# Violent Youngster?



## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

I'm sorry I have so many questions lately, I seem to have taken a few new ones in lately.

I luckily caught a very young baby the other day, he has more fluff than feathers and has no markings on his beak. He still has that square head look that youngsters have.
He was so thin I could see his bones through his skin, and he had had the fluff on one side of his chest ripped out and it was weeping. Even for a first generation chick he seems to have left the nest too soon.
I have to be careful after my trouble with the council, but I still put a little food out in some hidden spots especially during baby season. This baby was so keen to eat that he did not notice the other birds backing off as I came down to pick him up.
He was so thin and tiny and I felt really sorry for him. Even though he has been eating good meals for a week he is still very thin. The problem is that when he was outside on his own he must have had to fight hard to survive or get any food. All the other birds would have been bigger than him and pigeons can be nasty to the weak. Now he is inside he picks a place on the bar where he does not slip through because he is so thin, and chases all the other birds away. This is a problem because all the other birds have problems as well, like bad feet, and I was hoping he would calm down a bit.
Last night was the last straw, I was woken in the middle of the night because little 'scrapper' had picked a fight with the dominant male, and was losing badly and his screams woke me up. I separated them and got him and covered his eyes with my hand and layed him on my chest(after checking him for injuries) and stroked him for a while. When he seemed to be falling asleep I let him go and it was morning by then.

My question is, I understand why he has this very defensive violent behavior, but how do I calm him down. He has had a week of good food and he has only had one fight where he came off the worst. He is a tough old boot but I think a bit of affection might help him calm down? what do you think, should I catch him with the net and give him some close contact, which he probably never got from his parents? Or do you think this will make him more nervous because I have to catch him?

If anyone else has had trouble with violent pigeons I would appreciate any practical advice.

Thank you,
Brian.


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

Brian, ANY new bird should be kept separate & isolated from current birds on first arrival.
Appart from usual medical quarantine, this also allows them to get used to each other without being able to fight.
Keep a new bird in a small cage where others can see it but not touch. The newcomer will then learn safely the current pecking order from the others behaviour.
I doubt very much that the young one has started the fight, more likely the bully has considered that the young one is in his territory, and approached it in an aggressive manner.
Also, the young one may well be chasing the older birds, not as a bully type chase, but looking to be fed. (Normally they twitch there wings a lot and try to peck at another birds beak looking for food as they would do from their parents)


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Spot on, Bob.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*You took the words right out of my mouth..Quazar.*


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I will third that...


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

Thanks for the helpful answers. Unfortunately my resources are limited and the only cage is being used my a nesting couple. I'm in the center of london where there seems to be no other help for these birds and I only take the most ill. If I did not take them they would get put down if I took them to the local RSPCA,
I am familiar with the type of baby behavior where baby's beg for food from adults, this is different. The baby is making sure no bird is getting too close to him on the bar, and if one does he tries to force them away or off the bar. I think he has developed this behavior because he was being picked on by other birds wherever he was staying. He does seem to be slowly calming down. When I looked at him again this morning he was so thin you could almost see his bones through his skin. He must have eaten almost nothing since leaving the nest since he can only be about 4-5 weeks old. He still has a lot of fluff on him, especially under the wing.

Thanks for your help,
Brian.


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

BHenderson said:


> Thanks for the helpful answers. *Unfortunately my resources are limited and the only cage is being used my a nesting couple*. I'm in the center of london where there seems to be no other help for these birds and I only take the most ill. If I did not take them they would get put down if I took them to the local RSPCA,
> I am familiar with the type of baby behavior where baby's beg for food from adults, this is different. The baby is making sure no bird is getting too close to him on the bar, and if one does he tries to force them away or off the bar. I think he has developed this behavior because he was being picked on by other birds wherever he was staying. He does seem to be slowly calming down. When I looked at him again this morning he was so thin you could almost see his bones through his skin. He must have eaten almost nothing since leaving the nest since he can only be about 4-5 weeks old. He still has a lot of fluff on him, especially under the wing.
> 
> Thanks for your help,
> Brian.


Brian, just an idea, but it would als depend on how limited your resourses are ??
If youve got a Morrisons supermarket near you, they sell wire "cake cooling trays" for £1.50 each. 6 of them will make a simple cage enclosure to separate a new bird, you can either tape them along the edges or use cable ties. (if you use cable ties it can also be folded flat for transportation & makes a good soft release cage for one bird.)
I've used them to make several isolation cages, much cheaper than even a simple £30 cage from any pet shop.
Will post a pic later showing what I mean 









.


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

Nice idea! I'll find out where the nearest Morrisons is tomorrow. Thank you.


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

The beauty of these trays is if you need a bigger cage, just add more panels.
You can also get them at asda & tesco, but theyre about £2.00 each there and slightly shorter in length.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Quazar said:


> Brian, just an idea, but it would als depend on how limited your resourses are ??
> If youve got a Morrisons supermarket near you, they sell wire "cake cooling trays" for £1.50 each. 6 of them will make a simple cage enclosure to separate a new bird, you can either tape them along the edges or use cable ties. (if you use cable ties it can also be folded flat for transportation & makes a good soft release cage for one bird.)
> I've used them to make several isolation cages, much cheaper than even a simple £30 cage from any pet shop.
> Will post a pic later showing what I mean
> ...


Bob, you are a genius! Do you have Copyrights?  I am planning to spread the word in the future on Pigeon Talk, as i did today with the bottle bed.


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