# Rescued pigeon won't leave



## jaytjay (Apr 4, 2014)

I live in the Houston, Tx area. Six weeks ago my husband found an injured pigeon under his truck when leaving work. He had lots of bald patches and was generally roughed up but no broken bones. We have kept him inside our home and been feeding him wild bird food. Today, he is a beautiful specimen, healthy, flying and refuses to leave our home. We have 4 adult outside cats. Everytime I have tried to release him, he flies to the ground or on our porch rails, both extremely hazardous spots when cats are around. We considered taking him to the area my husband works, but it is an industrial plant and though there are pigeons everywhere, not sure how safe that would be. If I can humanely keep him as a pet I wouldn't mind, but he poops everywhere if he isn't in his cage! Any advice is appreciated!
JTJ


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## rasheed.rubeena (Dec 29, 2011)

You can make him wear pigeon diapers when he is out of his cage.
-Rubeena


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

if you can't bring the cats in the house where they should be IMO (because they kill wild birds as well) Then put bells on the collars of the cats. pigeons are not a wild species here in the USA but feral, all the pigeons come from domestic stock here. so he can be kept as a pet unlike a wild bird. 

the probelm is birds of pray as well as your cats..one lone bird is a target easy access without a flock denfense flying. if you have hawks in your area he prolly will get caught. he will probably want a mate too so you may want to build an aviary for him/her and get him a mate. two hens can be companions so if you got a hen your good to go which ever sex your found pigeon is.


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## hong kong pigeons (Sep 30, 2013)

spirit wings said:


> if you can't bring the cats in the house where they should be IMO (because they kill wild birds as well) Then put bells on the collars of the cats. pigeons are not a wild species here in the USA but feral, all the pigeons come from domestic stock here. so he can be kept as a pet unlike a wild bird.
> 
> the probelm is birds of pray as well as your cats..one lone bird is a target easy access without a flock denfense flying. if you have hawks in your area he prolly will get caught. he will probably want a mate too so you may want to build an aviary for him/her and get him a mate. two hens can be companions so if you got a hen your good to go which ever sex your found pigeon is.


if that pigeon isnt willing to leave the temp home, i think it is a pet pigeon. I never seen a feral would like to stay in cage. whatever good things the rescuer gave it, it wont stop it from escaping. Whenever there is chance, feral would flee away without delay. So it is very probably not a feral.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

hong kong pigeons said:


> if that pigeon isnt willing to leave the temp home, i think it is a pet pigeon. I never seen a feral would like to stay in cage. whatever good things the rescuer gave it, it wont stop it from escaping. Whenever there is chance, feral would flee away without delay. So it is very probably not a feral.



Have to agree with this. This pigeon was owned. Can you post a picture of the bird? If he was previously owned, then he isn't going to do well being released, and is probably how he got into trouble in the first place.


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## JanieLee1129 (Aug 4, 2012)

Hi Jay, I'm also in Houston,tx(well north in spring.) I saved a baby pigeon a couple years back and am in the same spot at you, I have an outside coop for my boy....and pooping is an issue when we leave him out. We have a covered Patio which he loves to sit on the fan all day and poop all over it....so now he gets let out a couple times a day, I have him fly to me around the yard to stretch his wings and he then hops back in his coop. Even when he would fly off for hours on end he would always return home before dark....he's stopped doing that as much. The coop I got for him was a chicken coop from tractor supply. It has worked well...but I am planning on. Investing in a new nicer pigeon coop. I want to get him a friend. There is a store in downtown on Main Street that sells pigeons and pigeon food. I can get 5lb for maybe 6 dollars. I keep in refrigerated to last me longer. Anyway....your basically stuck with him now...unless he happens to find a mate the convinces him to leave. Mine hasn't and it's been two or three years. Let me know if I can be of any help.


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## DustyDawgy (Apr 5, 2014)

I agree with Rubeena. A pigeon diaper would allow your bird to freely fly around your house. If you want to have a pet loose in the house, these would be very useful.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

hong kong pigeons said:


> if that pigeon isnt willing to leave the temp home, i think it is a pet pigeon. I never seen a feral would like to stay in cage. whatever good things the rescuer gave it, it wont stop it from escaping. Whenever there is chance, feral would flee away without delay. So it is very probably not a feral.


that is a thought. but wilthout being there and knowing, it could be or been a young feral beat up by crows or jays, or treated meanly by kids.. or it colided with a car, some young they get attached to a place, just like homeing pigeons do, if the thread maker comes back perhaps we will know. as far as a feral goes one chose my place, she is as feral as they get looks wise, and has claimed my loft her own..she just showed up. so any bird can get attached to a place feral hatched or hatched in a loft. one thing for sure the bird was feral before it was found reguardless of where it came from. for how long, who knows.


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## Checkmate (Nov 26, 2011)

Sounds like your birds has adjusted its internal GPS to call your home its. Perhaps you can find somebody local who keeps/raises pigeons; a new loft environment will help. Otherwise, should like you have another family member in your life.

Cheers.
Michael.


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