Is our new house guest anything special?

[nire878]

The day our baby chicks arrived, this beautiful pigeon showed up as well. He must have heard we were welcoming poultry. He has been roosting in our garage at night, in the morning he is sitting on the brooder next to the heat lamp. No bands of any kind, but clearly not afraid of people. If you get less than a foot away, he backs away, but you can pretty much walk right up to him.

Is this some's pet? What do you think? I have already checked out past posts on keeping chickens and pigeons together, so we might try to create a nice space in the coop for him, but I assume he will probably get lonely with out any other pigeons. I keep calling the pigeon a "he" I have no basis for that determination.

Thanks for any thoughts you may have.


Erin

 

[alishabusch]

Gorgeous dude. I would love to acquire some homing pigeons. We just recently moved into the new place and I am getting ready to try my first hand with baby quails. Have some week olds brooding right now.

Love this guy, he is just beautiful.

 

[nire878]

So - Does it mean anything that he dosen't coo, but instead growls? If we get to close, and he is trying to eat, he growls kinda like a dog. Well at least like no bird I have ever heard.

Thanks for your comments Alisha!

 

[nurse_turtle]

I wouldn't enclose him in a coop just in case he's ready to move on and do "pigeon things". Other than that, I'd treat him like one of other pets. He may choose to stay, but leave him the freedom of choice. If you don't mind the current arrangement, I'd just leave it be.

 

[aaabirdman]

I would just let him be. If he starts to interact with you more then you can try to hand feed him some sunflower seeds or barley. Pigeons love to eat seeds.

 

[deerman]

Homer...looks like maybe almond if so rare color for homers..
No band so wasn't lost in a race.

 

[cochinGurl]

I don't have any info for you, but he sure is beautiful!

 

[sansert]

I disagree with someone calling him a homer. He is just a gorgeous wild pigeon.. Pople with homers band their birds. This being one of those reasons

 

[deerman]

I disagree with someone calling him a homer. He is just a gorgeous wild pigeon.. Pople with homers band their birds. This being one of those reasons

not all people raising homers band them, mostly those that race or show them do.

also alot of the wild pigeon you see are from lost racing homers, or their off springs

 

[nire878]

Thanks so much for the replies.

He cannot stay in the garage for too much longer. The poop is everywhere, and we have had to park the car outside. We figured once the coop is done, we would try to get him to take up residence in there. He seems to want to follow the food. Maybe there is an alternative location. I will have to think. We live in a rural area. The nearest town where you might see pigeons is about 10 miles away. But if he would be better off with friends, maybe we could try to trap him and take him into town, but boy, I am not sure I am comfortable with that idea. I think I would be really sad and worried.

Also, I googled growling, and apparently it can be the noise a male makes while calling his mate. But this guy does it defensively.

Thanks again!