# Juveniles flying, how long before leave nest permanently?



## 6051 (Apr 9, 2006)

Hi all:

I've posted a handful of times over the last few months about the baby pigeons under our deck here in Chicago. Good news, we took off a few of the deck boards, and both juveniles are out flying, (I think I saw the younger one take its first flight!) one a little better than the other, as I think one is a few weeks younger.

The juveniles seem to be hanging around, not wanting to leave the nest, still staying at night, etc. I saw the father flying back and forth between rooftops to avoid them, because the juveniles seem to be badgering him looking for something to eat.

My final question: How long should we wait before we sealing off the area to all pigeons? Should I put out bird seed somewhere (other than the deck) for the juveniles to eat, or will it just take a few more days before the young uns are gone? Again, don't want to do anything to endanger the juveniles, but eventually, they all have to go. Any advice?

thanks
mary


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Maybe another week. When they start flying out and away, it'll be "Katie bar the door".

Pidgey


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

An interesting story about the young ones and when they leave the nest. I worked in SF and a building that had been recently acquired by the non-profit I worked for had light wells that a pigeon mom and dad had set up nest in. There were plans to paint the exterior of the building, and complaints about the pigeons in the light well--especially from a high ranking city official. Well, I got the painters to promise not to hit the lightwell side of the building for a few weeks and the Exectutive Director to back me up on 'No Poison'....

I'd walk by every day watching the development of this baby and getting quite a kick out of it even though I was nervous as hell about the timing. Well, the baby was about 4 weeks along and the painters had no where else to move except to this lightwell and I knew it was coming.....So I climbed out into the lightwell, and decided if he could fly-fine....if not, he was going to be put in a box and carried out of there. The area was already littered w/the paint chips from the prep work. The parents were on the adjoining roof watching, and the baby still sitting in the nest. When I got in there, baby was a bit shocked and got out of the nest and went to the opposite side of the ledge, I followed. After much jockeying between the two of us, this baby just up and flew straight up out of that lightwell. 

The next day, I saw him hanging out with the rest of the birds at the front of the building as though he'd been out there all along. 

As for putting out food for the young ones, I wouldn't encourage something that you don't want, right?

fp


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