Eight is 'Nuff Up-date !

[Victor]

Hi everyone, I have not been in much except brief landings to check on everyone whenever I can. Trying to get some things done a round the house before our busy yearly College World Series comes to town.

The babies, well they are not exactly babies anymore, except that they will probably always be “my babies” from now on. Well, Max and Feather are growing to almost the size of an adult. I still have them in one cage. I tried separating them briefly and they did not adapt very well. Their necks are still such that they will stick their heads out if they have to, and being separated warrants needing to do this, so they are together till they grow up a bit. I remember when we first got Beaksley from member feral pigeon he would stick his head out of his cage when he saw pigeon seed being poured into a feed dish. Well, of course my Beaksley can’t do that anymore. They have been trained to understand where their cage quarters is situated in their pigeon coop. They are starting to respond to the commands and the finger snapping, as their dad, Paris, when he is told to go into his.

Speaking of Paris, I got a real nice card from Emily and Clay, Paris’ previous owners, with a fifty-dollar bill inside requesting we use it to help better Paris’ life as we see fit. They are such nice people. We will apply it to either expand or use it for an attached aviary so they can exercise and do some serious sunning this summer. Today, I added 2x4 supports attached to the current cage shelf, so I can open the young ones cage door more easily and keep the other cages part a little better for servicing and for their own access as well. The inside cages are now in an L shape, and will accommodate one more cage when the time comes, But seriously, 8 is enough! I will of course never turn away a pigeon is distress, and if it happens to be a non-releasable one, well I will deal with it if I have to! I have not ruled out a large kennel to modify for their safety and am exploring that as well a PCV type aviary as well. A side sunning area extended from the coop is also in my plans so when they are playing in the coop in the day, they have ports to access as well, but a large flight enclosure is a must.

Rosco, oh once so shy, what have you become!? He now challenges the other pigeons, and they will walk/fly away from him. He has become so much of a dominant pigeon. He is still a very communicative bird, and is the first one to start Wak Wak, Wak Wak when he sees me coming across the yard from the house to their coop. He used to be a submissive pigeon, but not anymore!

Barbie, geeze, since she has become a mom, she takes out her frustrations on my hand, though, now that she has abandoned her second "set" of dummy eggs, she is getting easier to be around.She is such a pretty lady.

Uchiwa now flies to me on command. Yesterday, I had Rosco, Beaksley and Uchie all competing for a spot on my head. I placed my arms out so they could have their own spot on my body to roost.Uchie is such a beautiful fantail, and am lucky to have him as well.



Tooter last but never the least, is doing well. He still has to have his private flight-exercise time. He is still naughty with the other male pigeons, except the young birds. He will not physically attack them, bit he does “push them around” to let them know who is boss. I have never been out of the coop with Tooter and any other pigeon alone with him. When I do allow him to visit the rest, it is always controlled and supervised. I just have to accept that Tooter is the king of the roost, but I don’t want any harm to come to any of them, Another good reason to have a flight area, so he can have the reign over the coop or the flight pen. Tooter, oh Toot what am I going to do with you. I know you love me though!

Between the grandchildren and the pigeons, my summer I know is going to be full and eventful.

[mr squeaks]

Hi Victor,

I can certainly understand why you don't post too much! Yes, indeed, your 8 feathered "kids" will keep you hopping! But, I KNOW you love every minute of it!

Those birds are going to have one GREAT place to live and be spoiled!

We will look forward to updates from time to time, so thanks for taking a few minutes to "check in!"

Having THREE birds all wanting to land on you is a RIOT! Someone needs to take a video! AND, if you are training your birds to various commands, you could take your act on the road! Actually, you could be our site "guru" for command training!

LOVE, HUGS and SCRITCHES TO ALL

Shi & Mr. Squeaks

[Victor]

Three on me is a moment, but what would be even better is if I could one day get all 8 of them to perform that feat all at once. Most of them will land on me, except Paris and the young birds, though two days ago Paris did land on my wrist when I was pouring seed into Uchies bowl, as Uchie perched on my other wrist, but when Uchie moved, he flew away. I think he realized, "Oh no I am on this pigeon person!"He knocked down the bowl of seed when he fled.

Speaking of rescues, I forgot to mention that yesterday en route to work after a stop at the bank, I drove by a young brown pigeon that seemed to be in need of help. He /she was alone. I decided to drive back around the block and check on it. All the while, I am thinking, I have to return home and apply first step life saving techniques and isolate this bird,and I will be late for work...but I have to do this! I returned and parked near the pigeon. Grabbed my rescue bag and clear latex gloves from the trunk...slowly approached the brown pigeon, and then he perked up and flew to a group of pigeons that were just down the road a way.I walked over near the group of ferals and placed a lot of seed on the alley way. I could hear them flying down as I made my way back. I made it to work on time.

[Maggie-NC]

Victor, I loved this update. Of course, Tooter is my favorite but I feel I know all of your guys and look forward to hearing news about all of them. What always amazes me about ours is that they have such different personalities - just like us!

Our little Jimmy Jack who has spent the winter inside with us and is a total, complete joy is going out to the aviary for the first time this afternoon - only an hour or so each day for a while to get him used to it but I'm such a wimp and worry about him adjusting. I know he'll be happier - like Opie said - with his own kind but it is like sending a kid off to kindergarten.

I think you are very wise to try to keep the number at 8. That still leaves a little wiggleroom for some you may find who are not releasable.

I wanted to ask you too about the comment about the youngsters putting their heads through the cage. Are they sticking their heads through the bars? Is there any way they could get stuck? I can't forget Nab coming home to find one of his G's with his head not only through one bar but had twisted his neck and got it in the adjoining bar as well. Everything was fine though because he caught it in time. (Just worrywart again!)

[Victor]

Hi Maggie, thanks for asking. I immediately recalled Nab's terrible experience when Max was sticking his head out through the bars. He got it out as far as his upper crop area, and I knew there was a problem. I placed Feather back inside with Max. The way their cage is positioned, The back side is facing the wall, and the left is up as well. I have some left over 1/4 inch wire, and wired up the rest of the cage. It took me a couple of days, and mainly because I kept thinking about Nab's young pigeon. All is well...and they grew another couple of millimeters, so that helps too.

[Maggie-NC]

Victor, that is great! Should have known you had already taken care of it.

[TAWhatley]

Great update, Victor! I hope you will be able to find some time to keep us posted on how things are with the Slape family .. humans and others alike

Terry

[Trees Gray]

Hi Victor,

Sounds like the birds are thriving and I'm happy to hear Rosco is becoming an extrovert now, I always loved to hear his coo's.

Perhaps, if one of your youngsters is a hen, then Tooter and the boys may have a chance at romance.

Thanks for the update.