# Feral Showed up in My loft



## ae2359 (Oct 7, 2008)

I went out to the loft to feed the birds and I noticed a really good looking red and white bird in my feed storage area.A few days ago I had noticed some footprints in the snow around the loft and thought maybe it was one of the young birds I'd lost last week. 

I haven't put the dog on the birds for a few days because I was worried they wouldn't be able to make it back with the bad weather. So It didn't kit up with my birds. It's unbanded but wants to stick around so I'm going to clean it up and eventually put it the loft with the other birds. 

The bird it really dirty I gave it a bath but it really didn't clean up that well. What can I use to clean it, also the feet are really red it might just be the bird but all of my birds have pink or gray feet.

I appreciate any help you guys can give


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

I would keep it from your birds from now, give it some food/water and just wait a few days.
I had the same thing happen a few weeks ago. BB feral showed up. ACTED like it was supposed to be here. I kept it for about a week.....it seemed calm enough the first couple of days and THEN, it's wildness came out and it didn't want to be here any longer. I let it go and it made a bee line for somewhere and I never saw it again. 
I just assumed it got down on it's luck for whatever reason and needed a little TLC, then went on about it's life.
The red feet indicate, to me anyway, that it is a feral, for whatever that's worth. 
It might stay and it might not............can't ever tell.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hello and thank you for your kindness shown to this bird.

You can use the Dawn dish liquid, the original formula it will cut grease. I would allow the bird to wash when it feels like it, if it is too cold.

Has the bird been eating welll....or is it very skinny?

I got a bird that had been used to eating wild bird seed with black sunflowers in it-from animal shelter, I don't know if it was his diet, but his feet were also very bright red-like a feral pigeon-but he is a helmet, now they more like my other birds.

Be sure to isolate from your birds as a safety precaution.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Once the bird has a regular bath available it will clean up in it's own. 
Some Pigeons have red legs and feet...others have black or grey legs and feet.

What does ..."putting the dog on the birds mean"?


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## ae2359 (Oct 7, 2008)

What really worried me was the red feet. Other then being really dirty it seems healthy not really fat but certainly not underweight.

Putting the dog on the birds means that my homers are used to train my bird dog. Before anyone flames me let me explain myself. My birds lead a pretty cushy life and they are never in any danger from my dog. She is a setter used to point out game birds to a hunter. She never has any direct contact with the birds. She points them from 10 ft to 30 yds away, honestly they never know she's there. Then I walk in, flush them and they go back to the loft for food and water.


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## ae2359 (Oct 7, 2008)

So ferals have bright red feet? Why is that?


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

ae2359 said:


> So ferals have bright red feet? Why is that?


Forget I said that.  Every time I do, there's a "discussion" about it. I personally have never seen a feral that DIDN'T have red legs/feet and red eyes..........but that's just me. On the same note, I've never raised a homer in my loft that DID have red feet/legs OR eyes.


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## ae2359 (Oct 7, 2008)

Lol... The color of the feet through me off, well at least its more then likely not a health issue. I'll try to get a picture up this evening after the bird dries of from the bath I gave it. It's really a good looking bird. I hope it sticks around.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

ae2359 said:


> Lol... The color of the feet through me off, well at least its more then likely not a health issue. I'll try to get a picture up this evening after the bird dries of from the bath I gave it. It's really a good looking bird. I hope it sticks around.


ah your attached already....how cute.....would like to see it.


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## james fillbrook (Jan 2, 2009)

white homers normaly have red feet its just the breed


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I just went out and did a foot/leg color check...my Archangels and Roller do have red legs. 
My chickens have yellow legs.


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## ae2359 (Oct 7, 2008)

*Here's Pictures*


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## Guest (Feb 22, 2009)

the long body and full tail look like it could be a Ukrainian Skycutters... heres a link to some others for comparison
http://www.ukrainianpigeons.com/ 
or it could also possibly be an Iranian Highflier like on this sight 
http://www.rooftoppigeons.com/I/album/indexi.html
either way its a very pretty pigeon


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

That bird doesn't look like a feral to me. Looks like a highflyer of some kind. Pretty bird. I'd keep it if I were you.

Margaret


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

True, NOT a real feral, just a lost bird. Still, avoid letting it get near your own birds. Dave


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## ae2359 (Oct 7, 2008)

I'm kind of excited about it, if it stays around that is. I've never had highfliers before it will be cool to watch it fly.


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

Just reread the advice given in the posts. Dave


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

LOL, this is so funny - I thought ALL pigeons had red/pink legs. I see so many ferals that I just assumed all legs were equal....

Still, this pretty bird could easily be a feral. We have taken in many with similar feather coloring but its head shape looks a little different.

Very nice of you to take it in. Also, I appreciate the explanation about the dogs.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

I agree with others who have posted here that the pigeon appears to be a highflier of some type. Not everyone bands their birds. BTW my rollers, Helmets, Taganrog Tumblers and some of my fantails all have bright red legs and feet. It's normal for quite a few breeds.


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

Yes! it is normal in some breeds, the color gives it away too. Unless it is "first" generation or so it would start to revert to wild color. Dave


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## bluecheck (Aug 17, 2006)

Yeah, that's no feral. As for the feet - PIGEONS have red feet. It's species characteristic. If your birds legs are black or dark, then they're still juvenile and are probably carrying dirty. It's just that in a loft many pigeons don't get enough baths and the dust, etc., darkens up the legs and feet. Give them lots of baths, make sure they're healthy, and you will see red legs and feet on them.


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## ae2359 (Oct 7, 2008)

I guess general consensus is this is not a feral, just a lost bird. Sounds good to me. I appreciate that no one flipped out about the dog. Thank you for that. The bird looks a thousand times better after it's bath, dawn did wonders. I'd never seen a green pigeon before today. 

I really hope it sticks around. It's by far the prettiest bird I have, not much color in my loft.


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