advice needed for novice

[KalamarDT]

Hello all. I don't know too much about birds but I need some advice. I was feeding my horses last week when a pigeon flew over my head and landed next to me. I believe it to be an escaped pet of someone's because I live out in the country and it seems very tame but does not have a leg band. It hung around a few hours dodging the barn cats' attempts at a "snack". Finally I put out a rabbit cage with some sweet feed in it and the bird walked in. That's how I caught it. I put him/her in a wire mesh cage of around three feet tall x 2 ft. wide. It has two branches (different sizes) in two corners and I have been leaving water and seed down all the time. I covered the top and part of on side to keep shade and dry area in the cage. I put out ads but no one answered. I wish to keep this beautiful bird so I need to know if what I've been feeding/housing is ok or not. The cage is outside but away from the cats. The feed I gave him is mix between little bit of wild dove seeds, cracked corn, and commercial pigeon pellets I went to the store and got some pet bird grit (for cockatiels) and vitamin drops for the water. What should I change and does the bird require a nest box of some sort? Thanks,

P.S. I'll try to download a pic

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by KalamarDT

Hello all. I don't know too much about birds but I need some advice. I was feeding my horses last week when a pigeon flew over my head and landed next to me. I believe it to be an escaped pet of someone's because I live out in the country and it seems very tame but does not have a leg band. It hung around a few hours dodging the barn cats' attempts at a "snack". Finally I put out a rabbit cage with some sweet feed in it and the bird walked in. That's how I caught it. I put him/her in a wire mesh cage of around three feet tall x 2 ft. wide. It has two branches (different sizes) in two corners and I have been leaving water and seed down all the time. I covered the top and part of on side to keep shade and dry area in the cage. I put out ads but no one answered. I wish to keep this beautiful bird so I need to know if what I've been feeding/housing is ok or not. The cage is outside but away from the cats. The feed I gave him is mix between little bit of wild dove seeds, cracked corn, and commercial pigeon pellets I went to the store and got some pet bird grit (for cockatiels) and vitamin drops for the water. What should I change and does the bird require a nest box of some sort? Thanks,

P.S. I'll try to download a pic

That's a very pretty bird. What you are feeding is fine. I personally would do away with the cracked corn. If there is no corn in the dove mix, you could add some unpopped plain pop corn. Some say cracked corn is no good, others say it's ok. I opt not to feed it to my birds. The grit isn't really the right kind. They need pigeon grit. You may be able to get it at a feed store or maybe they could order it for you.
Second, the cage that you have the bird in, in the picture, isn't safe. A hawk or cat or racoon or weasel could very easily reach through a grab the bird. We've all seen it happen time and time again. 1/4" or 1/2" hardware cloth is the best thing to build a cage with. He/She also needs some sort of closed in shelter to get in out of the wind, rain, snow, cold, sun, etc.......
Now, my suggestion is, if you are going to keep the bird, you probably need to try to find a companion for it. Pigeons are very social birds and don't like being alone.
If you can tell us where you are, it may be that someone can help you out in that regard.
Hope this helps get you started anyway.......I'm sure there will be more questions.
Oh, and welcome to PT by the way.

[Charis]

Perfect advise form Renee.
It is a very pretty bird.

[maryjane]

Welcome, and thanks for caring for this wayward pigeon. They really do "adopt" people sometimes. You've gotten great advice so far. Keep us updated on him.

[KalamarDT]

Hello. Thank you for the advice! I moved the cage onto my enclosed back porch so he should be safer now from any potential predators. I am going to look for pigeon/dove care books at a few bookstores and pet shops today. I also went from no birds last week to 3 birds! Just the other day my niece came over with two fan tail pigeons SHE rescued but her mother wouldn't let her keep! (She volunteers at a local animal shelter and someone dropped off several pet birds) They are currently in an old rabbit hutch that is aprox. 50 yds away from the other bird. Am I right in assuming these three can never safely be in one large pen together? I'm feeling a little overwhelmed right now because I'm one who always trys to research before I decide to get a new kind of animal and well, this wasn't something I planned! I was thinking about fully enclosing one of my 5x6x10 dog runs with canopy with small 1/2 in. mesh and turning it into a huge permanent pen. Think that would work? Thanks!

[spirit wings]

something like this might be ok...I would keep an eye on them for a couple of weeks to make sure they are healthy..gives you time to put the pen together...read your books,(I'am the same way about research)..and I think they would be fine together....just to let you know get some wooden eggs just in case two pair up(if you have both sex).I'm sure you will read all about the feed,grit, minerals they need.....good luck, I think you will love them!....sorry the site will not post the pic...so i will put in my album...it is a hutch with a flight pen.......Ithought jonah's 10 hours were up

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by spirit wings

I thought jonah's 10 hours were up

HEHEHE.....that's funny.
Let's see if this works.


http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/pictur...pictureid=1089

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by KalamarDT

Hello. Thank you for the advice! I moved the cage onto my enclosed back porch so he should be safer now from any potential predators. I am going to look for pigeon/dove care books at a few bookstores and pet shops today. I also went from no birds last week to 3 birds! Just the other day my niece came over with two fan tail pigeons SHE rescued but her mother wouldn't let her keep! (She volunteers at a local animal shelter and someone dropped off several pet birds) They are currently in an old rabbit hutch that is aprox. 50 yds away from the other bird. Am I right in assuming these three can never safely be in one large pen together? I'm feeling a little overwhelmed right now because I'm one who always trys to research before I decide to get a new kind of animal and well, this wasn't something I planned! I was thinking about fully enclosing one of my 5x6x10 dog runs with canopy with small 1/2 in. mesh and turning it into a huge permanent pen. Think that would work? Thanks!

I think that would be a good idea, however, you might consider just building a small building with some perches and attaching the dog run to the front of it sort of like the picture linked above. And, I think that if you moved all three birds into the enclosure/loft/whatever at the same time, they would most likely do just fine. Adding birds to established birds is sometimes a problem because they can become territorial, but if everything is new to everybody, no one has any "territory" and they can all pick thier little niche.

[Charis]

Books on pigeons/doves are great thing to have but remember we are a tremondous resource for you at this site with probably everything you will need to educate yourself.

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by Charis

Books on pigeons/doves are great thing to have but remember we are a tremondous resource for you at this site with probably everything you will need to educate yourself.

Ditto on that Charis...I would be lost without PT..