# My new Runts



## Pixy (Mar 29, 2005)

Here are my new runts i got last week!! yay! And there is also a comparison pic with a helmet in the picture. keep in mine, i was told they are going to get bigger. YAY! Thought you guys would some pics.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Pixy,

They're beautiful!  

Please update us with another comparison when they are full grown.

Thanks for sharing.


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## Pixy (Mar 29, 2005)

I guess they are supposed to be full gorwn in about 1-2 years.... That will be a while lol


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Pixy, 

Congratulations on the purchase of your new runt pair.  These birds are lovely for sure and you are probably very much in awe over them. 

I have 3 giant runt pigeons myself and you're right that they do take longer to mature and grow up than average sized pigeons. Although I'm not quite sure about the up to 2 year figure.

Let me know if you need any help, assistance or guidance with them and I'll try to help you out.

If you intend on breeding them, please provide low or near to the ground nest boxes and have lots of patience.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

RUNTS are one of my MOST favorite pijies! Brad's three hold a SPECIAL place in my heart! They are just BEAUTIFUL!! If anyone can help you with your RUNTS, I know Brad can and will. 

Circumstances being different, I would want a couple too!

Mr. Squeaks and I send our VERY BEST, Pixy, and LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE UPDATES!

HUGS and SCRITCHES TO ALL!

Shi


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## Litewings (Mar 17, 2007)

*Your Birds*

Your birds look beautiful.


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## Pixy (Mar 29, 2005)

Thanks guys. The guy i got them from says that around 1-2 years of age they will be at their largest. With that aside, I LOVE THEM!!!This is very exciting for me. I tihnk they are going to lay soon because they have been sitting in the nesting box cooing with eachother and both take their time to sitt in the nest. (fooling me that they have eggs) But one of these days they will.. I hope I will be sure to contact you guys with any questions. However i am building my new loft according to Lovebirds smaller loft wich is 16' by 8' ( far from my 7 by 7 )and the nest boxes are high. Do youthink it would work out if i distributed the nest boxes on the three walls intead of all on one wall stacked up? and with that they will prbably still be 4 ft off the ground. Will little ramps be a good idea?
Thanks


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Pixy said:


> the nest boxes are high. Do youthink it would work out if i distributed the nest boxes on the three walls intead of all on one wall stacked up? and with that they will prbably still be 4 ft off the ground. Will little ramps be a good idea?
> Thanks


Hi Pixy, 

I'm sorry but I don't know/remember the background information about your loft, how many pigeons you have and which breeds you keep. If you have different breeds together with the runts, flying breeds...I would still provide lower nest boxes for the runts if possible. How do your runts seem to do with flying? Some are better fliers than others and it depends significantly on their weight. A ramp is a good idea if you don't want to provide lower nest boxes and I'm sure the pigeons will learn to use them just fine.

If you could weigh your runts, this might give me an indication on how well they might fly as well as a possible indication of their age.

My hand raised runts flew very well for a time, they were light enough that even their larger size didn't stop them from flying fairly efficiently. Even at 6 months old, they "only" weighed about 700 grams each. Things changed quite a bit once they gained another 200+ grams. This happened at just over a year and once they were eating a more balanced diet. However, at this weight, they have certainly stopped flying as well as they used to. It also depends on the individuals bird's wing structure and each pigeon's physical attributes.


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## Pixy (Mar 29, 2005)

Well i am dedicating one side of the loft specially for the runts. I want to go far with them! This will be an 8 by 8 by 8 with an aviary in the front.
Here is the link to lovebirds loft page for the loft i am building. instead of having a seperate side for cocks and hens, i am converting it to two different breeds. The bigger side for the Runts! I will weigh the birds. Right now i have them in a temporary coop until the loft is done which is what they are in in the pic above. I made sure they had room to stretch and flap their wings. I dont want to take them out and put them in the other coop because they wont have proper nest boxes. Therefore, i have not been able to study their flying YET. 

For the aviary, we were thinking about putting it three feet off the floor. Should it be lower like 2 feet? or maybe even 1 1/2 feet off the floor? 
Judging from the birds "feistiness" i think they could fly well. But i am concerned about older birds that i may purchase.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

I can't help you with the nest boxes and I've never seen a Runt up close and personal and really don't know much about them. Sorry......I would love to see the loft once you're done with it.......


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## Pixy (Mar 29, 2005)

Lovebirds said:


> I can't help you with the nest boxes and I've never seen a Runt up close and personal and really don't know much about them. Sorry......I would love to see the loft once you're done with it.......


Thats quite alright. I was coincidentally on your site looking at your accessories for the loft and printed them out. I am going to build the feeders. I was wondering if you pruchased those nest front bar things  from comeone else or made them your own. I think that it is a good idea. Should i just modify the plans on the accessory page for the fronts and go from there?


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Pixy said:


> Thats quite alright. I was coincidentally on your site looking at your accessories for the loft and printed them out. I am going to build the feeders. I was wondering if you pruchased those nest front bar things  from comeone else or made them your own. I think that it is a good idea. Should i just modify the plans on the accessory page for the fronts and go from there?


My husband built all the nest fronts. I wouldn't go by his dimensions though. I think a Runt might have a hard time going through the openings.


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## Pixy (Mar 29, 2005)

yea i figured i go by how he put the fram together and then just not put in that door thing. After that i would put it on the next boxes but only on half of the next box; just like how you have it in you smaller loft.


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## Pixy (Mar 29, 2005)

*Egg!*

Whoa, i am so excited the first hing i did was come back inside to write about it! I was so excited about ti that instead of typing in pigeons.biz, i started typing in www.giantrunts. LOL! I am SO excited.... I really really do hope that they sit on it an take care of it. Otherwise. if i dont see them sittinng on the the second day, i will switch the still live one with a helmet egg.. WHOA am i excited! Just some interesting news. I ve only had them for less than a month... Guess im doing it right tho!


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Pixy said:


> Whoa, i am so excited the first hing i did was come back inside to write about it! I was so excited about ti that instead of typing in pigeons.biz, i started typing in www.giantrunts. LOL! I am SO excited.... I really really do hope that they sit on it an take care of it. Otherwise. if i dont see them sittinng on the the second day, i will switch the still live one with a helmet egg.. WHOA am i excited! Just some interesting news. I ve only had them for less than a month... Guess im doing it right tho!


That is VERY cool..........they must be very comfortable in their new home. Congratulations!!


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Pixy, I love your enthusiasm!  Congratulations on the egg and I bet the baby or babies will be gorgeous - just like mom and dad.


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## Fancyfowl4ever (Oct 6, 2006)

I am soooo jealous, I love big pigeons like Runts or Kings. I have only seen Kings(Show type) in real life though and they were the coolest(I am a chicken freak so a chicken sized pigeon is the best there is). 

Your Runts are gorgeous, and congrats on the egg!

How calm are Runts? I was amazed by the calmness of the Kings that I've seen(compared to the freak-out homers that I have).


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## Pixy (Mar 29, 2005)

the runts are kind of skiddish rightnow because i havent been able to have one on one time with them. Meaning having them in the coop feeding them from my hands. (thats my favorite part and especially when they get curious and peck here and there on your body, it tickles!) But anywho, id imagine that they would warm up fine to me. Right now im just the giant that opens up the door and looks at them


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## Pixy (Mar 29, 2005)

*Update!*

Yay! The egg is hatching. we have lift off! How exciting! I cant wait for it to come out all the way and make its first debut! I will post a cute little picture when i get the chance.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Pixy said:


> Yay! The egg is hatching. we have lift off! How exciting! I cant wait for it to come out all the way and make its first debut! I will post a cute little picture when i get the chance.


Wonderful.
Please do post pics.

Reti


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