# Lost my pigeon, heart broken



## Otis7 (Sep 1, 2012)

My pigeon Silo lives in our laundry room. We often let him out for some fly time, but he rarely goes anywhere unless we are out there with him. Occasionally he'll peck scratch with the chickens, but for the most part he begs at the window to be let in the house. He has never left our quarter acre or flown higher then our roof.

Tonight when I got home from work my indoor cat was in the laundry room. I freaked and ran inside, I found no silo. My boyfriend must have accidentally let the cat out. There were no feathers, blood, any sign of a struggle. My only guess is that silo must have taken off out of the open door. My boyfriend can't remember when he last saw him, could have been up to 5 hours. I searched the whole yard calling for him, every tree, the roof, no signs. I noticed a little hawk flitting around twice last week, I've been extremely cautious about his outside time ever since, I love having him inside and he loves to be there! My boyfriend isn't so cautious. I freaked out at him, so now were fighting. Wasn't fair, we both care about silo and we both are lax with his outdoor time. 

He is not predator savvy at all. He's a very slow flyer and will mosey around on the ground anywhere. 

It was dusk when I got home, I'm just praying he hunkered down for the night and will come back in the morning. My boyfriend says silo probably found a mate and flew off, but I feel like this isn't behavior that would happen overnight. I don't think he'd take off like that, he really doesn't like being outside much. He completely ignores the mated pair of ferals that live on my neighbors roof, and they are probably the only pigeons in my neighborhood.

I'm worried sick and don't know what to do. I've only had him a few months, but I raised him from a broken legged, big beaked, yellow haired little squeaker. He's such a character and a huge member of our family. Just the other day he learned he could fly around the house just fast enough to land on my head when I walked into the house for a free ride inside. We had a party the other night and everyone adored him and took pictures of him on their shoulders. He went from 'flying rat' in their eyes to 'awesome pet!". I don't know what I'd do without my little squeaker


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Well if he got out, a hawk may have gotten him or just scared him off. But letting a lone pigeon out to fly, that probably would have happened eventually anyway. A lone pigeon isn't safe outside. That's why they live in flocks. More eyes to watch for danger. I hope you get him back. Very important also not to forget to keep the bird and the cat separate. Many have lost pet birds to pet cats. I hope Silo is safe and returns.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Have you looked behind the washier and dryer?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Charis said:


> Have you looked behind the washier and dryer?


Weird, I was just this minute thinking that same thing.


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## Otis7 (Sep 1, 2012)

I've searched everywhere in the laundry room, any place he may have hid or fallen.

The cat is terrible about trying to get outside, usually not hard to catch unless you don't notice. Like I said, he's indoor only and it generally isn't a problem.

I feel terrible that he was out there alone, like I said he rarely leaves despite the open door. We agreed it was better for him to have freedom then to be locked down. I keep my cats inside and my dogs are always supervised, I thought I was doing the right thing giving him freedom. I regret it now


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## Otis7 (Sep 1, 2012)

Tore the laundry room apart again after you both said something, still no sign. Under the shelves, even checked in the fabric grocery bags we hang out there in case he had fallen in. One of my neighbors saw me out looking and said he would keep an eye out.


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## Otis7 (Sep 1, 2012)

Glanced into the laundry room again, it finally hit me he might be gone for good. I had big dreams for that little pigeon, but most of them revolved around buying a house. Were in a rental now, and I never expected silo would be a lifelong pet. We had to make do with what we had. He was just a little baby bird I raised, who I expected to fly away. I wanted to built a pigeon loft, find him a little lady and most of all keep him safe. I hate this so much. First tears of the night


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## Wodin (Nov 5, 2012)

hey. its a good thing that there is not blood/feathers. if he escaped outside, there is a chance he will calm down and find his way back....usually in the morning from my own experiences!!! did he have a view of the outside? maybe try pitting some of the familure bowls/drinkers outside the door. good luck.


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## Otis7 (Sep 1, 2012)

I'm up at 5am so I'll be out searching first thing. I'll out his bowls out, but he knew the backyard well, he often sat on our patio table with us in the evening.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

You said he just learned to fly around the house. From this point of view, if no predator spook him or something else ( in which case , i regret to say that from my previous experiences with my pet pigeons, he will not return - but i pray for him to comeback safe), and if he had spent time on the roof of the house for at least a few weeks, he will return, usually in the time you used to let him out.

What was his age? I had pigeons on my shoulders and coming on my whistle to land on my head, thought they would never leave when i am around. Well, most of them around 4 - 6 months old just took of from my shoulder and saw them flying high up..whistle,calling, seeds left for them ...never returned. I found this age critical..as if they were looking for freedom or something else out these ( could be mate).


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## Otis7 (Sep 1, 2012)

That's about how old he is. I guess if he never comes back, that's what I'll hope for. I just wish I knew. No sign of him in the day light, it's a dark rainy day. I was hoping he'd hear the rooster where ever he was.... Beginning to fear the worst for him. I guess I'll just hope he took off to be a wild pigeon.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

A young pigeon raised by humans isn't prepared to live in the wild. He has no way of knowing where or how to get food, and isn't used to predators. Normally the parents teach them what they need to know to survive. His chances of survival aren't great. I really hope he will get hungry and find his way back.


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## Otis7 (Sep 1, 2012)

I don't know what to hope for now I really thought he would come home while I was at work. Dusk is coming again...I hate this. I just want him to come home. Leaving the door open for him again. Lots of seed inside and out. Come home silo...

I don't think he's prepared for living in the wild either...maybe if he could join a flock quickly, but there just aren't many pigeons close by. I just found out my neighbor killed the mated ferals that lived on his roof. I'm going to talk to him, I want to know if he has a trap set. I'm infuriated, he said they were getting into his house. The mans a damn carpenter, if he had an issue with his house he should have fixed it!

I just keep looking out the kitchen window expecting to see him.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Don't know where you live, but around here it is getting very cold, especially at night.


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## Otis7 (Sep 1, 2012)

I'm in Maryland, we had a lucky warm streak. Maybe this had something to do with his behavior? It was in the 60s the past two days, prior it was in the 30s at night. It's cold tonight, 40s and windy. It rained this morning. I'm worried. If he's still alive he's never spent a night in wind. He's never found food on his own, he won't eat anything but pigeon food.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The cat probably scared him out, or maybe he was out and a hawk scared him, or worse. I don't think he would stay away if he could come home. Hopefully he'll show up.


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## Otis7 (Sep 1, 2012)

I just wish I could call do over. I never planned on having a pet pigeon, were pushing the limits having two dogs, three cats and five chickens in a rental. I work on a farm full of pigeons, my boss found him in the loft with a cat on his tail and gave him to me. Imhad unsuccessfully tried to rear some baby grackles already that summer, I just didn't think the pigeon would live. He had anbroken leg and wouldn't eat. I force fed him peas and hoped he'd turn around. Every day he was still alive, then he learned to fly, then he became a part of our family. I had no pen, no proper loft, we did our best with what we had so we gave him the laundry room. Plenty of room to fly, warm, and easy access to the house when we let him in through a window shared window. If I could do this again id have a fly run, I'd only let him out supervised. I wish I'd done things differently.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I really hope he comes back, for his sake. Would be better to have a cage for him when you aren't around. As long as they get a couple hours a day out of cage for exercise, and interaction, they're okay.


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## Otis7 (Sep 1, 2012)

In the 20s and windy last night...ugh


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## Otis7 (Sep 1, 2012)

I'm going to walk and drive around to try and find pigeon flocks today. Its all I can think to do now.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I'm sorry. Hope your bird has found a flock.


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## Otis7 (Sep 1, 2012)

Took a long walk around the neighborhood today, did find a flock of about 6 pigeons on the water tower behind my house. I've seen them before but not for quite awhile. If my neighbors didn't already think I was crazy, they do now. Shook my treat scoop under the tower calling "heeeey birdie hey, ay bird, ay bird, biirrrdie," for quite awhile. I felt like one little pigeon kept looking down at me, but it was probably in my head. At least I know there is one established flock around here, and if he's lucky he found them quick to school him on proper pigeon etiquette. Haven't completely given up yet, but getting closer to needing some sort of closure.


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## Callum Young (Oct 29, 2012)

Does he have a particular leg band you could look out for?


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## Otis7 (Sep 1, 2012)

Unfortunately no, but if I saw him up close I could pick him out. He had a broken leg as a baby, always walked funny on it. Also had a weird growth on his eye.


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## Otis7 (Sep 1, 2012)

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/growth-on-eye-what-is-this-65733.html

I may be fading out of this site soon, being I'm pigeon less now. If anyone ever logs in from the maryland area with a friendly funny walking pigeon with an eye growth....maybe someone can let me know? I'll check back anyway, just in case.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If I see anything like that posted I'll let you know.


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