My... FULL... Loft

[ZigZagMarquis]

I've got a big galvinized metal pan... oil pan... that's band new / never been used to change the oil on the car that I was planning on using as a bathpan. I was thinking about putting it out full tomorrow when I feed them and taking it up before work. I think that pan will do for now, but I want to get a plastic one since I've learned more about "bath salts" and think when mixing that with the bath water it would be better to do that in a plastic pan vice a metal one. For straight water, I think the metal one will be fine.

Yep, they're different colors. I took some pics last evening, but want to get some more when the light is better.

I know which one it is that has the sneeze. I'll watch to make sure its not after he drinks, but I think its at other times too. I have some antibiotics on hand, just in case. Like I said, I noticed it yesterday when they arrived and again this morning, but he was one of the strongest eaters and drinkers at this morning's feed. I take it that if I decide to medicate him, I should seperate him from the rest so only he gets the antibiotics?... i.e. bring him inside and in his own box with food, water-w/meds and probably a heating pad would be my plan.

[Jerry]

Congratulation, Zig, on the new arrivals! Sounds like they are settling in well. I've had new arrivals that have gone to food and water almost immediately and others have been more shy...just looking and staying away for the first day or so. I can feel the excitement you're feeling with your new family...I remember it well!!
Jerry in IN

[ZigZagMarquis]

Got home about an hour ago. Gave the loft a scrapin' and good sweepin'... tomorrow, I think it will be another goos scrapin', sweepin' and hosin'. But first I took up their feeder and grit and water. Cleaned the place up and then put out fresh water and feed. Thus far they're still up on their perches and haven't come down for a feed yet, but its after dusk / getting dark, so I don't know if they'll be interested in food now?

They're up on their perches though and one of them is cooing. A couple of the others have "rosted" and have their heads down like its nap time. I'll see if they come down and eat before I go to bed, but if not, I'll take their feeder up before I go to sleep.

[TerriB]

This time of year can be difficult since it gets dark so early! If you want to feed twice a day, rig up some lights so they can see to eat when you get home.

I feed the full day's ration in the morning and use that time to check that all the birds seem healthy. In the evening, I just scrape and hose down and give them fresh water before closing up. Pigeons are remarkably adaptable and will adjust to your schedule as long as you are fairly consistent. Looking forward to pictures of your birds!

[ZigZagMarquis]

Morning.
Been up and out of the shower for about 20 minutes. I put their feed out about 10 or 15 ago. It took then less time to come down off of their perches this time to eat. When I wistle and shanke their feeder I think they're figuring out wihat it is... FOOD! I put their bath pan out too this morning, but as of yet, they haven't "discovered" it. Its funny, the same 1 to 3 that I was talking about yesterday will come down off of their perches first and then the rest will follow. They'll eat and look around for a bit and then one will decide for what ever reason to fly back up... usually to the top of the nest boxes... they'll all follow... then a minute or so later, back down for more food. I noticed too today what someone said yesterday about them sneezing after a drink. Its cool to watch them stretch thier wings... and do the leg / wing stretch in the morning. I also noticed last night and this morning that they are starting to interact more with each other.

[ZigZagMarquis]

Originally Posted by ZigZagMarquis

I also noticed last night and this morning that they are starting to interact more with each other.

Like I noticed that they'll kinda peck at each other and coo... is that like a, "Hey! This is my perch, find your own!" thing maybe?

Anyway, they've eaten a lot and are back up on their perches preening now again.

[ZigZagMarquis]

Came home for lunch.
Took up their feeder and there was very little left in it from the 3oz of seed I put out this morning. It was evident too that they had been in their bath pan. Dumped that out and removed it too. Tonight, the loft gets a really good scrapin', sweepin' and the perches will get some hosin' and scrubin' and rinsin' before it gets too late that it won't dry. Right now they're up on their high perch either sitting down or preening.

Oh, any tips on catching them / picking them up? I caught one this morning, but it was a bit of a chace. I'm thinking ahead to Sunday when I think I'm going to start trying to train them through the trap. I'll have to catch them and put them out on the landing area, which is enclosed with a door that I'll keep closed, and then they'll have to come back through the trap if they want food & water & to get back to their perches... but if its so hard to catch them, it will be stressful on them and me. Any tips?

[ZigZagMarquis]

Well. I got home a bit after 1600. Gave the loft and perches a good scrapin' and sweeping. The I got out the bucket, hose and scrub brushes and scrubbed and hosed. They didn't like that much, but the "game" now is if I'm in the loft, then their either up on the hight perch at one end or on top of the nest boxes on the other... opposite of where I'm at... so basically, I'm able to work in half of the place at at time. I also noticed they like to "foot stomp" a bit when on top of the nest boxes... guess it makes a better sound. After cleaning up. They got fresh water and feed. Man! Did they go after the feed!! Had it pretty much all 3oz of their evening ration gone in about 20 to 40 minutes. I took up what they hadn't finished after that. Maybe its just me, but after they feed and settled a bit, seemed they'd let me get a bit closer then they have been.

Its dark outside, but I still have the patio door open... well, glass is open, screen is closed. Anyway, they're up on their high perch. I can hear them cooing. It kind goes with them nipping at each other. I think maybe they're starting to establish a pecking order?

Anyway, I posted some pics in a new thread too.... Zig's Pics... Enjoy!!

[TerriB]

Seems like you all are settling in to a nice routine. Interesting that your birds already figured out that the nest boxes improve on their stomping. Smart birds!

[ZigZagMarquis]

Well... been up for a little bit. Put their food out and they came down and ate a little but pretty much just scratched around and got a drink of water. Now they're back up on their perches looking at me through the sliding glass door. Its still a bit cool and the sun isn't all the way up yet.

Anyway, I myself am off to go "fly"... otherwise known as skydiving here in a few minutes. I'll leave their food out and take it up when I get home early this afternoon and then not put anymore out until 1700ish.

Tomorrow, I think I'll introduce them to the landing board / trap area and see if they'll come through the trap back into the loft when I call them with their food at afternoon feeding time. I'm kinda worried about that though, its so hard to catch them and I'll have to catch them to put them out through the trap.. We'll see how it goes. My plan is to set myself a time limit so I don't chase them around too much... I may only get one or two the first try is what I'm thinking.

[ZigZagMarquis]

Got back in over an hour ago. I put out their evening feed. The blue check came down first and ate a lot. One of the blue bars came down and ate too, but one of the other did.

Seems too dnow that I've got a bit if a pigeon fight going on in my loft right now. The blue check looks like "he" has decided 1/4 to 1/3 of the "high perch" (shelf really) is HIS!

Its werid though. The blue check with the white primaries... which I thought was looking to be the "odd man out" is actaully holding his own too.

Anyway, they're cool to watch!

I wish the rest would come down and feed tonight, but if they don't here in a bit. Up comes the food until the a.m. They always have water though .

[ZigZagMarquis]

Okay. I've been up for a few hours. The birds have had their morning feed, 3oz of feed. They ate almost all of it and I took the feeder up after a bit under 2 hours. I put their bath pan out this morning, but they didn't touch it. So, after taking their food and bath pan up, I scraped the floor and perches and then swept real good. Got the hose and buckett out again and did a quick scrubbin' while they hung out on top or the nest boxes and stomped.

Then I put their bath pan out again. By now the sun was on the loft too. Boy! This time they went after the bath pan!! They did all try to get in it at the same time, but they tried. A couple even seemed to like to sit-down in the water and close their eyes and relax for at bit. After they all took a bath, I took their bath pan up again so they wouldn't drink the dirty water.

Right now, all 6 are laying in the sun in one end of the loft sunning themselves. I take it its "normal" for them to kinda lay on one side and stretch a wing part ways out when sunning?? ... and fluff and preen a lot too. They're all 6 in what almost looks like a "puppy pile".

I'm going to try to get some of them in to the landing area in a bit so they can learn to come back through the trap, but I don't have much confidence I'll actually catch any of them.

[ZigZagMarquis]

Well, I did catch 3 and put them out on the now enclosed landing board trap area. They got put out there at about 1300 and so far 2 have figured their way back through the bods (trap) and back into the loft proper. One, however, is still out there... and its the one that I figured would figure out how to make it back in first... the blue check! He's (well, I think he's a he) about the bravest of the 6 and usually the first down off the perches to feed and such. I know I shouldn't "scare" them out onto the board, but can't figure a way other then to catch them and put them out there so they have to figure out how to come back through the trap... ... a friend suggested just opening the trap to the enclosed landing area. I did hinge the frame the bod trap is on so I can do that... and then wait for some to go out and then close it so they have to come through the bods is the only other thing I can figure???

[TerriB]

Yeah, I've noticed that there is a soak cycle to their bathing. It does a great job of cleaning any poop crumbs off their vent. When the hens come off their eggs at 20 days, they are really eager to bathe before breeding. Generally, my birds like to bathe every other day or so. When they are growing in feathers, I try to put out the bath every day since this softens the feather sheath for easier removal. Seems like you have "bath time" down pat!

[ZigZagMarquis]

Well... morning routine is underway. I tunred on the porch / loft light around 0610 when I got up and out of the shower and dressed and such... and put their feed out at the same time. They've been down off the perches a couple of times to eat, but just for short times. Otherwise, they're flying back and forth from perch to perch. Don't know why. Maybe they're just stretching their wings in the morning? I have to leave for work in about 15 minutes which will mean their feeder has been out for about 40 minutes total. I'm thinking of taking it up when I leave for work to start working the message that when its time to eat come eat or wait until next feeding time. Is that correct?