Pigeon Talk

[backyard pigeons]

Yep, they have longer beaks. Lol, but anything would look long compared to the beaks on your frills! Well, almost anything. There are some breeds that practically don't have a beak at all.

In other news, I had a look at the genetics, found out how the colors worked, discovered I could actually make sex links breeding the yellow bars to silvers, and decided to go with a cream yellow bar pair.

Oops. You posted over me! I think you made a good choice. Sex-linked pigeons would be nice! As you know with your so called hen! Lol.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Yep, they have longer beaks. Lol, but anything would look long compared to the beaks on your frills! Well, almost anything. There are some breeds that practically don't have a beak at all.

In other news, I had a look at the genetics, found out how the colors worked, discovered I could actually make sex links breeding the yellow bars to silvers, and decided to go with a cream yellow bar pair.

 

[Serin]

Olive the house pigeon is super smart! She is learning potty training!

The one place I really don't want her to do her business is on the couches. So if I see her start to move her tail while she's there, I would quickly shoo her away and she would fly up to the top of the door (her go to safe spot) and then go (I have paper under the door.) I'd give her treats and make a big fuss like you would a puppy every time she did her business there and she seemed to figure it out really fast. She is now flying directly to the door to her business (so it all drops onto the paper). It may just be coincidental, however quite a few times this evening she has been on the couch by me and then flown off quickly, done her business, and come back to the couch with no more accidents there. I left the house for a while, and she was on the couch. I came back, and she was still there laying down, but there were new droppings on the newspaper under the door.

 

[backyard pigeons]

Very pretty! Are all their beaks that long? I hadn’t noticed it before.


In other news, I checked Shadow’s eggs tonight. One egg was collapsed. Not broken, but the shell must have been soft/weak and was crunched in. The other egg looked infertile, so since they’ve only been there a few days, I went ahead and pulled both eggs, thinking it may take her a few days to lay another if I just took the one that was messed up.
Can/will they eat oyster shell? I’ve given her some layer feed, along with her regular feed sometimes, but not every day.

Aww sorry. If you just remove one egg, they wouldn't lay another. So it's good you removed both. I've never offered oyster shell but I heard they like it if small enough.

 

[Serin]

 

[backyard pigeons]

Olive the house pigeon is super smart! She is learning potty training!

The one place I really don't want her to do her business is on the couches. So if I see her start to move her tail while she's there, I would quickly shoo her away and she would fly up to the top of the door (her go to safe spot) and then go (I have paper under the door.) I'd give her treats and make a big fuss like you would a puppy every time she did her business there and she seemed to figure it out really fast. She is now flying directly to the door to her business (so it all drops onto the paper). It may just be coincidental, however quite a few times this evening she has been on the couch by me and then flown off quickly, done her business, and come back to the couch with no more accidents there. I left the house for a while, and she was on the couch. I came back, and she was still there laying down, but there were new droppings on the newspaper under the door.

What!? So cool. I really need one now. Lol.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Olive the house pigeon is super smart! She is learning potty training!

The one place I really don't want her to do her business is on the couches. So if I see her start to move her tail while she's there, I would quickly shoo her away and she would fly up to the top of the door (her go to safe spot) and then go (I have paper under the door.) I'd give her treats and make a big fuss like you would a puppy every time she did her business there and she seemed to figure it out really fast. She is now flying directly to the door to her business (so it all drops onto the paper). It may just be coincidental, however quite a few times this evening she has been on the couch by me and then flown off quickly, done her business, and come back to the couch with no more accidents there. I left the house for a while, and she was on the couch. I came back, and she was still there laying down, but there were new droppings on the newspaper under the door.

That is incredible. All my house birds in the past I think trained themselves to go on my shoulder.

 

[backyard pigeons]

@shawluvsbirds are you getting any pigeons? You need some fantails!

 

[shawluvsbirds]

so, are all pigeon breeds believed to be equally intelligent, or are some breeds smarter than others?

 

[WVduckchick]

Aww sorry. If you just remove one egg, they wouldn't lay another. So it's good you removed both. I've never offered oyster shell but I heard they like it if small enough.

Thanks. I guessed she wouldn’t lay another, so I’m glad I chose well. Not that I would mind one squab, but this early on, might as well give her the better chance at 2.
I’ll try crushing some oyster shell tomorrow and adding a bowl.