# Companion bird tips?



## KinglyPigeon (Aug 2, 2014)

Hello! New to the forums. I have 5 King Pigeons, 2 males and 3 females. My birds were given to me by a friend for an FFA project. Unfortunately, they do no let me get near them. My question is, when an egg hatches, what do I need to do inorder for the squab to get used to me. I want to be able to at least hold it when it grows up, and maybe rest itself on my arm. Basically a companion bird. Any help would be nice!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The more time you spend with them, the better. They will in time get used to you. Unfriendly parents often mean unfriendly babies. The babies do take cues from the parents on whether you are to be trusted or not. When I have babies, and the parents are friendly, I can hold seed or treats in my hand at the nest box. The baby will see the parents coming to me for the food, and will eventually join them. He/she gets to know me as friend. But when the parents are not friendly to me, if I were to try to offer food or treats at the box, then they will defend their box. The babies see this too, and learn not to trust me. So it is much easier with friendly birds. But it can still be done. You would have to try to approach the young ones when the parents are out of the nest, so they don't attack your hand. But with this method, you need to wait till the babies are old enough where the parents are leaving them alone. You can start taking them out of the nest at a week old or a little more, and gently holding them and talking to them, then put them back. When they are old enough to eat on their own, you can offer them seed this way. But getting at them without the parents going after you is difficult. And they do tend to copy the parents behavior toward you. 
I would try winning over the birds you have now. Use treats. They love chopped, unsalted peanuts, but won't know what they are at first if they haven't had them before. Mix some in their feed so that eventually they will try them. Once they do, they will love them. Eventually you will be able to get them to come to you for the peanuts. But this does take time, as they have to learn to trust you. Most will get used to you in time, with patience. Some never will. A lot depends on how they were handled, or not handled before you. A walk in loft makes it a lot easier to spend time with them. Without that, it's almost impossible to get them to trust you and come to you.


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