# Opinions needed on a hard situations for me.



## GimpieLover (Dec 18, 2005)

I had 4 pijis i have had for about 3 years now. I had always let them outside to fly and they would come back just before dark. Well when i moved i was scared to let them out for fear they would get lost or go back to the old house. But after them being in a cage for a year at the new place, my heart just couldn't take it anymore keeping them locked up, so i let them out hoping for the best. Well thats not what i got at all. They stuck around the area for quite a while so i though everything was working out. I left them to them selves for about an hour. When i went out to check on them, on was on the ground dead, and 3 were in a near by tree. I am completely baffled about what happened, but it broke my heart. I put food in the cage to try to lour the others back in, but it was no use. they just stayed in that tree untill dark and through the whole night. The next morning only one was still in the tree. She wouldn't even go back in for food. I had almost lost all hope untill one of the ones that had not been there that morning came flying in my 2nd story window and landed on the couch next to me. Absoultely amazed, after thinking i had lost them all but the 1 that didnt want to come home, i grabed him and took him out and put him in the coup. leaving the door open the other stay soon came in after. So now I have 2 Pijis, once again locked in a cage and i don't know what to do. Do I dare let them lose again, or keep them locked in a cage for the rest of there lives. Find them new homes? I need some advice and input please. Im lost.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

GimpieLover said:


> I had 4 pijis i have had for about 3 years now. I had always let them outside to fly and they would come back just before dark. Well when i moved i was scared to let them out for fear they would get lost or go back to the old house. But after them being in a cage for a year at the new place, my heart just couldn't take it anymore keeping them locked up, so i let them out hoping for the best. Well thats not what i got at all. They stuck around the area for quite a while so i though everything was working out. I left them to them selves for about an hour. When i went out to check on them, on was on the ground dead, and 3 were in a near by tree. I am completely baffled about what happened, but it broke my heart. I put food in the cage to try to lour the others back in, but it was no use. they just stayed in that tree untill dark and through the whole night. The next morning only one was still in the tree. She wouldn't even go back in for food. I had almost lost all hope untill one of the ones that had not been there that morning came flying in my 2nd story window and landed on the couch next to me. Absoultely amazed, after thinking i had lost them all but the 1 that didnt want to come home, i grabed him and took him out and put him in the coup. leaving the door open the other stay soon came in after. So now I have 2 Pijis, once again locked in a cage and i don't know what to do. Do I dare let them lose again, or keep them locked in a cage for the rest of there lives. Find them new homes? I need some advice and input please. Im lost.



Are these homing pigeons? It's not easy to "re-home" a homing pigeon. It actually sounds like a hawk attack. That will cause the other birds to be scared out of their mind. By cage........what do you mean? How big is the cage? Seeing as how these two finally decided to stay..........they may just stick around now, but there's no guarantees and no way to know for sure, except to let them loose again, and again, "see what happens"........
IMO....unless the cage is too small, finding them a new home won't help the situation. Once a pigeon is homed to a certain location, that's almost always home to them, so even if someone else took them, they SHOULD never be allowed free flight again. They would STILL be locked up or confined for the rest of their life.
Thus my question on the cage size. If they've got plenty of room, they will be fine. It bothers YOU way more than it does them to be locked up.


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## GimpieLover (Dec 18, 2005)

No they were not homing pigeons. The first one was a rescued wild pigeon who wouldn't leave after he was all better. then there was an unwanted capuchine. then they have 2 kids. the capuchin and one of the babies are gone. and the rescued wild piji and his daughter came back. the cage is decent sized. there is an indoor part attached to a small outdoor area. but its not big enough for them to get some good flight in. i just feel so bad that he was wild once and could go anywhere and now hesin a cage. but he did come back. i just wish they could come and go as they please.


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## naturegirl (Nov 7, 2005)

I agree with Renee, as long as they have a place big enough to fly around in to stretch their wings and be pigeons they are happy. Don't feel guilty as once the pigeons seen the hawk they aren't really keen on flying right now knowing they have to really watch their P's and Q,s. Just keep your eyes open for the one pigeon to maybe come home. Or even hiding somewhere away from the hawk.

Cindy


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

GimpieLover said:


> No they were not homing pigeons. The first one was a rescued wild pigeon who wouldn't leave after he was all better. then there was an unwanted capuchine. then they have 2 kids. the capuchin and one of the babies are gone. and the rescued wild piji and his daughter came back. the cage is decent sized. there is an indoor part attached to a small outdoor area. but its not big enough for them to get some good flight in. i just feel so bad that he was wild once and could go anywhere and now hesin a cage. but he did come back. i just wish they could come and go as they please.



Well, a "good flight" would mean a HUGE HUGE space to actually fly in. That don't happen in most cases. As long as the birds can move around a fly from here to there and back again, and are not in something so small that they barely have room to move around, they will be fine. The feral would probably do ok if he was ever released or got loose or lost or whatever. The baby? That's a different story. Obviously, it's been raised there with you......has had every meal provided.......it wouldn't last very long out in the real world. If I was you, I wouldn't worry about them at all. They are fine. ALL pigeon fanciers have what we call prisoners. They spend 90% of their life, some 100% of thier life, confined to a loft. Hadn't had one complain yet. We take free flighted birds (actual racers) and move them to the breeding loft all the time. Once that's done, most of them never fly outside again and I'm talking for years.........just feed em' and love em'..........they'll be ok.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Hey Gimpie - I agree with Renee and Cindy - this is bothering you lots more than it is them. Most of our pigeons never fly and it doesn't seem to bother them. The fact that the one flew into the house onto the couch with you is his way of saying "I'd rather be here"! I would still keep an eye out for the other one because it may come back home.

I'm sorry you lost the one - was it the capuchine?


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## JGregg (Jul 28, 2003)

Letting the pigeons fly around the house is no hardship for them. Heck, my 14 yr old pigeon has NEVER flown outside and he's as happy as a clam.


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

GimpieLover said:


> No they were not homing pigeons. The first one was a rescued wild pigeon who wouldn't leave after he was all better. then there was an unwanted capuchine. then they have 2 kids.
> 
> *the capuchin and one of the babies are gone*.
> 
> and the rescued wild piji and his daughter came back. the cage is decent sized. there is an indoor part attached to a small outdoor area. but its not big enough for them to get some good flight in. i just feel so bad that he was wild once and could go anywhere and now hesin a cage. but he did come back. i just wish they could come and go as they please.


I'm so sorry to hear about your birds.

I rather doubt the Capuchine will find her way home, if she's flown any distance  
Let's hope she & the baby are together & the baby can finds it's way home & Mom will follow.  

If that does happen, please don't let the Capuchine out to 'free' fly anymore. They're show pigeons & not accustomed to being out in the wild. 

Please keep us posted.

Cindy


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Just in case, it might be a good idea to put an ad in the lost and found and notify animal hospitals in your area about the missing one. If you could make a flyer with a picture that would be good too.
Have you checked your previous house to see if she went back there?
You still could get her back so don't give up hope.


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

I'm sorry to hear about your pigeons. . .and with your best intentions, too. I would definitely put an ad in the paper and fliers up around your neighborhood and nearby areas. Many birds are found this way. As for worrying about keeping them cooped up, don't. I have a pigeon rescue and in eight years have only come across one or two birds who can't stand being in an enclosed loft. The rest of them. . .from ferals, to fancies, to homers, to rollers, etc., adjust almost immediately to an enclosed aviary and do extremely well. As long as their area is comfortable, warm and safe, they will have nothing to complain about. I hope you are able to find the two that are still missing. And when you do, just think, they'll be so happy to be back in their cage, they would probably never leave it again even if they could.  If possible, add on extra flight space for them and then you won't have to worry.


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## GimpieLover (Dec 18, 2005)

Thank you all for your opinions. There has been no sign of my other baby yet. im still hoping for the best though. im planning on making there out door flight area a little bigger. more for my sake than theres i guess. =) Is it wong that i already want some new pijijs. I could never replace the ones that i lost, and still have a chance of getting back, but with the coup doubling in size, id like to fill it.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Hi Gimpie - could you clarify if it was the Capuchine that died? If so, what breed is the other one that has not come home?


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## Catperson (Dec 16, 2007)

Hey Gimpie-- I work at St. Joe's (in Burbank) and I just found a totally tame fancy pigeon at Johnny Carson Park. Coyotes and raccoons frequent the park at night, so I took it home. This pigeon has a green '07 band on it's leg. It's mostly white with some soft brown on the back and there's a frill around the head. Is there any chance this is your missing bird?? If so, please contact me so you can take it home where it belongs. Even if this isn't your bird... do you want it? Anyone??? PM ME!!!!


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Catperson said:


> Hey Gimpie-- I work at St. Joe's (in Burbank) and I just found a totally tame fancy pigeon at Johnny Carson Park. Coyotes and raccoons frequent the park at night, so I took it home.
> 
> *This pigeon has a green '07 band on it's leg. It's mostly white with some soft brown on the back and there's a frill around the head.*
> 
> Is there any chance this is your missing bird?? If so, please contact me so you can take it home where it belongs. Even if this isn't your bird... do you want it? Anyone??? PM ME!!!!


Welcome to Pigeon-Talk Catperson.  

Many thanks for securing this youngster.
Any chance of posting a picture?

Cindy


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## Catperson (Dec 16, 2007)

AZWhitefeather said:


> Welcome to Pigeon-Talk Catperson.
> 
> Many thanks for securing this youngster.
> Any chance of posting a picture?
> ...


Could you explain how to post pics? My boyfriend will take some tomorrow (Sunday), but I won't be able to post them until late tomorrow evening. We have set the pigeon up as best we can in my screened-in patio (impromptu aviary!) with a cup of drinking water, a pan of bathing water, and a dish of shredded bread mixed with wild bird seed. I hope that's ok. Bird seems essentially fine but has a dirty bum.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Catperson said:


> Could you explain how to post pics?


Here is the link to intructions on posting pictures:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=158505&postcount=5


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi Catperson and welcome to Pigeon-Talk. Thanks so much for rescuing this pigeon. If there are any additional letters and numbers on the band, could you please post them so we can try to locate the owner of the bird?

If it turns out that this bird is not one of GimpieLover's or if the owner cannot be located, we can probably still find a good home for the bird. Of course, you would be more than welcome to keep it as a pet if you like, but if not, there shouldn't be a problem with finding a home for it. We have a couple of members in your area.

Terry


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## Catperson (Dec 16, 2007)

TAWhatley said:


> If there are any additional letters and numbers on the band, could you please post them so we can try to locate the owner of the bird?
> Terry


Yes, thank you for your help-- if the actual owner does not turn up soon, any SoCal pigeon fancier will do. I am at work right now-- but I will read & post the band ID numbers asap, prob. early this evening (west coast time). 

Diana


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## Catperson (Dec 16, 2007)

*Found Pigeon pic & ID*

Hi, Gimpie contacted me (thanks, Gimpie!) re: the fancy pigeon I found in Burbank CA and volunteered to adopt or hold until the owner is located, since I know squat about pigeons. FYI, I live in Simi Valley so that is where the bird is now. 

Here is the band ID# (also posted on the 911 registry):

2512 NPA AHA7 07

and a pic (hopefully this works):


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks for the band info and for posting it to 911 Pigeon Alert. That's a lovely little Helmet you found. Glad you heard from Gimpie.

Terry


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