Learning to Fly --how long does it take? - Pigeon-Talk

orfan_miracle · #1 8th March 2007, 01:29 PM

A young pigeon...well i found one and have been getting lots of help from people. So far I got him a standard dove cage about 30" x 25" x 25" and on my way to get a heating pad at Target right this sec...he is eating well, drinking, pooping and "fluffy" sometimes (not all the time), he is pretty active, does his wing fluttering (wow that is cool), and WOW, he is ..something else.

Anyway, I will get some photos on a page prettty soon..just wondering how long it takes these guys to learn how to fly really well...he can fly a bit but he seemed to lose elevation .

Do we have a page here for local vets that are good w/pigeons?

I got a recommendation out in studio city, dr. fullington. It sounds like most of the forum are DIYers (do it yourself) which is GREAT ..to be self sufficient, I just dont know much and want to do what is right for orfan, thanks

orfan_miracle · #2 8th March 2007, 01:30 PM

my thread title is now misleading, great...guess i am a true <squab>

Trees Gray · #3 8th March 2007, 01:37 PM

Can you check out the babies in this link and tell us approximately how old he is?
Please let us know as he should be able to fly if young adult.

http://www.speedpigeon.com/baby_racing_pigeon.htm

Pigeons will start to fly around 4 weeks of age.

TAWhatley · #4 8th March 2007, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orfan_miracle

Do we have a page here for local vets that are good w/pigeons?

I got a recommendation out in studio city, dr. fullington.

Hi Orfan,

There isn't a page here for vet referrals, but there are some very good ones in Southern California. I don't have any personal knowledge of the one you posted. Avian Certified vets can be found here: http://www.aav.org/vet-lookup/

Terry

orfan_miracle · #5 8th March 2007, 08:38 PM

Thanks above, here are some pics:

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/watson20...60762392826896

I am guessing......three weeks?

I was told he is a baby based on his beak.

He passed all the criteria for adoption...he is not lethargic at all. He has the heating pad there to use in case he wants to.

I had/have no obvious signs that he has a bad wing (then again I am brand new to pigeons) it is just that he cannot fly THAT well...outside which is why I determined that he was not safe out there. Okay gang, I am exhausted! Thanks for the input.

george simon · #6 8th March 2007, 10:26 PM

HI ORFAN, Well the bird looks like a white ring neck dove,or maybe a cross of a dove and a pigeon it is differcult to tell from the picture. .GEORGE

TAWhatley · #7 9th March 2007, 10:36 AM

Orfan is a gorgeous bird. I think s/he is a pigeon, but George may well be right in thinking s/he is a hybrid. At any rate Orfan looks young to me .. maybe about 5-6 weeks old. S/he is a lucky little bird to have been adopted by you.

Terry

orfan_miracle · #8 9th March 2007, 06:37 PM

thanks for the responses and that link treesa is really helpful. I would say that he is about 5 weeks too...he can fly, yes, but not so well that he would be safe out there. He flies around my apartment and can control where he lands, his wings look very symmetrical and healthy.

Well, I am going to keep reading before asking too many questions...as curious as I am about what he does. He does this exercise where he stands in one place and flaps his wings rapidly.

He squeaks at me when I put his water bowl inside his cage and kind of throws a wing at me....I am guessing that this is a GOOD sign given that a sick pigeon will let me pick him up. I am optimisic, eh?

orfan_miracle · #9 9th March 2007, 07:13 PM

George, look at this info that I just found:

Feral populations of Ringneck Doves establish themselves readily as a result of escapes from captivity, but they will merge with local populations of Collared Doves if they exist. There is a small feral population in Los Angeles, California, where neither S. decaocto nor S. roseogrisea is currently found.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbary_Dove

...and I am in LOS ANGELES!!!

hummmmmmmmmm...I love him no matter what he is, thanks.

TAWhatley · #10 9th March 2007, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orfan_miracle

He does this exercise where he stands in one place and flaps his wings rapidly.

We call that "helicoptering"

Quote:

Originally Posted by orfan_miracle

He squeaks at me when I put his water bowl inside his cage and kind of throws a wing at me....I am guessing that this is a GOOD sign given that a sick pigeon will let me pick him up. I am optimisic, eh?

Aha! Wing whacking .. that IS a good sign .. s/he's got a lot of spunk and is feeling better.

Terry