# My Ferals Are Not Moving Away



## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

I found these babies almost 2-3 months ago.. in real bad shape and real young.. one completely bald and another in so so condition.
after i found them month later i found another pigeon YEllow.. dehydrated and second away from death..
well long story short . as anybody that ever follows my threads i release all my babies..
So i released these lil over a month ago. The Yellow has moved on week after the release. he was grown when i found him and these two never seemd to like him either.
The problem is.. and this never happened to any of my released pigeons.
Issue is.. They KEEP COMIN HOME.
Every day..they dont spend much time away from my window. Yeah they fly around.. but they are never gone longer than 2 hours..
Guess where these two sleep at?? ON my window.
And we'r almost downtown chicago. MIllions of pigeons around but these two dont seem to pay a lot of attention.

Its not the problem that they didnt move on and got together with other pigeons.. if i was stayin at this apt but im moving on sunday and guess im thinking of taking them with me..
relocate them.
...plan is keep them in the cage on the porch for the few days and release them again..
Do you guys think they;d go back to the old buliding.. because im not moving far.. just few blocks away..
... reason why i wanna take them with me is what if they didnt really feralized themselves.. if thats even a word.
i'd rather have them around my new place .. with sure food and water that to leave them on their old window without me around to look after them..
what do i do..

im also raising 3 other youngsters and cant fill my house with pigeons

Should i take these two bad boys with me ???.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Hmmm....I understand your situation....believe me...

I am in a similar one.

So...the negatives of leaving them would be that they would keep coming back and hanging out at your apt. window when you are gone. So...when they figure out you are gone, they'd probably stop hanging out there, eventually. BUT...would, in the meantime, they be causing a 'problem' for the new tenants ?

If you take 'em with you, and try some sorta way to re-home them...and they stay with you, then that'd be the best one could ever ask for, right ? Because, if you like them and they like you and they are still living a Feral existence, that'd be a pretty good setup for all.

But what are the chances that this would happen ? They may well either just fly off, having no 'connection' to your new place...or they may just fly back to your old apt.

A hecka lotta variables in this instance.

Are you torn between wanting to look out for their welfare vs. just letting 'em go and make the best of their lives...... possibly never to be seen again ? Or is the latter what you have always intended, and you are OK with that ?


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

Jaye said:


> Hmmm....I understand your situation....believe me...
> 
> I am in a similar one.
> 
> ...


I left pigeons before when i moved from pittsburgh to chicago.. id probably relocate those from pit if they never moved one.. But they did..
Eventually released ones stop coming around so often regardless if i leave the food out for them..
Pittsburgh pigeons seem lil different than chicago ones.
I know if i leave them on the window and i move without them the thought of them maybe not making it and not living life to the fullest scares me...
I never release my ferals to anyflock but i let them find their own and around my way so i can always keep an eye on them.
I had a case of one feral release..
when he first left my house i havent seen him in 2 weeks.. i was sick and worried..
2 weeks later he came back starved...dehydrated.. he was better in week or two and left me again.. just flew out when he was feeling better..
Lucky that i was there for him..he was coming back every so often.. but moved on later.
My pigeons before they would all ready bring other ferals to my window .. but these two seems like they not intersted in new friendships.. 
i would hate to have invest so much time in them and they dont make it..
maybe these will get used to the new area..and i can always keep an eye on them just in case..
at lease they not spending life n cage..
if i leave them here...i'll always wonder..


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

Jaye said:


> If you take 'em with you, and try some sorta way to re-home them...and they stay with you, then that'd be the best one could ever ask for, right ? Because, if you like them and they like you and they are still living a Feral existence, that'd be a pretty good setup for all.
> 
> But what are the chances that this would happen ? They may well either just fly off, having no 'connection' to your new place...or they may just fly back to your old apt.


this case here would be the best i love these two.. they are very beautiful, big strong pigeons...
I just want whats best for them.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Well, let me ask...if you take them...what would be your plan ? Would you keep them indoors for a while, then move them indoors-outdoors but no free-flying...then eventually outdoors free-flying ?

You see..I ask because this sort of a re-home situation...and I don't know how successful those tend to be. It might be if someone uses a good procedure (although I dunno what that is, exactly...if there is such a thing).

Are there good flocks near your new home ?


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

Jaye said:


> Well, let me ask...if you take them...what would be your plan ? Would you keep them indoors for a while, then move them indoors-outdoors but no free-flying...then eventually outdoors free-flying ?
> 
> You see..I ask because this sort of a re-home situation...and I don't know how successful those tend to be. It might be if someone uses a good procedure (although I dunno what that is, exactly...if there is such a thing).
> 
> Are there good flocks near your new home ?


 Good question.. these would go insane if i put them in the cage.. trust me i tried..
they r so teritorial.. cage they grew up in its huge.. the other day i caught them after they came in the house. i caught them and i put them in their old cage just to see what they would do... it was a mess.. one thinks thats his cage another thinks thats only his cage.. i mean these two grew up together..and were beating eachother up.. 
so i tried another tactic.. i separated them..
but the whole hell broke loose.. They wouldnt have it...
I think they would rather just hang loose arouhnd the house..and we all know thats impossible.
I dont know what im gonna do..
Maybe they'll move fom the window once they see im not around.
Plan was keep them in the cage on a little porch outside my new place.. keep them well fed and slowly release them again.. but these birds been free for more than a month now i dont know how they gonna survive being in the cage again....


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

what would u do jaye?? imagine they are your birds and u love them a lot??
ideas ideas.. sunday is very close


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

yes.. I would take them with you.. they will just have to deal with the cage for their own good.... after a few weeks in the new place you can let them out or do the soft release or find a place to do a soft release.. hard to say if they would fly back to the old place.. but at some point they have to go out on their own anyway..sometimes it is hard to say good bye.. but you wanted to release these guys anyway..I would try it just to see if it works out that they stay..can not hurt anything..if they end up back at the old place perhaps you can go by and check to see if their there and check on them..


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

It's a hella hard decision.

Lemme put it this way...

1) if they DO socialize with the current Feral flocks and you DO know they fly off with the Flocks sometimes, but just choose to return to the windowsill....'tough love' might suggest, if they are healthy and robust, and they do not seem to be struggling out there.... just letting them go on with their lives while you go on with yours. After a few days they will figure out that something has changed at your place, and they will adapt.

2) Now...version two says: catch them and take them with you. No, they won't like the cage and yes it'll be a temporary circus. But as long as there are some Flocks near your new place (this is sorta important, I think), and you think you can settle 'em down...I agree w/ Spirit...re-do the soft release process near your new place and to the new Flock(s)...and see what happens. I think you would actually HAVE to do the re-release to a Flock, and not just to outside your new place. I think they would need to be released into many of their own kind this time....

No guarantees....they could do a lotta things. They could home back to your former place, they could go off and hang with the new Flock, or they could figure out the whole scenario and stay close to you. In either instance, the likelihood is that at some point, you will lose track of 'em. But, while this is really hard...you have still given them a great gift and have set them up best you can.


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

they havent been home all morning..
i think i might leave them here.
reasons..
its a hard decision but its more quiet around this way.. its close to the lake and parks.. and a lot of shelters around... almost every buliding around this way is occupied with pigeons.
new area more trafic and near by flock lives right on the intersection . its huge intersection and i wouldnt like them getting hurt..
third option is..
i was walking around the other day thry some parks and what not..
and i seen this flock there..
i stoped and looked and it looked as if they live in haven..
place is amazing....lots of open sky.. lots of grass.. and i seen a lot of people walk by and feed that flock..
maybe i should have taken them there when i first released them.
do u guys think its too late to take them to that location and release with those pigeons???
i really dont want to put them thry that stress of being in the cage again???


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

after all they know this area the best..
they are really healthy.. fast birds.
whenever i walked around i seen them few block down and few blocks up.. i think they are pretty much adapted to this area.. 
i know im gulity for feeding them and leaving food out for them thats why they coming back..


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

wherever i take them .. even the new place.. they will eventyally stop coming back.. maybe its best if i leave them here??
guys my head is spining on this subject
im home all day today so i'll see how long they are absent for..
im usually at work and its late afternoon when i come home.. thats when they usually on the window..
now that im home i can see how long they spend away from home..
that might be the solution to this problem


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

That is why you released them right?... now they finally are.. you could of weaned them off the food when you knew you were moving or is this a sudden happening?... if this place seems better then by all means let them live there.


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

goga82 said:


> wherever i take them .. even the new place.. they will eventyally stop coming back.. maybe its best if i leave them here??
> guys my head is spining on this subject
> im home all day today so i'll see how long they are absent for..
> im usually at work and its late afternoon when i come home.. thats when they usually on the window..
> ...


Believe it or not, most feral pigeons when part of a flock have a sort of routine.
They move with the flock who may have regular places they visit where they get fed or can find food. 
They know when most people are around which area at what times, so they move around to the best places.
Some of the flock may have places they know are better & will visit there on their own rather than compete with many more birds for the little there is.

Your two obviously know your routine, they know when your normally there so they dont come when your not.
When you move, they will get used to you not being there & no food, so they will maybe stay with others in the flock or find somewhere else.
They may be lucky & end up with more, maybe less, but they will find somewhere.
Youve done what you can for them there, and can do no more if you leave them.

If however, you decide to take them with you, they may not like the caged while moving/settling situation, but they will be fed and cared for so they will adapt.
You can again try to acclimatise them to the area, maybe introduce them to another flock (you may find if its not very far it may well be some of the same flock on their routine), and they may well look on your new place as a regular stopping point, or they may find somewhere better, or they may return to your old place to find youre not there & again move on.

If you take them with you, all you are doing is satisfying yourself that you can try and give them a little more as long as they stay around. If they stay, great, if they go, then there is no more you can do.

If its going to worry you that much about about how they are getting on, then really you have no option but to take them and hope they stay around.

Either way, they will be free anyway, which was your original intention.


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

THANK YOU GUYS ..
i made a decision thanks to their abscence today..
they were gone for more than 14 hours..
i was home all day..
they just came and its almost 7 pm.. time to sleep.
I will leave them here..
being gone for so many hours means they have managed on their own..
..they just wanna sleep on the window..
i know eventually they might change the area they sleep at.. but for now im gonna let it be their way....this is the area they know best..and its close by my new place so i'll come and check every once in a while around this time..


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

Pigeons wow what a bird.. i will always wonder why is it that they coming home like that..
i have a cockatiel.. that i had since he was a baby.. he about 4 years old now..
if he ever god forbid got out..he'd never come back..
wish all birds are like pigeons.. so u can give them an option of free flight all day and then they just come home...
pigeons gotta love them..

My new babies that im raising.. 3 of them to be exact.. 2 white ones and one black..
i take them out since its nice outside.. they peck thry the dirt and sunbathe in the grass..
anybody that walked by stoped and asked about them.. everybody suprised to how great these birds are..
im using them as educational purposes.. changing one human at the time


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## Birds (Apr 11, 2011)

goga82 , after reading this thread , I believe your final decision is the right one , even though I am new at this . Like you said , you can always go and check on them . Apparently they are just coming in to roost wouldn't you say ?


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

I cannot disagree with that decision. You have done very well by them, have given them a second chance. They clearly hang out with others...so this will just be the next step in their return.

Heart-wrenching, I know...but I totally support you on it.....


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

Kathy's Loft said:


> goga82 , after reading this thread , I believe your final decision is the right one , even though I am new at this . Like you said , you can always go and check on them . Apparently they are just coming in to roost wouldn't you say ?


thank you for your support.. u are right they are coming home to roost..they been gone days and they back nights.
wish i could upload pictures so ya'll can see these handosme pigeons..
before and after pictures 
all they pic i tried to upload are too big ??
they are not first pigeons i left behind.. there is a whole flock in pittsburgh basically i raised and i left them..
llife goes on..
they will be fine..they are grown pigeons.. they'll manage without their mommy


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

Jaye said:


> I cannot disagree with that decision. You have done very well by them, have given them a second chance. They clearly hang out with others...so this will just be the next step in their return.
> 
> Heart-wrenching, I know...but I totally support you on it.....


thank you for agreeing with me. 
yeah it is heart wrenching but they and i gotta do what we gotta do..
i did caught them today and kissed them all over  
i'll miss these birds forever..
if they survived the blizzard in chicago as babies they will survive anything together


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

i went to check on my ferals at my old apt... i seen them on the window sleeping.. it was night..
its been seven days since i left.. im gonna leave them there..
giving them 2 or 3 more days before i think i might relocate them


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

I am assuming the old apt is still vacant. I dunno....why try to grab them now ? They will either stay there and be accepted by the new tenants or the tenants will shoo them away and they will find elsewhere...

You have done well...unless they appear in distress, or unless your intention is to keep them as loft Pigeons at your new place....I think I might leave them to their lives, now....


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## Birds (Apr 11, 2011)

Yes , you have done well , from reading your story they would have never made it this far without you . Just my humble opinion , now it's time to let them make their decision as to staying or leaving . Most likely when the new tenants move in they will move along . That is my best guess ,and you like me ,will keep going back and checking on their progress . Hopefully they will join a flock and move on , but this I know , they will never forget you just as you will never forget them !


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## shonny (Nov 19, 2008)

I happen to read this entire thread today and I was wondering what the situation is with those 2 birds. I were Goga I would check the feral crops at the end of the day to feel if there is any food in them once they were left to find food on their own, offer them some water see if they would drink, if they did it means they cannot find water on their own. I'm saying this because being away from your window does not necessarily mean they are out in the park somewhere eating. I wish them luck


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

shonny said:


> I happen to read this entire thread today and I was wondering what the situation is with those 2 birds. I were Goga I would check the feral crops at the end of the day to feel if there is any food in them once they were left to find food on their own, offer them some water see if they would drink, if they did it means they cannot find water on their own. I'm saying this because being away from your window does not necessarily mean they are out in the park somewhere eating. I wish them luck


check their crop.. they are feral birds been free 2 months now.. god cant catch them.. let alone me lol.
15 day since i moved away they stoped sleeping on the window 
so im moving on with my life and letting them do the same 
i thought i seen them near by .. around my way which is not too far.. one of my pigeons was hitting on some pigeon ladies 
so they r fine


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