Taming pigeons

[Joel]

I would like to tame my pigeons. How does one go about doing this? Ive had my current pigeons for about a 8 months now and they will eat out of my hand but thats not what i mean by tame. Even the pigeon fanciers that ive encountered have birds that will land on them in the loft but only because they have feed. My uncle once had a white pigeon that showed up out of nowhere one day and would follow him wherever he went in the yard. It would even land on him (not enticed by food) Im sure this bird was someones pet and not a wild bird. Unfortunately it disappeared one day. Anyway enough rambling by me, any suggestions on taming would be appreciated.

Joel

[lukekerttu]

well joel it may take along time i will have had my three pigeons about a year this july and they will only eat out of my hand and won't come to me even if i had food it may take a while i'm not totaly sure though ask some one more exprieenced like ray or walt or carl i hope i helped a little

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luke

[bigbird]

Joel,
Tame pigeons...this depends upon just what you want from a pigeon.
I have raised pigeons from the egg. This make for a very tame pigeon if the bird is not put with other pigeons. My birds have gone everywhere with me, never letting me out of their sight. When a pigeon bonds with its owner, there is a very special relationship that is created. If there are other pigeons around, the pet pigeon will be drawn away sometimes. When this happens, the pet bird will bond with another pigeon, and become somewhat less tame than before. Pigeons depend upon having a close relatonship, weather it is with other pigeons or with a human, but not both at the same time. There is a limit to what you can expect from a bonded pair of pigeons.
Older pigeons can be cut off from the other pigeons or have a tramatic experience. This kind of situation can prompt the pigeon to seek help and become attached to whoever has rescued it.
If you have a group of pigeons and want them to become tame like the birds I have described above, you will probably be dissapointed. They can become hand tame, eat from your hand, etc. but will not bond with you as long as there are other pigeons around.
Male pigeons make for the best hand tame birds. Females want to set on their eggs and are somewhat frustrated when nothing ever happens.
I could go on and on about this subject but will stop to let you catch your breath. Let me know if there is something more you would like to know about tame pigeons.
Regards,
Carl

[lukekerttu]

when you mean raise it from the egg do you mean keeping the egg in your house and be there when it hatches and just raise it from there? and i have an older male pigeon if i seperate him from my other pigeons could i get him to bond with me thanx luke

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luke

[Joel]

Thanks Luke and Carl,
Thats kind of what i thought. It seems all the talk i hear and see involving really tame pigeons involve only one. I currently have 7, none of which were born in my loft and they stick together, no doubt about it. My birds are all racers from a local flier in town. Can a bird that is very tame still be a sucessful racer or is this a bad practice?

Joel

[lukekerttu]

i'm not sure but ray carl or walt might be able to help what kind of pigeons do you raise i'm rasing homers now but when i get better i might get some differant kinds

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luke

[bigbird]

Joel,
My pet bird is a Birmingham Roller. She will perform when with other pigeons but I fear a hawk will get her so I do not fly her very much.
A very tame racer might race well, but then there is the fear of losing it to a hawk or something. Once you experience "pigeon love" you will not allow your pet to be put into any danger. Thats just the way it is.
To answer Luke's question, I always take a one day old squab from its parents to hand raise as a pet.
Carl

[lukekerttu]

oh maybe i'll do that and i have an older male pigeon that can't fly and this summer i was thinking of serpateing him from my other pigeons to try and get him to bond with me would this work?

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luke

[ONEEYEPIGEON]

Hey Carl ,Im so glad your guys are on this subject. Because i raise Snowflake in my house from a egg and i put him back with the others And each day he would seem to stay away from me more and more ,So afte reading what you said i just went out and got him to fly to me for soom of his feed and now he is on my shoulder while im typing . Im keeping him inside for awhile .Thanks Walt

[Joel]

Carl,
Dont you find it hard not to let your roller fly? I would hate to lose any of my birds (racing homers) but i love to see them fly. I've only had them about a year now but i'll never forget letting them out the first time, rattling the feed can and pulling them out of the sky. Its one thing to have a dog or cat come to you but a bird, thats the coolest!!!

Joel

[lukekerttu]

I rattled there can of food when they were out but they would never come to me they would go in as they please

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luke

[bigbird]

Joel,
Yes, I find it very difficult not being able to watch my pet pigeon "Lucky" fly outside. But the risk is to great with hawks in my area. I let her fly in a large aviary I built. It measures 25 ft. x 50 ft. She cannot roll in this small space but she can excercise her wings. I let some of my other pigeons out to fly, but not my best friend Lucky.
Regards,
Carl

[lukekerttu]

i know it would be very sad if something happened to them

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luke

[Joel]

Hi all,
Today was a very cool day! As i said most of my birds always seem a little skittish, although they will eat out of my hand. Well today after their morning execise i shook the feed can to call them in and to my suprise my favorite hen landed on my arm. She loves bread and must have seen it in my other hand. I walked around the yard with her and gently put her down to see if she would do it again an sure enough up on my shoulder she flew!!! This was to cool. This seems to be a big break through if nothing else. I know what you mean now Carl, i sure would hate to lose any of my birds but especially this one. By the way, i banded two of her babies today.

See ya
Joel

[bigbird]

When you are "imprinted" by an experience with a pigeon, you are imprinted for life.
This explains why so many people who had pigeons when they were young return to them when they are older. Pigeons are speical animals. I am glad I found them.
Carl