# how long can it survive on its own (lost pigeon)



## sally&morgan

My new pigeon that has been with us for 5 weeks now, went out for its first flight today at 930am, she flew around the estate for hours landing on different roofs, then as it was getting dark she flew over our house and has not come back, its now 8pm, what are the chances she will show up tomorrow morning?

where would she bed down tonight? will she be ok?


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## spirit wings

why would you fly a lone bird?... she should come back when she gets hungry... hawks are a real problem for single birds esp.. If you get her back.. she should not be flown out by herself.


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## sally&morgan

she wasnt flown by herself, she was flying with my expirenced pigeon, who knows what do, he came home but she just carried on staying out flying, I didnt mention this because it means nothing, hes back and she not, what am I going to do?


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## spirit wings

sally&morgan said:


> she wasnt flown by herself, she was flying with my expirenced pigeon, who knows what do, he came home but she just carried on staying out flying, I didnt mention this because it means nothing, hes back and she not, what am I going to do?


there is nothing you can do... when pigeons are out the only control one has is with feed.. usually if you want some control they learn a feed call and are let out hungry so when you want them to come back in you can call them to come eat... you will just have to wait and watch for her..when she gets hungry she should come looking for you.. you can also let the other pigeon out tommorrow and see if she follows him in..


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## sally&morgan

thanks, thats what im hopingthat she shows up in the morning, she must be so frightened, they live in our house, and come in through the patio doors,

my experinced pigeon came back and I had to send him out again about 3 times to try and attact her back to the house today.

im worried that she will be so weak by the morning because she has not drank or eat since this morning that some thing or someone will have her.

shes so hand tame its unreal, im so angry right now


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## spirit wings

sally&morgan said:


> thanks, thats what im hopingthat she shows up in the morning, she must be so frightened, they live in our house, and come in through the patio doors,
> 
> my experinced pigeon came back and I had to send him out again about 3 times to try and attact her back to the house today.
> 
> im worried that she will be so weak by the morning because she has not drank or eat since this morning that some thing or someone will have her.
> 
> shes so hand tame its unreal, im so angry right now


that is the risk you take when your let birds out.. pigeons can be fine even a whole day without feed so I would not worry about her getting weak.. the only problem I would be worried about is Bird of prey or a cat, but that would be a worry anytime they are outside.. she is a homer so have faith in her to come home...she will if she can.. your other pigeon seems to have figured it out..Im sure she will too!


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## Jaye

Yes, I would guess you will see her again soon...perhaps tomorrow, perhaps the next day. You said you saw her flying around the vicinity for hours...that is good.

No point in being mad at yourself now....just be vigilant and likely things will be OK.


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## Feefo

One of my rescue pigeons escaped some years ago, he came back after three days. And a juvenile rescue that I released with an adult from the same location came back to roost after two days.

You could check the local flocks, often when they find other pigeons they join them at least for a while.


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## boneyrajan.k

i guess,its not a homer.......if it was a homer,it would have reached the previous loft.so wait till morning.....i have personally had pigeons which came back after 2 days,so stay positive


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## sreeshs

To specifically answer your question - the bird can survive out there as long as it gets food and water. There are many feral pigeons, with whom she may join or may end up in another person's loft attracted by the sight of pigeons there. Give out your feed call more often, if she is around somewhere she might listen.


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## TN_PIGEON

She might show up. She might not. Stinks, but they don't always make it back. It happens.

About all you can do is stack the odds in your favor by training them and hope for the best.

Did you go through the "standard" training steps before releasing the bird (settling cage, food call, keep em hungry, etc.)?


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## sally&morgan

Hi everyone,

caught her this morning, sent my older racing pigeon out at 630am, and he went off flying and after 5mins he flew back over the house and she was behind him (thankgod) what I did was put some nuts on the roof of my 2 story house and when they landed on the roof to get the nuts I climbed up me ladder and grabbed her!

sound silly put I dont have a feeding call, i leave seeds out all day for them, i keep them as pets and let my older pigeon out to fly everyday, when he's done flying he will land on the roof or grass and just walk in through the patio door into the kitchen, i was hoping she would do the same, being that it was her first time out, how wrong was i? somehow i need to teach her how to come in through the patio doors without losing her again.

im happy again now anyway, thanks for all those who replyed to my thread.


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## Feefo

I am so glad she is safely home.


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## spirit wings

sally&morgan said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> caught her this morning, sent my older racing pigeon out at 630am, and he went off flying and after 5mins he flew back over the house and she was behind him (thankgod) what I did was put some nuts on the roof of my 2 story house and when they landed on the roof to get the nuts I climbed up me ladder and grabbed her!
> 
> sound silly put I dont have a feeding call, i leave seeds out all day for them, i keep them as pets and let my older pigeon out to fly everyday, when he's done flying he will land on the roof or grass and just walk in through the patio door into the kitchen, i was hoping she would do the same, being that it was her first time out, how wrong was i? somehow i need to teach her how to come in through the patio doors without losing her again.
> 
> im happy again now anyway, thanks for all those who replyed to my thread.


got to have faith in your homers!. glad she is ok.
if you put the nuts they like inside the door instead of on the roof that would give her motivation to come back in, otherwise there really is no reason if she has food outdoors.


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## Jaye

I think you have to plan a better "system" in order to train her to come back to that specific area. 



TN_PIGEON said:


> Did you go through the "standard" training steps before releasing the bird (settling cage, food call, keep em hungry, etc.)?




I am not a loft-keeper, so I do not know what to suggest further, specifically. But some other members here can help you devise something better as far as a method....apparently there are certain regimens which 'up the odds' significantly....

That was great that your Old Reliable brought her back !!!! I bet she was hecka happy to see him !!!!


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## sally&morgan

thanks,

true, but i really couldnt see her ever landing on the ground, she just kept flying from roof to roof, 

What was really nice though was seeing both pigeons flying together!

my older one was a lone pet, and has now taken to this young hen.

something special about watching them fly together


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## spirit wings

sally&morgan said:


> thanks,
> 
> true, but i really couldnt see her ever landing on the ground, she just kept flying from roof to roof,
> 
> What was really nice though was seeing both pigeons flying together!
> 
> my older one was a lone pet, and has now taken to this young hen.
> 
> something special about watching them fly together


They will land anywhere to get to food if they are hungry enough, that is why food is used as a motivator.. just depends on where you put it to get the results you want.


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## boneyrajan.k

thats a great news.......good job buddy .is it a homer ?


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## Kiko&Kalani

Yeah, she's home!!!! I am so happy for you. I'm sorry, I know it wasn't funny at the time, but I just can't stop laughing at the image of you climbing up onto a two story house with a can of nuts and a plan to grab a pigeon, lol Oh, where's a camera when you really really need one!


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## sally&morgan

I know I did think that, Luckly it was very early in the morning, just think someone in a house that backs on to ours opening there curtains and sees me up ladder with tray of nuts shouting 'dorris' come on (thats her name) trust me that was the last thing on my mind at the time!

pic included of our roof, you can see the patio doors, shes ment to come in through


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## Kiko&Kalani

Hehehehehe, oh the things we will do for the love of our pigeons. 

Thank goodness you were able to get down. I can always get up but down is a problem for some reason. Can you imagine the call that would go into the fire department "we have a lady and her pigeon stuck on a roof". So hear comes the fire department and of course the news crew. Darn, you missed your chance to be on TV. Did your other pigeon get special treats for being a hero?

I can't find the pic in your last post.


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## whytwings

Phewwwwwwwww.........I am so happy your bird came home ....I've gone thru this a few times and it's such a horrible feeling when you know there out there alone , nothing much you can do but play the waiting game . The good thing is she's earn't a bit of confidence now and will return home quicker next time .

Yay ! ......another happy ending


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