people are very into farming and the pigeons will be shot as they poo in calf food and then the calves get sick. The people are very nice, when i raised a pigeon squab and it flew off they said i can look in their farmyard Sometimes the pigeons come in the shed and just watch me so I think we're getting somewhere. Can they live with chickens, I have a small wooden shed and the hens roosts are low down, I could have the pigeons roosts, feed and water high up?

Not suggested to keep inside same structure,,, unless totally isolated... A loft on top,, with a wire netting separating the two levels would work.