Pigeon Talk

[Pigeon28]

Very nice! How many short tosses have you done? Are you doing releases from different directions? At the beginning you don't want to increase distance too fast. @backyard pigeons what do you think?

I have only done 2 tosses, the first was roughly 2.5 miles and the second was this 3.6. I thought the birds weren’t feeling great so I stopped tosses as I didn’t want to lose any because of my own negligence. I did go in opposite direction the second time.

What kind of pellets are you using? I think it's great if your birds like them. No peas? I know peas are more expensive bought separately ... My birds didn't like the all flock pellets I tried to mix in. Maybe I will try again.

I am just using a chicken pellet, the first few days they were the last thing they ate but after that they arnt very picky. I couldn't find peas at any of the feed shops within 1.5 hrs from me that I called so I said the heck with it, as well as finally finding soybeans and then being way over priced. I wanted to make a quality food but at an affordable price. I ended up with just over 200 lbs for less than $100 and I can use it for my chickens as well so it works for me

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

FWIW -

One of those pigeons looks like a seagull, what color is that?

 

[biophiliac]

I say this with a heavy heart, that we are back down to the original Kiwi and Peach. Lime was a victim to the Cooper's hawk hanging around, and Cherry met the same fate a few weeks later. Kiwi and Peach had squabs again, but Nugget was bullying his parents to the point of chasing them off the nest, where he killed one squab and the other one froze. So I separated Nugget. I set him up in a cage where I thought he'd be safe, but that night a cat got him, pulled him through the bars of that cage, and ate him. I woke up to feathers everywhere. I found his leg band chewed up in a pile of feathers. I'm not planning on loft flying the pigeons much anymore and I extended it a bit. RIP all of the pigeon children

Condolences on your losses.

One of those pigeons looks like a seagull, what color is that?

The saddle pattern, with color only on the wing shield gives it that seagull look.

 

[cavemanrich]

I would do more shorter tosses from all different directions. If possible. My thinking;;;;;;; if your pigeons do return from a longer toss, they may overshoot your coop. This way they may realize they are lost,,,,,,,, but looking around would know where /what direction home is. JMO

 

[Qwerty3159]

I love the pattern on this guy. Is this sort of the halfway step to a tiger grizzle?
Bonus photo of the parents.

 

[cavemanrich]

Qwerty3159

Are the migrating hawks out of your area yet??

 

[Imammusa]

Hey guys so the i oh their day I asked a question about pigeons with feathered feet and everyone was telling me the chick will be like the parents but here I think it’s different

you see the parents don’t have hair on their toe but the baby seems to have it

 

[Qwerty3159]

Qwerty3159

Are the migrating hawks out of your area yet??

I’ve been seeing the hawks regularly but trying to work around them. I haven’t had an actual hawk attack on the pigeons (at least in the yard where I can see it) in months. There is a juvenile coopers but it’s been working the bird feeder and taking all the house sparrows. I haven’t been doing much flying because I only have four currently, one I won’t let out until she has a few more clutches of babies, one lazy old bird, and then the two young guys. I’ve been letting the two young guys out often but they usually rocket off into the air, do some laps, then come down and back in the loft. If they’re happy with that- then I am!

Yesterday was our first snow. I held off til putting the plastic over the aviary until this weekend, and the birds didn’t seem happy about it

 

[biophiliac]

I’ve been seeing the hawks regularly but trying to work around them. I haven’t had an actual hawk attack on the pigeons (at least in the yard where I can see it) in months. There is a juvenile coopers but it’s been working the bird feeder and taking all the house sparrows. I haven’t been doing much flying because I only have four currently, one I won’t let out until she has a few more clutches of babies, one lazy old bird, and then the two young guys. I’ve been letting the two young guys out often but they usually rocket off into the air, do some laps, then come down and back in the loft. If they’re happy with that- then I am!

Yesterday was our first snow. I held off til putting the plastic over the aviary until this weekend, and the birds didn’t seem happy about it
View attachment 2393978

I'm just now getting ready to put on the plastic where I use it in winter too! My birds are so plump and well feathered after their molt that I'm not at all worried they'll be chilled. Lol I don't cover all my vents/doors, just enough to prevent DIRECT drafts on the roosts.

 

[Pigeon28]

So some of my pigeons are just getting to breeding age. Will I expect an egg before snow or will they hold off until spring? I have left my nesting boxes closed since it would just be extra cleaning but should I open them?