found pigeon

[kimber1966]

I am looking for some helpful advice. I have a pigeon that has adopted my family and
garage as its own. My question is do pigeons normally get that close to humans. It doesn't
have a band and I have never seen anything like it.

 

[GitaBooks]

Welcome to BYC!

Some pigeons that were raised around people can be very trusting, especially if fed by them from a young age. Perhaps an injury kept it dependent on people for food for a while and it just decided you guys looked like a nice family that could help it out. It sounds like you've got a new member of the household!

I would love to see a picture.

Best of luck!

 

[kimber1966]

Thanks for your feedback

 

[GitaBooks]

Oh, wow. He's gorgeous!

 

[jak2002003]

Hi... he looks like a lost pet pigeon.

Most likely a roller or tumbler.

He is very handsome... well done on your lucky find new pet.

 

[laughingdog]

Looks more like a roller pigeon than a feral. probably got lost or flew off from loft. pigeons rarely are ever alone. your garage probably looks good loft to it. enjoy. get it a friend if no mate has came with it to nest (only reason it'd leave a feral flock.

 

[kimber1966]

I think it might be a homing pigeon. I leave the garage open and he comes and goes as
he pleases. Would like some help on feeding him. I bought a bag of dove/pigeon food but
read that pigeons eat a variety of things. I notice with the seed mixture he seems to like a particular one the rest the shoves out of the dish with his beak. I tried putting some berries in his dish he never touched them any suggestions.

 

[jak2002003]

pigeon seed mix is all he needs.... only put a tablespoon of feed in a pet food bowl that he can not push the seeds out.

He will eat his favourite bits first.. and then the rest when he is more hungry.

TIP.. don't add more seeds until the bowl is almost empty... this stops them getting picky.

Make sure he has water all the time.

You can leave the seed feeder with him all the time and top up when its nearly all gone.. or you can feed a small amount 2 times a day which as much as he will eat in 10 mins or so.

As treats he will like raw unsalted shelled peanuts... they are a good way to train him and help him bond with you... but not too many or he will not eat his normal feed.. and get fat!

If you keep him penned up most of the time you need to give him a pot of grit and crushed oyster shell / crushed cuttlebone... this is for calcium and the grit helps him digest the food.

If you let him out most days he will find all the grit and stuff he needs himself.

Pigeons don't eat fresh foods like greens, insects and fruits... the get all they need form the seed and minerals.. and natural sunlight is also important.

If he is moulting or breeding, or seems out of condition you can boost his diet by adding chicken layer pellets,

You can also add bird vitamins to his drinking water once a week... but this is not essential for a healthy pigeon.

He is not a homing pigeon... as he does not have any leg rings on... all pigeon racers put rings on their pigeons legs soon after they hatch.. and most racing pigeons are a grey colour with black bars on the wings.

His body shape and colour.. and beak size.. indicate he is a fancy pigeon.. probably a roller or tumbler (they are the most common).. or some other show flying breed. He still has homing instincts.. but won't be as fast to fly home as he has not been bred for endurance over long distances.

Hope this helps.

 

[kimber1966]

yes big help thank you I have definitely learned a few things.

 

[kimber1966]

So if he is a tumbler or roller pigeon would that mean he's not feral and therefore someone bred him, and if that's the case it would have been close to where he found us.