3 New Ones Not Eating

[ZigZagMarquis]

My 3 new arrivals... got here yesterday morning... haven't eaten yet when I put their feed out this morning. I'd really like to see them eat. I know they ate some when I left them alone with food yesterday after they arrived. Hopefully they'll do the same when I leave for work here in a bit, but its worrysome to not see them eat so you know they're getting food in them...

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hey Zig,


Congratulations on the new trio. I'm just curious though as to why you purchased more birds so soon. Do you realize how fast and furious pigeons reproduce? LOL. Your original six birds would have made lots of babies for you. I don't know how big your loft is, but I hope you've got A BIG ONE because 9 pigeons are gonna make HAY in the coming months.


Brad

[ZigZagMarquis]

Originally Posted by Pigeonpal2002

Hey Zig,


Congratulations on the new trio. I'm just curious though as to why you purchased more birds so soon. Do you realize how fast and furious pigeons reproduce? LOL. Your original six birds would have made lots of babies for you. I don't know how big your loft is, but I hope you've got A BIG ONE because 9 pigeons are gonna make HAY in the coming months.


Brad

Well... my loft is about 16'x4.5'x8'. I decided to get two more, the squeakers from a different source, ya know, genetic diversity and wound up with a thrid one thrown in for free. Guess I wasn't thinking... Guess I'll be performing a lot of pigeon birth control here in a few months... course, if they don't eat... ... just kidding!

[maryco]

Hello,

I hope your pijjies start eating soon, at the moment I wouldn't worry too much because pigeons who are in a new environment usually take some time to adjust.

They will warm up soon enough

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hey again Zig,

YEP, you'd better order some wooden eggs from Foys and FAST! LOL. I understand what you mean by wanting some new genes in the mix. However, your original 6 birds were probably not all related and would have provided a good gene pool. It is considered "safe" to mate related birds. Not siblings together but Mother to son, Father to daughter, aunt to nephew etc. In some cases, this even produces birds more specific to a gene line, if that is your goal. This type of selective breeding will enhance certain traits that the parent birds have that are desireable. How many birds do you eventually want to have? Your loft is a good size for about 30 birds. Of course, the more space, the better The new birds will eat, they just need time to acclimate like the others did. Did you quarantine these new birds? All new birds should be kept in quarantine from existing proven healthy birds for a minimum of 1 month.


Brad

[ZigZagMarquis]

Well... okay... I guess my "green horn" is starting to show here...

1. I'm not really sure how many pigeons I want to wind up with. I do have some wooden eggs already on hand though. I think I'll still give these guys a chance to fly here in a few weeks despite cautions I've gotten here that I'll likely loose them because they're older... I'm kinda worried about about that... so I may try and become really sad when some or none come back... but that's still in the future... I'll make sure they're really hungry and won't do it on a windy day.

2. No, I didn't quarantine... guess I messed up there, huh? But all 9 are on Jedds 5 in 1 in their water. I mix it up in a 1gal waterer twice a day... started yesterday and will go through next Tue.

[maryco]

Hello,

Since you didn't have them in quarantine already, I suggest you remove them and seperate them from your own birds. Just to be safe

[ZigZagMarquis]

Would it be okay to put them into say a big wire dog crate, but leave them in the same loft? Or do they need to be further apart then that? Like maybe in the garage?

[Pigeonpal2002]

The 5 in 1 is good and certainly won't hurt, but it won't prevent viruses if they are present...PMV, POX etc. And these are something you don't want to spread through your new charges. For proper quarantine, birds have to be kept totally separate, so they cannot possibly breath in particles from poop floating in the air. Even dust from their feathers can harbour diseases other birds can breath in then become infected. Not trying to scare you here but this is the proper thing to do and just talking from experience here.


Brad

[maryco]

Hello,

I have never quarantined any birds and I don't have a loft so I don't know exactly how people do it. Hope someone can come along and help you with this.
The birds needs some flapping time I'm sure and exercise..
I think they need to be far away from the other birds and in a total different area, because diseases can spread through the air, dropping and feather dust.

[ZigZagMarquis]

I'm watching my 3 new ones eating up a storm as I type.

[maryco]

Wonderful!!

Thanks for the update

[AZWhitefeather]

It is considered "safe" to mate related birds. Not siblings together but Mother to son, Father to daughter, aunt to nephew etc. In some cases, this even produces birds more specific to a gene line

Brad,
This is a picture of Mikko (right) & his daughter, Sam (now Samantha, seems I was incorrect on the gender when I named her. )
Neither Sadie nor Sam have the 'headdress' like Mikko.

If I allowed Mikko & Sam's eggs to hatch, I wonder what the chances would be of having another pigeon looking like Mikko?
Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Cindy

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi Cindy,

If you allowed Sam and Mikko's eggs to hatch, indeed there would be a very high chance of offspring having the crest that Mikko has. It's not guaranteed, as nothing in genetics is. However since Mikko has that gene, and Sam has that gene as well (just it's recessive), when bred together the probility is much higher that future chicks would have the crest as well.


Brad

[re lee]

The young birds would have a reduced mane. And Then next generation put back would increase. About isolating birds. Beings they have been introduced to the loft I would not do any more then watch. For now. Any problems would have already been introduced. But young birds With pmv would more then likley never made it this far. But yes watching birds before lofting is a key for the future. I think dummy eggs are just good for the race team. Its better to let birds sit eggs ten days then break them. That way they will not produce pigeon milk and not be able to feed. Old birds remain healthyer. But to If just perches are provided. Birds nest less. And these birds are aways from breeding now. control is seperation and breaking eggs.