One of the best indicators of health are the droppings. Good health is indicated by dark, solid droppings. Very watery or very green droppings can be a sign of illness. Certain things can affect this, if your pigeons eat a bit of grass or other plant material this can change the color. Mine occasionally will grab a few bird cherries out of the tree nearby the loft before heading inside, and as such will have reddish purple droppings for the rest of that day.
It’s not a bad idea to handle the pigeons either to check their physical condition and check for parasites. Feather lice and mites are likely to hide in places where it’s hard for the bird to preen like the back of the head and neck or buried in the wing feathers. When you hold the pigeon you should be able to feel the keel of their breastbone in the center of their chest, this should be surrounded by muscle on both sides and not protrude overly far out.
