Pet Pigeons?

[snakemaster307]

Hi everyone I just joined this site and I am curious about pigeons, I have been researching them for a while but most information I have found is just for purely racing pigeons. I am curious if it would be possible to have some pigeons as almost pets in a outdoor loft. Would there be okay to let them out if they were homing pigeons just to run around in the yard? If so what breeds would be ideal? Sorry for any stupid questions, I just think pigeons sound very interesting.

 

[jak2002003]

Yes they make ideal pets like that, and that is what I have.

I have some fancy pigeons and white mix breed garden 'doves'.

They live in my old chicken coop.

They are very easy the keep and get very tame... and its lovely to see them flying around high in the air and coming back to land on the coop.

I would advise not allowing them to come and go 24/7 as they wish. This is because they will attract predator hawks and maybe start to annoy neighbours if they get into bad habits like resting on their roof or window ledges.

Its better to 'train' them to come back in when you call them.

I leave mine in the coop when I am at work. But then I come home I open the door and let them out and they go flying and playing in the air for a long time.. very relaxing to watch. I leave them out for a few hours... sometimes they like to roam about on the lawn and have a bath in tub of water.. then go sunbathing on the roof to dry off.

They really are very interesting and calming to watch.

Then I get call them into the coop and give them their evening feed. They all come rushing back as they know its food time.

I just feed them once a day... a big amount late afternoon.. when I lock them back in... and there is some left over for them to eat in the morning. Then its all gone the rest of the day... so they are hungry to come back when I call them in the evening. They will also get crazy tame and come straight away if you offer them raw shelled peanuts.. they are like candy to them.

 

[Hokum Coco]

what breeds would be ideal?

My personal opinion is any pigeon you may procure is just something to make you wish you had a homing or racing pigeon.
They are known to be aloof; That being said with hand feeding of shelled unsalted peanuts as a treat only they will fly to you on command.

 

[snakemaster307]

Thanks for the help everyone! Pigeons do sound very interesting. Do you know if there are any good books about their care and needs?

 

[laughingdog]

My Birmingham rollers overly friendly pets and cover me like flies if I don't shoo them away and they just come right back... I tried up loading pics but won't let me currently.