Banded Pigeon Found - Assistance Please

[Fields Mountain Farm]

I actually thought, for all of three seconds, about stealing one off my beach this summer. I have many pigeons, I do not need anymore. Don't worry guys, I kid.

I saw some at the beach in Florida while on vacation a few wks ago.. many times i thought, hmmm I could catch some of those.. but I already had my duckling with us and an hour car ride home with a duckling and pigeons wouldn't have gone over well with dh..

Edit.. 8 hour car ride..

 

[biophiliac]

For creepy crawlies you can give it a borax water bath to play in. In the tub is a good idea as it will make a mess. I’m sure @biophiliac can tell you how much to put in the water and how much water is good.
If you do decide to keep it quarantine is always a good idea. Pigeons can carry so nasty stuff but I would think as a racer it’s previous owner would be aware of that and at least try to keep them healthy. No guarantee but one would hope.

I just throw in about 3 heaping Tablespoons of 20 Muleteam Borax for each bath - see photo.

If they would have a LOT of mites or lice I would use a Permethryn spray on the bird avoiding the face to get them off quick. The borax bath will keep them off. I believe most common diseases of pigeons are pretty specific to the species but the chickens or ducks present a danger to the pigeon - if they would corner it they could easily kill it. So I am delighted to hear OP has a cage for her. She will be just fine there while recovering.

View attachment 1532378
Looking Stronger!

Definitely looking better!

 

[biophiliac]

I saw some at the beach in Florida while on vacation a few wks ago.. many times i thought, hmmm I could catch some of those.. but I already had my duckling with us and an hour car ride home with a duckling and pigeons wouldn't have gone over well with dh..

I can visualize you at the beach with your cardboard box propped up with a stick attached to a long string and some bait. ... sitting on your towel and waiting for your 'prey'. Lolololol

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

I can visualize you at the beach with your cardboard box propped up with a stick attached to a long string and some bait. ... sitting on your towel and waiting for your 'prey'. Lolololol

I had the same vision... except my box was full..

 

[biophiliac]

Thsan


Thanks so much. We got the parrot cage and are cleaning it right now. We plan to let the little fella/lass have some outdoor time in it on the deck this early evening and then we'll bring it inside for the night. Any suggestion for how to set it up in terms of box, roost, food/water placement, etc.? Thanks so much for your help!

For cheap easy food and drink containers for just one or two birds I suggest you take an empty 2 liter plastic bottle and cut a hole a couple inches above the bottom that is 2-3 inches in diameter. The bird will put his head in to eat and drink and these will keep water cleaner and prevent some of the food spillage.

Pigeons prefer to roost with their feet flat, so if you can make the perch about 2 inches wide she will like it better tha a small round one.

Sounds like you're heading in the same direction as @Chickencountryuk ..
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/uk-pigeon-owners.1244157/page-63#post-20445562

 

[Kusanar]

I just throw in about 3 heaping Tablespoons of 20 Muleteam Borax for each bath - see photo.
View attachment 1532404
If they would have a LOT of mites or lice I would use a Permethryn spray on the bird avoiding the face to get them off quick. The borax bath will keep them off. I believe most common diseases of pigeons are pretty specific to the species but the chickens or ducks present a danger to the pigeon - if they would corner it they could easily kill it. So I am delighted to hear OP has a cage for her. She will be just fine there while recovering.

Definitely looking better!

My pigeon had mites when I picked him up, a fairly large number of them in my opinion. He would NOT take a bath on his own, so he was bathed with the borax water and it cleared them right up.

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

For cheap easy food and drink containers for just one or two birds I suggest you take an empty 2 liter plastic bottle and cut a hole a couple inches above the bottom that is 2-3 inches in diameter. The bird will put his head in to eat and drink and these will keep water cleaner and prevent some of the food spillage.

Pigeons prefer to roost with their feet flat, so if you can make the perch about 2 inches wide she will like it better tha a small round one.

Sounds like you're heading in the same direction as @Chickencountryuk ..
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/uk-pigeon-owners.1244157/page-63#post-20445562

Thats how I feed and water my ducklings and goslings while in the brooder! Works beautifully!

 

[3bird]

Tell us about grit. Can I crush up the oyster shell grit we use for our ducks?

 

[biophiliac]

My pigeon had mites when I picked him up, a fairly large number of them in my opinion. He would NOT take a bath on his own, so he was bathed with the borax water and it cleared them right up.

Good to know! I wasn't sure it would work that quickly.

 

[biophiliac]

Tell us about grit. Can I crush up the oyster shell grit we use for our ducks?

Yes you can. I have several kind of grit specially for pigeons...they seem to prefer to look for little gravel in the street. So you could just find something like that too.