Question about pigeons staying

[jak2002003]

This is solid advice. If you start your loft with ferals, I would administer a broad spectrum all purpose antiobiotic, a dewormer as well as treat for external parasites. I would do this as follows:

1. Dust all birds with something like diatomaceous earth powder (food grade) and/or offer them a bath with good pigeon bath salts that are made to kill parasites, such as this: https://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/dr-pigeon/7031-dr-pigeons-bath-salts. I would do both with ferals.

2. Before and after you administer the dewormer and the antiobiotics, offer good probiotics. This is especially important after the administration of anti-biotics, as they will kill all the good bacteria and fauna in their gut and leave their gut health susceptible to issues.

3. Use a dewormer such as levamisole, such as this: https://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/medications/worms-wormers/2546-all-in-one-100-grams.

4. Use an all in one broad spectrum anti-biotic that covers the common issues with pigeons such as Salmonella/Paratyphoid) E-coli, Coccidiosis and Canker. This is a good example of a product like this: https://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/medications/multiple-use-medications/2507-avio-4-1-powder.

5. Thereafter, for maintenance of good health and to avoid the issues the aforementioned treatments seek to remove, offer a bath at least once a week with the bath salts, which they love anyways (but not when it's too cold out). Keep fresh water treated with organic apple cider vinegar (about 2 tbs / gallon of water)--this prevents canker and other illnesses, and is also very good for the birds, and they like the taste. Adding garlic makes it even better, and the birds will love the taste (when I buy the large gallon bottles of applie cider vinegar, I take one full bulb of garlic and juice the entire thing and add the juice to the large bottle of apple cider vinegar and it lasts for a very long time, since the large bottle of apple cider vinegar is then treated with garlic so you don't have to add the garlic each time). Continue to offer probiotics about weekly, but at least once a month. If you use pro biotics that go in their water, I would not add the apple cider vinegar to the water with the pro biotics, I would keep them separate.

The products above can be found at online vendors other than Foy's, such as Jedd's.

Great advise. If OP follows this he will have no problems.

The feral birds are MUCH HARDIER and resistant to disease than some of the fancy breeds, or even pedigree homers. This is because only the toughest ones survive in the wild.

I found the domesticated pigeons from some lofts to be very weak when it comes to diseases... I suspect people have been overmedicating their birds for generations of pigeons and now they are not genetically resistant to even the common mild diseases.

 

[Hokum Coco]

The feral birds are MUCH HARDIER and resistant to disease than some of the fancy breeds,

I am inclined to agree with this statement at least in my experience. One should be cautious introducing feral birds into an established loft and quarantine the bird for 10 days and take action on any health issues it may have.

 

[Chick's View]

I know a guy who has pigeons in an old barn he'd like trapped and removed. If I were to do it, keeping in mind these are not any particular kind of pigeons, just "feral barn rats", if I cooped them until they had babies and then did the "release one parent for an hour before feeding" thing to wean them out/train them this is home - how likely are they to stay?

And how likely are they, if they leave, to get over 15 miles by air back to his place and bug them again?

I've never had pigeons, but always liked them and have done some studying in case of "if" and "One day", and I don't want them for anything in particular, I just like them, so these birds are as good to me as any. Not to mention free is nice and I'd hate to think of them poisoned out or something (not that there's any rush, he'd just like them gone by summer) but I don't want to "save" them only to have them go winging back to be pests. I'd also not want to coop them for the rest of their lives. About how long would strike a happy medium?

I know a guy who has pigeons in an old barn he'd like trapped and removed. If I were to do it, keeping in mind these are not any particular kind of pigeons, just "feral barn rats", if I cooped them until they had babies and then did the "release one parent for an hour before feeding" thing to wean them out/train them this is home - how likely are they to stay?

And how likely are they, if they leave, to get over 15 miles by air back to his place and bug them again?

I've never had pigeons, but always liked them and have done some studying in case of "if" and "One day", and I don't want them for anything in particular, I just like them, so these birds are as good to me as any. Not to mention free is nice and I'd hate to think of them poisoned out or something (not that there's any rush, he'd just like them gone by summer) but I don't want to "save" them only to have them go winging back to be pests. I'd also not want to coop them for the rest of their lives. About how long would strike a happy medium?

 

[Chick's View]

If they aren't homing pigeons, they may or may not stay. The parents are the ones that won't be likely to stay. But, youngsters born in your barn will most likely stay. We have homing pigeons and the breeders (the ones not born here) aren't allowed out, just in their fly pens because they will attempt to return home. To the youngsters, this is home! If you need any help at all, just post and I'll answer.

 

[thinkyesi]

Based off of my knoledge, ive been raising all kinds of birds all my life. From big fancy expensive birds, to rescued wild birds. Alot of people will tell you to get the fancier birds, but if you don’t want to, then don’t, get the free like how you want to do.
People are gonna tell you that an adult pigeon will fly back to its old nest because it wasn’t born in the loft, those people are very wrong. An adult bird will fly back because it doesn’t recognize its new home, and also they don’t know that the new Home provides food and water for them. What you do is when you get your birds, figure out who are pairs, and see who are the cocks and who are the hens. When you get new birds, always have the nests ready and put the cock in the nest first, then try to put the hen in with him, they will usually start to claim the new nest as theirs and coo around in it. That’s a great sign knowing the birds accepted their new home and will most likely stay.
Now if you were to let them go, the birds would really have an idea as to how to get home because they aren’t used to their surroundings, that’s why you must keep them locked in an aviary with a loft for a couple months so they know the area, also this will sound silly, but talk to the birds, hold the birds, pet them, treat them like they are your babies. Animals can sense when someone is caring for them, that way they won’t feel threatened to leave, but instead feel safe and trust you to stay and come back.
Also whistle train them everytime you feed them or give treats, that way when you let them out and they see the food and hear your whistle, they will come back.
My husband and I started out with 1 cock, he was a breeder in a bad condition, he was so frightened and scared, everyday we would take him out and hold him while we’d scratch the back of his head And let him see his surroundings, letting the birds know ‘this is home’, he began to trust us and we let him go, we called him over and he came right on over. He was an adult bird and he didn’t leave, the bird felt safe, so it kept coming back.
Now to this day we have lots and lots of pigeons that have been feral pigeons or that we have found injured or bought, and we show them love and give them their space too and the birds keep coming home. Especially because of food hahaha

 

[Chick's View]

Based off of my knoledge, ive been raising all kinds of birds all my life. From big fancy expensive birds, to rescued wild birds. Alot of people will tell you to get the fancier birds, but if you don’t want to, then don’t, get the free like how you want to do.
People are gonna tell you that an adult pigeon will fly back to its old nest because it wasn’t born in the loft, those people are very wrong. An adult bird will fly back because it doesn’t recognize its new home, and also they don’t know that the new Home provides food and water for them. What you do is when you get your birds, figure out who are pairs, and see who are the cocks and who are the hens. When you get new birds, always have the nests ready and put the cock in the nest first, then try to put the hen in with him, they will usually start to claim the new nest as theirs and coo around in it. That’s a great sign knowing the birds accepted their new home and will most likely stay.
Now if you were to let them go, the birds would really have an idea as to how to get home because they aren’t used to their surroundings, that’s why you must keep them locked in an aviary with a loft for a couple months so they know the area, also this will sound silly, but talk to the birds, hold the birds, pet them, treat them like they are your babies. Animals can sense when someone is caring for them, that way they won’t feel threatened to leave, but instead feel safe and trust you to stay and come back.
Also whistle train them everytime you feed them or give treats, that way when you let them out and they see the food and hear your whistle, they will come back.
My husband and I started out with 1 cock, he was a breeder in a bad condition, he was so frightened and scared, everyday we would take him out and hold him while we’d scratch the back of his head And let him see his surroundings, letting the birds know ‘this is home’, he began to trust us and we let him go, we called him over and he came right on over. He was an adult bird and he didn’t leave, the bird felt safe, so it kept coming back.
Now to this day we have lots and lots of pigeons that have been feral pigeons or that we have found injured or bought, and we show them love and give them their space too and the birds keep coming home. Especially because of food hahaha

 

[Chick's View]

I'm so happy to hear that you love those birds! You are truly doing the right things!

 

[RiverOtter]

You guys are all amazing.
If I do this it won't be till spring and I'll definitely follow all this great advice and keep everyone posted!

 

[LamarshFish]

You guys are all amazing.
If I do this it won't be till spring and I'll definitely follow all this great advice and keep everyone posted!

If you have any interest in getting well bred racing homers as opposed to dealing with ferals, you might try to reach out to racers now. They are currently breeding their race birds for their young bird teams, but maybe you can find a racer with breeding pairs that they are not breeding for this race season, but which they will allow to breed in order to give you squeakers. Just a thought. Squeakers are only ready to be homed to a new loft at about the 35 day mark, so would just require a bit of planning ahead if racing homers (or other loft bred birds) are the route you end up wanting to go.

 

[RiverOtter]

Thanks @LamarshFish , I didn't know it was such a limited window of opportunity! It makes sense now that I think about it though. There is a local club rather close, I'll get in touch with them. I know there's a lot to learn.

I don't think I'll fit that time frame this year. I'm in the middle of the (long, grueling, agonizing, long) process of moving my farm. The new one (and fingers crossed and knock on wood just saying that doesn't jinx anything) has a space that can be made into a loft, so when I heard about these ferals, I thought I'd start info-gathering. I grew up a city kid and pigeons were one of the few connections to nature I had, and I've always wanted a few, just to have them around.