# Is it alright to keep this pigeon?



## Lugia (Jan 6, 2016)

Hi,


So, recently I came across a pigeon that seems to be a rock dove.(I'm not exactly sure as it's wing patterns and size are different from that of an average rock dove) I found her(I think it's a she) in a metal attachment on our house. I was working late on some renovations and discovered her in a horrifying environment. She was resting on a little over 3 inches worth of decaying pigeon droppings and was a bit scrawny.

I've fed pigeons before and even the smallest of the pigeons I've fed were never that light. I brought her home and gave her a strongly needed bath. Throughout the entire time she was very calm, and even though I have never met her before she acted as though I've been handling her since birth. It took her a few hours to start eating and drinking but she certainly has an appetite. I grew greatly attached to her and am willing to take care of her. (I've had her for almost a week now) 

However, I am very conflicted. Were my actions incorrect in any way? Should I have left her in her "home" no matter what the condition the area was in? Though she has no proof of previous ownership, would it still be morally unsound to keep her? 

Thank you


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Pls post a pic of the bird so we may know if it is a pet or a feral bird. How old does he/she seem to you? The pic would help.


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## GimpieLover (Dec 18, 2005)

layers of dropping in an area means she was there for quite a while. Are we sure this wasn't a baby in a nest? 
Do you have any pictures? 
If domestic, absolutely keep her provided you can give her proper and safe housing, not letting her free fly alone, but a safe aviary and probably a companion for her/ him.
If feral, it shouldn't be that calm, and I would then be looking into if it is sick. How are the droppings looking?
They shouldn't be given baths either. You can provide a dish of water and they will bathe themselves when they wish.


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## Lugia (Jan 6, 2016)

kiddy said:


> Pls post a pic of the bird so we may know if it is a pet or a feral bird. How old does he/she seem to you? The pic would help.


Thank you for replying,

She is no fledgling, that is for sure. I have around 2 years of experience with poultry but very little with this website and its functions. Sorry, but could you wait until I figure out how to post pictures, if I can at all? (I'm underage and have not purchased a cell as of yet, but I'm sure I can still snap a picture some other way)


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## Lugia (Jan 6, 2016)

GimpieLover said:


> layers of dropping in an area means she was there for quite a while. Are we sure this wasn't a baby in a nest?
> Do you have any pictures?
> If domestic, absolutely keep her provided you can give her proper and safe housing, not letting her free fly alone, but a safe aviary and probably a companion for her/ him.
> If feral, it shouldn't be that calm, and I would then be looking into if it is sick. How are the droppings looking?
> They shouldn't be given baths either. You can provide a dish of water and they will bathe themselves when they wish.



Thank you for replying,


The area I discovered her resting in is difficult to describe. You could only see the inside if it's in the middle of the day or if you were to use a flashlight. One could fit around 50 pigeons in the area so it is near impossible for her to have filled the entire place with her own excrement. Therefor, we can conclude that the amount of days she spent her time there is unknown. 

Although there were a few nests, they were all abandoned and covered in droppings, making them barely visible. In fact, the nests' existence would be unnoticeable for many. She is, in my opinion, fully grown as she is able to fly, eat, and drink on her own. The noises and coos that she makes are also not of a hatch-ling or a young one.

I am aware that the frequent bathing of poultry is an unusual if not harmful activity, however, I can assure you that this one was necessary. Her droppings are also healthy. It is moist but not too watery either. The color ranges from light brown to black with a reasonable amount of uric acid. 

As for the topic of her being feral or domestic, for me that matter is a conundrum. How could one tell? Is it through the quality of the bird's feathers?

I hope for more advice, thank you.


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Hello. Quote:_As for the topic of her being feral or domestic, for me that matter is a conundrum. How could one tell? Is it through the quality of the bird's feathers?_ Why does it matter. To me ferral means a stray/domestic bird that is used to living and breeding outside without my help. They are usually territorial unless they had a good life with humans at young age or are dying in which case your bird is not. 
I would say keep it if you want but, do not think that you have to. Because it is not spring time and its most likely is not raising young. Thank you Lugia.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Think you did the right thing considering her behavior, location, and scrawniness. Is she eating ok? Does she seem ill? Thank you for helping her.


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## GimpieLover (Dec 18, 2005)

Feral means the rock dove species. they are evolutionary prepared to survive in the wild. Any domestic, even a lose/ lost domestic, does not and will not survive.


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## GimpieLover (Dec 18, 2005)

If you do decide to keep, just be prepared that the bird will unlikely stay as nice, calm and cuddly as she is now. When they regain strength, and start feeling better they will wild up. Even if it is a hand raised domestic bird that someone lost, they will develop mature and hormonal tendencies. 
So wild or not, if you choose to habituate this bird, you will never be able to release. Are you ready for a 20+ year commitment? 
Bless you for looking after it and loving our so often under-appreciated feathered friends. Which ever you decide to do


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Lugia said:


> Thank you for replying,
> 
> 
> The area I discovered her resting in is difficult to describe. You could only see the inside if it's in the middle of the day or if you were to use a flashlight. One could fit around 50 pigeons in the area so it is near impossible for her to have filled the entire place with her own excrement. Therefor, we can conclude that the amount of days she spent her time there is unknown.
> ...



That may be true of chickens, but pigeons love to bathe. It's just that they like to choose when they want to. I can understand if you say it was needed, as one of my rescued babies was filthy and stunk to high h..l. He got a bath almost right away. The water was almost black when done. LOL.

You can tell a feral or wild pigeon by the looks. There are many breeds and they all have a different look. Although on occasion someone, for some reason or other will hand raise a baby feral and then release it. It isn't going to know how to survive in the feral world, and would be in the same boat as a domestic pigeon.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Our first pigeon was a feral who got very tame. Our other pigeons have been domestics. None was as loving as our feral Phoebe. There is nothing wrong with keeping your pigeon. Enjoy!


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## Lugia (Jan 6, 2016)

cwebster said:


> Our first pigeon was a feral who got very tame. Our other pigeons have been domestics. None was as loving as our feral Phoebe. There is nothing wrong with keeping your pigeon. Enjoy!



Thank you, and I hope my new friend turns out the way Phoebe did. I've made my decision to keep and protect my pigeon with the best of my ability!


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

If you have a pic, there is an icon for attaching pics at right side of smiley (when you click on post reply and the window for the same gets opened). There you can browse pics and upload. 
If you still find it difficult you can send it to my email id and I will post it here for you. You can always pm me for my email id. 
If a domestic pigeon you can surely keep him. For feral, it depends if it is tamed or not. A tamed bird won't survive in wild so better to be kept rather released. If he is not tamed and fears of humans, he needs to be released after he seems fine. All depends on how old is the bird and how he reacts in your presence and is domestic or feral. Many things can be known by the pic.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Jay3 said:


> That may be true of chickens, but pigeons love to bathe. It's just that they like to choose when they want to. I can understand if you say it was needed, as one of my rescued babies was filthy and stunk to high h..l. He got a bath almost right away. The water was almost black when done. LOL.


Your bird made me remember of Ice age 4 where Granny takes bath in ocean saying "this is my first bath in decades" and the sharks die off the filthy water of her bath. Lol. Loved the scene. Lol


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## Lugia (Jan 6, 2016)

GimpieLover said:


> If you do decide to keep, just be prepared that the bird will unlikely stay as nice, calm and cuddly as she is now. When they regain strength, and start feeling better they will wild up. Even if it is a hand raised domestic bird that someone lost, they will develop mature and hormonal tendencies.
> So wild or not, if you choose to habituate this bird, you will never be able to release. Are you ready for a 20+ year commitment?
> Bless you for looking after it and loving our so often under-appreciated feathered friends. Which ever you decide to do



Thank you for expressing care and concern for my new friend. Also, what you wrote was true. After a few days, she began to show more personality. She now coos, and pecks aggressively when I approach her. I find this to be a positive sign. At least now her actions are more believable than her previous calm facade. I cannot wait until I gain her trust and become somebody she can depend on.

I heard that pigeons could live up to 15 years in captivity, but if my pigeon could have an even longer lifespan, then my joy in her company would also greaten.


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## Lugia (Jan 6, 2016)




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## wiggles and puddles (Sep 3, 2015)

GimpieLover said:


> *If you do decide to keep, just be prepared that the bird will unlikely stay as nice, calm and cuddly as she is now. When they regain strength, and start feeling better they will wild up*. Even if it is a hand raised domestic bird that someone lost, they will develop mature and hormonal tendencies.
> So wild or not, if you choose to habituate this bird, you will never be able to release. Are you ready for a 20+ year commitment?
> Bless you for looking after it and loving our so often under-appreciated feathered friends. Which ever you decide to do


That bird looks quite young. Granted I raised my two who were "ferals" since they were about two weeks old, so a bit younger then this one, however, I don't agree with the assumption that they will wild up, or not be as nice and calm. My two are now 9 months old, and are still very sweet and loving, they want to be held and cuddled. I do agree that older ferals may have a harder time adjusting, but the younger ones adapt well to human companionship. That is not to say they don't have a personality, and that they don't have their instincts. And I honestly believe that some days they woke up on the wrong side of the nesting bowl because they can get crabby at times. 

Lugia I wish you all the best in this life long bond you have taken with your bird. This is a great place to come if you have questions, as everyone tries to help.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Lugia, is the photo of the bird bathing your pigeon? Am looking forward to seeing him or her and hearing about the bond you develop. Pigeons are wonderful!


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## Lugia (Jan 6, 2016)

cwebster said:


> Lugia, is the photo of the bird bathing your pigeon? Am looking forward to seeing him or her and hearing about the bond you develop. Pigeons are wonderful!



Hello, cwebster

No, the bathing pigeon in the photo does not belong to me. I believe the owner of that pigeon is Jay3. I'm having a little technical difficulty with uploading a photo but I will as soon as I can. Also, I absolutely agree! Pigeons are so adorable!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Lugia said:


> Hello, cwebster
> 
> No, the bathing pigeon in the photo does not belong to me. I believe the owner of that pigeon is Jay3. I'm having a little technical difficulty with uploading a photo but I will as soon as I can. Also, I absolutely agree! Pigeons are so adorable!



Yes, she's mine. Fell from a high building onto the sidewalk. A young couple found her trying to get up against the building to get out of the hard rain we were having for a couple of days. Don't know how she lived through that fall.
But she was really filthy and smelled to high heavens. She definitely needed a bath.


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## Lugia (Jan 6, 2016)

Finally, a photo of my pigeon. Many of you had asked for a picture, so at last, I uploaded one. After much consideration, I've decided to call her Peridot.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Congratulations, you made it.  
So with this small pic she seems a feral to me. She doesn't have a leg band too? 
Is she tamed? Or have fear for you?


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## Lugia (Jan 6, 2016)

kiddy said:


> Congratulations, you made it.
> So with this small pic she seems a feral to me. She doesn't have a leg band too?
> Is she tamed? Or have fear for you?


 Peridot can get pretty aggressive and territorial so I assume she is a feral. She doesn't have a leg band or any other signs of previous ownership. But I'm not really quite sure whether she is tamed or not. Peridot shows mixed signs. I don't believe she fears me now but when I first brought her home she was way too calm so assume she feared me to death then.( Which is probably why she let me bath her, dry her, ect.) Now things are a bit different. After a few days over a week since I've kept her, she shows that she is much more comfortable by pecking. She doesn't like it at all when I stand tall and approach her. In fact she gets quite panicky and tries to run away. However, when I am crouching or sitting with food in my hand she comes. So in a sense, she is both tamed and feral.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Peridot us beautiful! So glad you have decided to keep her. Any pigeon that is getting more comfortable will be assertive, wing slap or peck as it takes control of its new environment, no matter whether it is feral or domestic. Soon Peridot will come to see you as her flock. That is what happened with our beloved Phoebe and Chloe, who were ferals, now gone, and Fiona, who came from an animal shelter, and Tracy, who came from a bird show. Only one pigeon, Lucy, who we got from a breeder, has been slow to get tame. She is still frightened and flies away. But she is getting less skittish and eventually should be our friend.


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