How fat should pigeon be?

[jak2002003]

I noticed 2 of my birds are overweight, so I decided to catch up all 5 birds and have a feel of how heavy they were.

I know 2 are very overweight because they feel fat and I can't feel their breastbone!

2 more seem 'normal' weight, I can feel their breastbone and muscle either side, but I think they still might be overweight.

The last one is rather skinny. Although it feels heavy in my hand, it's breastbone is easy to feel and not much 'padding' either side of it. So is this one too thin?

Can anyone describe how a healthy weight pigeon should feel when I hold it?

The 2 fat ones are the best flyers, but don't stay in the air very long. One more joins them most of the time, but the other 2 only do one of 2 laps of the house and then land again.

They seem healthy and everything normal, but I want to get them flying better (as I like to see them flying around and around in circles in the sky).

I think that mine are too lazy, and worried its because they are overweight.

Finally, if I have to put them on a diet, how can I make sure the most skinny one still gets enough to eat at feeding times?

 

[backyard pigeons]

What breed are these? I think flying them everyday is best so they can burn some fat. Have you heard of flagging? Its when you get a flag or anything else and wave it and the birds will get spooked and fly for longer times.