Can I keep a lost pigeon?

[cavemanrich]

I'd suggest to let it continue on its way but that doesn't mean you can't feed it and give it water and let it have some strength first.

Not sure if you read all the posts here. The owner said he does not want the pigeon.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/can-i-keep-a-lost-pigeon.1420964/post-23373589

So are you suggesting the OP lets loose this pigeon so it can get lost a second time,

 

[DotTheHen]

Hello everyone, I think the pigeon romance is coming along. Pedro has begun cooing to Perry, and eating with her and I’ve even seen them kiss. I think they’re really starting to bond! We are building an aviary soon, we are thinking around 4’ wide and 6-7’ tall and around 12’ long. What are some necessities I should have for the aviary? Things you wish you had earlier on your aviaries? I don’t think I’ll have more then the pair I have now unless I let them raise some babies. Thanks everyone for the help, they’re doing great!

 

[cavemanrich]

That is a good size aviary. I suggest you have a waterproof roof on top. (or part of top) It can be solid, or simply tarp covered over screen/hardware cloth/netting. That would keep rain, snow, out of most. The sides open would be just fine. Pigeons can enjoy rain if they desire. Place some large branches inside to give places for them to fly, and perch, onto and just chill.

 

[DotTheHen]

I will probably be putting tin on 1/2 or 3/4 of the roof with part of the walls covered with plywood for shelter. Where I live, we don’t get much snow (Deep South) but we sure do get rain.

 

[biophiliac]

Hello everyone, I think the pigeon romance is coming along. Pedro has begun cooing to Perry, and eating with her and I’ve even seen them kiss. I think they’re really starting to bond! We are building an aviary soon, we are thinking around 4’ wide and 6-7’ tall and around 12’ long. What are some necessities I should have for the aviary? Things you wish you had earlier on your aviaries? I don’t think I’ll have more then the pair I have now unless I let them raise some babies. Thanks everyone for the help, they’re doing great!

That is an excellent size for your aviary/flight pen. Mine is the same - only 10 feet long instead of 12. Install some perches at each end to encourage flying exercise.

 

[DotTheHen]

Hello again, what kind of nest should I provide for the pigeons? So far, they’ve been sitting inside their little feed bucket, but I don’t want them to lay eggs there since that’s where they eat. Also, no eggs yet...

 

[cavemanrich]

It is best to provide a shallow bowl, and leave a quantity if nesting materials on the floor of loft. Sticks, straw, hay, leaves. Etc. The male is the one to usually start building the nest. Once you see that activity, you know that eggs will be coming soon. Once there is an egg, you can enhance the nest with additional hay, or such. There are professional nesting bowls available for sale. I think they are just overpriced things that fanciers do spend their money on from EXCITEMENT.
Plastic bowls from Dollar Store work just fine. I used kitchen grade bowls in my loft,,,, those that I no longer used for food use. The bowl serves the purpose of protecting eggs from rolling out accidentally, and protects the Squabs from falling out accidentally
.

 

[biophiliac]

All of the baby pigeons in my loft have hatched in plastic dog food bowls from the dollar store.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/p1010140.7901766/

 

[DotTheHen]

Thank you everyone! Another odd behavior I’ve seen that I assume to be a mating behavior is the the male squats down and coos loudly and the female walks around him and preens his neck and rubs her beak on his. Is this the infamous “pigeon kiss”?
Also, for squabs, do I just let the couple do what they want when it comes to eggs? Like do I wait until it gets warmer for them to hatch babies or let them do their thing?

 

[cavemanrich]

Also, for squabs, do I just let the couple do what they want when it comes to eggs? Like do I wait until it gets warmer for them to hatch babies or let them do their thing?

You do live in the South, so survival should be good. I, living in colder climate, (zone 5) avoided hatching during winter. I would place plastic eggs into nest as replacements, so pigeons would still try to incubate. After a long period of no go, pigeons would give up. Then they would lay another set of eggs. If it was still too cold in my opinion, I redid the same thing with the plastic eggs.
Simply just removing the eggs , is not the correct choice. Pigeons will try to lay another set in about 2 weeks. Pigeons are not equal to chickens, that can produce abundant number of eggs. It takes a lot out of a pigeon to produce an egg.