# Airon Comes A Knocking



## Harmony (Jul 28, 2009)

A wile back I introduced you to Airon, the pigeon we rescued in our barn and hand raised.

He is doing very well and occasionally flies with his father in long circles around the stables.










Airon from the front of his loft "Hey, my seed dish is not in my loft".










Airon flies to porch rocking chair, looks in kitchen window.










Airon flies down to frond door, pecks on same.










Airon walks into living room, "about my seed dish".

Airon is restricted to two feedings a day. 

He really dose set on the porch trying to get us to change this policy.

Our "flying puppy" is a bigger joy every day,

Harmony


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

What a sweetheart. Can you resist not to give him at least a few treats?

Reti


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

What a sweetie you've got there! So glad he's got his father there to show him the ropes.


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## FloridaLuv (Dec 19, 2008)

Awwwww--- LOVE it! And the pictures to go with it ...even better! You should do a video... it would be very cute.


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## Harmony (Jul 28, 2009)

*Airon and the hawk*

Airon may be hand raised, but he knows about hawks.

My wife spotted a hawk near the house and opened the front door to check on Airon. She was very startled when Airon flew by her head and into the living room. He landed on a book case and seemed to be studying the ceiling fan. She shut the fan off and he flew over it and settled in on a large cabinet.

No amount of coaxing could get him down. He cooed and turned for about 15 minutes then flew out the front door and to his loft. He has spent the day in his loft.

I think Airon understands about hawks. We have guineas that alarm at the site of a hawk, wonder if he picked up on that?

Harmony


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Airon is one smart pigeon! Glad he eluded the hawk and is safe and sound.

Terry


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

I really enjoyed the pictures and the story of Airon. You have a nice little set up for him. I personally don't limit the amount of food I give my pigeons. There food bowl is alway full. Why is he restricted to two feeding per day? I think if he is acting hungry you should give him more food. He is alittle character and so glad he outsmarted the hawk. Great job on raising them. The loft looks like a great setup. mindy


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I need to get some guineas! ... as far as the feeding, I think the twice a day is good as they do not pick and choose their favorites and scatter the rest, IMO birds with feed in front of them all the time do not develpe a healthy appetite, however if your only feeding one type of feed like beans, thus removing the temptation to pick and choose. in a natrual state no bird finds itself consistently in an evironment which has an abundance of food, but our birds have plenty of rich food for which they do not have to search or even wait. over feeding can cause digestive upsets, by over loading and overworking the digestive organs, thereby reducing vitality and mental alertness. breeders feeding babies should have feed at all times, I just wait till the crock is low before filling it again so they eat a variety....also obese pigeons esp hens, can cause problems with egg binding.....well that was long winded...lol...yikes


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

So how much food should one pigeon get at one sitting? Is there a measurement? Mine aren't fat, but they do scatter there food around allot. Very messy compared to my starlings. Two of mine love the starling cat food/poulty mash mix. Of course if I noticed an obese problem then I would change how I do things. But until then, Its just not in me to leave any of my animals without access to food 24/7. But I'm alittle crazy, I carry all kinds of food with me where ever I go just in case I see an animal that is hungry. 

As far as guinea hens, if you leave near a busy road, they won't last long, for some reason they have acres of land all around them but they still want to spend time in that road. Not very bright birds. IMO I got 4 of them once and I think they lasted about 2 weeks and then I returned two of the living ones so they wouldn't end up like there friends. Very sad. mindy


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## SPedigrees (Oct 27, 2004)

Airon's living quarters are really nice. He's a lucky bird! I love the way you built his loft into an existing window on your building.

I feed my pigeon once a day, in the afternoon, to induce her to go back into her cage for the night. Her daily meal is enough food to last her through the evening and into the next morning. By late afternoon she is hungry, most, if not all, of her food is gone, and she's ready for dinner. She does pick and choose, but by the next morning she's ready to eat the grains she discarded the night before.

I feed approximately 1/4 of a cup per day of my own organic mixed grain formula. That seems to be the correct amount of feed for my bird. She has the run of a 12' x 20' room to fly in for the better part of each day, so she gets a fair amount of exercise. It seems the proper proportion of food and exercise as she is neither thin nor obese.

I should add that I also feed two large leaves of romaine lettuce each day. I attach them to the inside of the bars of her cage with a twist tie, and she loves to peck them apart. There are only a few chewed up bits left by the next morning.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Mindy said:


> So how much food should one pigeon get at one sitting? Is there a measurement? Mine aren't fat, but they do scatter there food around allot. Very messy compared to my starlings. Two of mine love the starling cat food/poulty mash mix. Of course if I noticed an obese problem then I would change how I do things. But until then, Its just not in me to leave any of my animals without access to food 24/7. But I'm alittle crazy, I carry all kinds of food with me where ever I go just in case I see an animal that is hungry.
> 
> As far as guinea hens, if you leave near a busy road, they won't last long, for some reason they have acres of land all around them but they still want to spend time in that road. Not very bright birds. IMO I got 4 of them once and I think they lasted about 2 weeks and then I returned two of the living ones so they wouldn't end up like there friends. Very sad. mindy


they only need three tabelspoons a day, or 1/4 cup. the food your giving sounds like it is too high in animal protein. even though it is a fact they can digest animal protein, they are basically vegetarians, so by nature their staple diet is grain and some plant tissue, it is not easy knowing when your bird is over weight, usually it will show it with hens having troubles laying and get egg bound. some say if the birds are picking one seed over another then they are being over fed, so you can measure it so they eat all their feed in one sitting and you can give plant material to give them something to pick at, the birds only need 12% plant protein levels in the diet, more for ones feeding young, but I would not be feeding birds cat food or any other animal protein, unless they naturally have animal or bug protein in their diet, like the starlings.

we are going to get some guineas,(and ducks), we do not live near the road, but I know what you mean..I have seen alot of them smashed in the road other places


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## Harmony (Jul 28, 2009)

Mindy,

I have started leaving Airon's seed dish in the loft 24/7. I don't need seed to call him, he follows me like a puppy. Have to keep my shop door closed or I find him setting and pooping on my table saw.

When I clean I through the extra seed to the chickens and guineas. Usually he flies down and eats with them.

He will put the run on a hen that is crowding him wile he eats.

I agree with you on guineas and the road. Mine will sometimes nest across the road and I lose them to cars.

Being ground nesters I lose more to coyotes.

I seem to hatch about as many as I lose each year, or a few more. The stables is on acreage so they have forest and pastures to wander in.

Gardening with guineas is great, 80% of their food intake is bugs, and they don't scratch like chickens.

The pigeons at the barn will clear the roof when they hear the guinea alarm call.

Harmony


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

Great information, I have learned allot. I have another question, I hope you don't mind Harmony. I put some of the poulty pellets in with my seed mixture, which also consist of lentils, green and yellow peas, whole corn, barley, brown rice, if I have a 5 gallon bucket of that mixture how much poultry pellets can I add, or should I even add it? They really seem to like them. As far as the starling food, I will take that away every morning before I let them out. Sunny will be very disappointed, every morning she runs to that bowl wondering what the starlings left. When everyone just said 1/4 cup per pigeon my mouth hit the ground, I probably put out at least couple of cups and I only have 4 pigeons, may explain the amount of food spread all over the place. 

Harmony, I love hearing the story's of your flying puppy. Airon sounds amazing, at least the poop doesn't effect the saws performance but I'm sure it does get annoying. I'm glad that he rules the roost and controls the chickens. Keep the pictures coming. mindy


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## Harmony (Jul 28, 2009)

Mindy,

I give Airon a pigeon seed mix only.

I mix a pellet with scratch for the chickens, but have never offered pellets to Airon.

Pleased to hear you like the little tails of Airon's escapades.

Harmony


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

I have asked a couple of big pigeon people here in NJ and they all put some egg laying pellets in with there seed mix. Even the feed store guy. I just forgot to ask them how much, I will find out and let you know. My pigeon actually enjoy it. 

And yes, love hearing stories and pictures. mindy


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Mindy said:


> I have asked a couple of big pigeon people here in NJ and they all put some egg laying pellets in with there seed mix. Even the feed store guy. I just forgot to ask them how much, I will find out and let you know. My pigeon actually enjoy it.
> 
> And yes, love hearing stories and pictures. mindy


there is no set rule on how much the combo should be, but I feed half pellet for pigeons, and half grain feed. you could go less or more.


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

Thank you, SW and you use the laying pellets for chickens, correct? or the game bird pellets? I don't know the difference have never bought the game bird, but have seen it at the feed store. min


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Mindy said:


> Thank you, SW and you use the laying pellets for chickens, correct? or the game bird pellets? I don't know the difference have never bought the game bird, but have seen it at the feed store. min


no,they are pigeon pellet from purina feeds, 16% protein, a bit much for maint. feeding but it is mixed with the grain.


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

I didn't know they made a pigeon pellet. I don't think my feed store carries it or he would have mentioned. I just looked on my egg laying bag and it says 16% also. Thank you, I will look into it. mindy


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