New Pigeons

[Rouen]

Hi all, I recently acquired 2 rock doves. one is a black checker pied that doesn't seem to be human friendly. The other is a blue checker pied that seems to be young - he flaps his wings a bit when feeding and has very little irredescence on his neck.
since they are rock doves, will I ever be able to let them fly? or will they take off never to be seen again? and has anyone trained their pigeon to recall or to go to a specific perch? they seem like their brains are wired similar to a chicken and I know chickens can be trained(chickens are used as practice for dog trainers).
Thanks

[Columba livia!]

Well are you keeping them outside in a loft or inside? we need more info to answer your questions. pigeons can be trained, but if you want to free fly them, you will have to expect them to pick their own perch, and allow them to fly or perch when they please.

[TAWhatley]

Hi Rouen and welcome .. does your user name indicate that you like ducks? Please do be careful about ANY references to using ANY kind of bird or animal for dog training. It's a violation of the board rules here.

As to flying your birds .. depends on how old your birds are and whether they are homed already to another place .. are these feral or domestic pigeons? How old are they and where did they come from?

Terry

[Rouen]

Hi Rouen and welcome .. does your user name indicate that you like ducks?
I kept rouens for 7 years, my drake died and I rehomed my duck.

Please do be careful about ANY references to using ANY kind of bird or animal for dog training. It's a violation of the board rules here.
I was refering to chicken camp, where people go to clicker(marker) train chickens, they respond faster to the click so it helps people with the timing of the click. Anyway...

are these feral or domestic pigeons?
They are feral rock doves.

How old are they and where did they come from?
Someone found them and gave them to me, so I have no idea on their age. But like I said the blue checker pied seems to be younger.

And they are in a loft.

[Rouen]

some photos of them;
blue(slate?) checker pied
black checker pied

[spirit wings]

oh my how pretty, why do you want to contain wild birds? or are they from another loft?

[Rouen]

most businesses exterminate pigeons around here, so they'd likely die.

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by Rouen

most businesses exterminate pigeons around here, so they'd likely die.

I don't know where "around here" is, but better cooped up than dead. they will not beable to be let out as they may go back to where they were and get killed by the businesses you are talking of.

[Rouen]

Originally Posted by spirit wings

I don't know where "around here" is, but better cooped up than dead. they will not beable to be let out as they may go back to where they were and get killed by the businesses you are talking of.

okay, how about the training? I know BF Skinner used pigeons in his behavoirism studies but is training limited to simple tasks(such as turning around as Skinner demonstrated)?

[Rouen]

wow came here for advice and got nothing but criticism and no help. thanks for nothing.
dont recall saying that I was experimenting with anything.