# 2 more babies!



## nancynice (Jun 23, 2015)

About 2 weeks ago I rescued a month old pigeon from sure death. He/she is doing fine. 3 days ago I relocated 6 more and waited to see if the parents found them. They all did except 2, which I now have. I have been hand feeding them and they are little fighters especially the bigger one. The first one "Gabby" is doing great! Thank you CBL! And others who helped. He has started eating seeds on his own, takes a bath and drinks. Now I have these. Just wanted to let everyone know, Gabby made it and is doing great but I may have questions for these two in the future. They fight every feeding! But we are making headway. Thanks for this site!


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Thats great news, please keep us posted and we are happy to help any time.


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## nancynice (Jun 23, 2015)

Well, I have built a loft big enough for 3. I put the older pigeon in and tried putting one of the babies in too but Gabby (the older one) started pecking at her. I put the baby one back in the crate, there are two of them (always together). Will this stop when they get older and can protect themselves? Please tell me it won't be a lifelong thing. I don't have room for seperate enclosures. 
I'm not sure how bad it would have gotten but I didn't want to find out the hard way and let it go on too long. Any opinions, any advice? Thanks. 
On another note, Gabby was 5-6 weeks old before she started refusing hand feeding and started eating on her own. She now bathes and such. The little ones which I guess at 3 weeks because I knew almost to the day how old Gabby was. (Knew her since she was an egg) so I know what they look like at those ages now. Anyway, the babies eat every seed I put in their crate and i supplement with Kaytee exact, only because I don't know if they drink on their own. Is this unheard of or is it because there are two vying for food? Anyone?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

How large is the enclosure?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Teach them to drink by gently dipping their beak into a small crock of water, but not over the nostrils. Do this several times a day and they will learn.
Can you post a pic of the loft?
If the space isn't large enough they will always fight. If you put 2 males in together, as they get older, they will fight. If 2 of them pair up, then the third would be odd man out, and that would cause problems. Pairs are better to keep, but only if the space is large enough for them to move around and fly some for exercise, unless let out daily for a couple of hours for exercise.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

I have 4 pigeons but none adjusts with each other except for a pair which I had to separate to stop breeding so now they live in separate cages and peck each other if anyone goes to other's cage and I don't think it would ever end. One of my 4 months old even doesn't allow my hand in his cage for feed and water


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## nancynice (Jun 23, 2015)

nancynice said:


> Well, I have built a loft big enough for 3. I put the older pigeon in and tried putting one of the babies in too but Gabby (the older one) started pecking at her. I put the baby one back in the crate, there are two of them (always together). Will this stop when they get older and can protect themselves? Please tell me it won't be a lifelong thing. I don't have room for seperate enclosures.
> I'm not sure how bad it would have gotten but I didn't want to find out the hard way and let it go on too long. Any opinions, any advice? Thanks.
> On another note, Gabby was 5-6 weeks old before she started refusing hand feeding and started eating on her own. She now bathes and such. The little ones which I guess at 3 weeks because I knew almost to the day how old Gabby was. (Knew her since she was an egg) so I know what they look like at those ages now. Anyway, the babies eat every seed I put in their crate and i supplement with Kaytee exact, only because I don't know if they drink on their own. Is this unheard of or is it because there are two vying for food? Anyone?


The enclosure is 4'x4'x4' that's inside and out. I built it out of the side of my shed. I made 3 seperate roosting boxes?? And 3 flat perches. I looked at lofts online and I've seen what looks like many pigeons in one loft. I figured this was big enough for 3. Measurements are approx. but close.


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## nancynice (Jun 23, 2015)

Sorry, I was also wondering if it could be that the older pigeon is extremely imprinted on me. He responds to my voice, his name and flys right to me. The others would rather not see me. I don't touch them much and since they are eating I don't feed them much. They are afraid of me still. Maybe I can release them I'm not sure, but the older one never. He also goes to my friend who is here a lot. I'm trying to keep the young ones wild just in case. I guess what I'm asking can pigeons get jealous?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I think your bird sees the whole area as his territory. If it is 4X4 inside and out, then the inside can't be very big. The inside of the loft should give 2 square ft of floor space per bird, at least. Then you put on an outside aviary.


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

nancynice said:


> Sorry, I was also wondering if it could be that the older pigeon is extremely imprinted on me. He responds to my voice, his name and flys right to me. The others would rather not see me. I don't touch them much and since they are eating I don't feed them much. They are afraid of me still. Maybe I can release them I'm not sure, but the older one never. He also goes to my friend who is here a lot. I'm trying to keep the young ones wild just in case. I guess what I'm asking can pigeons get jealous?


Absolutely they do get jealous and if in a loft environment with a mate, they will chase off any other intruder or suitor from their mate. The male or older one is trying to claim the entire loft as his territory. There will always be a pecking order also. I have 4 hens in house, they are all fine cruising around the house, no real problems at all even if I fuss one or the other up, no fights, BUT even these two hens that like each other and hang out on the floor beside laying in the sun, will fight if they try to go into one or the others crate. In the loft they may fight over a perch or a morsel, they have to work it out, I would put the babies in loft first for a week or two, let them establish a place of their own, may be even longer. When they are about 6 or 8 weeks old then let the cock bird in and now he is the one that is the intruder and they may allow him to be in and not fight, as opposed to him being there first calling the entire loft his own.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

She didn't say it was a cock. Some females can act the way too.


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## nancynice (Jun 23, 2015)

I don't know if it's male or female. But if I have him/her out when I tried to feed one baby she flew right down on my knee and was flapping and pecking. Then flew onto my head pecking my face and head. I was laughing so hard, but had to put the baby back until I locked Gabby up.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Probably wanted to be fed.


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## nancynice (Jun 23, 2015)

These two babies are so much further along than Gabby at that age. The one actually attacks me and wants nothing to do with me. I am going to try and release them when it's time. I don't socialize with them so they shouldn't be tame. They are afraid of me and the dog.


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