# My First Hawk Encounter



## heeler (Nov 19, 2013)

Well I had my first hawk encounter. First, I'm in Florida and it's winter but so what we have lots of resident hawks and lots of different breeds.

My loft is 60 feet from my barn, I was cleaning stalls and heard the comotion, looked at the loft and saw a hawk of some kind hanging on the mesh - wings spread and flapping, and of course the birds inside going brezerk, by the time I gathered my senses and found my shotgun he hytailed it outta there. I read once where someone shooed away a hawk with a broom but I think I will stick with the 12 gauge. That way no repeat offenders. 
Man did he seem determined, I know he's only trying to make a living but if he gets one in his mind it's a dinner table in a loft and the only way to stop it is well you know. I did'nt fly that day but today I flew twice and I stood guard with my little friend until they all trapped. 
I've only had birds for 5-6 weeks and have'nt seen any real attempts by the hawks but now I'm on the lookout, I know if you have em your gonna loose some but dangit he's gonna have to work harder than me to get one.


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## Jason Heidlauf (Apr 2, 2012)

hawks suck !!!!!!!!!! but I'm sure some one will give you alittle griff about wanting to shot them ..I think the same way you do. but I will never admit to shooting a hawk . the 5000$ fine and pos.prison time makes me think twice.


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## 9toes (Apr 4, 2012)

I let mine out yesterday while i was cleaning the loft, hawk killed 4 birds!! Their hungry right now.


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## PigeonDetective (Nov 6, 2013)

Im pretty sure I lost a bird to a sparrowhawk last week..

They all saw a buzzard and scattered all over the sky panicked, not knowing they were safe from the clumsy buzzard.. counted them all back home, gradually in ones and twos

Then saw a hawk scoping about overhead.. one didnt return.. no prize for guessing what happened to him


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

I have like 4 sparrow hawks around in my area, yesterday one of them, was perching really near from my loft .. my loft was open and pigeons are let out for loft flying, they didn't even attempt to attack!!! I don't know what's wrong with them, but It was very surprizing ...


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## PigeonDetective (Nov 6, 2013)

Sparrowhawks are ambush predators.. a bit like cats.. They watch the birds through the wire mesh.. its like they cant help themselves

Maybe the time wasn't right for an attack..


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## heeler (Nov 19, 2013)

In my case we dont have many fanciers in my area so Im not sure if this guy had ever seen a coop or enclosure of any type like this. But hanging on the mesh was a good sign that not much would stop him. Again...he's just trying to make a living --I know-- but they arent on the endangered list so a few less in my area may have to be the way it is for now. 
I haven't lost any to them yet but reading all the other posts tells me its just a matter of time, I must be very vigilant when they are flying. 
It's on me to make sure they are trapped trained very well and respond to the call so if I see something they dont I can be ready. They are young and dumb ---but instinct tells them what a predator is but still we must do all we can to protect them and if removing a hawk or two is gonna help well no worries. They multiply like ...well, pigeons anyway. These arent eagles were talking about.
It's not that easy to get a shot at one anyway so I'm sure I'm not gonna desimate the population or anything, I hope just poppying off at him will be enough to make him hunt elsewhere, but I would bet not.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Hawks and falcons are big headache nowadays. Good Lord, they have become so bold. They even take away squabs from palm of your hand. Well,hawks never got a bird of mine because when I let my birds out on the rooftop I'm always there to supervise and the hawks know it very well. But they won't stop trying.
Falcons on the other hand have completely devastated me. Took nearly 20 birds this season. When falcon attacks, my highflyers drop outta sky like stones but only when the falcon is on their tail. And one birds gets unlucky. I'm so mad at my birds for why they don't fall outta sky immediately when they see falcon in the air. Wish there was some way to tell'em to drop immediately 

Its breeding time for falcons (till feb) and most keep their birds on a lockdown till march


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

Falcons do not attack perching pigeons, they like the free sky battle, so they provoke pigeons by flying in one place and high speed diving until a pigeon takes off and the battle begins, sparrow hawks and hawks in general have never attempted to to attack any of my pigeons, I think they go for sparrows  because pigeons are faster and intelligent


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## heeler (Nov 19, 2013)

The other day after a little flight my only NY Flight was tired from trying to keep up with the homers while routing and landed on the ground in front of the loft, I was leaning on my truck tailgate watching the sky, and then I saw it, between the trees and out in the distance, some kind of hawk or falcon --- wings folded coming full speed and zeroing in on the NYF, of course what I needed was in the barn so all I could do was scream and clap my hands ( I'm pretty sure they BOTH thought I was crazy) 
my only recourse at the time was running and clapping towards the bird on the ground, and it did work. The hawk pulled up and narrowlly missed the NYF. Allthough he did'nt vere off easily, he kept on target until he just couldn't take me on the same path as himself. The pigeon lifted and swerved and just got airborne before the hawk pulled up. That was a close one.....


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## Jason Heidlauf (Apr 2, 2012)

Your lucky .. I would keep my bird locked up for a few days, now that the hawk knows it's there it's a good bet he will be back


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Yeah,keeping the birds locked up is the best way to avoid losses.
I also clap, wave a stick,bust crackers/ fire rockets,beat some metal and "scream and shout and let it all out" to deter a hawk from attack. But falcons hunt in the air and they are hard to deter from their focus...
Phewwww... That was a close shave, heeler


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## pigeonjim (May 12, 2012)

There is no stopping a hawk. They have a routine with a checklist that they follow every day. With the federal and state laws, they have a license to hunt your birds as they need to supplement there diet. Clapping and stuff works for a while, but not long. Iv'e heard of them attacking while the fancier was basketing birds from the aviary outside even. What you do on your own property is your business, but rumors will get you a visit if your not careful.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

pigeonjim said:


> There is no stopping a hawk. They have a routine with a checklist that they follow every day. With the federal and state laws, they have a license to hunt your birds as they need to supplement there diet. Clapping and stuff works for a while, but not long. Iv'e heard of them attacking while the fancier was basketing birds from the aviary outside even. What you do on your own property is your business, but rumors will get you a visit if your not careful.


Every single word you've posted sounds true to me. The other day a hawk tried to pick a squab from the palm of the hand of my fancier friend when he was showing me that squab. Hawk quite scared me. These goddarn rules are giving them a huge refuge


Can anyone tell me about this hawk?
I don't have a pic right now(will try,but this fog is not letting me have a clear shot) but there is a new hawk which has showed up and is very fierce. He has smoky greyish blackish wings, rusty orange chest and lower body and white+black striped tail with yellow legs and feet. I hate him. He don't fear me at all. He's size of a big crow. Can somebody give me a name? I'm curious to know. Friend Google is not helping.(Sorry heeler for posting this question in your thread)


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

brocky bieber said:


> Can anyone tell me about this hawk?
> I don't have a pic right now(will try,but this fog is not letting me have a clear shot) but there is a new hawk which has showed up and is very fierce. He has smoky greyish blackish wings, rusty orange chest and lower body and white+black striped tail with yellow legs and feet. I hate him. He don't fear me at all. He's size of a big crow. Can somebody give me a name? I'm curious to know. Friend Google is not helping.(Sorry heeler for posting this question in your thread)


coopers hawk?
http://www.birdforum.net/opus/images/thumb/f/fb/Coopers_Hawk.jpg/500px-Coopers_Hawk.jpg


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## pigeonjim (May 12, 2012)

Abdulbaki said:


> coopers hawk?
> http://www.birdforum.net/opus/images/thumb/f/fb/Coopers_Hawk.jpg/500px-Coopers_Hawk.jpg


Coopers are what plague us here!!


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

Yes, same thing here, but sparrow hawks don't attack healthy adult pigeons right?

I always see them hovering high, my pigeons seem scared but really never attack or anything, seems that they mind their own business here or pigeons are out of their league and are too fast and intelligent to be in their food list?


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## heeler (Nov 19, 2013)

Do wonders never cease???? Whilst doing my chores this morning my birds were routeing and of course out of site. I happen to look up and around a big Sycamore tree a hawk of some kind is just glideing by and then it hit me.... my birds were gaining on him from the rear!&*#@$%^^  Oh no here they come right around him....they never broke form and he never changed his glide path, they just swooped around him and never gave him a second look. Of course my heart kicked into high gear but he dissapeared into the distance and after a few more laps around the property they landed on the barn like oh well...of course I shook my can of screws so they would trap just to give the hawk time to get a little further away. Wheew that was close


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

Well, that is good to hear. 

I would feel the same if that happened to me.

I think any kind of hawk will attack in flight if given some kind of advantage of some sort. 

From experience, flew two homer hens (one black and one white) and after 3 mins of routing... the two split up. Black ascended height while white descended... and cooper or sparrow was right on its tail. All I saw was my white homer flipping and diving like it had its head chopped off to escape. Clapping and loud noises do work in some retrospect. But if not given harm to the hawk... it will learn very quick to ignore the sound and presume the attack. Let out one bird and the sparrow hawk took aim... I clapped and clapped and distracted the bird... it flew straight up but as soon as I saw its head lean towards the direction my bird took off.. I knew the clap was not going to stop it... and my bird never made it back home. 

So, as someone stated... what happens in your yard is your business in some way... but its all about being very cautious and playing a problematic game. In my situations I just coop up my birds till spring or late spring or when ever the "hawk season" ends. Also its only a matter of time till hawks spot your loft. I doubt there is any fanciers within my area range too but, at least 6-7 types of hawks have attempted to steal a bird from me (sharp shinned, coopers, sparrow, red-tail, northern harriers, red-shouldered, Goshawks)... The most seen weekly I believe from my eyes are red-tailed hawks (they rarely come alone.. always pairs or more), coopers, and goshawks. I see the others maybe once a month only. 

Heeler.. you live in Florida? so.... guess hawks will be acting the same year round. 
hmmm.... just be cautious.. very cautious.... when ever your birds get attacked.

Idk if I am evil or do some of you guys get this feeling too but, I sort of like watching my birds try to escape from predatory attacks. I get hyped and sort of enjoy it. Of course, I am drowned in sorrow if it ends in the predators advantage.


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

Doig said:


> *Idk if I am evil or do some of you guys get this feeling too but, I sort of like watching my birds try to escape from predatory attacks. I get hyped and sort of enjoy it. Of course, I am drowned in sorrow if it ends in the predators advantage*.


You're not alone there, I love watching my birds avoiding predators, I feel the excitement ...


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

Haha.. I knew I wasn't crazy for feeling like this nor the only one.


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

I even had a bird that will do deliberate loud wing clapping and fly when he sees a hawk or something high in the sky ..


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

AH. nice. Should be a good signaler to signal the entire flock. Should be quite useful! 

I clap my hands every time predators arrive that my birds instantly takes off in one hand clap... this one time I accidentally clapped b/c I was clapping the dust off my hand and I felt bad for doing that cuz it made them all scared and adrenaline rushed. 

kind of bored now since I have my birds cooped up now. 
You still flying your birds? seems like you can fly them all year round...


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Thanks for the image Abdulbaki. The hawk is similar to the one in the link but not exactly like it. The hawk which attacks my birds has not some spotted white feathers in chest but has a dull colored rusty orange sort of chest. I have searched google but no success. The list of hawks is damn long. Oh... so many types of winged predators for my cute innocent pigeons. Grrrrrrr... I will try to take pic of that hawk.


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

Ok, waiting for pics Brocky, Doig as I mentioned hawks are not a threat here, they do fly around but never seem to attack .. I know a guy that lost 3 birds this year to hawk attacks, so I guess I'm lucky, seagulls chase my pigeons but they are easily avoided .. pigeons are naturally sharp sighted they surprise me from how far they can detect something, even flying feathers in the sky ...


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

brocky bieber said:


> Thanks for the image Abdulbaki. The hawk is similar to the one in the link but not exactly like it. The hawk which attacks my birds has not some spotted white feathers in chest but has a dull colored rusty orange sort of chest. I have searched google but no success. The list of hawks is damn long. Oh... so many types of winged predators for my cute innocent pigeons. Grrrrrrr... I will try to take pic of that hawk.


Perhaps a Sulawesi Sparrowhawk.?
From your descriptions... the predator is very most likely in the genus Accipiter. Which holds mainly I think Sparrowhawk and Goshawk. Its one or the other. Many of these hawks look very similar in fact they look the same. The only real identification of why they are given different names are their genetics when scientists extract their DNA and sometimes location. To us, we say there are two sharp-shinned hawks in my yard. Yet genetically they are just juvenile cooper's hawks. It gets way more complicated. Even the hawk its self is distributed further down... Like the sharp-shinned is then distributed down into four different types of "sharp-shinned".. and this is all due to DNA and Geography. um... but Brocky... it would be more likely an adult goshawk since your mentioned its size as a -big crow- and not having a very spotted chest imprint. 

The pic below is an adult Sulawesi Sparrowhawk. It has that rusty orange chest.


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

Hmmm.. Abdulbaki perhaps they know its a waste of energy for them to try chasing your pigeons or like you said. Ur gifted with luck.!


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

Oh, I know those!! I thought they were peaceful 
don't blame me but they look the same ; 
watch this out .. I think if they were as cruel as you describe them he'd have killed the stock dove right away but instead he was giving it warnings, that's so cute ..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb7yO-JD3vk


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

Yeh I saw that!! thanks for sharing. 

I do not hear a lot about kestrel attacks on pigeons.. 

In the video the Kestrel was basically checking out the nesting site. The man who took the video had set up that nesting boxes for Kestrels only but, seems a pair of stock doves made it their home. The box is a yearly home for the kestrel but, not that year. lol


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

you're right ..


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Hi Doig,
Thnx for the info. But,Oops. The color of the back matches but his lower body is all rusty orange. He actually looks beautiful but I hate him for obvious reasons.


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

HELLO Brocky... 

Sharp Shinned 

http://ww4.hdnux.com/photos/02/21/43/596203/3/628x471.jpg



Japanese Sparrow Hawk

http://www.birdsandbirds.com/gallery_pappagalli/arc_foto/Accipiter gularis_birdsandbirds_01.jpg


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

This is the one. Smaller in size than the other. I guess this is the male. His partner is bigger,darker and more aggressive.


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

Good lord! this fellow looks so aggressive, no wonder you hate them


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## Jason Heidlauf (Apr 2, 2012)

A friend of mine who has had birds for only 1.5 years she started to loft fly her birds everyday since the spring ..she was bragging how she has never seen or lost a bird to a hawk . .I said it's only a matter of time . she said nope won't happen . well sometime passed she called me up crying and said a hawk got her favorite bird . than she called a few days latter and said she lost 4 more birds . I told her if she does not lock her birds up she will end up with no birds .. she now has them locked up after loosing 8 birds .. some people....


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Yes,he looks agressive Abdul. And he almost freezes me with his gaze when he looks me in the eye. But I tolerate hawks because they attack many times but luckily never took a bird of mine. No loss at all. But real problem is the falcon.

So Doig, what do you think of him? Do you know its name? Your sharp shinned hawk looks so beautiful...


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

see I'm aware of the danger, and I'm learning from people here like what happened to Brocky, I'm not bragging, I'm just saying that hawks In my city are too small to hunt pigeons and even when a bigger one shows up they are too high and my birds are perching next to the loft, I've seen a seagull catching one of my pigeon, that upset me as they eat the guts and the crop of the bird and leave the rest of it so yeah I know what I'm talking about .. in the country side there are eagles that hunt chickens even bigger ones, it would be dangerous to raise pigeons out there


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

Brocky.. thanks for the comment on the hawk. Not a big fan of them but they do have their own evil beauty to them.

If I am not mistaken, what you have there I believe is called Accipiter Badius or more commonly called Shikra hawk. 

It is also listed as hawks seen in India. The list on Wiki (- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikra -)

It seems that it has found your loft. 

Usually the female is lighter in color than the male. The male will be more dark.. but you also mentioned size. Perhaps that could be a young male that paired with an elder female.

I always wonder this about hawks... "Out of all the space and places where you can find food, you decide to stick around and pinpoint my pigeon loft..." lool


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

Abdulbaki said:


> see I'm aware of the danger, and I'm learning from people here like what happened to Brocky, I'm not bragging, I'm just saying that hawks In my city are too small to hunt pigeons and even when a bigger one shows up they are too high and my birds are perching next to the loft, I've seen a seagull catching one of my pigeon, that upset me as they eat the guts and the crop of the bird and leave the rest of it .. in the country side there are eagles that hunt chickens even bigger ones, it would be dangerous to raise pigeons out there


As time passes and evolution occurs... hawks that cannot seem to come out successful from attacks tend to not attack anymore and find different food sources... maybe in Villa Sanjurjo, AlHoceima hawks just have evolved to eat other things rather waste energy on chasing pigeons. You also said they were small. Makes sense. 

Though here in North Carolina, even small hawks attack larger birds such as big ducks.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Thanks for the info Doig. Its seems like this Shikra hawks have some sub breeds also. There are various found here,they all look same to me. I enquired about the one in the image I posted. Its called Cuckoo hawk locally.

Abdul,I must say you're lucky that hawks in your area don't attack pigeons. But even sparrowhawks can kill a pigeon. They have talons and sharp beak that pigeons can't defend themselves from
Let's see
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IFIyXr-MGbw&desktop_uri=/watch?v=IFIyXr-MGbw#


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

No prob Brocky. To be honest, they all look the same to me too. lol and all basically attack pigeons as well. soo... what I call them are "hawks" lol... That is cool how you found it as a sub breed and found its local name. NICE


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

So it seems... One of my homers (I think she is a mix... I call her a homer b/c she does not spin nor twirl or anything fancy but get let out and home right back into the loft) got attacked today by a flying visitor. Poor pigeon. Just wanted to share.

*Hen.*









*Tear from underneath the wing.*









*Tear from above on the back.*


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

Good god! poor thing I m glad she survived! did you see it when it was attacking her?


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Oh,boy!
she must be in real pain. Thank god she saved herself. May god bless her with strength to endure this ordeal. I wish her a speedy recovery.


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

Thanks you guys. 

From time to time I release a pair of pigeons maybe 500 meters from the loft just to allow them to still know where to fly and how to go around and this hawk just swarmed in from no where and both my pigeon disappeared (it was in the evening 5-ish pm). That next day the cock came in morning around 6-ish and in the late evening the injured hen flew in. I was so surprised they made it back home after such a cold cold night and not returning within that day. I sort of guessed they were goners in such terrifying weather... but... they came back! Her wound had this petrifying smell to it, sort of like rotting skin and puss. I cleaned it and applied some ointment onto it so hopefully she gets better. 

I assume they also got caught in traffic with other birds of prey near by as well that was probably why they took longer than usual. 

I have been too stubborn... I am really REALLY Locking up my birds now. NO MORE FLYING! till whenever late spring comes. 

lol, kind of feel like I am in Brocky's situation now.


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

Yep, locking them up would be your safe bet


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## heeler (Nov 19, 2013)

I just cant see keeping them locked up for ever..ya gotta let em out sometime! I dont really want prisoners I want homer/racers so if thats the kinda bird you have and or want you cant leave em caged for ever you have to let them out so they can (( loft fly,route,toss fly, and learn to be a homer))). Homer/racers need freedom or else they are just pigeons.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Doig said:


> Thanks you guys.
> 
> From time to time I release a pair of pigeons maybe 500 meters from the loft just to allow them to still know where to fly and how to go around and this hawk just swarmed in from no where and both my pigeon disappeared (it was in the evening 5-ish pm). That next day the cock came in morning around 6-ish and in the late evening the injured hen flew in. I was so surprised they made it back home after such a cold cold night and not returning within that day. I sort of guessed they were goners in such terrifying weather... but... they came back! Her wound had this petrifying smell to it, sort of like rotting skin and puss. I cleaned it and applied some ointment onto it so hopefully she gets better.
> 
> ...




I would have put the poor thing on an oral antibiotic to fight infection.


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## pigeonjim (May 12, 2012)

heeler said:


> I just cant see keeping them locked up for ever..ya gotta let em out sometime! I dont really want prisoners I want homer/racers so if thats the kinda bird you have and or want you cant leave em caged for ever you have to let them out so they can (( loft fly,route,toss fly, and learn to be a homer))). Homer/racers need freedom or else they are just pigeons.


If you do not take the advice and lock them up certain months when the flying predators are at there peak, you will run out of racers b4 you get started. Good luck


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Doig said:


> Thanks you guys.
> 
> From time to time I release a pair of pigeons maybe 500 meters from the loft just to allow them to still know where to fly and how to go around and this hawk just swarmed in from no where and both my pigeon disappeared (it was in the evening 5-ish pm). That next day the cock came in morning around 6-ish and in the late evening the injured hen flew in. I was so surprised they made it back home after such a cold cold night and not returning within that day. I sort of guessed they were goners in such terrifying weather... but... they came back! Her wound had this petrifying smell to it, sort of like rotting skin and puss. I cleaned it and applied some ointment onto it so hopefully she gets better.
> 
> ...


Oh I'm so glad they came back home. My birds are on a lockdown for months. God that feels bad. My birds didn't get exercise for months.
That wound on your hen's back look bad. It needs proper care. Hope you cleaned it with boiled saline water and applied antibiotic cream on it. And also put her on an antibiotic course for a week so that she doesn't get infection


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