Look what I saw yesterday! [b] The MOM pic is now back![/b]

[Terri O]

Hi--here is a pic of my Racing homer pair and their new babies...what I saw of them anyway! Here's Dad with the nest:

And her's Mom:

I am hoping they do a better job than their first batch...they only had one that time and they stopped feeding the baby as soon as it's eyes opened! This time they have two...but it is colder....

I will be especially watchful when they open their eyes this time. I might have to be a surrogate! Terri O

 

[Lofty Dreams]

Congradulations of the squabs
I kind of stoped handfeeding not because of the work but everything I had handfeed died.

it stinks
I love baby pigeons[squabs] they are so cute. I used Kaytee, What might you using.

Is your hen a lavender.

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

Her hen is either a brown barless or brown bar. I can't tell from the picture.


Congrats!

Sending good growing vibes for the little squeaks.



Handfeeding can be a lot of work and time. There is no substitute for pigeon milk that comes anywhere near the nutrition and immune boosting as natural milk does. So that's why handfed birds grow more slowly and are weaker, or appear more scruffy at first.

 

[chrisf]

I had some racing Homers at one point, however, I found them to be terrible parents too. They barely raised any to fledgling....I used ringnecked doves as surrogates, they were great!........................................................chrisf

 

[shelleyd2008]

Just an FYI, baby pigeons are called 'squeekers' unless you plan to eat them

 

[Terri O]

The "squeakers" are doing fine today...I am glad it is warming up. I cant remember what my hen was called. I probably will see the guy again at the swap on Sunday (I will have had her one year then) She doesnt have bars and I though he said silver something. Whatever it was he said that only the females come in that color and that is why he knew she was a girl? She was just a squeaker herself when I got her. And her name is Squeaker of course!

Terri O

(PS) When I hand fed a Mourning Dove many years ago I used moistened dry cat food. That was quite the miracle too...she was just out of the egg when my boss took her away from the kids that were "seeing if she could fly." He tossed her out in the field behind the store. I thought about that poor thing all day and went to look for it after my 12 hour shift! Found it still alive and took it home. I had that bird for 12 years! I always wanted to let her go but she would fly around and come right back and land on my head. So she stayed with me through 3 moves. She was a miracle bird!

 

[Terri O]

THe squeekers are out of the nest now! And she is on another 2 eggs! I do have a question though...you can see the Dad in the pic above; I dont know why the other pic isnt showing...but anyhow, the other one is more silver looking; The babies look just like the pigeons that are in my barn!!! My neighbor says, "nope, those are Homers." (DUH) So where do I find info on pigeon genetics? THe babies are barred dark grey with light grey bodies. I am thinking that that is the "basic" color and all crosses go back to that?
Guess I need to do some reading! Terri O

 

[Terri O]

Here is a pic of the babies grown....any idea why they dont look like the parents? They seem just like "barn Pigeons" to me!

Thanks! Terri O

 

[shelleyd2008]

Honestly they don't look like 'barn pigeons'. I'm not sure what color that is called, whenever Mary of E gets back I'm sure she'll know. Anyway you can repost the pic that's not working? Maybe load them onto photobucket and post the

 

[larrylofts]

the babies are blue checks the cock is ash red check he could be split for blue pic of hen does not show up.