# new pigeon mom



## shanal (Mar 16, 2011)

I am a first time pigeon mom & could use some advise. I've been hand raising a feral squab, now ~6 wks old. Is there some way to train her to stay off my head, perhaps perch on my shoulder instead? I assume it's instinctual to want to climb to the highest perch, but it's getting painful...makes..it..hard..to..type. Should I trim her nails? What vaccines is she going to need & when? I'm still trying to find her a companion bird. I was told she needs someone approx her own age(4-8 wks). She hasn't seen another bird since she was ~10 days old.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

just watched a vid of a man in NY who feeds his released ferals there..and he has a rule of not perching on his head..he just moves his head so they fly off of him and when they land where he wants(his shoulder or arms) he gives them treats.. perhaps you can try that... also keeping the nails clipped may help if he does land on you.


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## Cyreen (Jun 6, 2010)

Congratulations! My girl has a fascination with anything furry, whether it be my head or a cat tails so I'm not sure it's a highest perch thing. Given a choice she will jump off the highest perch to land on my head or a cat.

Just out of curiosity, how do you know your squab is a girl?


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## shanal (Mar 16, 2011)

I don't what sex-I just assign a sex to stop using the "it" pronoun. Actually I'm starting it think "she" may well be a "he"-there's a lot of iridescence around the neck for a juvenile. She's a dark (sread?) coloration.


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## Kiko&Kalani (Aug 10, 2010)

Hi Shanal and welcome to PT. 

Have you named your squab yet? I know it's hard when you don't know its sex yet. I'm only a little over 8 months ahead of you, so I will leave the med/vaccine questions to the pros here (there are really great people here with great advice). As for trying to determine the sex, you won't know for sure until an egg gets laid (which can happen at 4 to 6 months). Have you tried putting him in front of a large mirror before. The boys like to strut their stuff (tail dragging, cooing, stretching thier necks) when they are in front of mirrors (some girls do too though). Kiko, my male, started showing his iridescent feathers first but Kalani's now shows more (no help there). 

Watch out when he/she does perch on your shoulder as they like to peck at your eye. So be careful looking at her/him when on your shoulder. I had to learn that one the hard way  

Would love to see pics! 

Beth


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## Podgy's Mum (Nov 21, 2010)

Welcome Shanal, you have found a great forum for good advice and its very comforting to have people respond so quickly when you are a 'newbie' with no idea what to do for your pidgy. Podgy & I were in the same place 6 months ago (Hiya Beth - I haven't forgotten your message!!) & I am in the process now of discovering whether my feathered friend is male or female. Very exciting, I must say. I keep looking for an egg the way s/he has been carrying on lately. 

Regarding the eye pecking thing - oh yeh! Watch out for that! Someone on here once said "there is a reason pirates wear an eye patch!!  Discovered that one for myself too! OUCH

Podgy has been through his first head molt and the pin feathers are just coming through again now - he looks like a porcupine! I love all the 'firsts' we are discovering together and its great hearing similar stories from others. (Just like being a new mum in my opinion!) Very exciting. Enjoy your new friend & I hope we will continue to hear from you as s/he grows.

Regards,
Dana


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## Ede-bird (Jul 7, 2010)

Hi and Welcome! Cooter is the same age as Beth's Kiko and Kalani-we went through alot of 'firsts' together. We thought Coots was a boy until he laid an egg! She is loving and affectionate pet- she has learned that she is allowed on my shoulder but not my head-I just kept moving her if she managed to land there or moving my head if I was fast enough to prevent her from landing there. I figured that it was easier and faster to change a shirt than to wash and dry my hair-LOL! We love pictures, and look forward to seeing your pijie!


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## Podgy's Mum (Nov 21, 2010)

Hi Maureen, it was your replied post to me about Cooter that has me all excited and looking for an egg! I will let you know the end result.... still think he is a boy though - I just watched a video and was listening to a male as he strutted and tail dragged - sounds just like my Podgy. But..... we will wait and see.  All in the fun of 'firsts'.

Dana


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## Kiko&Kalani (Aug 10, 2010)

Hi Shanal (Hi Dana and Maureen),
Kiko turned 9 months yesterday and Kalani today! I'm still going through firsts with them. It's been a blast. Here are a few things that I learned.

Clipping nails is tricky, better off filing them with an emory board IMO.
A 2 to 3 inch water bowl is good, anything larger turns into a bathtub 
Use a vitamin supplement with vitamin D3 in it once or twice a week
Put a drop or two of apple cider vinegar (ACV) in water once a week
Put a cap full or two of ACV in bathwater 
Unless indoor pet pigeons are around other birds or outside soil, no need for vaccines.
Watch your seed carefully, I bought seed in a supermarket that was pretty pricey and found tiny worms in it. 
Raw or roasted unsalted sunflower seed hearts make great treats, but like kids, they'll want/eat them first then not eat their main feed.
Stock up on Windex Multi-Surface Anitbacterial Spray (it's yellow). It's good on granit, glass, tile, wood, poop and so much more. Can get it at Wal-Mart. Avoid the Lysol 4 in 1 (yuk, messy, leaves filmy haze and smells).

How about you Maureen, anything you would add?

Have you had your first wing slap yet? I love those, and call me crazy, but I also love how they smell.

I look forward to hearing more about your baby and seeing pics. 

Take care,
Beth


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## shanal (Mar 16, 2011)

Thanks everyone, for the great advise. Iris does seem to be figuring out that the shoulder is okay, but I'll move her if she lands on my head-such a clever girl. One thing I still worried about is-if I need to find her a companion who is the same age or if I can intro her to an older bird. Should I wait till I know what sex she(he?)is?


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## Podgy's Mum (Nov 21, 2010)

Hi girls - this seems to be a Shanal, Beth, Dana & Maureen thread  I enjoy the 'conversations' we have. Shame we can't get together and visit, with our birds - we'd have our own 'flock'.  I bet we would probably talk all day about our feathered friends!

Anyway - I wld be interested in the responses to Shanals question regarding a friend for her bird. I am in the same place with Podgy, wondering if he should have a mate. Mind you, the thought of picking up after TWO birds poops doesn't inspire me very much 
Also, it seems to be easier said than done over here in Australia - you wouldn't believe the lack of information regarding pigeons - I can't even access the Australian Pigeon Talk website - I had to write information regarding my interest in racing - of which I have none, & have yet to receive a reply allowing me access to their site! Makes me think they wouldn't be much help in getting hold of a single pigeon for my Podgy. 

So, seems I must move to America to find his friend, hee hee. I am sure my husband and 6 kids wouldn't think much of that!!!!!!


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## Ede-bird (Jul 7, 2010)

I have thought about getting Cooter a friend-now that I know what sex she is, it doesn't matter as much whether we get a boy or girl (fake eggs we have!). Everyone told me 2 males would fight. I think that flock birds do better with a friend of their own species, maybe not the same type of pigeon, but definitely another pigeon. Coots might think that she is a parrot though  We'll see what spring and early summer bring. She'll be 9 months old on Friday  really close to Kiko and Kalani


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## Doves1111 (Mar 5, 2005)

Kiko&Kalani said:


> I love those, and call me crazy, but I also love how they smell.
> 
> Beth


Oh my goodness Beth...me too! I'm glad I'm not the only one... !!!

Sorry girls...I didn't mean to interrupt...carry on...

Dawn


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## Kiko&Kalani (Aug 10, 2010)

Oh I bet our flock (human and feahtered) would have a blast together too! 

Dana, it's sounding more and more like your Podgy is a boy. It differs with all hens, but Kalani started laying eggs at 4 months (of course that was with the stimulation of a male around). Maureen, how old was Cooter when she started laying eggs? It seems like it was about the same (last mid-Nov right?)

Shanal, I guess it will be a while before you know for sure if you have an Iris or an Ira, 

From listening to others, it sounds like a solo bird is more interactive/affectionate with you and more dependent on you for its social "flock" needs. With two they have each other so the time they spend with you is more limited and they are more territorial (IMO). When Kalani and Kiko do not have eggs, which is about 5 days to a week each month, it is tough. The poopy patrol is much more challenging (I swear they each poopy more when they are out together than when they are each out seperately!), if you get too close to one the other gets mad at you, they don't come over to you and give you any attention and they make a lot more noise. Once the eggs arrive things get easier and more affectionate (probably what you are used to now). I wonder if having a solo male is much different from having a solo female? 

It's so cute, Kalani is perched on the top of my laptop watching everything I am doing right now. She just pecked the screen, so I guess she wants to say hi to Cooter, Podgy and Iris . Soooooo cute! Okay, she is ready for my attention now, gotta go.

Beth


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## Podgy's Mum (Nov 21, 2010)

> Sorry girls...I didn't mean to interrupt...carry on...


LOL, join the fun Dawn!

And their smell - mmmmmmmmm love it! My husband thinks there is something strange about me, hah hah, there probably is, but I will be sure to tell him I am not the only one who enjoys sniffing the back of their pigeon!! 
Dana


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## Podgy's Mum (Nov 21, 2010)

> Dana, it's sounding more and more like your Podgy is a boy. It differs with all hens, but Kalani started laying eggs at 4 months (of course that was with the stimulation of a male around). Maureen, how old was Cooter when she started laying eggs? It seems like it was about the same (last mid-Nov right?)


That settles it then, Maureen do you fancy a flight to sunny Australia?? It's time our birds met! LOL


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## Kiko&Kalani (Aug 10, 2010)

Hey Dawn, glad to hear that Dana and I haven't gone off the deep end with our pigeon sniffing 

Ahhh, love is in the air. Cooter and Podgy. Hey, if people can find love on the internet why not pigeons. Of course, that would require you and Maureen to stop sniffing your birds long enough to POST SOME PICS  hahahahahahaha
just teasing (about the sniffing part, maybe not so much about the pics, hehehehehe) Seriously ladies, what is wrong with your cameras? 

I know, I'm so bad,
Beth


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## Jivu (Feb 1, 2010)

I guessed wrong when I named Stuart, turns out she's a lady! I thought I'd had it pinned though, until she laid an egg ...at 14 months! So you can never be too sure until you get an egg, ha 
With me, Stuart is the most friendly and outgoing when she's off her eggs.Once she's on them, it's all serious business. I've been considering getting her another pidge, if only to keep up with the egg sitting and give her a break!


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## Ede-bird (Jul 7, 2010)

Cooter laid her first egg on Nov 19 when she was 4 1/2 months old. I keep her nails trimmed by giving her 2 bricks in her cage-she loves to stand on them and they keep her nails filed nicely. Pictures soon, she's tough to photograph because she is soooooo nosy-she ses the camera and stops whatever she is doing and has to come and investigate!


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## Podgy's Mum (Nov 21, 2010)

OK, looks like I am going to have to attempt attaching photos again - my computer hates me!! I think Podgy will be embarrassed to be seen at the moment though - I was looking at him today and wondering why all the other pigeons I see are so smooth and sleek - he is a scruff bucket! Especially at the moment with his head feathers just beginning to come back after his molt. You might need to hold off showing them to Cooter - I don't think she will be very impressed just yet!  I will try again with the camera and also try and get some with him and his 'baby ball'. Wish me luck girls.
Dana


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## shanal (Mar 16, 2011)

I got a line on a new chick last night. A breeder let me know she had an avalible "oops baby" that would be ready in 3wks. Its mother is a lovely black West of England Tumbler & the father is unknown. By then Iris will be ~9wks old. I'm not too concerned about the sex. I use to be a zookeeper and knew several birds that bonded w/the same sex when the opposite sex was not avalible. I'm not planning on breeding these two. Iris really does need a companion- I'm gone almost 10 hrs a day for work. Iris seemed a bit hysterical when I got home last night. She's still doing the baby begging behavior with me. I am a little concerned about the difference in age(9wks & 4wks old). Any suggestions on introducing these two.


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## Kiko&Kalani (Aug 10, 2010)

Hi Jivu, Wow she really kept you waiting! How long does Stuart sit on her eggs in a day before she takes a break? Kalani sits for about 18 hours straight before she breaks for about 6 hours. Kiko is great about taking his shift when Kalani lets him. She is on her 6th batch of eggs now and it seems like she is starting to take more than one break a day now. She came off 3 times yesterday. How old is Stuart now?

So Cooter does not like the paparazzi? LOL, I can just see you, Maureen, sneaking around a corner, hiding behind furniture and peeking through plants trying to catch her unaware.  Kiko hates the camera. He lands on it, pecks it and wing slaps it, too bad my hand is attacked. Over half of all my pics of him are blurry from his impending attack. Good luck!

Good Luck Dana. Scruffy is adorable (we've all been there). I wish I had more pics of mine around that time. I hurt my back at the end of July and was out of it for about 3 weeks, as a result I missed a lot of photo opps during weeks 6 -9. They grow up so fast!

Hey Shanal, I know what you mean about them getting stresses when home alone. Lately Kiko has started flying over and landing on me when I pick up my purse and keys. Poor baby, I have to pick him up off of me only for him to fly back to me before I get to the door. How exciting about your new chick. I have never introduced two birds, but I would think you will need to keep the younger one in a cage available (Iris can go right up to the cage) but not accessable (can't get inside the cage)to Iris so they can get used to each other from "a safe distance". I wonder what, if anything, needs to be done in way of meds or a de wormer before bringing the new baby around Iris? [/COLOR]

OK, I've run out of colors so I have to go now. 
Beth


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## Jivu (Feb 1, 2010)

Stuart is all business about it. She'll sit for hours hours hours, then leave to drop off a major poop, then fly back and keep sitting. Once or twice she'll give herself a stretch and some snacking, but that's about it. If anyone tries to convince her to stay out, there's hell to pay, and she bites like a little shark!
Every now and then when she has a set, she'll figure I'm her mate, and if I cover the eggs with my hand, she seems satisfied and will leave and have more of a real break. But it is really awkward to be halfway stuffed in a dog crate covering those eggs! And a lot of times, she'll just flat out consider me the enemy, and won't let me near at all! She's a fussy little darling, but I love her 
So I've been in the market for a second pigeon, hopefully! I'd love to be able to have Stuart out and about without worrying about her little eggs. But trying to convince my lot of roommates won't be easy. Poor Stuart's molting right now, and there are feathers everywhere! I'll clean them up only to turn around and have a dozen more floating around the carpet.


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## Kiko&Kalani (Aug 10, 2010)

LOL, oh yeah the feathers. Are ya'll ready for double the feathers?


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