Pigeon Talk

[Ninjasquirrel]

She's a lot heavier already and she now keeps her feathers looser as she is not always afraid.

She was very skittish when we picked her up. Obviously someones pet but very scared. I hate to think someone just let her go like that. Some people are so ignorant

 

[Serin]

She was very skittish when we picked her up. Obviously someones pet but very scared. I hate to think someone just let her go like that. Some people are so ignorant

I don't think she was a pet. A loft bird, or maybe a racing bird but she does not act like she has ever known human kindness, or like she has ever even eaten out of anyone's hand until now. More like she was kept in a situation where she was just never that close to people.

She is settled now, even though I've moved her from one enclosure to another a few times this week she doesn't seem upset about it as long as Olive is there too. She now spends most of her time cooing very quietly to Olive and fluttering her wings, inviting her over. She usually is ignored but Olive has let her sit almost touching her once or twice for a few minutes. Olive doesn't let her in her bed. She sometimes lets me pet her neck with one finger without moving away now. She is still hesitant to take off and only did the one long flight today... baby steps it seems.

 

[Old_Strain_Lover]

View attachment 1861273

Does Rosie make any odd noises while breathing? or have any mucous in the throat? That wattle is definitely not a sign of health... it should be all white. The wattle only gets discolored for a few reasons. It can happen when feeding babies (which obviously is not happening now and clears up quickly after they stop feeding anyways). It can also happen if it gets dirty somewhere, and again this will clear up quickly. And lastly it happens from some kind of sickness... generally a respiratory infection. For the time being I would definitely be careful about having it near your other healthy bird, and also make sure you are washing your own hands after handling the bird...

 

[Old_Strain_Lover]

As promised, I released the stray with mine today. She flew with them shortly then I lost sight of her. When mi e came in to land she wasn't amongst them. About 5 minutes later guess who returned! View attachment 1859157she had a good old wander around and fluttered about with mine, then I called them in for a bit of dinner and hey presto! View attachment 1859159ash is furthest away and the new red is closest on the right! Looks like I've got me a keeper!

If by new red, you mean the stray... I think you have them backwards. Although I could be misunderstanding as I haven't really been keeping up again haha

 

[Old_Strain_Lover]

The squeakers ...
View attachment 1859383

Are now flappers! Lol
View attachment 1859384

Give them a small pot of seeds... they are definitely big enough to start learning to peck/eat on their own

 

[biophiliac]

Give them a small pot of seeds... they are definitely big enough to start learning to peck/eat on their own

Thanks I think so too. Going to start cutting back on feeding to encourage it. Do you think it's better to mix grit with the seeds, or give it separate?

 

[Serin]

Does Rosie make any odd noises while breathing? or have any mucous in the throat? That wattle is definitely not a sign of health... it should be all white. The wattle only gets discolored for a few reasons. It can happen when feeding babies (which obviously is not happening now and clears up quickly after they stop feeding anyways). It can also happen if it gets dirty somewhere, and again this will clear up quickly. And lastly it happens from some kind of sickness... generally a respiratory infection. For the time being I would definitely be careful about having it near your other healthy bird, and also make sure you are washing your own hands after handling the bird...

What are you referencing?

 

[Old_Strain_Lover]

Thanks I think so too. Going to start cutting back on feeding to encourage it. Do you think it's better to mix grit with the seeds, or give it separate?

I would give it separate. They will take it as they need. I used to raise fancy pigeons and some of them were lousy feeders so I would assist. I would hold the beak open with one hand and pour the seeds/grains into the mouth with my other hand, and time to time I would put a pinch of grit into their mouth as well. If they aren't feeding to well on their own you can also do it that way. Mixing up formulas and using syringes wasn't my thing haha (except for the water). I preferred to just dump the seeds in there beaks along with some grit (just as the parents would do at that age).

 

[Old_Strain_Lover]

What are you referencing?

The wattle (some people call it a cere) on Rosie. The part on the upper beak which is normally white in a healthy pigeon. See how it's nice and white on Olive? It should be like that on Rosie as well...

 

[Serin]

I checked her mouth/throat the day I took her in, no canker. No mucous, she doesn't make any wheezing noises and has normal vocalization. Eyes are clear. Rosie was not a healthy pigeon, two weeks ago she was on the verge of starvation and covered in grime, I believe her cere is just still discolored. She won't bathe to really clean herself up yet.