# Found exhausted pigeon with band on leg? Help!



## shannonjc

The craziest thing happened... my husband and I noticed a beautiful white and brown-spotted pigeon in our front yard last week. We were concerned because it wasn't flying away. Then it flew to our roof so we thought it was probably fine. Days later I was sitting at a cafe across town and saw the VERY SAME PIGEON squatting in the middle of a busy sidewalk right next to my table. It was all puffed up and didn't even move when people almost stepped on him. I picked him up and took him home. Now we have him in a cage with bird seed and water. We're not sure if his right wing is broken. He is still able to fly small distances. It seems more likely that he's just exhausted. He has a green band around his left leg. Does this mean he has an owner? The band has a number on it that I wrote down. If he does have an owner and is an homing pigeon, is this a cruel practice? I read that it exhausts these little guys, just like the guy I found. (He's also missing some feathers, I think a cat might have gotten him while he was grounded.)

Advice appreciated!


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## jazaroo

Hi Shannon,

Welcome to Pigeon_Talk and thank you for rescuing this lost bird.

Yes, the band would indicate he is someones bird that may have lost his way, or was injured in someway and could not finish the journey home. How is he doing right now, is he eating and drinking? Has he produced any droppings since you've had him, if so what do they look like. You say he may have been injured by a cat, were the feathers are missing are there any scratches or bites, please take your time to examine him well for this, as this is important. Do you happen to have any antibiotics around, such as Amoxicillin, Cipro, Doxycycline? What city do you live in, as there may be some local help available for this bird. Please post the band information as well.

In the meantime, here is a link that will be of use:
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=9457


Good luck with him,

Ron


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## flitsnowzoom

Hi Shannonjc,
Thank you so much for taking the time to help this pigeon and welcome here. 
Lots of folk are here to help you and will come on later (if they haven't already replied) to help you, but here is a quickie guide until the experts come in.
More than likely he is exhausted and rest, food, and water is important so this bird can get to feeling better. If it is in a race, you have yourself a highly-trained athelete who probably ran into some bad weather or evaded a predator and then didn't have the reserves to get back home. 
If he has a band please report the numbers to 911 Pigeon Alert (and you can post them here as well). The band means he was human-raised (at least) so someone did care about him. 
To care for this little one:

Pigeons need grain like millet and milo, plus they will eat (and you can feed) unseasoned popcorn -- unpopped, oats and wheat berries until you get proper food for them --The straight stuff no human flavorings as that can be dangerous to a bird.
Place clean water in a dish at least 1 inch deep so they can suck it up. 
Please provide him with a safe quiet place to rest and recooperate. A large cat carrier will work in emergencies or a box, but if the bird is flying around and may be injuried it's best to restrict its movements so it doesn't further injure itself.
Check the wing for damage and also check the whole bird over. There are experts that will guide you on how to do this without further injuring the bird.

Again, welcome, and thanks for taking care of this lost bird. You can't come to a better place for assistance in helping this bird.


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## Skyeking

Thank you for rescuing this domestic pigeon.

Where are you located, perhaps we can find you some help?


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## shannonjc

*Thanks for the help!*

I am overwhelmed by the response I've gotten already! Thank you!

I checked the areas on the pigeon where he was missing feathers, and there are no visible scratches or wounds. He is eating and drinking, and his poop is white with green in it, very normal looking. I have antibiotics in the house, do I need to give him any?

His band is green and reads: NBRC 04 (the 04 is printed sideways) R721

I saw that there is an NBRC club so I have contacted them. The pigeon is very sweet and yesterday before I had him in a cage I called to him and he came running to me. It does seem that he is trained. 

I am feeding him bird seed and clean water with a teaspoon of Gatorade mixed in. I put the water in a tea cup so it's deep enough for him. 

And I live in Laguna Beach, California.


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## TAWhatley

Hi Shannon,

I responded to your post on the 911 Pigeon Alert group also. I am over in Lake Forest if you need any help with the bird, just let me know. Also if you hear back from the NBRC before I do, please post that information so I can update our 911 records.

Terry


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## shannonjc

Thanks, Terry!

I don't mind caring for the pigeon until we find the owner, but I was wondering if he should be kept indoors or if outside is fine? I have him in a large cat kennel with shredded newspaper, birdseed and water. I just want to make sure he won't get too cold if kept in our outside laundry room at night.


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## feralpigeon

I think an outdoor laundry room would do fine, the main thing is that 
it is predator proof and not drafty. Thanks for helping out w/this pij.

fp


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## jazaroo

Hi Shannon,

It seems things are under control for this little guy. Please do keep an eye on him for signs of him still being listless after he has had a chance to have a few good feeds (please also keep an eye on how he is eating an watering) in a safe place to recuperate. 

Please get a hold of Terry if you are in any doubt, whatsoever.

Good luck with him,

Ron


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## shannonjc

*Found the owner!*

Thanks everybody! The pigeon's doing great and today we found the owner!


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## shannonjc

*Advice Appreciated*

Turns out the owner is over 400 miles away. I spoke to him today, and he's very nice. He said I can keep the pigon which made me very happy since I've gotten attached to the little guy. The pigeon's doing great. He's eating and drinking, and I think he was just thoroughly exhausted from his journey down here (he's a Birmingham Roller and the owner said they're unable to forage for food on their own). 

So, I'm taking him to a vet tomorrow morning for a general check-up after his long journey. 

I'd love to get tips on how to house him, how often he should be let out to fly, does he need a friend (???), whether we should house him inside or outside, and any general websites that sell pigeon "coops" or can help me along my new process of becoming a pigeon owner. 

Thanks!


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## Pidgey

Boy, I sure wouldn't have expected a B.R. to make it that far from home! One thing you better keep in mind is that this guy is a "WrongWay Fellman" (Gilligan's Island episode, I think) and that he'd get lost 20 feet from home. So, it'd be best if you're real careful with him around doors and whatnot.

Pidgey


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## TAWhatley

Hi Shannon,

There is almost no way a roller pigeon managed to get 400 miles from home under its own power. The bird had to have come from somewhere fairly near to you. It was most likely sold by the original owner to someone down here in So Cal. Please privately post me the owner/breeder's contact information so I can close the case on 911 Pigeon Alert as adopted by you. I still have not heard back from the NBRC and most likely because they already looked the band up for you and don't want to do it again. I really do need the owner/breeder information for the 911 database.

The bird would most likely be happy to have another roller as a buddy or mate. I'd suggest getting to know the bird a bit so you have at least a good guess at the sex of the bird and then get a member of the opposite sex to be the friend/mate.

As to letting the bird out to fly, that's very risky as this bird already got lost once and may well do so again. It's also risky due to hawks that may predate the roller.

I would suggest taking this a bit slow for now and just keep the bird safe and well cared for. 

JMO ..

Terry


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## shannonjc

Thanks, Terry.

I'll send you the information when I get home tonight.

The pigeon is male, he has a blue cuff on his right leg which the owner told me denotes that he is, in fact, male.

Talk to you soon,
Shannon


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## TAWhatley

shannonjc said:


> Thanks, Terry.
> 
> I'll send you the information when I get home tonight.
> 
> The pigeon is male, he has a blue cuff on his right leg which the owner told me denotes that he is, in fact, male.
> 
> Talk to you soon,
> Shannon


Thanks, Shannon! Enjoy your new pijjie!

Terry


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## TAWhatley

Shannon .. I do have rollers here that are unclaimed/untraceable. Let me know if you are interested. I do not know the sexes of them for sure.

Terry


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## shannonjc

*Cracker needs a friend*

Hi Terry,

Cracker seems to be very happy with his new home. We bought him a very large cage with lots of perches and he loves to "bop around" and feast on seed! My husband and I love the little guy and would love to adopt him a friend that we can also care for... female preferable if you have any way of knowing the sex. Let me know how we can work this out with you. 

Thanks!  

Shannon


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## Lovebirds

shannonjc said:


> Thanks, Terry.
> 
> I'll send you the information when I get home tonight.
> 
> The pigeon is male, he has a blue cuff on his right leg which the owner told me denotes that he is, in fact, male.
> 
> Talk to you soon,
> Shannon


Shannon, just my two cents worth here.........first of all, whoever you spoke to said the bird was 400 miles from home. I agree with the others......that's not very likely, which means who ever you spoke to doesn't really know what the blue band means. Those snap bands come in every color of the rainbow. I stick one on some of my birds for various reasons and the color really has nothing to do with the sex of the bird, so I wouldn't be so terribly certain that you've got a male just because of what you were told. It may not be the case at all. I tell you this because you're thinking of getting a companion. Your safest bet would be a hen. If you have a cock then a hen would be perfect. If you have a hen, then another hen would still work out ok, but if you got a cock and you have a cock then you've got a fight on your hands and would need separate cages, etc............hens (or most of them) are not as territorial as the cock birds.


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## shannonjc

Lovebirds said:


> Shannon, just my two cents worth here.........first of all, whoever you spoke to said the bird was 400 miles from home. I agree with the others......that's not very likely, which means who ever you spoke to doesn't really know what the blue band means. Those snap bands come in every color of the rainbow. I stick one on some of my birds for various reasons and the color really has nothing to do with the sex of the bird, so I wouldn't be so terribly certain that you've got a male just because of what you were told. It may not be the case at all. I tell you this because you're thinking of getting a companion. Your safest bet would be a hen. If you have a cock then a hen would be perfect. If you have a hen, then another hen would still work out ok, but if you got a cock and you have a cock then you've got a fight on your hands and would need separate cages, etc............hens (or most of them) are not as territorial as the cock birds.


Great advice. Thank you! Also, I've been wondering if Cracker needs a "pigeon loft" or if the large cage will work. I've put newspaper down so he has a flat surface to walk on (instead of the narrow cage bars), and I've put boards around half the top and side to keep breezes out. At night I move the whole set up into our outdoor sheltered laundry room. ...Just wondering what's best for pigeons because this is still so new to me!


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## Lovebirds

shannonjc said:


> Great advice. Thank you! Also, I've been wondering if Cracker needs a "pigeon loft" or if the large cage will work. I've put newspaper down so he has a flat surface to walk on (instead of the narrow cage bars), and I've put boards around half the top and side to keep breezes out. At night I move the whole set up into our outdoor sheltered laundry room. ...Just wondering what's best for pigeons because this is still so new to me!


So his cage is in your house? It really depends on how much free time he gets inside the house. They do like to fly some and he is used to free flying so going from the open sky to a cage is going to be a change for him, but not one that he won't adjust too. Of course, in my opinion, it's best to have a loft and aviary where they can enjoy the sunshine, lay in the rain, poop wherever they want to (LOL), but if this bird is friendly and settles down living in the house, there's no problem with that. How big is the cage anyway? As long as he's cared for, loved and not lonely, he'll adjust to just about any enviroment. They are adaptable little birds.


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## shannonjc

Hi Renee,

Thanks again for the fast response. The cage is outside... he likes to lay in the sunny part of it. I put it in the outdoor laundry room at night because it seems like it has more shelter when it gets chilly. I'm still completely lost when it comes to what kind of shelter they need... from rain? From wind? I want him to have a good quality of life first and foremost, so I will either build or purchase whatever he needs to have the space to play and also be comfortable. For one or two pigeons, what's the ideal?


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## shannonjc

Oh, and the cage I have for him now is about 4 feet in length, 2.5 feet high, and 2 feet deep.


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## Lovebirds

shannonjc said:


> Hi Renee,
> 
> Thanks again for the fast response. The cage is outside... he likes to lay in the sunny part of it. I put it in the outdoor laundry room at night because it seems like it has more shelter when it gets chilly. I'm still completely lost when it comes to what kind of shelter they need... from rain? From wind? I want him to have a good quality of life first and foremost, so I will either build or purchase whatever he needs to have the space to play and also be comfortable. For one or two pigeons, what's the ideal?


Well, we were supposed to race our birds this week end and it was postponed due to weather, so........here I sit. LOL
Ok......so if Cracker is going to be outside, he does need to have some space to fly at least a little. If you intend to only have TWO birds, then a small place would be fine. I've got a small chicken coop that I have pigeons in with an attached aviary. The chickens didn't last long here. That's another story. LOL
It's worked out well except that it's only 4 feet tall so I can't get in and out very well. It's actually a 4 x 4 x 4.......the 4 x 4 part is ok but it's needs to be at least 6 ft tall so you can actually get in. I'll have to see if I can find a picture of it and post it. There are so many different ideas out there for lofts. Everything from small and simple to Taj Mahals...........in a nutshell, these guys need to be able to get in out of the weather, whether it be a snow/hail/thunderstorm or burning hot sun. The loft needs to be draft free. Facing away from the prevailing winds is ideal and facing south if possible so that they get maximum sunlight. The cold you don't have to worry about. I raise babies in Jan, Feb and March. My loft is not heated. The birds do just fine. They can withstand temps well below zero. The drafts are a big danger to them as well as wet housing. They do love to lay in the rain, but their home should be completely dry always. Let me go look for that picture........


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## Lovebirds

Here's a picture of the chicken coop. My husband built 4 nest boxes in side. I can't seem to find a picture of the inside, but you get the idea of the size I'm talking about. I actually keep two pair of birds in this little building, so for just two birds, it would be perfect........the only thing I would suggest is to get the aviary up off of the ground and wire it all the way around. Like I said, this WAS for chickens that roamed the yard all day, so a "floor" in the bottom wasn't necessary for them.


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## shannonjc

Lovebirds said:


> Well, we were supposed to race our birds this week end and it was postponed due to weather, so........here I sit. LOL
> Ok......so if Cracker is going to be outside, he does need to have some space to fly at least a little. If you intend to only have TWO birds, then a small place would be fine. I've got a small chicken coop that I have pigeons in with an attached aviary. The chickens didn't last long here. That's another story. LOL
> It's worked out well except that it's only 4 feet tall so I can't get in and out very well. It's actually a 4 x 4 x 4.......the 4 x 4 part is ok but it's needs to be at least 6 ft tall so you can actually get in. I'll have to see if I can find a picture of it and post it. There are so many different ideas out there for lofts. Everything from small and simple to Taj Mahals...........in a nutshell, these guys need to be able to get in out of the weather, whether it be a snow/hail/thunderstorm or burning hot sun. The loft needs to be draft free. Facing away from the prevailing winds is ideal and facing south if possible so that they get maximum sunlight. The cold you don't have to worry about. I raise babies in Jan, Feb and March. My loft is not heated. The birds do just fine. They can withstand temps well below zero. The drafts are a big danger to them as well as wet housing. They do love to lay in the rain, but their home should be completely dry always. Let me go look for that picture........


Thanks again! Is there anywhere I can purchase a loft or do I need to build one?


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## Lovebirds

shannonjc said:


> Thanks again! Is there anywhere I can purchase a loft or do I need to build one?


Well, you can buy those pre-built sheds and convert it, but I would think that building one would be cheaper. My husband does all the carpentry work around here. If it was just me, I wouldn't have a clue, so the pre-built shed is what it would be..........LOL


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## Matt D.

They do sell pre-fabricated pigeon lofts but Renee is right you should build one yourself. Its is cheaper and it is easier to get what you want. If you want to learn about pigeons and the lofts you can watch my movie that is in my signature. It has alot of good info. As far as the companion thing I would also recommend a hen. If it turns out they are 2 hens then you can get one cock and then you will have two laying hens and one happy male.LOL


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## Margarret

Shannon,

Thank you so much for rescuing this little guy. Rollers are very sweet birds. I agree with Terry that you don't want to let him out to fly. Rollers will get lost a block away from home. They are not at all like homing pigeons. If you want to give him some exercise when he is rested, let him fly a little in an enclosed space. As you spend time with him, you will see his personality emerge. He will get to know you and respond. My first pigeon was a rescued roller and I still have her. They are marvelous pets.

If you need pigeon supplies, feed, and anything else, there is a specialty store for pigeons in Anaheim called JEDDs You need to give him some grit with his food so he can digest the seeds. 

I'm sure there are some breeders in OC where you can get a companion bird for him if you decide later you want to do that. A pair together is a delight. They are extremely affectionate with each other.

Take a picture when you can and post it. We love to see pictures.

Margarret


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## Margarret

Shannon,

I didn't read far enough down. Forget breeders. Terry will help you find a lovely companion for your bird.

It sounds like you have a fine cage for the present. I used a rabbit cage for my first pair until I could build something larger.

Put a shallow pan of water in his cage every couple of days. Pigeons love a bath and it helps keep his feathers in shape.

Margarret


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## TAWhatley

I have three very pretty rollers here right now. One is definitely male, and I'm still diligently watching the behavior of the other two trying to decide if one or both are females. Hopefully I will have a for sure "guess" in another day or so and can contact Shannon about adopting.

Terry


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## shannonjc

TAWhatley said:


> I have three very pretty rollers here right now. One is definitely male, and I'm still diligently watching the behavior of the other two trying to decide if one or both are females. Hopefully I will have a for sure "guess" in another day or so and can contact Shannon about adopting.
> 
> Terry


Great! Thanks, Terry! I'll stay posted!


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## shannonjc

*Pictures of Cracker!*

To all of you who have adopted me into the "pigeon lovers club," here are pictures of my handsome guy, Cracker!


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## Reti

Oh, he is sooo handsome and he has the sweetest face.
No wonder you are such a proud momma.

Reti


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## flitsnowzoom

I am constantly amazed at the beauty of pigeons. One good-looking guy you have there


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## mr squeaks

WOW! Crackers is ONE beautiful HANDSOME bird!!

I'm sure his mate will be just as beautiful!

Wishing you both ALL the BEST!!

Hugs and Scritches

Shi
& Mr. Squeaks


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## Margarret

Cracker is beautiful. That white body with the checkered beige wings is striking. What a handsome guy. Thanks for the pic.

Margarret


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## TAWhatley

*Females Identified, I Think ..*

Hi Shannon,

I'm pretty sure at this point that I have a red hen and another hen that is mostly white with some brownish/reddish markings. Let me know if you are interested in giving one of them a try with Cracker. 

Terry


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## shannonjc

*Yes!*

Hi Terry! I would love to take one of the hens in! I can come by tomorrow or next week. Let me know what works best for you. I'm going to private message you my contact information. 

Thanks!
Shannon


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## TAWhatley

Got your PM Shannon. I'll call you tomorrow and we'll work it out.

Terry


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## Skyeking

Hi Shannon,

That is one pretty and lucky bird to have found you.


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## shannonjc

*Cracker not a pigeon???!*

The bird vet just told me that Cracker isn't even a pigeon... he's a Ring Neck dove! Anybody know why a dove would have a Roller Pigeon band? Could he have been raised with Rollers?


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## TAWhatley

shannonjc said:


> The bird vet just told me that Cracker isn't even a pigeon... he's a Ring Neck dove! Anybody know why a dove would have a Roller Pigeon band? Could he have been raised with Rollers?


GWONK! No wonder Cracker and the little roller didn't hit it off! I looked at the pictures of Cracker that you posted and thought "Gee what a pretty little pigeon" but didn't really pay attention to the DETAILS like the petite beak.

Assuming Cracker really is a ringneck dove (and I could buy that in a NY second .. forget a minute), please do not let him out to free fly. There WILL be a disaster in that at some point.

Well, you know where I live .. I just got in 20 ringneck doves from the Mickaboo folks in Northern California. They were driven down here today .. I'm sure we can find a girl for Cracker amongst them.

I really apologize for not paying closer attention to Cracker's pictures. You also told me that the roller pigeon I gave you was huge compared to Cracker .. I should have figured it out. I'm sorry.

Somebody just had a roller band around and put it on Cracker .. he could have been raised with rollers .. or not .. people do crazy stuff with bands sometimes.

Terry


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## shannonjc

Thanks for the tip Terry! I will not let Cracker out to fly... probably why I found him in the first place. I'm going to look into some aviaries for him so he can fly safely. 

Thanks again for all your help,

Shannon


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## shannonjc

*Terry- any female doves? *



TAWhatley said:


> GWONK! No wonder Cracker and the little roller didn't hit it off! I looked at the pictures of Cracker that you posted and thought "Gee what a pretty little pigeon" but didn't really pay attention to the DETAILS like the petite beak.
> 
> Assuming Cracker really is a ringneck dove (and I could buy that in a NY second .. forget a minute), please do not let him out to free fly. There WILL be a disaster in that at some point.
> 
> Well, you know where I live .. I just got in 20 ringneck doves from the Mickaboo folks in Northern California. They were driven down here today .. I'm sure we can find a girl for Cracker amongst them.
> 
> I really apologize for not paying closer attention to Cracker's pictures. You also told me that the roller pigeon I gave you was huge compared to Cracker .. I should have figured it out. I'm sorry.
> 
> Somebody just had a roller band around and put it on Cracker .. he could have been raised with rollers .. or not .. people do crazy stuff with bands sometimes.
> 
> Terry


  


Hi Terry!

Do you have any young white female ringneck doves?

Thanks!
Shannon


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## TAWhatley

shannonjc said:


> Hi Terry!
> 
> Do you have any young white female ringneck doves?
> 
> Thanks!
> Shannon


Hi Shannon,

I'm quite sure there are females in the group that came in from Mickaboo. None of them are banded, so I have no real sure way of knowing the age of any of them. I'll see if I can zero in on a white female that looks like a young one and will give you a call then.

Hopefully I'll do better for Cracker this time around  

Terry


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## shannonjc

Thanks Terry!!!


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## TAWhatley

little bird said:


> Terry and Shannon
> If you want a really happy ""birdgroom"" why don't you put Cracker in with the Mickaboo group and let him select his mate???


   Poor little dude would likely have a heart attack amongst so many potential mates .. BUT .. we shall see ..

Terry


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## shannonjc

TAWhatley said:


> Poor little dude would likely have a heart attack amongst so many potential mates .. BUT .. we shall see ..
> 
> Terry


What do you think, Terry? Should I bring Cracker by to meet your "brood?"


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