Zilla the Pigeon...*new questions & pics*

[SunAngel]

The experience has been so cool!

I have hand fed baby bunnies, kittens, pigs, puppies, even a cockatiel, but this has been a whole new experience.

I sure hope the pigeon will be ok. As of yesterday it has stopped letting me feed it. It still runs out of the cage and taps at my hand while screeching, but will not open its mouth for food anymore. No matter what I try. Up til now, I only had to put my fingers on either side of its beak and it would hold its mouth open wide for me to pour food into it.

It should be about 5 weeks old now...is that old enough to be totally weaned? I have seed mixed with chick starter and grit and a bowl of water in the cage at all times, but I haven't really seen it eating or drinking.

 

[FrChuckW]

Try putting some seed in your hand and see if it will pick at that. Also gently feel it's crop and see if it is full. It should be firm but not hard.

 

[BirdBoy88]

I LOVE raising baby pigeons from eggs

i always do it

when we had alot of pigeons everytime a chick hatch as soon as it hatches we take them and raise them

 

[SunAngel]

I am trying to figure out if Zilla is a girl or a boy, but can't find very much info on sexing.

I found one site that said only the males get the irridescent feathers around the neck, is this true?

Zilla has just recently gotten 1 pink/green/purple irridescent feather on the back of his/her neck. Do I probably have a boy pigeon then?

And what would the exact id of my pigeon be... a Gray Racing Pigeon?

Thanks for any help!

S/he will be 6 weeks old on Friday!

S/he can fly short distances now, like from my hand to a chair maybe 3 ft away and is totally weaned now. When I put a fresh dish of water in the cage, s/he likes to hop in it and sit in the water lol. Hopefully I can find Zilla a friend, should I wait awhile though or get one soon?

 

[deerman]

Thats a Blue check , looks like a homer or common pigeon.

Will need to be about 6 month to sex. Then you go by the way they act around other pigeon.

Had a friend that raised a roller from 3 days old. It was a hen and was imprinted so he was her mate. She would lay eggs but never would accept another pigeon as a mate.

Cant go by the colors to sex, unless its a sex-link color.

 

[SunAngel]

I looked up pics of Homing pigeons and he looks just like some of them. I know I have seen boxes at the auction marked Homers, so thats probably what he is. Considering one of the usual pigeon breeders that sells at the sale is probably the one that brought the chicks too.

Thanks for the help. Guess I will just wait and see.

 

[SunAngel]

Would anyone know if Zilla is old enough to not need a heat lamp anymore?

 

[danischi24]

Zilla has enough feathers to not need a lamp anymore though because I'm a budgie hugger, I'd put it on at night for a bit if it get's very cold where she/he lives.

 

[SunAngel]

Thanks for the help!

S/he is in the house, in a cage, so it stays around 75-80 degrees. I didn't want to have the heat lamp running if it wasn't needed anymore.

 

[deerman]

No he needs no heat lamp if in the house. Homers are very hardy and do find outside with no heat. They just need a loft(coop).
If you want to let him fly,make sure he is pen where he can see outside. For a few weeks before letting him free flight.
I alway broke mine to home at 5 weeks of age.

Guess this thread will get me back into racing homers.