Pigeon Talk

[Old_Strain_Lover]

Discovered a female YT Chanel documenting her first racing pigeon loft. It's huge to me for a first loft, but she's in UK and they take pigeon racing very seriously. Because of the Covid I believe racing was paused so she is uploading a lot.

When I saw the vid of her first time banding I thought of my friend @cavemanrich !

It's a fairly good demonstration of banding a baby pigeon, however (and I'm sure she would have if she knew better) she should have tried to pull the band back off after she put it on. If it pulls off easily then it means the bird was banded too soon. The bands don't necessarily fall off... quite often it's the parents that will work them off with their beaks and carry them out of the nest (they will even carry them outside and drop them if they have access).

 

[Old_Strain_Lover]

View attachment 2173173View attachment 2173174

Red check and I'm not quite sure what to call the hen.

Looks like your cock bird could be split for dilute then... any dilute babies will be hens.

 

[biophiliac]

I guess I need to clarify... I use the gray pigeon grit. While it does contain crushed granite, it also has other ingredients such as calcium chips (sometimes oyster shell depending on the manufacturer), charcoal, and a powdered vitamin/mineral mixture. Crushed granite alone would only help with seed grinding in the gizzard, but one would need to add other ingredients for calcium and other minerals as granite doesn't give them any of this. When I mentioned in the other post that I use the gray grit, I meant the gray pigeon grit. It's the same thing as red pigeon grit, minus the added iron. Otherwise they are both a mixture of crushed granite, calcium chips, usually charcoal, salt and a powdered vitamin/mineral mixture. The redstone you bought is a good grit as a trace mineral supplement (i'm pretty sure they make it out of clay). It's not a grit one would use as a grinding aid though. However it is a good additive during the breeding season as it does supply them with some additional calcium and whatnot.

I really appreciate your knowledgeable posts! Yes, I think the redstone grit comes frome clay that is made/baked into bricks then crushedand is different from the red pigeon grit you mentioned. It is a distinction I only now understand. I also offer my birds oyster shell, charcoal, just plain crushed granite and I just bought a bucket of the pink mineral powder. When they are leaving the wheat in their feeder I can dust it with the powder and suddenly its more appetising. Lol

 

[WVduckchick]

It's a fairly good demonstration of banding a baby pigeon, however (and I'm sure she would have if she knew better) she should have tried to pull the band back off after she put it on. If it pulls off easily then it means the bird was banded too soon. The bands don't necessarily fall off... quite often it's the parents that will work them off with their beaks and carry them out of the nest (they will even carry them outside and drop them if they have access).

I’ve always put bands on the opposite direction than she did. To me, hers is upside down. I want to be able to read the numbers when they are standing.

And I have put them on too soon also, and had to hunt for them. Usually I find them in the nest bowl, or close by, but you make a good point for waiting a bit longer

 

[Pyxis]

I’ve always put bands on the opposite direction than she did. To me, hers is upside down. I want to be able to read the numbers when they are standing.

And I have put them on too soon also, and had to hunt for them. Usually I find them in the nest bowl, or close by, but you make a good point for waiting a bit longer

Same, mine go on so I can read them while the birds are standing. Otherwise they're just upside down all the time.

 

[biophiliac]

I’ve always put bands on the opposite direction than she did. To me, hers is upside down. I want to be able to read the numbers when they are standing.

And I have put them on too soon also, and had to hunt for them. Usually I find them in the nest bowl, or close by, but you make a good point for waiting a bit longer

Same, mine go on so I can read them while the birds are standing. Otherwise they're just upside down all the time.

Me too. I band that way also. I didn't link to her as an example as she did say it was her first time banding. But I see so many guys doing a YT channel for their racing lofts - not many females represented.

 

[Old_Strain_Lover]

I really appreciate your knowledgeable posts!

I'm glad it's helpful to someone! You know, in all honesty I don't even really think about these things until someone asks a question. After so many years, these things just become like second nature and you just do them... and in a way kind of assume everyone knows it. But, I'm learning/remembering that it's not the case, and you guys are making me think haha. Sometimes I go the the forum section about feeding/food and read through it. A lot of the posts are from newer people asking about what to feed their chickens etc... I kind of get a chuckle about all the answers stating that you MUST use these pellets, or those crumbles at these specific times etc etc etc. When I grew up on a farm, I didn't even have a clue there were such things as all these pellets and manufactured foods (at least not until the huge government farms were taking things over and trying to put on every extra ounce and squeeze out every extra egg possible). I'm not sure what all these people would do if these fortified pelleted feeds didn't exist... but I don't want to start any arguments so I keep out of it and just read it for some personal amusement haha

 

[Old_Strain_Lover]

I’ve always put bands on the opposite direction than she did. To me, hers is upside down. I want to be able to read the numbers when they are standing.

And I have put them on too soon also, and had to hunt for them. Usually I find them in the nest bowl, or close by, but you make a good point for waiting a bit longer

Well the thing with banding in that direction is it makes it much easier with racing, or showing. The band numbers get read when the bird is held, so when you are holding it, it is right side up. Not every bird will stand still long enough for you to read it (or let you get close enough for that matter), or the band can be turned in the opposite direction and you can't even see the numbers (or it can be a long sequence of numbers and needs to be rotated to read them all). also when the birds right leg is banded (as in the video), it's typically done that way by right handed people, and if they do the other leg they are usually left handed people. Lefties hold the birds in their left hand and righties hold it in their right hand... just makes it easier for the owner haha.

 

[KiwiandPeachthePigeons]

Question: what can I give my pigeons as treats? My adults are still a little shy and I would like them to be comfortable around me. They eat from my hand, but only after a lot of pacing around trying to decide whether they should or not. And as for Nugget, it would help me bond with him better.

 

[biophiliac]

Question: what can I give my pigeons as treats? My adults are still a little shy and I would like them to be comfortable around me. They eat from my hand, but only after a lot of pacing around trying to decide whether they should or not. And as for Nugget, it would help me bond with him better.

IMO peanuts are best! First though they have to learn how tasty they are. I do this by giving out some 'freebies' at first just let them eat a few without coming to your hand. Then use them as a reward for coming closer and closer until they will readily eat from your hand. Break the peanuts into smaller pieces for best results.