Pigeon Talk

[Qwerty3159]

You got a great image there. The are so sweet and dad so proud!

Edit added: Hey Qwerty! Have you ever met Dvorak? I was setting up new device and was delayed by alternate keyboard call Dvorak. Supposed to be an improved version of you! I'd say more like your evil twin!

Definitely an evil twin. I've used it before but wasn't a fan of it. I think it is probably better but I'm so used to the keyboard layout I learned to type on its difficult for me to want to make the change.
Like the metric system in many ways

 

[biophiliac]

Qwerty! What a sweet picture! I learn things all the time here...I had no idea the dad pigeons took such a big part in parenting. Until I started hanging out here. These are such cool birds! Then there is their war duty. I got reading about them during WW1 which I find amazing....and knew nothing about. Then there is the house pigeon thing. I love the thought of Olive helping with the Christmas decorations! What fun & diverse birds!

Now you are beginning to understand the fascination people feel for pigeons.

Definitely an evil twin. I've used it before but wasn't a fan of it. I think it is probably better but I'm so used to the keyboard layout I learned to type on its difficult for me to want to make the change.
Like the metric system in many ways

I feel the same way. I did read that the US Navy did a study and found out it takes 52 hours practice for their typists to make the switch. They found it worth it. I'm too old to invest that many ours in typing.
Sorry for going off topic.

Back to pigeons, Last night the low was 10°F, so we checked to see if the squeaks were covered. They were not. Parents were standing - Mom about a foot away and Dad about three feet away - on the same shelf. So they were brought in for the night. Today they will be placed outside for periods of time to try and prevent them acclimating to indoor temps. It is expected to remain very cold for several days.

Today it is clear that by visible color on the feathers that 1750, the larger one, will be ash red and therefor a cockbird. 1749 will likely be a blue hen but can't really see her color yet as she is behind in development.

@KiwiandPeachthePigeons . BTW At 10°F my adult birds are happily sunning themselves in the aviary, even sub zero temps don't bother them much. Me, I wish I lived in NM.

 

[WVduckchick]

WV,,,, you may consider having one of these on standby, after the hatch, lil squabs grow and not able to be completely covered by parent. Still not enough feathers.

The large size is 15 watts, so enough to take the chill out. I would fashion nest on top of rock.

interesting idea! Thanks!

View attachment 1981499

too adorable!

Now you are beginning to understand the fascination people feel for pigeons.


I feel the same way. I did read that the US Navy did a study and found out it takes 52 hours practice for their typists to make the switch. They found it worth it. I'm too old to invest that many ours in typing.
Sorry for going off topic.

Back to pigeons, Last night the low was 10°F, so we checked to see if the squeaks were covered. They were not. Parents were standing - Mom about a foot away and Dad about three feet away - on the same shelf. So they were brought in for the night. Today they will be placed outside for periods of time to try and prevent them acclimating to indoor temps. It is expected to remain very cold for several days.

Today it is clear that by visible color on the feathers that 1750, the larger one, will be ash red and therefor a cockbird. 1749 will likely be a blue hen but can't really see her color yet as she is behind in development.

@KiwiandPeachthePigeons . BTW At 10°F my adult birds are happily sunning themselves in the aviary, even sub zero temps don't bother them much. Me, I wish I lived in NM.

Have these parents been parents before? Wonder why they aren’t covering the babies?

Bugsy does have one offspring - Hope, last June. I think her other egg was clear, or quit developing. I didn’t make note of it.

I tried to check the leg band on the bird in the nest today and I couldn’t feel one. She got away from me before I could be positive. I guess it pulled off? Later, I could see a blue band on the other parent, so it’s one of the birds that I drove to Ohio to get. Duff and Breezy are my guess, unless the missing band was one of their offspring. I’ll have to check all the other bands to figure out which one is missing. I’m going to check again when I get home.

 

[biophiliac]

Olive is molting again about 4 weeks after finally finishing her first one. Feathers everywhere!

Curious why she's molting so soon again? Do you know? Lighting a factor?

interesting idea! Thanks!



too adorable!



Have these parents been parents before? Wonder why they aren’t covering the babies?

Bugsy does have one offspring - Hope, last June. I think her other egg was clear, or quit developing. I didn’t make note of it.

I tried to check the leg band on the bird in the nest today and I couldn’t feel one. She got away from me before I could be positive. I guess it pulled off? Later, I could see a blue band on the other parent, so it’s one of the birds that I drove to Ohio to get. Duff and Breezy are my guess, unless the missing band was one of their offspring. I’ll have to check all the other bands to figure out which one is missing. I’m going to check again when I get home.

I know the cockbird is a first timer - 2019 hatch. I suspect the hen is also but since she's a feral I'm notsure. All I can say is each pair is different. Doo is absolutely the best Daddy in the loft. His babies are always well fed. He makes sure his mate is on them at night even if they are too big to cover, that 3rd big warm body in the nest is about as good as a reptile rock, I think? Then Doo always spends the day on the nest with them. Feeding and protecting them from cold and other birds. Once they fledge he stays close enough to be sure they aren't attacked. Doo had no 'father model' He washatched by a pair of hens, abandoned at 10days old then handraised by me. I worried he wouldn't know how to be a proper pigeon Dad. LOL

 

[memphis]

Wow Doo....what a guy. Hopefully he'll pass down those fatherly instincts. The more I learn about these birds....the more they impress me. I still get a kick out of Olive's " forced marriage ". She was not a happy pigeon, but as soon as he left she got back to being herself. They all sure have their own personalities.

 

[biophiliac]

Wow Doo....what a guy. Hopefully he'll pass down those fatherly instincts. The more I learn about these birds....the more they impress me. I still get a kick out of Olive's " forced marriage ". She was not a happy pigeon, but as soon as he left she got back to being herself. They all sure have their own personalities.

.
I like your analogy to forced marriage!
Good parenting is especially important to racing fanciers. This time of year they have all their breeders paired up. The goal is to have the first round hatch as early in the new year as possible. This gives the older ones a competitive advantage in young bird races for only birds hatched in 2020 are eligible. With 20, 60 or more hatching for the team you can imagine what a nightmare poor parenting can cause.

 

[biophiliac]

Qwerty! What a sweet picture! I learn things all the time here...I had no idea the dad pigeons took such a big part in parenting. Until I started hanging out here. These are such cool birds! Then there is their war duty. I got reading about them during WW1 which I find amazing....and knew nothing about. Then there is the house pigeon thing. I love the thought of Olive helping with the Christmas decorations! What fun & diverse birds!

Did you wonder how Olive came to be standing on that table among the little trees without knocking anything over? I'm still wondering!

 

[memphis]

Nothing Olive does surprises me anymore! Hey....she's probably the one who set up the trees! LOL!
Thanks for the parenting info Bio....I'm still learning!!

 

[WVduckchick]

I hadn’t thought about them trying to breed as early as possible in the year, for racing purposes. Makes perfect sense.

I’m positive now that it’s Duff on the nest. I caught each bird and checked bands. Tried to feel tailbones for gender also. I’m still not sure of the dad, haven’t seen him on the nest, but assume Breezy since they hatched 2 sets together last year.
Duff and Skye (my only Blueette) were the only ones that came to me without bands, and I gave Duff a plastic snap band, which she has apparently lost. Glad I didn’t stick with those bands.

If these 2 hatch, I think it will be before the end of the year, And I still have some 2019 bands. I haven’t ordered 2020 bands yet, but I think Bonnie and Clyde will push me to order them soon!

 

[cavemanrich]

If these 2 hatch, I think it will be before the end of the year, And I still have some 2019 bands. I haven’t ordered 2020 bands yet, but I think Bonnie and Clyde will push me to order them soon!

For your birds........ since they are not racers,, the year is not sooooo critical. It is for your easy reference to when they were born
You keep track of them in your records. If someone is purchasing one from you,,, there would be no real issue of slightly off year.
For racers,,, I'm suspect there are less than sincere individuals that purchased their 2020 bands as early as possible, and try to slip them onto 2019 bird. Just to get a slight advantage. Racing clubs may control their sale of bands within club. Generic permanent bands from Outside of USA, can be ordered to say anything you want. They are good to include Phone # if desired, for easy contact of lost/found bird. They can print Year 2525, if you so desire. All those are Custom Made.
Most racing clubs do not allow birds (to fly, compete in races) with band other than racing club ones. Keeps Fanciers Honest by Default

WV,, just my thought/view and IDEA, about removable snap bands.
I used to place snaps onto other leg for EZ gender ID. Blue and Pink.
Never had one fall off BTW. I think that if there is some irritation caused by sharp edge on plastic ,,,, pigeon may have a tendency to try and remove. I always dulled/rounded that sharp edge with some FINE sandpaper. Another option to keep from falling off,, is a small drop of Krazy Glue into joint. I did stress SMALL, so glue does not overflow, and band becomes permanent with leg.
Plastic bands are easy to cut off if desired to remove. Permanent bands do pose a more of a challenge. But can be removed if you know what you are doing,,,,, without hurting pigeons leg.