A pigeon has adopted us!

[LMRice]

Earlier this summer a pigeon began hanging around our yard. He/she (how do you tell?) follows my husband around and clearly enjoys our company. We have a small flock of laying hens and they tolerate each other but keep their distance. The pigeon has taken to roosting on our name sign but flies away at dusk. We really enjoy its company and are wondering if we should be doing something more for it....
Does it need a place to roost for the evening and what would that look like?
It comes into our 3 season porch sometimes but is clumsy in trying to roost up high on things that are not real perches.
How can we build trust with it? It allows us to get only so close but there have been times when it has been on my hand. It usually likes its space...
Any suggestions to make it feel like this could be its home?

ps-- it is not banded.

Thanks!

 

[nchls school]

Quite likely this pigeon is someone's pet; possibly a homer that did not find its way home. Accept that homers/tame pigeons are usually banded. Can you post a picture? My homers liked having a two by four as a roost. Do you know where it goes at dusk? If you want trust do not try to grab the bird. Offer food in your hand or around your feet as you stand/sit there. Since the pigeon has sat on your hand he/she will probably get tamer fast as it learns it is not going to be hurt.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Any suggestions to make it feel like this could be its home?

ps-- it is not banded.

Thanks!

You would have to catch it and keep it confined in one area with feed and water for a few weeks for it to adjust to it's new loft or surroundings. It does not take much for a pigeon to call home roughly 2 square feet with a perch away from predators and wind facing south preferably..

 

[nchls school]

You would have to catch it and keep it confined in one area with feed and water for a few weeks for it to adjust to it's new loft or surroundings. It does not take much for a pigeon to call home roughly 2 square feet with a perch away from predators and wind facing south preferably..

Not necessarily. I have had this happen a few times. The ones that showed up at my place were homers that lost their way; they stayed.
The owners had no wish to get homers back that had a weak homing ability.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Any suggestions to make it feel like this could be its home?

ps-- it is not banded.

Thanks!

Start feeding out of the shell unsalted peanuts as a treat only and hand feed preferably (it will take some patience on your part to develop a trust for this.) In a short time you will having him flying to you on command in a perfect world. Some homers after they have been disorientated will eventually return to their loft. I have had birds return to their loft after a 2 month absence or more. This could happen to your found pigeon if you do not capture and orient it to your property.

I sold a bird one time that had been kept for 9 months and then on its release returned home to it's place of origin 728 miles away (he was one of my best racing pigeons I have to admit.) I had told the buyer to keep this bird prisoner and never release him the rest of his life. After buddy had raised 4 batches of off spring with the bird he released the racing pigeon knowing full well the bird may migrate home . He was home in a day and ½ as pigeons do not fly at night or I am sure he would have been home sooner.

Two things motivate a pigeon to return to it's home food & love for their mate or offspring.