# Preferred perch



## Aliens down under (Jan 9, 2014)

Hi, newish to this.and my first pigeons are spending their first night on top of nesting boxes instead of in boxes which have barley straw in them and they also chose not to sleep on the on perches. Is that normal? Where would pigeons normally choose to sleep?


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## Ananth_Tvli (Jun 26, 2014)

Usually they take to the boxes in late evening and fight over possession for the top most boxes. Can you post few pics of your set-up? This will help to find out if anything is wrong.


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## Aliens down under (Jan 9, 2014)

*Pic of pigeons day one*

Thanks, photo attached


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## Ananth_Tvli (Jun 26, 2014)

Don't find anything wrong with your loft. May be some other member can suggest. What happened last night? I think they are scared with the relocation and should settle down in a couple of days.


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## Aliens down under (Jan 9, 2014)

thanks, hopefully yes they will settle, have eaten and been drinking. How can I tell if they are racing pigeons and not doves?


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## Ananth_Tvli (Jun 26, 2014)

Again you will have to post few pictures, good pictures, of your birds. There are many experts here who can identify the breed but why do you doubt if they are racing homers or doves? Its like comparing east vs west or A vs Z ... .something like that  Pictures, then I will try my luck.


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## McFarlaneKJ (Aug 18, 2014)

Hi, Pigeons will always roost high, keeping away from predetors, so thats why they have gone on top of the boxes you have provided. Personaly I'd say those boxes you have made are not big enough and to deep. Are these boxes meant to be nest boxes or just perches as perches don't need straw.


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## McFarlaneKJ (Aug 18, 2014)

The perch is scrapped by you using a scrapper. Your pigeons look like normal old white homers.
Your perches need to be bigger so they can fly up onto them.


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## Aliens down under (Jan 9, 2014)

Thanks what size should a single nest box be? Is a "normal old white homer" (pics coming) able to be let go several miles from home and get back home after it has been kept cages for 3 months?


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## McFarlaneKJ (Aug 18, 2014)

I'd hope that these birds would home when you take them away for a return flight but I'd say best only to do that with the young you breed off them as being rehomed birds they would more than likely fly away back to where they came from or disapper for good. Breeding box should be as big as you can make. Mine are that big each pair can copulate and I know who the parent are as they are in them till the second egg is laid. The stock they came from where expensive so no risk is taken at wrong parents. Perches should be around 30 cm X 30 cm and 14 cm deep.


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## Aliens down under (Jan 9, 2014)

Hi Ananth_Tvli, as you suggested they needed to settle, I was so worried set up was wrong somehow but a couple are courting and one of them is now on the nest today. (Pics still coming)

Hi kJ Mcfarlane That would be sad if they won't home as I wanted to race them


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## Ananth_Tvli (Jun 26, 2014)

Good luck to you. If they are good homers then the chances that they will re-home to a new location are extremely extremely slim. Its better to use them as breeders.


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## Aliens down under (Jan 9, 2014)

*Homing pigeons or doves?*

Hi guys
Do you think my birds are homing pigeons or doves


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## loftkeeper (Sep 21, 2010)

white homers


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## Aliens down under (Jan 9, 2014)

*Type of bird*

Thanks, good to they are white homers loft keeper. Do the males sit on eggs too?


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## loftkeeper (Sep 21, 2010)

male and female sit on eggs male during the day female night both feed young have what is called pigeon milk for the first week then they start feeding little grain they reguretate feeding young baby stick its beak in parents mouth


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## Aliens down under (Jan 9, 2014)

Good info thanks loft keeper


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## pigeonman25 (Jun 7, 2015)

Hey, you can settle those birds if you have any other experienced birds. If not, just let them out after not feeding them for 2-3 days and take a risk. They shouldn't venture far on an empty stomach. The best thing to do would to breed some youngsters and get a small flock of about 10 birds so they will flock together and likely to return


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## Aliens down under (Jan 9, 2014)

thank you, bred from them and training them on releases up to 8 miles at this point


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