# Found Pigeon walking down Main Street



## HouseCat (Oct 31, 2012)

I found a pigeon walking down Main Street, Gaylord, Michigan today @ approx 4:30pm. It didn't fly when I was trying to catch it. It slept in my hand on the drive home. Having chickens, all I had to feed it was a blend of All-Flock Poultry crumbles and Scratch Grains but it ate for 15-20 mins straight and then gulped down water. I'm guessing it hasn't ate in a few days because it's crop felt empty and it ate like a hog! Any help finding the owner would be greatly appreciated.

Band #- cu 79 2012


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Thank you for recuing it. He/she must be thankful for the food and water.
Keep up updated. How's the poop?

Do not release him untill you make sure it's not sick please.


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## HouseCat (Oct 31, 2012)

The poop is greenish and kind of runny. The 50/50 blend of All-Flock and Scratch grains should hold the little bugger over for tonight and tomorrow I'll pick up some wild bird seed and popcorn kernels for it. Don't worry, I won't release it. I'll give the owner a week to contact me and if no one speaks up, I'll find someone with a loft and some pigeon buddies to give it to.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Thank you for rescuing this needy bird.

Are there any more numbers or letters on the band?

Here is a link to the Canadian Racing Pigeon Union, with contact info.

http://www.crpu.ca/contact-us/


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## HouseCat (Oct 31, 2012)

Yes there are more numbers! I thought the band on the left leg was blank but on closer inspection it had info imprintede on it as well. Here's what I got so far:

Right leg band:
2012 cu 79

Left leg band:
TIPES
MC603

I'll send this additional info off to the Canadian Racing Pigeon Union right away!


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## HouseCat (Oct 31, 2012)

I found the owner. The little guy has been missing for over 3 weeks and is almost 500 miles away from home. I was told to let him rest up for a few days and release him and he'll find his way back home.


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## scoty (Apr 6, 2010)

He will need more than a couple of days to rehab,even then doubtful to fly 500 miles home this time of year


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

scoty said:


> He will need more than a couple of days to rehab,even then doubtful to fly 500 miles home this time of year


*I agree, he needs more time in rehab and perhaps a ride home. *


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

If the owner is not prepared to make proper arrangements to get the bird back, then they obviously arent that bothered about its return.
I would keep it till it is healthy, then get a good home for it, but it would have to be a home where it had an aviary as opposed to free flight, or it may just take off for home & get lost again.


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## HouseCat (Oct 31, 2012)

*Re: Found Pigeon*



scoty said:


> He will need more than a couple of days to rehab,even then doubtful to fly 500 miles home this time of year


 That's what I was thinking. I talked to the owners wife (he was @ work) and she said he'll probably tell me to let it rest and eat for a couple more days and then release him. It's been freezing-rain and snowing off and on here in Northern MI for almost a month. I feel bad because it doesn't belong to me but I was considering keeping him if the owner told me to release him. We have a few pigeons in our barn and I really don't want him to join them because I would never be able to get him back down. 
There is a lady on craigslist that has a female pigeon that looks identical to mine that she is giving away. It's 3 months old and she says it's pretty tame. I've been raising bantam and standard chickens for a few years now and have been thinking about getting some pigeons for awhile now. 
I realize that 500 miles is a long drive to pick up a $10 pigeon but if someone called and informed me that they had rescued one of my $2.50 chickens, I would make the drive to pick it up.


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## diljala1985 (May 15, 2012)

no owner can travel 500 miles to get the pigeon.... if its a dog, thn they can make alernate plans... but for pigeon no chance


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## HouseCat (Oct 31, 2012)

diljala1985 said:


> no owner can travel 500 miles to get the pigeon.... if its a dog, thn they can make alernate plans... but for pigeon no chance


Never say never. You'ld be surprised what some people will do for their animals.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

I would just have it shipped to me. Although that is a Canadian band. Was the owner from Canada? If so, shipping would be much more expensive, crossing the border. If you are going to release him, at least wait until all this crappy weather from Sandy is gone.


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## diljala1985 (May 15, 2012)

u didnt get me ... i said if its dog they will make some alternate option... but for pigeon no way


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

diljala1985 said:


> u didnt get me ... i said if its dog they will make some alternate option... but for pigeon no way


There is no reason they really shouldnt make an alternative option, but sadly some pigeon fanciers & racers are only interested in results and not the actual birds themselves. The fact that the bird has not come back (for whatever reason) makes it in their eyes useless as a homer so they are not prepared to go to more expense to get it back.


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## HouseCat (Oct 31, 2012)

Well the guy never called me back. Would it be wrong for me to keep the bird or find someone else close by who is willing to take it? He's perked up quite a bit- flying and coo'ing. He is such a beautiful animal.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*I don't think there is anything wrong with keeping him if the owner doesn't want to pick him up. But you may find someone here who lives close by, willing to adopt him, who already has the ideal housing for this bird. You can place him up for adoption in our adoption forum.*


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## HouseCat (Oct 31, 2012)

Do pigeons _need_ to fly? Would it be considered cruel or harmful to keep him in a dog crate for the next 3 months during winter until I can build an aviary in the spring? The crate is 48lx30wx32h, big enough for me to crawl into and I'm 6'1". 
Also, I've been placing a drainage plate for potted plants filled with warm water (70F) in the crate as a bird bath but the pigeon doesn't seem to be interested in it at all. I've even placed him in it and sprinkled water over his back and he still won't bathe. Is thiis a problem or should I not worry about it?
As far as an update, he's a totally different bird than the timid boy I picked up on the street corner. I've let him fly around the house a few times. He coo's now and nibbles my fingers when I reach to pick him up. I pick him up every night around 10pm and let him sit in my lap and nap while I rub his neck and head. He usually sleeps until I wander off to bed around 2am. I set him on his roost for the night but he always jumps down and sleeps on his pile of rags. I named him "Streets" since that's where I found him- the streets. He's a very sweet boy.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Did you know that there are diaper for pigeons? You could put it on him if you want to let him out of the cage. The nibbling on your fingers sounds like you have a hen instead of a boy bird.


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## HouseCat (Oct 31, 2012)

Charis said:


> Did you know that there are diaper for pigeons? You could put it on him if you want to let him out of the cage. The nibbling on your fingers sounds like you have a hen instead of a boy bird.


 I figured there were pigeon diapers since they make them for chickens. 
A hen, really? I read that if there are iridescent feathers all the way around the neck, it's a boy and that girls have muted colors under their chins. I'm still pigeon-ignorant. Why are hens finger nibblers?


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

Some of the tamer males nibble too -- but usually they wrestle with you and peck at you playfully. Females are more prone to cuddling and preening. 

Healthy females can have very iridescent feathers, almost indistinguishable from the males. 

And, I will say for the record, this bird sounds VERY happy with you, and I think you'd be doing it a big favor by keeping it as a house pet through the winter and building an aviary in the spring. As long as it gets some flight time periodically, the crate sounds like fine housing for a single bird for the winter. Put a couple of things in there for it to use as a perches, and that should be sufficient. 

In all honesty, I think this bird is much better off with you than it would be back with its original owner.

It's a lovely bird!


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## HouseCat (Oct 31, 2012)

minimonkey said:


> Some of the tamer males nibble too -- but usually they wrestle with you and peck at you playfully. Females are more prone to cuddling and preening.


 I would say it's more "wrestling". Especially when I stick my hand in the cage to pick him up. He runs up and pecks my thumb and tries to shove my hand around with his chest and starts cooing. It's a very comical bird! Boy or girl, it doesn't matter to me. I would like to find out though so I can find it a proper mate. 
Also, _thanks alot_ for reassuring me that I should keep him. I've been trying to talk myself out of keeping this bird. I keep thinking that I should re-home him and wait to get pigeons until the spring when I can build some suitable housing. Then I start thinking about how by chance, I happened to be turning the corner at the exact same time he was walking across the street. i must have watched 10 people walk past him and not even turn their heads. It's not like I live in NY. Gaylord, Michigan doesn't have pigeons just walking around. Seagulls yes, but not pigeons. Only out on the farms do you ever see pigeons flying. 
He seems atleast as intelligent as my chickens but is more affectionate, especially considering that I've only had him for about 2 days. If I gave him up and built my loft in the spring, I would want him back. I guess that's kind of pointless. Maybe I will keep him.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I think he sounds like a male. If you want to try something, hang a large mirror in his cage. A female will usually ignore it, or maybe sit by it quietly for company. But a male will usually bow and strut in front of it, trying to impress the bird in the mirror. Leave the mirror in there for awhile and see what he does. Either way, it does keep a lone pigeon company. I think you should keep him. Many people keep them as pets in dog kennels. As long as they get a couple hours of out of cage time per day, they are fine. He was lucky that you happened along when you did. Probably meant to be. If you can set up a shelf in that cage he would appreciate it. They like flat surfaces to perch on and like a shelf to sit on or even lie down on to rest.
And BTW, pigeons are actually very smart birds, as you will learn.


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