Wayward White Homing Pigeon

[Brookshire11]

Hey all!

We had this sweet girl visit us about 2 weeks ago, maybe closer to 3.

I assume its because of my hens, and the available feed, but she is now here everyday, almost all day. She's even started staying in our tall bush/trees at night.
My chickens don't even chase her off anymore.
She has no leg band, and I know with how bright she is, she's hawk bait if she stays out too long.
Is it unreasonable to try and make her at home? I was starting to look at small, basic lofts, so she'd have better shelter.
And of course, I've started looking at feed, as I doubt layer feed meets her needs.
Any tips, suggestions as to how I can help her? I didnt want to catch her if she was going to go home, but this seems to be home for her now.
(I even posted her picture on the local lost pet facebook site).

Thanks in advance!

 

[jak2002003]

Hey all!

We had this sweet girl visit us about 2 weeks ago, maybe closer to 3.


I assume its because of my hens, and the available feed, but she is now here everyday, almost all day. She's even started staying in our tall bush/trees at night.
My chickens don't even chase her off anymore.
She has no leg band, and I know with how bright she is, she's hawk bait if she stays out too long.
Is it unreasonable to try and make her at home? I was starting to look at small, basic lofts, so she'd have better shelter.
And of course, I've started looking at feed, as I doubt layer feed meets her needs.
Any tips, suggestions as to how I can help her? I didnt want to catch her if she was going to go home, but this seems to be home for her now.
(I even posted her picture on the local lost pet facebook site).

Thanks in advance!

She is beautiful.

She is not a lost racing pigeon as she does not have any leg rings. All racing pigeons have leg bands.

She may be a lost garden dove or pet pigeon. Or she may be a feral white pigeon.

I am sure if she stays out alone she will meet a nasty end in the near future.

You would be doing a really good thing for her if you caught her and put her in a coop or pen just for her.

After about one month she should be used to her new home and you can let her out to free fly.. maybe she can come and go as she likes.. or you can allow her set times.. but always lock her away at night to protect from predators.

Then you can get her a mate and the fun addicting hobby of pigeons will take over...

 

[jak2002003]

Just thought.. you might want to catch her and put a colour on her tail.. then let her go.. just to be sure its always the same white pigeon at your place.. It could be one of a pair that one of your neighbours is keeping and its mate is on a nest?

 

[Brookshire11]

She is beautiful.

She is not a lost racing pigeon as she does not have any leg rings. All racing pigeons have leg bands.

She may be a lost garden dove or pet pigeon. Or she may be a feral white pigeon.

I am sure if she stays out alone she will meet a nasty end in the near future.

You would be doing a really good thing for her if you caught her and put her in a coop or pen just for her.

After about one month she should be used to her new home and you can let her out to free fly.. maybe she can come and go as she likes.. or you can allow her set times.. but always lock her away at night to protect from predators.

Then you can get her a mate and the fun addicting hobby of pigeons will take over...

Thank you, we've become attached to "her" lol
Any habitat recommendations?
I worry a regular cage would be too small..
But them again, I'm used to chickens.
They're the only birds I've kept. Lol

Just thought.. you might want to catch her and put a colour on her tail.. then let her go.. just to be sure its always the same white pigeon at your place.. It could be one of a pair that one of your neighbours is keeping and its mate is on a nest?

I'm almost positive its the same one..I've never seen another in the area and she is now there all day, every day.
Last night she slept in our Bradford Pear tree

That said, it's not impossible that she belongs to someone local? I just thought, if she had a home close by, she might spend more time there?

Any tips for catching?
She's friendly enough.. I can walk pretty close without her flying away.

Thank you both for the help!
I would just hate to see her snatched up by a hawk or neighboring cat. My own cat is JUST starting to realize she's off limits

 

[laughingdog]

You can have a 4 foot square cage and have plenty of room for "her", and a friend, or more. They prefer squared perches as opposed to chicken perches, or use wood blocks, also old fashioned red bricks are great perches being most natural to them, n best way wearing down nails and beak, especially if in cockitiel or common small parrot cages.

 

[laughingdog]

You can have a large to small cage and get either way great exercise.. free flzing pigeons common and a great deal for most to free fly them and they return to you. feed yer pigeon/s (cause they are social birds, and need a pigeon friend) in evening at or hour before dark if possible, and only a half cup of however much it eats in fifteen min, to hour, and make same sound or noise every time and that associates that sound to feed, n treats petting etc.
Do that sound when feed for week to month, then Dont feed her evening before or make that sound before you release her when get ready to let her free fly, hour before dark. then when gets dark and/or you make that sound, "she" should come to you/cage and expect feeding.