# Fantails



## sspurs (Mar 20, 2005)

I was gifted a gorgeous pair of American Fantails, they had chicks and the family grew in the guest bath in my 14th flr high-rise apartment. Then I got the notion in my head that birds should fly free, so I let them out the bath window. They made home in the shaft outside, but unfortunately, most of them just went away ! Now only the FIRST Dad - Tony, and only 1 of his offspring - I guess its a girl - remain. I am not sure if I made a mistake letting them be free! Some eggs arrived before most of them dissappeared, but it was very cold outside in Dec/Jan and the eggs got 'cold', and abandoned.... What shud I do now? Take the remaining 2 in and keep them in captivity again? PLEASE ADVISE, ALL !!!! Attaching pics of my brood before going free.

 
Harkiron


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Sspurs, 

Yes, please take the remaining birds inside and keep them protected and safe. Fantails are not very good flying pigeons to begin with and will be easy targets for predators.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

These birds are so pretty, I'm sorry to hear that you felt they should be free.

These birds are more like pets, they are gentle, and they can't fly well and don't have the resources to escape a predator attack, as Brad mentioned.

If you are worried about over-population once they start breeding, you can take away the real eggs when they are laid, and give them plastic eggs, or "dummy" eggs to brood on. This is a form of birth control that many of us use, and it works well, it is not inhumane.


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## re92346mos (Jul 21, 2005)

AAH, how cute they are! I wish I had some that werent pretty like that. My baby got scalped.


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## re92346mos (Jul 21, 2005)

Nice looking birds


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## sspurs (Mar 20, 2005)

*Thank you, all !!!*

Thank you for replying; yes, I realize I shud've kept them indoors, at least till the winter was over.... the chief problem is space in my little 2-bedrm apartment on the 14th flr.... and the constant spreading / taping down of old newspapers every second day in their living quarters, the guest bathrm.... changing the paper every second day.... Of course they thrived in captivity indoors, but I hv had back surgery and bending to tape down the flyaway paper sheets was a bit of a problem too. I love these pretty birds, and bonded nicely with them..... they'd peck from my hand; but now, after losing most of them, I am feeling sorry over my haste in setting them free; it didn't do anyone of us any good! I shall take the remaining 2 in first thing in the morning! 
Thanks, all, for the wake-up call & encouragement! Do write in anytime you want to, I shall welcome advise and guidance.


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## sspurs (Mar 20, 2005)

*more pics.....*

Hope you like these pics also....


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## jimmyrenex (Mar 27, 2005)

Hey Sspurs... You hi-jacking my thread? LOL Just kidding!


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## sspurs (Mar 20, 2005)

*ooops!*

sorry, am still wracking my brains how to work this system of communication..... any suggestions?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Find the forum that is appropriate for your questions, such as general discussion,show pigeons, look to the very left and you will see "new thread",just above where it reads "discussions in the forum". Click on that...and you can have your very own thread and have your questions addressed.

I will move your posts to your very own thread.


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## jimmyrenex (Mar 27, 2005)

Just messing with ya Sspurs!  I did the same thing when I first got on a forum. I can tell you are new to Pigeon-Talk. Welcome , and I know you will have a great time going through all the threads.


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## sspurs (Mar 20, 2005)

I did start some 'threads' ..... sometime back..... "FANTAILS" and "Fantails and Fighters" or something like that. I am still trying to figure out where I am on Pigeon Talk !  Can u move all my correspondence to ONE single forum / page / whatever, please ? And tell me how to operate that single platform, for my future interaction with other pidgi-lovers, it'd be easier to collate everything.
Thanks, and God Bless !

Harkiron


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## Jiggs (Apr 1, 2005)

Once I have posted on a topic like general discussions etc I use the "new posts" button on the top row when I log in again then you can see all new threads started since you last logged off.

Hope this helps.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Harkiron, 

Jiggs is right, you can click on *"new posts"* to view all the latest postings since you last logged on or, you can click on *"user CP"* near the top left of the tool bar and then you will see a listing of all your subscribed threads. This will show all your topics/threads started as well as your postings.


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## sspurs (Mar 20, 2005)

Thank you, Guys. i'm getg the hang of this..... am back after quite some time, u see. Any suggestions re best minimum size for a cage for my remaining 3 birds?


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## sspurs (Mar 20, 2005)

*American Fantails*

On my fellow pidgi-lovers' advice, I have my three birds nestled cozily back in the spare bathroom.  The first patriarch Tony, alas! - is alone, as his royal consort Tina got lost when I pig-headedly set the birds free last year.  The remaining pair Tinku & Minki have a new chick Rocky, growing nicely! Still being mouth-fed by doting parents.  He is now fully covered but still sqeals for a meal gustily. The second egg somehow went bad. Now they are again ready to lay.  I LOVE these preety birds, and they preen around me right up to my kitchen when I let them out for sunning, but within the flat; not letting them outdorrs now. Any suggestions for a healthy brood? Thank you, all !!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Your birds are so lovely. I'm sure they make beautiful decorations around your apartment.

As far as having a healthy brood, just make sure to provide them with a good quality pigeon seed mix and pigeon grit, and allow them to have an avian multi vitamin mineral preparation once a month. You can add a little Apple Cider Vinegar, (the organic kind) to their drinking water once a week, and also put a small piece of garlic clove cut up, in their water, on another day.

Keep their water and food bowls clean between use and offer them a comfortable nesting area.

If they do not go outside and are not around any strange birds they hopefully will not need the Innoculations.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

ALSO, I hope you are replacing their eggs with wooden or plastic dummy eggs! 

In a small apartment, birth control is a MUST...


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

how is the ventilation situation for the birds. how do you bathe them. he he


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## sspurs (Mar 20, 2005)

*Thx ! Tg.....*



Trees Gray said:


> Your birds are so lovely. I'm sure they make beautiful decorations around your apartment.
> 
> As far as having a healthy brood, just make sure to provide them with a good quality pigeon seed mix and pigeon grit, and allow them to have an avian multi vitamin mineral preparation once a month. You can add a little Apple Cider Vinegar, (the organic kind) to their drinking water once a week, and also put a small piece of garlic clove cut up, in their water, on another day.
> 
> ...


Thx for the tips, TG, sadly I have not been able to find a single pet store in / around Delhi - India that sells pidgi stuff!!! I managed to find some multi-vit drops for birds in a medical supplies store, that I add every other week to their drinking bowl. From a local grain store I get a mix of 5 different grains, and they love an occassional treat of my whole-wheat multi-grain bread crumbed fine! Indian food stores now sell a lot of western food stuff thanks to a lot of expats working here, so apple cider vinegar shud not be difficult to find. 

I just dunno what to do abt their pecking away the cement in my floor tiles! I add crushed calcium tabs to their meals every other day, still they thrill at knocking the stuffing out of my floor!! Pls sugg.... like I said, no organized stores avbl for birds, except perhaps chickens etc ! 

My birds are now house pets, not in direct contact with any of the common greys that hang around outside. I shall definitely try out the garlic, hope they like change of taste !

Keep writing in, pls !!

Harkiron


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## sspurs (Mar 20, 2005)

*Lol!!!*

Right now, I need as many chicks as they can merrily produce!!


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## sspurs (Mar 20, 2005)

Apart fm their drinking bowl, I fill a medium sized plastic tub, abt 30-inch across, and they love splashing about in it! The patriarch Tony is the bully; he bathes all by himself!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

sspurs said:


> Right now, I need as many chicks as they can merrily produce!!



Pardon my confusion, but you mentioned living in a small apartment and now you want MANY more???

Where are you going to put them? Overcrowding can be deadly...


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

over crowding can lead to fighting, diseases are harder to control. although it looks nice its really not worth the effort


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## sspurs (Mar 20, 2005)

mr squeaks said:


> Pardon my confusion, but you mentioned living in a small apartment and now you want MANY more???
> 
> Where are you going to put them? Overcrowding can be deadly...


I had 11 at one time, occupying the spare/guest bathrm, a 6'x9' room never used by people because I live alone, on the 14th flr of a high-rise. There is an open shaft facing sunny s-east outside the window. I still feel very bad at having set them free..... only three returned. The one pair has a chick now, making total birdcount 3 males + 1 female, and I look forward to maintaining at least 4 pairs. So I am waiting for the chick to start eating on his own, then I shall introduce a mate for 'Tony' the bully patriarch, a gorgeous, magnificent male! Meanwhile, in the next clutch of eggs, I hope both hatch successfully, then I shall decide how many birds are comfortable together in the room. Rest assured, these are princely birds (see pics) and treated as best as possible with avbl resources, I promise.


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## sspurs (Mar 20, 2005)

I agree, I dont want to hurt the birds with wrong decisions, so I shall maintain only as many as are happy & comfy in the 6'x9' room.


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