Keeping single pigeon long-term

[Oxymoron]

I'm a naturalist in NW Iowa and recieved a call of a pigeon that would not leave someone's property. He was sick and couldn't fly, but the man fed and watered him and he recovered nicely. The pigeon was tagged, but the original owner has not had him since 2002 and has no record of where he's been since. Since he's out of training for racing the guy said we could keep him. I thought the pigeon might be good for educational purposes, so I took him back to my office. Now I need to build him an outdoor loft since we can't keep him inside because his food will attract mice. I will probably never race him, so I was going to build him an aviary rather than a racing loft.

My questions are:
Would an 8x4 wire-screened aviary on a west wall with a mounted box for shelter be adequate?
What about putting him outside in the winter? Should I wait for a warmish day in the 30s to put him out so he can acclimate?
Will he get lonely by himself?
Loosely following online plans I was going to put in a plywood floor with framed welded wire over it. How should I protect the wood? Paint? What kind of scraper do I use to clean it?
Will it smell in the summer?
How do I keep mice out of his food?
Without outdoor electricity how will I keep his water thawed?
Will I ever be able to let him fly around outside or will he split?

My budget is low, but I'm trying to give him as comfortable a life as I can. Thanks for any advice.

-Clay

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi Clay and welcome to the board

First off, what do you mean exactly by keeping him for "educational purposes"? Do you plan on showing this pigeon to children or something to educate them on pigeons?

Secondly, yes, a single pigeon kept all by itself outside WILL be lonely. Pigeons are gregarious birds that live in flocks and are comforted by a mate (at least).

Your aviary design sounds good and you are right that the bird should be acclimated to the weather before just putting him out in the cold, literally! A paint scrapper works well to scrape the poops, you can buy heated bases for watering dishes from the various pigeon supply stores that aren't very expensive. You could run an extension cord from your house to the loft if needed. The wood can be painted and sealed to protect it. And for the screened areas, 1/4" or smaller will help keep out mice and snakes. If you keep up with the cleaning, one pigeon will not smell up the area nor would 2 birds.

I would recommend trying to find this bird a mate at least if you plan on keeping him. Try placing the bird in front of a mirror and see how he reacts. A male will generally make a lot of noise, cooing and dancing in front of his reflection but a female will generally not do very much or make any sounds.

Let us know and we will help you further

[Oxymoron]

Yeah, I thought maybe it would be a good environmental education tool for children since pigeons are one of the few pet birds that can be kept outside in the Midwest and be trained to free-fly and come back. Everyone's seen parrots and other caged birds, but many have never seen these - only wild city pigeons. There is not too much to do for kids around here and this kind of activity might be good (4-H and such). I'm mostly into native animals but I couldn't resist. I hear there are some pigeon racers around here, so I'll check into getting a friend for him or her.

[pdpbison]

Hi Oxymoron,


If you were to keep him indoors, in an indoor small Aviary, the only Mice that would be attracted to his Seeds, are Mice which are already inside anyway.

If you have a 'pan' bottom out of which Seeds can not roll or be tossed out...and use 1/4 inch wire Mesh, whatever indoor Mice you already have, will not be able to get into the Pen/Cage/Aviary.

I think it would be cruel to keep a Pigeon confined in an outdoor cage anywhere, but moreso in nebraska where it truely gets cold.

Just because some people who race them or have them otherwise, have them in outdoor Lofts or Aviaries, does not mean that their method translates well for a single Bird, or for a single Bird which is not going to be let out for excercise and social possibilities...or that it is not in fact quite hard on the Birds to be confined outside like that in cold climes regardless.


I think your idea, of allowing children to learn about Pigeons and to be able to see one close up and so on, is a nice idea...

But unless you keep this Bird indoors, and really form a deferential relationship to him in his terms, make friends with him, let him nap on your shoulder and so on, and really learn about him from knowing him personally, the Bird is not going to be happy, might not live long, and could easily be close to death by the time anyone notices that he's been on the floor for three days outside over a weekend, or will loose his legs from frost bite, and will not be emotionally accessible to children or anyone else for want of any real continueing association with a friendly human.

So..I think...find a design for indoor keeping, or even if just for indoor feeding, and free flying the rest of the time, and or also let him fly and goof around indoors, but keep his Seeds in the Cage, built to be Mice Proof...and...then you get to start learning about Pigeons with your real acquaintance with this one.

Otherwise, really, what have you accomplished? Aside from having a captive, waylaid feral creature, confined in an outdoor cage, whom no one knows or relates with or is interacting with in ways that allow one to learn about them more than just 'here is an example of a member of a species'...

Good luck...

And too, there might not be any 'easy' way TO do what you have in mind...unless you can call in someone who has a pet Pigeon, tame, and shoulder perching, to come in an talk about their Bird...so the kids can see the Bird and touch it gently and so on.

These are not Goldfish, who can stay put in small confines to oblige convenience...

They are Birds..!

They wish to Fly..they wish to socialize and do things they like to do...they seek fullfillments in t heir own terms...they poop, they preen, they sometimes yearn to make Babys...

If you truely make him yours, find ways to get to know him, you will be able to learn about Pigeons for real...and you can not do that if he is out doors, especially in Winter...

As well as whatever intrigueing and sundry text book data which explains or illustrates them and their Natural History, their roles in Human affairs variously through out History, their physical structure as Creatures, the weight of their Skeleton verses the weight of their Feathers, and, their other endless details of memberhood in the order or Aves ( Theropod, Coelosaur, Maniraptorid, Aves...Columbiforme, Liva...etc...)

Love,

You will have fun...and so will he...



Phil
Las Vegas

[Trees Gray]

Hello and Welcome to Pigeons.com

The indoor part of the aviary should be designed to be weather, draft and predator proofed. Pigeons can't handle dampness, rain or drafts of wind. They can handle somewhat extreme temperatures.

!/4" hardware cloth to cover all openings is important, to keep predators out. Chicken wire is not recommended as predators can open it like it is paper.

[Kato]

I've got two people interested in taking my baby pigeon (I can't keep it in a small apartment with cats). One would keep it outdoors all the time in a hutch-like setting with 30+ other pigeons; the other would keep it indoors most of the time in a large cage surrounded by other types of birds. Which would be the best home for Baby P.? I've somewhat spoiled her/him & want the best.