Pigeon Talk

[Qwerty3159]

I have regular gravel, enough to cover the ground. Now, after more than a year, there are some bare spots so I need to add some more. The rain and the birds moving it around kept it clean enough for me so I didn't do any cleaning myself.
How long do you think for the tail to regrow? Remind me how yours lost it's tail? Did you see it? My memory is sooo bad!

He was the one I retrieved from another state, a hawk either yanked them out or he shed them to help get away from a hawk/human. I picked him up 2 weeks ago today so they were ripped out around 3 weeks ago
I think when the feathers get yanked out like that they start growing almost immediately. When he was preening after his bath yesterday I saw the shafts were all about an inch long and growing so I think they'll be done soon.

 

[biophiliac]

He was the one I retrieved from another state, a hawk either yanked them out or he shed them to help get away from a hawk/human. I picked him up 2 weeks ago today so they were ripped out around 3 weeks ago
I think when the feathers get yanked out like that they start growing almost immediately. When he was preening after his bath yesterday I saw the shafts were all about an inch long and growing so I think they'll be done soon.

Yay! I was guessing about a month. Harriet slipped out again today but I lured her back with some peanuts pretty quickly. I know that hawk will be on the lookout for her. BTW, do you remember the theory birds with white rumps escape hawk attacks more often?

 

[biophiliac]

One of my turkey hens lost her tail & it didn't grow back till her molt. Not sure if pigeons are like that too.

She really needs it ASAP!

 

[biophiliac]

His attitude towards her so far has been total indifference or total aggression.View attachment 2064279

I had to come back and look again at Peter? The first time it didn't even click that he was missing tail.

 

[Qwerty3159]

Yay! I was guessing about a month. Harriet slipped out again today but I lured her back with some peanuts pretty quickly. I know that hawk will be on the lookout for her. BTW, do you remember the theory birds with white rumps escape hawk attacks more often?

I do remember that theory, I had a blue check and a black spread that both had big white patches on their rumps. I was never able to test it out because those two jumped ship with the rest of the flock during their very first hawk attack. Peter does not have a white rump as he has a greyish tail and tail base but his back is solid white which is pretty much impossible to see except during flight because the wings cover it. For that reason I'm thinking the theory might not be true because he definitely got attacked by something. Maybe he carries his father's/sibling's genetics with the white rump patch and he'll pass it onto his offspring.

 

[backyard pigeons]

Naughty hen makes narrow escape!

yay! Glad she made it!

The title sounds like it should be in a newslaper.

beautiful! they did it good! I like all your white flights.

Well that's it. The fantails have gone. I have kept Kiwi and Ruby. They are the wife's favourite! A guy from the next town over just came over and collected them. He already has some so hopefully they will settle in just fine. Tomorrow I will give the loft a really good clean and introduce the archangels. They will appreciate the extra space for sure. Hopefully they will won't break anymore eggs.

Its always nice to make more space! How many of them did you raise? I'm glad you kept two. you could always start back up if you needed to.

Yay! I was guessing about a month. Harriet slipped out again today but I lured her back with some peanuts pretty quickly. I know that hawk will be on the lookout for her. BTW, do you remember the theory birds with white rumps escape hawk attacks more often?

good! Don't want her to lose any more feathers!
I
I do remember that. let me see... I had a terrible loft fly where I lost three birds. It was the beginning of hawk season. I have no proof that it was hawks, but I think I It was. all three had white rumps. I don't think it works.

Remember the painted tail feather? Like a hawk?

 

[Qwerty3159]

Remember the painted tail feather? Like a hawk?

I tried that a while back and the hawk rushed targeted the one with the painted tail first.

 

[biophiliac]

The title sounds like it should be in a newslaper

That was what I was trying for!

 

[Pyxis]

It's warm enough that I could move the pigeons to the loft safely now, but they're really thinking about eggs - I hate to move them and have eggs fail because of it. Might have to wait until they've tried one more time.

 

[CCUK]

The arcs are in the new loft now. Much to kiwi's bemusement! Look how much smaller they are!

Ruby insists on nesting on the floor!