# Homing my new Pigeon.



## Pige0nL0ver (Mar 4, 2010)

-PigeonTalk- 

Earlier today i managed to catch a white pigeon which seemed abandoned or had escaped from its previous owner. This Pigeon does not have a band on its leg so i decided to keep it because it was very hungry, thirsty and a little dirty. 

I have 4 pigeons(3 were hand raised by me) that i release every morning. 
The males are very attracted to this white Pigeon so im guessing its a female. How long am i suppose to keep it imprisoned before releasing it? Some experts have told me to keep it inside a cage for 2 weeks but that is way too long...I do not want the poor pigeon to stay locked up for that long. 

Is 1 week okay? 

Thank you. 

-Pige0nL0ver-


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## pluviru (Jul 14, 2011)

How old is the pigeon? You can make some tape with one wing so it can't fly, and discover more the place. Better from be at one position


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

Pige0nL0ver said:


> -PigeonTalk-
> 
> Earlier today i managed to catch a white pigeon which seemed abandoned or had escaped from its previous owner. This Pigeon does not have a band on its leg so i decided to keep it because it was very hungry, thirsty and a little dirty.
> 
> ...


 It is very hard to say. I have heard of stories where a homing pigeon was kept as a prisoner for 10 years and one day it got out and it was gone. I have pigeons that have been locked up since 2002, and I don't think they are any worse for it. They are healthy and happy from all outward appearences.


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## Pige0nL0ver (Mar 4, 2010)

pluviru said:


> How old is the pigeon? You can make some tape with one wing so it can't fly, and discover more the place. Better from be at one position


I'm not sure as to how old the pigeon is but it's size is big just like an adult pigeon and i don't mind taping one of its wing to prevent it from flying. would you by any chance know for how long am i suppose to keep this pigeon caged?


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## Pige0nL0ver (Mar 4, 2010)

SmithFamilyLoft said:


> It is very hard to say. I have heard of stories where a homing pigeon was kept as a prisoner for 10 years and one day it got out and it was gone. I have pigeons that have been locked up since 2002, and I don't think they are any worse for it. They are healthy and happy from all outward appearences.


But i don't want this pigeon caged forever, its a beautiful pure white pigeon. 


I made a fantail come back home after it was caged for 2 weeks, Many "Experts" told me that there is no way the fantail would fly back home...But it did. I guess i'll have to keep it caged for 2 weeks and hope that it will return with my 4 other pigeons. *Fingers crossed*


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## pluviru (Jul 14, 2011)

Pige0nL0ver said:


> I'm not sure as to how old the pigeon is but it's size is big just like an adult pigeon and i don't mind taping one of its wing to prevent it from flying. would you by any chance know for how long am i suppose to keep this pigeon caged?


I keep them with tape for about 1-2 months if it is an adult. But certanly will depend on the pigeon. If I see it looking always up and trying to search where it comes from, I'll keep until it relax and get a normal behaviour like any other pigeon. 

On the other hand Fantails are so easy to rehome. Fantails keep them from 3 days to 1 week.


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## ScreamingPigeonLoft (Aug 17, 2011)

How do I get my new birds to stop acting like they are scared of me except when its time to feed? I have only had them since Sat.


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## ScreamingPigeonLoft (Aug 17, 2011)

klondike goldie said:


> give them some time to adjust


Should I try to handle them everyday or just give them a couple of weeks to adjust?


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## pluviru (Jul 14, 2011)

Make sure that when you feed them, they are hungry. Give them some more time and try to hand feed them. Also if you handle them everyday catch them as fast as you can so that you don't scare them more.


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## ScreamingPigeonLoft (Aug 17, 2011)

pluviru said:


> Make sure that when you feed them, they are hungry. Give them some more time and try to hand feed them. Also if you handle them everyday catch them as fast as you can so that you don't scare them more.


I have been letting them eat out of my hand but they still act real skiddish when I move my hands.


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## Pige0nL0ver (Mar 4, 2010)

pluviru said:


> I keep them with tape for about 1-2 months if it is an adult. But certanly will depend on the pigeon. If I see it looking always up and trying to search where it comes from, I'll keep until it relax and get a normal behaviour like any other pigeon.
> 
> On the other hand Fantails are so easy to rehome. Fantails keep them from 3 days to 1 week.


I have kept pigeons caged for 2 weeks and it worked, they came back home straight away. 
I guess i'll have to cage this one for 2 weeks as well because i have 4 other pigeons whom she might get use too. 

Some people have told me that Fantails will never return home...But they do if their caged for 3 days to 1 week? I never knew that. lol 

Thanks for the advice, This Pigeon seems calm in her big cage, she is eating and drinking just like a normal homing pigeon.


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## ptras (Jun 29, 2010)

Pige0nL0ver said:


> I have kept pigeons caged for 2 weeks and it worked, they came back home straight away.
> I guess i'll have to cage this one for 2 weeks as well because i have 4 other pigeons whom she might get use too.
> 
> *Some people have told me that Fantails will never return home...But they do if their caged for 3 days to 1 week?* I never knew that. lol
> ...


What do you mean by fantails flying back home? Are you taking them out and releasing them with homers? They really don't have a great homing ability, and they are also not the best flyers. Releasing them to fly is a pretty sure way of giving an easy meal to a bird of prey. I think that the "experts" who told you that fantails wouldn't home were more likely advising you that you shouldn't fly them.


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## Pige0nL0ver (Mar 4, 2010)

ptras said:


> What do you mean by fantails flying back home? Are you taking them out and releasing them with homers? They really don't have a great homing ability, and they are also not the best flyers. Releasing them to fly is a pretty sure way of giving an easy meal to a bird of prey. I think that the "experts" who told you that fantails wouldn't home were more likely advising you that you shouldn't fly them.


I don't have any fantails at the moment and yes i know that they are not the best flyers, Some experts have told me that Fantail pigeons will never return home no matter how long their kept in a cage. There are no Predators around around here (Besides the Myna birds which i don't think is a big problem). So i thought i'd give it a try and see if i can prove the experts wrong...and i was successful. I did not release the Fantail pigeon with any homing pigeons at all.


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## pluviru (Jul 14, 2011)

I told you just to rehome the fantails not releasing them. I gave a fantail to my neighbor wich is about 3 meters away from me and it didn't came back haha. She rehomes there.. 
I will post some pictures of some racers and valencian figurita rehoming and the fantails that I rehomed.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

What kind of pigeon is it? 1 week is just not long enough to get trap trained and feed call trained.


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## Matt M (Mar 2, 2011)

pluviru said:


> I told you just to rehome the fantails not releasing them. I gave a fantail to my neighbor wich is about *3 meters away* from me and it didn't came back haha.


Your neighbor only lives 3 meters from you (less than 10 feet?!?) That's pretty tight quarters. Sorry, couldn't resist...


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## pluviru (Jul 14, 2011)

Matt M said:


> Your neighbor only lives 3 meters from you (less than 10 feet?!?) That's pretty tight quarters. Sorry, couldn't resist...


I don't know how much feet... but in my country houses are 'together'. Wall with a wall no spaces between. And becuase we don't have snow our roofs are open and we raise our pigeons on roofs. Go in my profile and see the pics


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