Free Range Pigeons?

[Lemon88]

Is it possible? If I raised pigeons from a young age could I free range them during the day and give them a house to stay in during the night? There are are lot of trees nearby where they could be safe from predators? Would they stay for food/shelter?

 

[backyard pigeons]

Yes it's possible. But there's a bit more to it than chickens. you would want to let them out hungry, otherwise they will not be in much of a hurt to get back to their coop. And if they don't get back in a hurry, they will start getting picked off by hawks. And the trees, will not help at all. That's where hawks will pick them off. And raising them from a young age, is possible, but it isn't like a game birds. You would need to hand feed them, which doesn't give them the same nutrition as parents. The best age to get them is when they are called sqeakers. They will be 1-3 months of age at this point and will easily resettle to your coop. So yes, they will return, but many will get picked off by predators, so it won't work all day. So it's best to only let them out for an hour or so a day.

I hope this helps.

 

[Serin]

Or in other words... No. Not a good idea.

 

[backyard pigeons]

Or in other words... No. Not a good idea.

not necessarily if done correctly. If it isnt, you will be feeding the hawks.

 

[Lemon88]

not necessarily if done correctly. If it isnt, you will be feeding the hawks.

Oh no! I thought the trees would give them cover. I don't see hawks often, but I saw one almost catch a mourning dove once. There seems to be no way I could protect them completely from hawks if free ranged...

 

[backyard pigeons]

Oh no! I thought the trees would give them cover. I don't see hawks often, but I saw one almost catch a mourning dove once. There seems to be no way I could protect them completely from hawks if free ranged...

You are correct. There is no way to 100% avoid hawk attacks. But there are ways to minimize it. Such as, flying at different times of the day, doing a food call every time you feed, so when you are ready, or if a hawks around, you can call them back in.

Never fly a bird you can't bear to lose...

 

[MykaMom]

You may want to find. A homing pigeon forum. When I was still doing bird rescue/rehab, I would get tons of calls every time a pigeon fancier let the young birds out for their first time. They would be everywhere and people would be calling the humane society in droves, worrying about a dove sitting on their lawn or patio.

 

[cavemanrich]

You may want to find. A homing pigeon forum. When I was still doing bird rescue/rehab, I would get tons of calls every time a pigeon fancier let the young birds out for their first time. They would be everywhere and people would be calling the humane society in droves, worrying about a dove sitting on their lawn or patio.

Those were poor homing bloodlines that those fanciers raised. (mixed mutts with other varieties) I had a batch of sillies that had poor homing instincts. I lost pigeons, not homing pigeons.
Other possibility, the fanciers were as silly as my batch of non homing birds.

 

[Hokum Coco]

If I raised pigeons from a young age could I free range them during the day and give them a house to stay in during the night?

In a perfect world what you have planned could be Utopia for all breeds of pigeons and you would never suffer a loss.
However the reality of the plan is predators will find your loft through sight, smell and sound. Loss is part of the pigeon fancier life no matter how you tend your birds.

Loss will find you and your loft quicker than most with your plan.
I suggest you employ a trapping mechanism to at least to limit and control the time your birds spend outside.

 

[Hokum Coco]

If I raised pigeons from a young age could I free range them during the day

Just to add to my previous post there have been days I have open my loft and let the birds free range all day. Experience tells me another reason I do not do it consistently as your "neighbours or spouse" might not enjoy their choice of roosts during the day.

Especially if they have fresh laundry on the clothes line.

Free ranging your birds is not out of the question if done wisely.