Pigeons pecking each other?

[Ashby Loft]

I picked up a few squeakers from a friend the other day. A few of his birds had wounds on the back of their necks. He said they were from breeding battles. I've never seen any of my birds with this sort of issue.

One of the squeakers I brought home had one of these wounds. It's getting worse, so I'm thinking he's getting picked at here.

Is there anything I can put on this to discourage the pecking?

[kippermom]

When this has happened in my loft, we identified the bully and put him in a separate cage for a week, then tried again. The youngster got older and bigger while the bully spent the week in jail...stopped the problem. Also make sure there are plenty of perches and food/water stations to reduce competition.

[jbangelfish]

Sometimes such a severe scalping can occur that it results in death.

It seems to be aggressive males that exhibit this behavior, just why, I can't really say. Perhaps a frustration of having no mate for himself or a mate that produces no eggs or few eggs.

I've been watching and caring for pigeons for a very long time and I have no other explanation. It is rare but the more birds you have, the more problems you will see.

Bill

[Charis]

Originally Posted by kippermom

When this has happened in my loft, we identified the bully and put him in a separate cage for a week, then tried again. The youngster got older and bigger while the bully spent the week in jail...stopped the problem. Also make sure there are plenty of perches and food/water stations to reduce competition.

This works for the bully birds I have had too. They always behave themselves after a week in a cage alone. I guess it gives them time to put their life in perspective.

[maryjane]

Please do put an antibiotic cream or ointment on the wound, as I'm sure you already have. They heal amazingly well with a bit of help. Keep a close eye on them to see what exactly is happening, and once you see what is going on, then you can begin to sort them out.

[Ashby Loft]

Originally Posted by maryjane

Please do put an antibiotic cream or ointment on the wound, as I'm sure you already have. They heal amazingly well with a bit of help. Keep a close eye on them to see what exactly is happening, and once you see what is going on, then you can begin to sort them out.

Actually I was wondering if I could do this. Neosporin OK?

[jbangelfish]

See what some others here have to say.

Birds (and animals in general) have an amazing ability to heal. If we help them along, their chances are just that much better.

Bill

[Ashby Loft]

I went ahead and put some neosporin on. Also I had another bird with the same wound this morning. Somebody doesn't like my new residents. I ended up separating the two wounded birds in a smaller cage I have. I think I'll leave them there a couple of weeks to see if they can heal up.

[Keys & Eyegone]

neosporin is just fine.
One morning I came out to my loft and my bully cock had got over in another nest box and poverised the hen. She was practically skinned from her beak down the back of her neck to the base of her neck! neosporin and 2 stitches fixed her up fast! When I introduce new birds into my loft, I put them in a fair sized cage for about a day or two so that the other birds can see them and get to know them before letting them out to fly.
You should try to pick out the bully bird and maybe try what's called "bully bands", I think that's what it was called. I haven't tried it but I heard from many people that they work. Somebody I'm sure would be along to tell you about them.
Good Luck
Hilary Dawn