Found homing pigeon and would like to retrain

[shamus46]

About a month ago a beautiful Damascene pigeon showed up on my deck. He seemed friendly enough but a little leery. I couldn’t get close enough to read his band, but he had plenty of food and water by eating with our wild birds. After about a week he was still hanging around so I decided to try to catch it using to old box, stick and string method. To my surprise while I was setting it up, over the bird food dish, he just walked up and started eating so I just let the box tip over him. I picked him up and read the band and then put him in a laundry basket, with food and water, in the garage for the night. I got hold of the owner and and he didn’t seem interested in getting the bird back, and I sure wasn’t going to leave the pore thing in a laundry basket, so I let it go thinking it would go home.
So, here’s my problem. It’s been over a month and he’s still here. I went out and got him some proper food and grit. He still eats the regular bird feed and gets his grit from the dirt road next to our house. He’s roosting in the woods across the road and is very skittish around us. We live in the country and have plenty of critters that would love to get a hold of him, like many many hawks. I would love to keep him and make a loft for him if possible. He’s four years old and I think I might have scared him when I caught him.
I am open to any and all suggestions.
Thanks,

[Thunderbird]

Shamus,
Catch him again and build a small box or a rabbit cage will work. Takes about 3 weeks locked up, to get him comfortable with a cage. Place the cage in a spot you will leave it, then make sure he has a flat item to use as a perch, (no round branches or dowels), as pigeons prefer flat items. After 3 weeks, open the door in the a.m., and by dusk, he should be back in. Feed him once a day, about 1/2 oz. food. If you starve him a day, he will probably learn quickly to eat from your hand-might take 2 days. Damascenes are flyers and need to be flown-it's in their genes, but have pretty good homing instinct. Good Luck!!!

[shamus46]

Thanks Thunderbird,
I went and got 36” X 30” X 18” rabbit cage and a piece of plywood for a roof. I put it on a small picnic table my wife made years ago and set it in the corner of the garage and shed facing south west. I suspended a 2 X 4 in it for a perch. Now all I have to do is catch him again. I’ve got the trap all set up. When I get him all set up I’ll post a pic.

[Pigeonworldwide]

I would love to see a pic of this bird! Maybe when you catch him/her you can get it a friend or some friends. Pigeons are very social animals.

[shamus46]

I went and got 36” X 30” X 18” rabbit cage and a piece of plywood for a roof and sides. I put it on a small picnic table my wife made years ago and set it in the corner of the garage and shed facing south west. I suspended a 2 X 4 in it for a perch. Today I caught him and put him into his new home. I have enclosed a link to the pictures of him and the loft we made. http://shamus.mystarband.net/jim/pigeon.html

[TAWhatley]

Very nice looking pigeon and a great home you have made for him. Thanks for sharing the pictures!

Terry

[shamus46]

Had to let everybody know, just one week to the day and Buddy ate out of my hand for the first time.
Thanks again,
Jim http://shamus.mystarband.net/jim/pigeon.html

[maryco]

That's great!

[shamus46]

I have added two new pics to my home page of Buddy eating out of my hand for the first time. http://shamus.mystarband.net/jim/pigeon.html

[maryco]

Very nice..

Thanks for sharing!

Mary

[Birdmom4ever]

Thank you for sharing your heartwarming story and lovely pictures. He's a beauty.

[shamus46]

I‘m very sad to announce that Beauty is gone. Late yesterday afternoon she had finished her bath and had some supper. It was about an hour or so before dark and she was trying harder then usual to get out so I thought, with it being so close to dark it would be a safe time to let her take a quick flight. She had been pent up for about 10 days. I figured she had gotten attached enough to me that she wouldn’t go far and come right back to roost. But, to my horror she headed for the woods where she was roosting before and after flying for about 5 -10 minutes disappeared into the trees. I thought she would probably roost in the same tree she did before I caught her and come for something to eat today. It‘s well after dark now and we haven’t seen hide nor hare of her.
I haven’t had the hart to shut down her home page, I’ probably do it tomorrow.

[maryco]

I'm so sorry to hear that but don't lose hope, I'm sure Buddy will come back!

Keep us posted!

Mary

[Skyeking]

Shamus,

I'm sorry to hear that Beauty took off. But please don't give up right away, as Mary said, she might come back. Sometimes pigeons do rehome!

Treesa

[Snowbird]

There is still a chance as noted above, and it is not a surprise what happened. A single bird, a stressed past, no support group, and a forced internship is a recipe for a bird not feeling it is home--not your fault. If she flew with a full stomach well that comes down to you.