# Found a pigeon...



## rmccoy (Sep 15, 2008)

Last month my daughter found a pigeon in our pond and fished him out. He looked to be injured. I thought it was a wild bird as I did not see the band on its leg. I told her to give it some water and bird seed and I continued to mow the grass. (We live in the mountain and stray animals are a regular occurance here!). Now the bird seems to be healthy. I put a dog cage outside with food and water in it and the bird stops in regular to eat/water then flys away. He roosts on the corner of our house every night. We were able to get close enough to read the band and the owner does not want the bird back. He drives within 20 mile of my house every w/e but wanted me to meet him there to give the bird back. He asked me to keep it if I wanted. I am afraid he will kill it so we posted him on pet finders.com. You can see pictures there. My family named him Petey. He is really cool and I would keep him if I could, but we have too many hawks , cats, foxes, and other carnivors around. When I come home from work I can sometimes whistle and he will fly to the garage to meet me with a hand full of corn. Looking for someone who lives near Carlisle Pa. to take good care of him. I am certain I can catch him when he is feeding in the cage. He is young. 2008 on his tag. Thanks, Bob


----------



## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi Bob

Any chance you could knock up a predator proof coop for him, and maybe a partner in the future? Shelter and a pen of 'hardware cloth' with wire at the base to stop rats should do the job. If you'd consider keeping him, I think you'll get plenty of tips on housing. Just a thought.

John


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Thank you for caring for this needy bird.

Please do catch him, asap, he is very vulnerable. like a sitting duck, to a hawk attack and especially since he is by himself.

Are there any other letters or numbers on the band, we need them all to help locate his home?


----------



## Guest (Sep 15, 2008)

thats a very fine looking bird you have there, very pretty indeed  it was stated in his post that the ower didnt want the bird back , thats why hes asking if anyone would want it and care for it


----------



## rmccoy (Sep 15, 2008)

Should I catch him and keep him contained until someone takes him? I have caught him before but he does not seem to like that small dog cage so I left him out to come and go as he pleases. I know nothing about these birds...


----------



## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

rmccoy said:


> Should I catch him and keep him contained until someone takes him? I have caught him before but he does not seem to like that small dog cage so I left him out to come and go as he pleases. I know nothing about these birds...


Can you tell us the band info? How far away is the bird from home? There may be other fanciers around you. Why is it that you didn't meet the owner with the bird if he comes that close to you? Not all fanciers destroy birds and I expect that he would have just taken the bird back home with him and it would have been just fine. Also, does this bird have just the one band on or does it have another band with no numbers or letters? I'm just wondering if this bird was lost while training or during a race.


----------



## rmccoy (Sep 15, 2008)

This bird was lost during a race. They were released in Chambersburg Pa and Petey ended up grounded here at Carlisle Pa injured for some reason. I found the owner from his tag and he does not want him back. He lives 100 miles away in Sunbury Pa. He drives up here a lot to see his mother 30 miles from here but was unwilling to drive that additional distance to get the bird when he drives as close as 15 miles to me in passing. He told me to keep the bird but if I must he would meet me 30 miles away and take him back. This leads me to believe he could care less about the bird and is going to kill it upon return because it failed in the race. That is the feeling I got when he talked about some birds not making it home. He never even called me back when I was debating meeting him. The bird only has one orange band. I just want to find someone near me who has other birds and will take him. I will not give him to someone who will kill him. I will keep him myself if that is the only option. I think he is an awesome bird but I know nothing about pigeons! I do not even know the sex of this bird, but we named him Petey.


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Im sure someone will want this very pretty bird, keep him safe in the crate, someone will be along to help in finding him a home, that is if you don't decide to keep him....he sure is pretty...oh said that already...hang in there and keep checking back, nice of you to take care of him.


----------



## KIPPY (Dec 18, 2003)

> Should I catch him and keep him contained until someone takes him?


I definately would, you said you had predators in the area.



> I will keep him myself if that is the only option.


That would be great! if know home is found.

Petey's a great name.

I have a female name Jack and we know someone with a male name Dolly.


----------



## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Thanks for taking care of Petey. It sounds to me like your instincts are right on in this situation. As Lovebirds said, many owners are happy to have their birds back, but there are of course those out there who couldn't care less, unfortunately. Hopefully we can find someone near you who can take him. 

As for knowing nothing about pigeons, it sounds like you've already learned the most important thing about them . . . what special animals they are.  We help people every day learn to incorporate a newly found pigeon into their lives; all because they find them irresistible as a pet/companion bird. If you do decide you would like to keep him, we could easily walk you through basic pigeon care; they're pretty easy to take care of. A simple pen could be set up for him and possibly a friend down the line. They need fresh food and water each day, naturally. A lot of people have "house" pigeons, many of whom wear specially-designed pigeon diapers and watch TV with the family at night, so there's always that option.  A lone pigeon really is a huge target for hawks, especially, and especially since he is not a wild bird and used to being kept in a coop, he is an even bigger target. I do understand not wanting to keep him shut up in the dog carrier, though. It would just be much safer for him for a bit if that's possible, until a home can be found or a flight pen made for him. 

And as for him maybe being a girl, I think we all have such pigoens. My Lady Godiva is a female, as is Mr. Bird, Charlie, and my Bernadette is a male.  Good luck with whatever you choose to do.


----------



## rmccoy (Sep 15, 2008)

Is there a way to look up members who may live nearby so I could call some of them or do I just need to wait until someone responds?


----------



## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

rmccoy said:


> Is there a way to look up members who may live nearby so I could call some of them or do I just need to wait until someone responds?


Since we don't have the band info, we can't look up anything.
If it's an IF band..........
http://ifpigeon.com/

If it's an AU band.......

http://www.pigeon.org/index.html

If you haven't heard from the owner by now, I doubt you will. Don't understand the big secrecy about giving the band info. NO ONE here wants to do anything but help you. I realize there's lots of "bad" info on the internet and being skeptical is common.....we hear it all the time, but I assure you no one on this forum wants anything but what's best for the bird.


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

should he start a thread in the adoptions thread?


----------



## Guest (Sep 17, 2008)

Lovebirds said:


> Since we don't have the band info, we can't look up anything.
> If it's an IF band..........
> http://ifpigeon.com/
> 
> ...


Maybe he meant look up pigeon club members nearby who may be interested in adopting the bird?? It probably would be a good idea to have a post in the for adoption section. Petey sure is a cutie. I hope he finds a home


----------



## rmccoy (Sep 15, 2008)

*Found pigeon*

That is what I meant. If you must have the band info it is IF-TAR-8574 2008. Like I said I have already contacted the TAR pigeon club owner in Sunbury PA and he does not want the bird. Looking for other pigeon fanciers in my area near Carlisle Pa who may take him in. He is posted on petfinders and I have contact local pet shops with no leads...


----------



## rmccoy (Sep 15, 2008)

*Fyi*

PS. This picture of Petey on the blue towel was taken after my daughter fished him out of our pond when we first found him. He was holding his wing like it was injured. He seems to be fine now.


----------



## kippermom (Jan 11, 2006)

Until a permanent home is found, you might consider keeping him in the crate but letting him loose each day or so in bathroom or laundry room. My daughter does this wit a pair of doves. They climb out of the cage, fly up to the top of the shower door to preen and coo, hang their little butts inside the shower and that is where they poop..then my daughter rinses out the shower each day...she picks them up and puts them back in the cage when she wants them enclosed.


----------

