Pigeon with no feet.

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I've never kept pigeons before but I feed a small flock of them in my yard. They are waiting for me every day at 5pm when I get home from work. Well one of them has no feet. He has just stumps. I don't how he lost his feet, but he's the first to come to me for food and the last to fly away. I wonder if it would be kinder to leave him free, or to catch him and keep him as a pet. I'm very tempted to try to catch him. Any suggestions?

 

[kidcody]

Hi Kathy, when I was in England I saw Pigeon with no feet too, he seemed just fine but boy, was that strange

 

[cochinGurl]

i would only cage him if he/she has a lot of trouble getting around and eating/drinking. if it looks like maybe its not getting enough to eat ie: looks malnuturished (sorry 4 my spelling), sick, or constantly "saggey" or dis-shoveled looking, i would keep it as a pet. but if it seems to get around ok, then i would leave it. if you do decide to cage it, i would get him/her a "special needs" little friend. good luck with ur lil' footless guy! can you post pics?

 

[nzpouter]

there's a reason to pigeons missing their feet.... some people realised that by cutting one/ 2 feet off a bird it will still allow the bird to pair up but leaving them unable to fertilise the eggs.. thus taking one pair of ferals out of the breeding cycle... sick, but happens.

 

[AZBootsie]

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That is disturbing. (not the post....... that people do it)

 

[deerman]

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Sorry that just doesn't make since....they would still be able to breed.....My guess these birds lost their feet to frost bit, see it in many birds ,or toes, in winter they can't set on their toes on round roost, setting on their toes keep then warm'

Now as far as the bird with no feet, in the wild he will have a hard time roosting in winter ,or wind storms, making them easier prey.

 

[usschicago1]

You should cage it and get it a mate. It would never last a winter. Thanks for caring !

 

[chickenzoo]

If you pen it, make sure it has a large flight area, as w/o feet walking around a lot would be painful I would think. Flying takes some of the pressure off.

 

[onthespot]

I have a lovebird that lost one foot still in the nestbox. a bit of nesting material got tangled around its foot. That was back in November. Over time, the overuse of its one good leg caused it to fail and a mont ago, that leg went missing too. She flies and eats and drinks and is out in the flight with the other birds, but I have considered euthanizing her. She keeps good weight though, and no one is picking on her. Anyone want to chime in what they would do with her? PS she has rare genetics, but I don't think she could breed. Maybe, if I custom made her a nest box... but I doubt it.

 

[abluechipstock]

poor thing, may have been a string accident, if people truely do that horrible act they need to be locked up, i'd rather see them shoot them then torture them