Pigeon Talk

[biophiliac]

Ok, behavior question.
Brick and Brewer are almost 7 weeks old. Parents Trip and Rocky are now on 2 more eggs. B&B have been away from the rest of the group more than they have been around them.
Today I took them into the main pen. They both did a little flying, not bad for their first real chance to test their wings.
Of course Skye (an un-paired older cock) tried courting them, or maybe he wanted to hurt them, or show them who’s boss. Parents intervened a little and tried protecting them. Rocky and Skye got in a big tussle. Rocky is the dominant cock though, so Skye finally backed off. But then Rocky started grabbing Brewer by the back of the neck, so I intervened.
While B&B were on roost branches, the other females were fine with them, and even young Bugsy checked them out but wasn’t agressive with them. But Skye kept trying to corner them, so I finally pulled them back out. At least until they can fly better, and get a little bigger.

So was Rocky trying to court them, or just show his dominance, or reminding them that he was their dad, or what?

I believe observational learning is a big thing with all pigeons but especially young ones. Can you somehow have their cage inside the pen or where they can observe the loft dynamics? Adding some more perches might help too.

I lost the quote but no, the tumblers aren't sitting on the egg, and another hasn't been laid. The frillbacks are acting like there will be eggs soon though, so do you think if I slipped this egg to them they would take care of three eggs and three babies?

Yes they very well could... assuming they are good parents. @CCUK had a pair successfully raise 3.

 

[Qwerty3159]

Crazy to me how much bigger they seem after just 1 day. I think I'll try to get a picture of them every single day and make a collage or something at the end of their development.

 

[biophiliac]

Crazy to me how much bigger they seem after just 1 day. I think I'll try to get a picture of them every single day and make a collage or something at the end of their development.

Good idea! Have you got bands for them?

 

[backyard pigeons]

I lost the quote but no, the tumblers aren't sitting on the egg, and another hasn't been laid. The frillbacks are acting like there will be eggs soon though, so do you think if I slipped this egg to them they would take care of three eggs and three babies?

Yup. They sure could! Since this will be their first time laying, they likely won't be fertile for the frillbacks anyway, so they may not have to raise 3.

 

[CCUK]

I lost the quote but no, the tumblers aren't sitting on the egg, and another hasn't been laid. The frillbacks are acting like there will be eggs soon though, so do you think if I slipped this egg to them they would take care of three eggs and three babies?

I believe observational learning is a big thing with all pigeons but especially young ones. Can you somehow have their cage inside the pen or where they can observe the loft dynamics? Adding some more perches might help too.

Yes they very well could... assuming they are good parents. @CCUK had a pair successfully raise 3.

Yes I had a pair raise three last year. It was tough on them and the last one to hatch was about 4-5days behind the first so was noticeably smaller for some time. I did try hand feeding it but it wouldn't really take any but all three made it.

 

[biophiliac]

Yes I had a pair raise three last year. It was tough on them and the last one to hatch was about 4-5days behind the first so was noticeably smaller for some time. I did try hand feeding it but it wouldn't really take any but all three made it.
View attachment 1744962

Didn't you say that the littlest grew up to be Beau? Now with young of her own.

 

[CCUK]

Didn't you say that the littlest grew up to be Beau? Now with young of her own.

Yes. Prince and beauty are hers! Also I think that because I tried handfeeding her she has become less flighty with me. She still isn't everso happy about being handled but she will tolerate it more than the rest!

 

[Qwerty3159]

Good idea! Have you got bands for them?

I had ordered some custom ones with my phone number a while back but they're coming from China and they were supposed to be here already but they aren't so I just ordered some regular 2019 AU ones from Foy's which claim to ship in 24 hours so that they can at least be banded.

 

[h2oratt]

Questions:

1. Best places to buy pigeons online? I'm having a hard time finding local pigeons that aren't ridiculously (IMO) expensive. My friend had a falconer come by her place to take care of her pigeon problem, so that's not an option for me anymore.
2. Do all pigeons return home (not just homers) and at what age are they too old to learn to come back home?
3. I'm assuming that homers would be best for dog training, but there are so many more kinds of pigeons than I was aware of that I'm not even sure how to tell homing pigeons from other types.
4. Are there any good resources for pigeon info?

What do you mean, dog training? Training the dog to do what? Retrieve to hand...?

 

[CCUK]

I had ordered some custom ones with my phone number a while back but they're coming from China and they were supposed to be here already but they aren't so I just ordered some regular 2019 AU ones from Foy's which claim to ship in 24 hours so that they can at least be banded.

I ordered mine with a phone number on from alibaba which is the Chinese ebay and they took about 6 weeks to arrive! I've since found somewhere in UK that do them. The race bands come from the RPRA with next day delivery.