[Bella]

About a week and a half ago, I separated one of my pairs from their 6 week old roller babies they had brought up for me. They were sitting on dummy eggs at the time..but the cock was still feeding them even though they are eating on their own.

Three days ago this pair left for awhile while they were loft flying...and came back with another bird. It's been here since...hides out until I let the birds out to fly, and then appears out of nowhere and sticks to this pair like glue and follows them around. I was hoping he'd go on about his way... but this morning I saw my cock bird feeding him! And he trapped in with my flock. I can understand adopting or feeding another pairs' young in the loft....but to leave home, find a baby, and bring it back? I'm not sure I would have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself.
I'm at a loss for what to do. This bird is a fledgling, has colored eyes, but still squeaks. It's nothing but bones and feathers. Infested with bugs. I gave him spartrix, and dusted him with Sevin dust...set him up in a box with food and water. He was very very hungry and is eating like he hasn't eaten in weeks (he's so thin, he probably hasn't).
Here he is for your viewing pleasure:

Hanging with the flock this morning.

I'm going to take care of him and fatten him up a bit and release him when he's well enough, away from my house...I can't keep him.

But right now I'm worried about him having exposed my flock to god knows what. Since my pair has apparently been feeding him, the exposure has been significant. I'm going to have to hit everyone with spartrix, sevin, and worm them all again.

Is there anything else I can do to avoid any spread of disease?

He appears to be healthy, other than being rail thin and the bugs...but I'm still concerned for my birds.

Crazy pigeons...

 

[Mindy]

Why can't you keep him? If you release him he will probably die, he doesn't have his feral parents to teach him how to find food. If you can't keep him, then put him up for adoption but I think if you release him even far away from your home, its a death sentence for him. Glad your fatten him up and treating him. Love the pictures of your loft and your birds, very nice. I hope you reconsider its only one little pigeon. min

 

[spirit wings]

I agree with Mindy, actually he looks like a homer to me....so I would keep him and just keep a close eye on your flock as they have already been exposed, I would go ahead and deworm him and everyone else too.

 

[Bella]

I really didn't want to add any more resident feral birds to my flock. I just got mine sorted...but I don't want him to die either. For right now, I'm going to work on getting him back in shape. I'll have to figure out what to do with him...it's so close to winter... I'd be happy to feed him and make him his own shelter, but he's figured out the trap, so it's unlikely that he'll stay out of the loft. I'll have to ask around...someone will have a warm comfy barn for him I'm sure.

Looks like the sevin took care of the lice. He's really going to hate me tomorrow...he's going to get a bath. You can see how dirt is stuck to his feet in the pictures (they are pink under there). His tail feathers and a few spots on his belly are the same. Our road was oiled just recently. I'm guessing he must have walked through it while it was fresh.

I just weighed him, curious to see what he weighed. 202 grams and a little change. I'm not certain how much he should weigh...but he sure feels awful skinny to me.

 

[Bella]

I agree with Mindy, actually he looks like a homer to me....so I would keep him and just keep a close eye on your flock as they have already been exposed, I would go ahead and deworm him and everyone else too.

A homer? You think so? There isn't a band on him but I guess it's possible. I thought he might be a homer the first day he showed up, but I couldn't see whether he had a band on or not. I discounted the theory when he trapped in today and I could finally get a good look at him and found no band.

 

[spirit wings]

A homer? You think so? There isn't a band on him but I guess it's possible. I thought he might be a homer the first day he showed up, but I couldn't see whether he had a band on or not. I discounted the theory when he trapped in today and I could finally get a good look at him and found no band.

yes, he does to me. ferals seem to have those very red eyes, compair to this pic I took of a feral on his other post.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=428736&postcount=6

 

[Guest]

looks like a feral to me , the fact that its still young is why its eyes arent so bright yet

 

[spirit wings]

looks like a feral to me , the fact that its still young is why its eyes arent so bright yet

oh I did'nt think of that.....big party pooper!

 

[Mindy]

If she was to set him free, do you think it can survive, SW and lotokaloft and others please advise. Especially with winter coming. min

 

[Guest]

If she was to set him free, do you think it can survive, SW and lotokaloft and others please advise. Especially with winter coming. min

if its that skinny now I highly doubt it would survive the winter on its own , many ferals die each year for that very same reason ,starvation is a mighty big hurdle for the younger inexperiance generation

 

[Guest]

oh I did'nt think of that.....big party pooper!

sorry dint mean to poop on the party ,I will leave that to the birds from now on lol

 

[Mindy]

Bella, I know you have a big heart or you wouldn't be cleaning him up, I hope you can find a home that will feed him and not just a barn to live in. Maybe you can hang on to him for 3-4 more months to make his chance of survival even greater. I know the feeling not wanting any more birds, I started just wanted one in April, and now I have 4 with 4 more coming from Reti in about a week. I believe things happen for a reason and I try to help any bird and person needing help. I know your will do the right thing. Even your birds are compassionate and started feeding this little guy.

I do want all of my birds, but just didn't think when I started this that I would have that many. Thats all that I'm saying. min

 

[Bella]

Hehe...I don't really care whether he's feral or not. He's here now, in need of a helping hand, no matter what he is.

First hurdle is to put some weight on his little feathered behind and clean him up.

If I can pair this bird with another non-breeding bird and use him (could be a her) to foster...then I guess I could fit him into life in the loft.

At least I won't have to trap train it, eh?

 

[Bella]

Bella, I know you have a big heart or you wouldn't be cleaning him up, I hope you can find a home that will feed him and not just a barn to live in. Maybe you can hang on to him for 3-4 more months to make his chance of survival even greater. I know the feeling not wanting any more birds, I started just wanted one in April, and now I have 4 with 4 more coming from Reti in about a week. I believe things happen for a reason and I try to help any bird and person needing help. I know your will do the right thing. Even your birds are compassionate and started feeding this little guy.

I do want all of my birds, but just didn't think when I started this that I would have that many. Thats all that I'm saying. min

It's not the number of birds that is the problem. I could double my number now, and they'd still be within the spatial requirements per bird. It's a matter of keeping them from breeding with my whites. If it turns out to be hen it would be ideal, pair it with my pet feral cock that is going to be losing his white hen that he THINKS he's going to steal from me

If it's another cock...I've got some issues to work out...

 

[Mindy]

I understand, If he/she does hooks up with a white one, just replace the eggs. I don't allow babies. I can't, right now. Maybe this spring I can when I finish the loft outside but with all them inside, I can't have babies. Thank you for explaining why you didn't want to keep him/her. Its still great that your taking care of he/her now. great job.

I know the feeling about having to many males, I have 8 roosters. Had 9 chicks last year and 7 of them were roosters. Why couldn't seven of them be hens. WHY??? I only have 8 hens, now if they were like pigeons and keep a mate then it would be great, but as everyone knows roosters like all the hens and to themselves. Greedy suckers. min

 

[Bella]

LOL....Chickens...Last year I started 40 hatchery chicks. 33 ended up being roosters. I am completely incapable of killing an animal... I can't tell you how hard it was to find 33 pet homes for roosters! Well, 31, I kept two. Had to get some more hens this year. I have a nice happy little flock now...but I definitely had to work for it!

 

[myrpalom]

If she was to set him free, do you think it can survive, SW and lotokaloft and others please advise. Especially with winter coming. min

No, he won't.
And for the reason you wrote yourself: his parents did not teach him how to survive, or he lost his parents too soon, that is why he followed another pair...
He was starved when he came into the loft, so he could not take care of himself, he might even be an escaped domestic unbanded pigeon...What could he possibly learn about survival techniques while being taking care of by Bella and then suddenly released, in wintertime????
This bird is not prepared for survival in the wild, I agree with you Mindy.
Myriam

 

[Mindy]

Bella, I laughed when I seen your last post and 33 roosters. OMG you have worse luck than me. I have all of mine still 6 of them run free and they all have there own dog houses that they go to at night. Now that was some training. But got it done and it works. Have asked many people if they want a rooster and everyone says NO. I don't know how you could find that many homes. Great job, my only way of getting rid of them was taking them to an auction so I didn't and they are still here.

Myriam, thank you for agreeing, I'm sure Bella will do the right thing and either find a home for it if its a cock or keep it if its a hen. If she can find homes for 31 roosters that girl can do anything.

 

[Crazy Pete]

I have a feral about the same age that i will have to keep through the winter. Don't think it will try to mate till well after spring, its just to young. Come spring I can introduce it to a farm 8 mi away they have a lot of birds. Its just getting to cold to expect the poor little guy to make it all winter.
Dave

 

[Mindy]

Dave, thats great that your keeping the bird until winter is over with. I hope the flock that you plan on taking it to takes it in and teaches it how to survive in the spring. min