Pigeon Talk

[sourland]

Crikey! That's a brave or very hungry hawk if it tries to take one of your birds when your stood right there! I'm glad it's OK though.

This time of year around here hawks are migrating. Young birds are hungry and desperate. I have had Cooper's strike the aviaries within feet of me on several occasions, and twice I have had Cooper's strike birds that were feeding at my feet. Another time one struck a flock right outside my cellar way just as I emerged with a broom in hand. Home run. The cellar pigeon got his name because of this incident.

 

[WVduckchick]

I moved the group into their new pen today. They seem to like it ok. When I went out at dark, the Satinettes found a roost to sit on, and the parlors went back into the original cage, which I just sat on the ground and opened the gates. I left for a couple hours, looks like they explored a little. Tomorrow they will have more time to get comfortable.

The Satinettes can hover-fly! So cool.

 

[Qwerty3159]

This time of year around here hawks are migrating. Young birds are hungry and desperate.

This was actually a mature bird. I didn't get too good of a look at it when it was nearly crashing into me but when it flew across the whole yard to get back into the woods I saw a lot of grey coloring. I think it was a female too, it looked like a very large Cooper's.

@WVduckchick those Satinettes are something else!

 

[biophiliac]

I moved the group into their new pen today. They seem to like it ok. When I went out at dark, the Satinettes found a roost to sit on, and the parlors went back into the original cage, which I just sat on the ground and opened the gates. I left for a couple hours, looks like they explored a little. Tomorrow they will have more time to get comfortable.

The Satinettes can hover-fly! So cool.

View attachment 1570221 View attachment 1570222 View attachment 1570223

I bet they're gonna be real happy there! Are the 2nd and 3rd pics inside the coop?
My homers can hover too - takes more muscle than normal flight.

 

[WVduckchick]

I bet they're gonna be real happy there! Are the 2nd and 3rd pics inside the coop?
My homers can hover too - takes more muscle than normal flight.

All the pics are inside the pen. I have open-air pens with metal roofs, small “coop/houses” with roosts that the chickens just basically sleep in. The 3rd pic is on the ramp into one. I’m still debating how to modify it to make it more ideal for them. I did add individual perches above the house, but they haven’t found them yet.

The first pic is their original cage, I just sat it on the ground and opened the gates. The second pic, Clyde is sitting on the bar that you can see in the first pic, going diagonally across that corner.

I’ll be antsy all day at work tomorrow to come home and sit and watch them.

 

[WVduckchick]

So what’s the best choice of “wild bird” seed, parakeet feed, cockatiel feed, etc. if pigeon specific feed isn’t available?

 

[Hokum Coco]

So what’s the best choice if pigeon specific feed isn’t available?

My main staple is chicken layer pellets.

This is one example of pigeon feed which is not available in my area. I do however mix in different grains with my chicken pellets.

 

[WVduckchick]

My main staple is chicken layer pellets.

This is one example of pigeon feed which is not available in my area. I do however mix in different grains with my chicken pellets.

Are there particular ingredients that are more important for them to have? I’m at TSC and they have a variety of wild bird feeds.

 

[CCUK]

If you can find something that has dried peas, maize, corn and sunflower hearts than you won't be far wrong. They are so many different types of feed for different situations like molting, young bird, old bird, conditioner, pre race, post race! A general all round feed will do just fine!

 

[WVduckchick]

Great! Thanks for all the quick help. I chose one that looks like it will work well. I’m not totally out of the pigeon feed, so if they don’t like this new stuff, I’ll have time to get somewhere else.

You guys are the best!