# Do pigeons adopt other babies?



## Bella_F (Nov 29, 2008)

I have been keeping an Injured adult feral pigeon free indoors with a squeaker with a similar injury , just to give them both a bit of companionship. The adult is an older male, who had its leg ripped off. He's on Baytril right now. The squeaker has a broken ankle. 

The Squeaker has been begging the adult male for food, and to my surprise, after 3 days of this carry on, the male is feeding it. 

I was wondering if this behaviour is an adoption , or is it more likely that the squeaker is female and its on the way to becoming a child bride?
Do you know if feral pigeons are known to adopt babies of this age?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

yes feral and non feral do, it is pretty remarkable, guess it an instict that is pretty strong. hopefully both are healthy.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Bella_F said:


> I have been keeping an Injured adult feral pigeon free indoors with a squeaker with a similar injury , just to give them both a bit of companionship. The adult is an older male, who had its leg ripped off. He's on Baytril right now. The squeaker has a broken ankle.
> 
> The Squeaker has been begging the adult male for food, and to my surprise, after 3 days of this carry on, the male is feeding it.
> 
> ...


I had to laugh when I read this!
I just posted a new thread.....Fantail Cock steals 2 babies! Check it out 
I was actually wondering if he was priming one of them for a new mate, whereas his mate died last year and he hasn't picked a new one yet!


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## Bella_F (Nov 29, 2008)

Lol Msfreebird,

I wouldn't be surprised if its a mating thing either. I have been soft releasing two babies who have been recovering from pox together, and they became mates as squeakers.


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

Pumper and fosters are birds some folks keep just to raise other pairs eggs/babies. I have a pair that 1. are too meaningful to fly 2. really aren't that good 3. will feed anything on the ground even if it doesn't want fed. I'm not letting them raise their own eggs after this year but I will keep this pair over a mediocre pair just because they are so good at being parents. 

So yes. Pigeons will adopt other pigeon babies.


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## sdymacz (Aug 30, 2010)

I have male that protected orphaned female she was two weeks old, he was about two months old at that time. He would show the her where the food was by picking up and dropping seeds, he didn't feed her but he stayed with her day and night, they paired last august


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## Sonorgirl (Sep 7, 2011)

Wow that is very interesting. It seems that the act of feeding can mean many things. I recently noticed an adult male feeding an adult female in my loft. As Bella F said, could be a mating thing. I have also had the experience of my Jenday Conure trying to feed "ME" many many times...lol


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## georgebarris (Oct 3, 2011)

*Will male feed his babies after female not returned?*

I have two babies who don't look like their father has fed them much or at all today!! i think he is also pining for his female partner who did not return home today from her morning flight early this morning!!the babies have squeeked all day and i feel helpless, i have bought some baby SMA milk , has anyone tried this please or should i leave it and see if the dad will feed them? help!!!


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Msfreebird said:


> I had to laugh when I read this!
> I just posted a new thread.....Fantail Cock steals 2 babies! Check it out
> I was actually wondering if he was priming one of them for a new mate, whereas his mate died last year and he hasn't picked a new one yet!


I smiled when I read this ...........I have a pure white Indian Fantail hen who sneeks into the nest of others and sits with the babies feeding them ........it melts my heart each time I see it .


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