# sweet hand raised wild pigeon needs home, very tame. MI



## eakmarty (Sep 4, 2011)

I raised an orphaned wild pigeon and unfortunately he has become too socialized to humans and is not releasable (I won't make that mistake again). He is very sweet and follows me everywhere when I take him outside.

I have dogs and cats and kids and a full time job so my situation is not ideal to keep him. He needs a lot of company which is difficult to give him. He might do well with another pigeon. I was raising a baby Robin at the same time he was a baby and he enjoyed her company They sat togother often untill she flew away. Is anyone interested in adopting a very loving and sweet pigeon. His name is Marty.


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## bettyruger5 (Sep 26, 2011)

Hi, I'm Betty and I live in Hartland Mi. I recently converted a chicken coop to a loft and now have a pair of Rollers, and a pair of Homers. It's a cute loft with an aviary off the front. If this sounds like a fit for your pidgie, let me know. I'm sure Jack, Vera, Rita and Tommy would like a new friend. I'd even look for a spouse for him. Have a nice day : )


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## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

bettyruger5, if you get him you can't just put him in there, he has not been around other pigeons, you will have to do it carefully by putting him in a cage and sitting the cage in there for a an hour, then 2 hours and so on for a week or two till he gets used to the other birds as being what he is. And so they get used to seeing a new bird in the loft.


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## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

you may want to post pic's of your loft to, to show this person that MARTY is going to a good home...


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## bettyruger5 (Sep 26, 2011)

Horseart4u, I'm brand new to this forum, It's an ugly rainy day today, but I'll definately be posting pics of my loft and pidgies as soon as I get a sunny day. Integrating a new bird into the loft sounds similar to integrating chickens to a new coop. I would never just toss him in there : )


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## Print Tippler (May 18, 2011)

Horseart, you don't have to do all that. Atleast from my first hand experience.


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## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

Print Tippler said:


> Horseart, you don't have to do all that. Atleast from my first hand experience.


well that is what i have read on here ALOT, when people take hand raised birds and try to toss them in a coop with other birds, they FREAK OUT because they don't know they are a pigeon, they think they are a person.. i was just trying to help and i am glad to hear she isn't going to toss him in right away.


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## Print Tippler (May 18, 2011)

Pretty silly. From my hand raised and my extremely tame pouter did just fine. People need to watch what they here on this forum. Like saying " you can't rehome a homer" when they will mean " you shoulnt try to rehome a homer" or " you can't just toss him in there" 

Put the bird in the loft put it's beak in the water and leave it. It will probably find a spot for itself in the loft and that will be it.


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

Print Tippler said:


> Pretty silly. From my hand raised and my extremely tame pouter did just fine. People need to watch what they here on this forum. Like saying " you can't rehome a homer" when they will mean " you shoulnt try to rehome a homer" or " you can't just toss him in there"
> 
> Put the bird in the loft put it's beak in the water and leave it. It will probably find a spot for itself in the loft and that will be it.



We have taken in many hand raised pet/house pigeons and they all don't adapt so easily to loft life. They are low pij in the loft and will recieve alot of wing slaps, pushing around & fighting from all the pijjies that have been living in the loft. 
I wish it was as easy as you seem to think it is but thats not always the case. We have a couple of handfed pijjies that after 3-4 tries have never fit into the loft life.

Here at IWFS we watch very closely when we put a new pigeon into an already occupied loft & only after the pigeon was quarentined for at least 30 days.


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## Print Tippler (May 18, 2011)

How long did you leave the birds in till you decided they were not going to fit in?


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Print Tippler said:


> Horseart, *you don't have to do all that.* Atleast from my first hand experience.


*No...you really do.* I get hand raised babies, that have been released by a well intended human, and have no concept of who or what to identify with. A hand raised baby has no concept of being a bird and are terrified if just put in with other pigeons.
When hand raising a baby, this can be over come by putting a mirror with the baby so the baby will understand what he/she is.


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## Print Tippler (May 18, 2011)

When you show me a multiply cases where hand raised baby's have DIED in the loft it would be better.


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

Print Tippler said:


> When you show me a multiply cases where hand raised baby's have DIED in the loft it would be better.



Wow really????  

We would never let it get that far. That is just cruel!  


We have tried intregrate handfeds into a loft off/on over a 3 month period. When the pigeon is stressed, not eating or drinking, losing weight & flying to get to us through the flight wire its not going to live in the loft.


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## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

thank you guys for speaking up..i my self have raised hand fed ferals in the past and i did just that took them out side in the loft and had them sit on my lap for an hour at least 3 times a day ( in summer when no school ) if i didn't my mom did. after they were old enough to fly and feed themselves they went out in the loft but they were always supervised by me or my mom till settled in.


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## g-pigeon (Aug 24, 2010)

If this baby has been hand raised. it would be nice if someone adopted it and kept it in the house as a pet instead of putting it in a loft. a hand reared tame bird makes a great companion.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Print Tippler said:


> When you show me a multiply cases where hand raised baby's have DIED in the loft it would be better.



No one said anything about them dying. But a hand raised bird who has no concept that he is even a pigeon, would be scared to death. And they certainly do pick on the new guy in the loft. Would he survive? Probably. But that would be a horrible way to introduce him to his new home that he is supposed to feel safe and comfortable in. Maybe as long as he isn't killed, that's all you care about. But a person who cares for the well being of their birds would go the step further and introduce them slowly. That would minimize the other birds going after him. Birds have really been hurt that way. And if he isn't used to other birds, he would be terrified. I always introduce slowly, and make sure that everyone is used to seeing one another before leaving the bird in the loft. And then monitor closely, just to make sure that everything is going well with a new bird. 

Print Tippler, you don't seem to put yourself in the birds place, and what he must be going through. Too bad. To some, they are wonderful beautiful creatures with feelings and minds. To others they are just objects to do their bidding.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I had to handraise a few and put them in the loft, for an older bird not a just weaned baby either way would work..BUT it is allot kinder to put him in a cage for a few weeks then let him out and keep an eye on him. my hand raised went out in a cage when they were eating and drinking on their own..but they were in a cage and then after a few weeks were released in the loft and did fine. the birds in the loft already will look at the new one as an intruder and there is a settling time for both parties.. if the hand raised bird is older and can fly up more the better to be able to fly up away from any bullies. I find that pigeons usually do love their loft when they get used to it.


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## karijo (Apr 11, 2006)

I have to chuckle.. if anyone remembers my woes with putting Brooklyn in the loft for the first time. Man oh man. It wasn't him I was worried about... Boy did he take out his frustration on being "kicked out" of the house on the other birds. 

Brooklyn was a hand raised feral, lived in the house with me for three years (even showered with me and slept in my bed in a special made little "pij-bed"). Putting him in the loft he protested by hanging on the windows and flapping furiously to let me know he wanted back inside the house. When the loft was open, he flew right in the nearest open door or window and stomped around the house infuriated and irate. 
He bullied the other birds mercilessly, and received many well deserved "Time Outs" in his new nest box. 

It took him a while but he did fine.

All the babies I've hand raised in the house since then over the last few years have also integrated just fine back into the loft with no intervention from me, and all have remained tame and friendly, will come when their name is called, and love being snuggled and cuddled in the house when it's their turn.

Brook is still reigning Loft Boss, and still as tame and loving a companion bird as always, even though he now has a mate and raises berliner and ancient babies for me.

I think you have to play it by ear as far as how much you need to monitor and be involved, but it's untrue that tame birds can't fare beautifully in a loft environment.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

karijo said:


> I have to chuckle.. if anyone remembers my woes with putting Brooklyn in the loft for the first time. Man oh man. It wasn't him I was worried about... Boy did he take out his frustration on being "kicked out" of the house on the other birds.
> 
> Brooklyn was a hand raised feral, lived in the house with me for three years (even showered with me and slept in my bed in a special made little "pij-bed"). Putting him in the loft he protested by hanging on the windows and flapping furiously to let me know he wanted back inside the house. When the loft was open, he flew right in the nearest open door or window and stomped around the house infuriated and irate.
> He bullied the other birds mercilessly, and received many well deserved "Time Outs" in his new nest box.
> ...


I don't think anyone was saying that, karijo. What we were saying is that new comers, that have no concept of being a pigeon, need to be introduced with care.


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## eakmarty (Sep 4, 2011)

hi Betty, 
I have been on vacation so am just seeing your post. Since my initial post a few things have happened. While I was on vacation I had a friend watch Marty. She got a white female homer to keep him company. She has some bird connections I guess. I think he is a he, he coos to his new friend (mate?) often. He is doing well with this new friend and seems to be adapting well to just being a bird. I was worried about his awareness of his own birdness since he was handraised but I no longer am. Are you still interested in him and now his new friend, I don't feel I can seperate them ? Is there opportunity for flight, he likes to stretch his wings. I live in a suburb of metro detroit and would be happy to drive to you. 

I wanted to insert picture but can't find an easy way to do it. Can anyone tell me.


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## bettyruger5 (Sep 26, 2011)

Hi Eakmarty
That's so sweet that he has a girlfriend! The 2 Homers in my new loft had never met, but they paired right up-wow is it sweet to see all the affection they give each other. My chickens and ducks definately don't act like that! LOL
Anyway, I'd still be glad to have them, if you can get them here, even better. That way you could see my loft too. The pidgies seem to like it-plenty of room to fly. I'll send you a private mail with my phone number if I can figure out how to do it. I'm new here too.


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