Help with Orphaned Pigeons Please (pics for those who wanted them:)..

[monarc23]

Quote:
I second pictures, we are despirate for picturesssss

 

[MichelleLee]

Oh you guys are right! Sadly I might be the only person in the world that doesn't have a digital camera! But my boyfriend gets home in a few hours with his cell phone. If I can get dome decent ones off that I will post em, if not I will have to go borrow a digital camera tomorrow and will have some good ones up by tomorrow evening

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
YAY we're okay with grainy cell phone pictures!

 

[Silkie's Grandma]

Last year I saved 2 baby pigeons under similar circumstances. I fed them Parrot hand weaning food & free choice cracked corn & bird seed. (about the 1st 2 days I had to force feed one - the other ate eagerly) (I also gave them sugar water for energy the 1st couple days - their only access to water) Both survived & when they matured they moved to my neighbors barn of their own free choice, I had a loft built for them but they perfered the barn that has a large population of pigeons. So even though they were hand fed, they did become wild. (they returned to "visit" for a while, but no longer do)

 

[MichelleLee]

Good day folks! By the time my other half arrived home last night it was too dark to try and get anything decent out of a cell phone camera. So I will try again this evening.

But I'm extremely happy to say that Pigeon #2 is now eating heartily, whirring, cooing, and following me around like a dog today It's been a good day

 

[ThiefPouter06]

If they are that feathered they should be close to eating by themselves. I have found that pouring out food into a bowl then tapping at the food with my figure helps. weanling pigeons seem stimulated by watching other pigeons peck at food. I have a pigeon breed that usually needs hand fed at that stage, If they will flap their wings and peep when you pour out feed the pecking should get them eating.

 

[nzpouter]

here you go, this is how they grow, check the age of your squeakers...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=127525

 

[deerman]

All pigeon want to home, so you will be able to give them free flight they will want to stay where they were raised.

Most pigeon may get lost if take from home, and can see their home.

Yes they are legal to take from the wild.

 

[MichelleLee]

Thanks guys...helps alot! They are both doing very well now and a few friends that saw the first pigeon on day 1 came and saw them again last night and confirmed that they are growing, a noticeable difference in just 5 days. We have named them and they are quickly becoming well liked members of my furry and feathered family. So we now have Hawk (pigeon#1) and Scout (Pigeon #2)

Thiefpouter: Hawk has been showing interest in seeds the last few days. He/She pecks at them but seems to lack the dexterity to pick them up and eat them. She drops them, I have yet to see her successfully eat one...but it's a start. Scout, so far has not shown any interest in them at all. So far, neither one has touched their water either.

I am trying to wean them a bit...they really eat ALOT when I feed them...so much that I usually put them away when they are still a bit hungry because it just doesn't seem like that much food can be good for them. Am I correct in backing off the food a bit? Hawk seems to try to eat seeds more before feedings.

nzpouter: Thank you for that! They look to be between 20 and 23 days old. Most of their downy fuzz has begun to fall off their heads in the last 2 days. They walk around the house when I take them out and have begun to beat their wings when they get excited about something, so far no lift off yet.


Quote:
Thank you for posting this! It was actually going to be my next question. We are going to build a loft for them off the side of the chicken coop. It will be about 10'x8' and about 8' high. I have been reading that feral pigeons are the same species as homers, and will "home" naturally. But I wanted to get some confirmation on that theory. I hand raised a few pigeons as a kid and we did keep one as a pet. But we always kept it in the house for fear it would not come back and would die without human care (It was raised from about 1 week old, just a little itty bitty thing). I would be happy to keep one in the house, but having two, I'd really like them to be together outside and get a lot of exercise.

How should I go about "training" them? And is there anything special I will need for my loft? Shall I just leave the door open when they are out?

 

[ThiefPouter06]

Stick the squeakers beak in the water, all the way. it should take a swig before it pulls its beak out. once is usually enough to teach them.