Pigeon Talk

[Serin]

I opened the cage up and Olive went out to fly. Rowan has taken his turn on the eggs.... we'll see if she lets him keep sitting. Once out, she flew to my shoulder for a bit while I fed the little parrot but now she's just doing her own thing, taking a break and walking around preening herself.

 

[CCUK]

They'd be cute babies! But I'm getting so tired of how complicated it's gotten with both birds. If they were just happy together and wanted to be left alone, I'd be sad but I'd deal with it, but now she's being downright nasty to poor Rowan. And in a couple days or tomorrow or in an hour, she'll probably be nice to him and attack me again. Sometimes she preens me very gently for a bit and then changes instantly to attack mode. Now she's doing that to Rowan. She preens him for a second and then wing boxes him and bites him in the face! The good days where she's nice to both of us are few and far between the last few weeks. I think it's really an issue in her little bird bird brain that she knows she's supposed to have one mate but can't decide which of us to accept. And most of the time she only allows one or the other to be around her.

Rowan is another pigeon and they clearly can communicate better than her and I, but at the same time he's proven that he's pretty shy, very quiet, not that great at anything regarding nesting so far... even when he tries to feed her I think because her beak is so small, she never actually gets any food... and Olive was alone for long enough from a young enough age that she formed a strong attachment to people that probably altered what she finds attractive in a mate. My being a person means that, in comparison to Rowan, she probably perceives me as much stronger and more capable of defending her and her babies than him, and being aggressive and strong is a very sexy thing to pigeons it seems with how their mates normally drive them so fiercely in courtship. And Rowan just doesn't do that or show he is a good protector/provider at all. I thought Olive just didn't mind but maybe she does now that the eggs are here.

I'll tell you what, I didn't expect the dynamic to be this messy and I do miss when she was a carefree little companion bird. I no longer can tell what situation she was happier in, but today she just seems stressed..

I don't know what to suggest. I will say that as far as they are birds they will be better together than olive seeing you as her mate. But if that means you have to stand back and leave them be and not get involved then that is what you must do. I know it is conflicting because olive is your companion bird and bringing rowan into the equation has changed the dynamics.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

I was away for the weekend and returned to see Olive and Rowan have two new eggs. She was really aggressive today I'm not sure if this is how she'll be now as she incubated or if my absence just had her more wary when I got back tonight.

And Nemo is doing great with his friend.

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So excited about the new eggs! Shes probably just nervous because of what happened to her eggs before. I know chickens can get defensive if you take their eggs when they are broody. Perhaps her jolt to aggression is somehow related? not all animals are great parents the first time around and they tend to learn from their mistakes. Let us know if they are fertile!

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

I opened the cage up and Olive went out to fly. Rowan has taken his turn on the eggs.... we'll see if she lets him keep sitting. Once out, she flew to my shoulder for a bit while I fed the little parrot but now she's just doing her own thing, taking a break and walking around preening herself.

At least he's taking his turn! That shows he's at least trying to be a good parent. Perhaps he's not the best mate...but hes the only one with the proper *cough* equipment. To Olive he might be "the last man on earth" since she knows nothing else. I personally have told guys "not of you were the last man on earth!" But...if he was...well...I'd have some thinking to do...rebuilding the human race and all...

 

[backyard pigeons]

I have made a tossing crate! it's 24×16, with hardware that's painted black to reduce glare.

I wasn't sure if I could do one sturdy enough, yet light enough to be comfortable. But I did!

 

[biophiliac]

I have made a tossing crate! it's 24×16, with hardware that's painted black to reduce glare.

I wasn't sure if I could do one sturdy enough, yet light enough to be comfortable. But I did!
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Well done!

 

[backyard pigeons]

Well done!

thanks! I just did the first toss. Only 50-60 yards, but they all trapped within 2 minutes!

I did 6 birds. The feral was not with them obviously.

 

[Qwerty3159]

and yes!! The feral showed up this morning! I'm so happy! I'm nervous letting him out again, but that's no life for a feral being locked up. thanks for asking btw!

I think he proved himself escaping the hawk and returning to your loft.
And good work on the basket too, sure beats buying one.

 

[backyard pigeons]

I think he proved himself escaping the hawk and returning to your loft.
And good work on the basket too, sure beats buying one.

Yeah, I really like him though. so he isn't going on any tosses! I would almost,,, almost, breed him, but I don't think I will.

 

[Serin]

I don't know what to suggest. I will say that as far as they are birds they will be better together than olive seeing you as her mate. But if that means you have to stand back and leave them be and not get involved then that is what you must do. I know it is conflicting because olive is your companion bird and bringing rowan into the equation has changed the dynamics.

I may have to stop interacting with her and just treat them as hands off cage birds to stop giving Olive mixed signals.