Advice re squab fledgling to the floor of the loft

[LamarshFish]

I have one squab being raised in my loft of 6 adult/juvenile birds (they are about 9 months old). There is only one pair breeding right now, and only one squab. The squab is about 3 weeks old. As you can see in the photo, he almost has all his feathers. He is now being left in the nest alone nearly all the time and is not being brooded anymore. I assume he is still being fed by the cock, but I'm really not sure. He started "squeaking" today, so I guess maybe now he's almost a squeaker.

I am wondering what to do about him hitting the floor. I assume this is coming up. Will he be ok being the only squeaker down there? Is there anything I can do to prevent him being hurt by others? Is there anything I can do to make sure he has learned how to forage for food from my feeder, and drink water, etc? Is there anything else I should know?

Thanks! Pic below of him this morning, with his parents appearing to look into their next nest.

 

[Lauren Kim]

There aren't too many pigeon experts here, but if there are, they will be glad to help you. I recommend checking out "A Chick Called Albert" videos on pigeons.

 

[LamarshFish]

There aren't too many pigeon experts here, but if there are, they will be glad to help you. I recommend checking out "A Chick Called Albert" videos on pigeons.

There are a small handful of us here.

 

[jak2002003]

Hello.

I find placing a few wooden boards leaning up against the walls really helps with newly fledges squabs. They can then go and hide behind them from the other birds... and will come running out when their parents come to feed them. If they get bullied they will take refuge in the space behind the boards and the bullies will not follow them in there.

 

[biophiliac]

Exactly!

I have seen several loft tours online that illustrate your method. Don't know of anything else.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Is there anything I can do to prevent him being hurt by others?

I have a sheet of plywood leaning against the wall also to supply refuge for the new squabs when they hit the floor (as mentioned above). I try to make it a habit to handle new squabs every day to see if their crops are full and check on their over all condition.
Monitor you flock to see how birds are interacting. Watch to see if your squab can access your feeder and water. Bullying and squabbles are part of the pigeon culture. Squeaker learn by watching other members of the flock.
Your flock for the most part is all under a year old so maturity is lacking in your loft. I think your problems should be minimal is my guess. I find my squab which is about a week or so older than yours is doing fine in my loft. When he begs to be fed from other birds they tend to shy away for the most part. There are a few confrontations at the feed dish nothing out of the ordinary. I suspect you squab will be integrated into your loft and will make out just fine.

I can tell by the photo it is well cared for.

 

[LamarshFish]

He is currently still in the nest box, but he is quite active. He hops from his nest bowl to the other nest bowl on the other side of the nest box to eat food I put in there for him. I bring him in daily for 10-20 minutes to handle him and inspect him. He doesn't mind me at all, and seems to like me even. He started trying to eat crushed up peanuts out of my hand, but mostly couldn't seem to finishing eating them, he would mouth them and put one in his mouth but then drop it. I'd officially call him a squeaker right about now, as all he is doing is squeaking away.

I built a small hut out of strong cardboard, so I'm debating whether that is better on the floor or just a piece of wood laying against a wall like you all said. The thing about the little hut I made is that I designed a small feeder to hang on the wall so he has access to his own food, but I'm not sure if that's necessary. Maybe he should be learning to eat at the feeder with there rest of the flock?

 

[biophiliac]

I would think yes to the little cardboard hut and perhaps avoid putting his food in there. Just my hunch.

Are you using a gravity type feeder available 24/7 during the winter?

 

[Hokum Coco]

When you start training and releasing your new squeaker
do so with the parent cock bird. It will give you the best results I have found. The bond is still strong and the parent will ensure that he gets back to the loft safe and sound is my experience. With this last squeaker born about the same time your was I have just lifted the bobs on clear days and let the parents introduce him to the outside world. Seems to be working so far but I have seen the squeaker off the landing board yet to be honest. I will suspend his training until I have a few more squeakers to form a kit.

 

[LamarshFish]

Are you using a gravity type feeder available 24/7 during the winter?

I have several feeders, but the one I have been using is a flip top wooden feeder with dowels around it, it looks like a jail cell, they just stick their heads through the spaces between the dowels. I offer them ample food this time of the year though, I basically just keep the wooden feeder filled, and they essentially have unlimited access to food, so it's not much different than if I had been using a gravity feeder filled to the brim.

When you start training and releasing your new squeaker
do so with the parent cock bird. It will give you the best results I have found. The bond is still strong and the parent will ensure that he gets back to the loft safe and sound is my experience. With this last squeaker born about the same time your was I have just lifted the bobs on clear days and let the parents introduce him to the outside world. Seems to be working so far but I have seen the squeaker off the landing board yet to be honest. I will suspend his training until I have a few more squeakers to form a kit.

Interesting, I will keep that in mind, except my squeaker has not fledged the nest box yet, and I am not flying my birds right now due to my losses a few months ago. Relatedly, I had my first hawk sighting a few days ago in my neighborhood. It's no secret they are around, but I had never once seen one actually in my neighborhood. I saw it dive for some food but never saw it after that. I am really hoping to wait at least another month to let them fly, and if I do, I would only do so on a day where I knew ground critters were already out and about, and hawks have had a chance to already eat, so I'd let them out mid to late afternoon on a day where critters were out for a while in the morning.