Breed recommendations for indoor doves or pigeons.

[OR4-hmom]

My daughter wants to add doves/pigeons to her 4-H list. She is thinking of about a pair that she can keep inside. She isn't interested in diamond doves or button quail, they are to small. Any recommendations?

 

[fowlsessed]

Any that aren't specifically for flying would be great. Well, you could do flying breeds.
But Old German Owls are great. And you have Classic Old Frills. Frillbacks and funny pouters, like I said, most will be great. Some are tamer than others, but it mostly depends on the amount of handling they get. Do you want something a little smaller sized? Very ornamentated etc.?

 

[OR4-hmom]

Since she wants to keep them in her room I think smaller birds would be better, we can build a 3x3x4, or about that, enclosure for them, I don't want them crowded. It is so nice when the judge gets the bird in hand and comments that it is in good condition. I asked her about fantails but she wasn't thrilled, she has mentioned ringneck doves but I thought they would need more room.

I'm just trying to get on the learning curve here and not re-invent the wheel.

 

[laughingdog]

ringneck doves were really messy and dirty compared to any rock dove (pigeons) breeds, and really loud and fragile. for indoor parlor tumblers or rollers would be good, as they dont require that much space, as as adults they cannot fly but either jump up or fly up up to two feet then come tumbling back down landing on their feet, or roll around on ground. i keep both and let the young out for one two three months to fly while they gain muscle strength and in the one to three months they will also roll some till at or after this time they jump up/tumble, or or just roll around in circles or roll backwards in straight line till hit into something. they tame down and can be taken out to run and tumble/roll around on soft ground, were other pigeons need to be conditioned to orientate to one's home and need to fly. also for 4h they are great project birds as they develope so soon half the time of other pigeons, and can be judged on looks, color, or tumbling/rolling. my neighbor kids love them as they can pick up and hold easily, were other birds i have usually tease kids by hopping and flying just out of reach around them, and parlors go to them. i still love to watch my fling rollers and other birds flying together in flocks/kits of six minimum.

 

[OR4-hmom]

Thanks for the info. I'll have her look into it. She'll probably like one hard to find over here on the west coast. I do have a lead on a club around here though.

 

[laughingdog]

correct me if im wrong, but i think frillbacks cannot fly either, though never seen in person so dont know, i just know parlor rollers are easier to find, though not too common, but my parlor tumblers were very hard to find decent specimens of the double and triple flipping kind. fantail breeds are always favorites.

 

[larrylofts]

pigmy pouters or brunner pouters are very friendly breeds look a little different we had some that we hand raised and at the shows we could let them out and they would put on a show try the npausa.com website find the district you are in and contact the person for the npa thye could giveyou leads where you live another couple breeds classic frills and figuritas

 

[jak2002003]

I have a advise AGAINST having pigeons at indoor pets - especially in a BEDROOM. The birds can be a serious health hazard.

They produce a huge amount of feather dust. This dust can lead to pneumonicosis (pigeon breeders lung).

I would not recommend keeping any bird in a bedroom. Also a bedroom is not used so much, so the bird or birds would be left alone for long periods of time.

I think the ringneck doves are great pets for the home. They are much smaller and very easy to handle. They don't need free flying time outside the house and they are very easy to care for and long lived. If you offer them a bath every few days or spray them with a plant sprayer, the dust will not be a problem. Males can be noisy (be so can pigeons). If you get 2 females it will lessen to noise, or else allow the true pair to nest and sit on eggs. This keeps the male busy and he will not coo when he is sitting on the eggs.

I keep doves, pigeons and other birds. I love them all, but I would not consider having a pigeon as a full time house pet just because of the the dust issue.

 

[sourland]

Jak gives excellent advice in the previous post. Pigeon dander can cause serious allergic reactions and the development of a serious condition known as pigeon keepers lung - not something to be fooled with. Do a search on the condition for information as to how serious it can be.

 

[fowlsessed]

Agreed, I would never keep my pigeons inside my house! But then, I wouldn't even do a parakeet!