# Releasing a hand-raised pigeon



## Amal (Nov 3, 2009)

Do you know if it is possible to let a hand-raised pigeon fly freely and return back home when he is hungry ? Can he learn from other pigeons (if he is kept with them in a cage or an aviary) how to escape from predators and find his way back to his home ?
Thanks.


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

NO!!! A hand raised pigeon or any other bird for that matter cannot be released and live to tell about it. Please don't release the pigeon. He chances of survival or probably zero. He doesn't know where to find food, or to stay away from predators and if he is released and he is the only one he is even a bigger target. You should never release one pigeon. They can easliy be a hawk dinner. If he is human imprinted he doesn't even know he is a bird. Believe me, I have 2 pet starling they just want to be with me, not outside with his fellow starlings. Pigeon are the sameway if hand raised. Thats why he probably follows you around everywhere you go. min


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## Amal (Nov 3, 2009)

Hello Mindy,
Thanks for the reply. I asked this question because I am going to give my pigeon for adoption to a nice guy who has already three pigeons. He is planning to let them fly free after the winter and he wants them to come back in the evening and feed them (so it is not a hard release). Don't you think that the pigeon can learn from the others if he is released with them ? of course, the person is willing to continue to feed them and to give them a more natural way-of-life. What can we do to make this possible ? In any case, I need to find a home for this pigeon where he can socialize with other pigeons... This person is located in a natural countryside environment without lot of houses... I thought that this could be a good place for my pigeon. Any advice ? 
Does it mean that a hand-raised pigeon should always be kept in a cage or aviary ? :-(


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Depends also on the pigeon. Is thia a wild pigeon or people friendly?
Also to consider is how the other pigeons that are up for release behave, are they wild? Have they ever been outside? If all of them are handraised, then they don't know much about what's out there and they could get in trouble.

Reti


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## Amal (Nov 3, 2009)

It is a street pigeon that I found wounded this summer in Montreal. He was so small that he was not able to eat alone or fly. I hand-raised him and tried to find someone that has other pigeons and that can adopt him.
The nice guy that can adopt him found a wild pigeon near his home and took care of him. He also bought two other pigeons for company, I am not sure if they were tame or not. Now they are three in his cage and they look like fine. So yes, at least one of them has been outside a long time before. I am not sure for the other ones... Mine has been in the street only a few days after his birth.
Consider also that my pigeon is feeling really lonely and is cooing all day long searching for a female. So there is a kind of emergency of putting him with other pigeons...


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

You and lovelyflight need to hook up. Here's a link to her thread.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f20/i...please-help-40709.html?highlight=lovelyflight


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## Columba livia! (May 4, 2009)

Mindy said:


> If he is human imprinted he doesn't even know he is a bird.


Agreed. Your pigeon is probably cooing for you because he thinks you are his mate! If he was hand raised, he wouldn't last a day out side. trust me, the happiest place for him is what he has always known, that is a human way of living. he thinks he is a human, so he has no desire to socialize with pigeons.

Now, did you hand raise him from a squab, or a fledgling? if he was a fledgling, he might remeber his parents enough to know that he is a bird, but I still would not risk free flying him. It's just NOT a good idea.


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## starlinglover95 (May 6, 2009)

Mindy said:


> NO!!! A hand raised pigeon or any other bird for that matter cannot be released and live to tell about it.


mindy, this isn't compleatly true. it depends on the circumstances - how much interaction with you, how much with other birds, and stuff like that. i have raised plenty of birds that have been released and are still flying around.


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

Starlinglover95, I really respect you, you are wonderful with your birds and your young and if you keep it up your really going to be a great asset to the birds and to people, you already are an asset. I know we disagree with the hand raising part. But there is reason why lola still stays around is because she is human imprinted. Sure its nice to see them stay around but when you release birds the objective is not to have them stay around at least it is for starlings and other songbirds. I think we got in the disagreement on starling talk way back when. min


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

Amal, I think Reti explained it best. I think if you take your pigeon to your friends and just watch and see what the pigeon does with the other pigeons maybe you can figure out what to do. I honestly think the pigeon is human imprinted and loves you. If the guy does end up keeping the pigeon, I would keep them in the loft for several weeks before letting them out to fly. But you did such a good job raising the little guy, keep him, enjoy him. In my opinion. min


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## Amal (Nov 3, 2009)

Hello all,

Thanks for all your answers. I really need your help to decide what is best for him.

Not sure if he was a squab or fledgling, I am really new to pigeons. I think that he had some flight feathers but surely not all of them, he was not able to fly at that time. Do you think that trying the experience of putting him with other pigeons can help us decide if he can get used to them ? or is it a loss of time ? In fact, I don't want to bother the person willing to adopt him if this will not succeed for sure...

Charis: yes I know that lovelyflight and I are in the same situation... :-( not easy to find resources here in Quebec.

Mindy: I just saw your answer. I will try to do the test with the guy willing to adopt him.
Unfortunately, I will have to move a lot in the following months, that's why keeping my pigeon is not possible. Moreover, he really seems lonely and is a little bit aggressive with me. I never thought that I should keep him all the time, in fact, my idea was to help him and then release him but then i discovered that it was not so easy... I hate the idea of keeping a bird in a cage indoor without any other possibility... :-(


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

Him being aggressive is a good sign that he isn't that attached to you. I think. If you have a guy that is willing to keep an eye on him with the other pigeons then you have to do what is best. Its better than setting him free, so don't set him free, just let the guy adopt him, since those are the only two options available I like the adoption. min


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## Columba livia! (May 4, 2009)

well, sounds like he is not so imprinted after all. I would try to introduce him to the other birds, but I would be VERY CAUTIOUS about free flying him with the other birds. he may try to return to your home. Usually fledglings don't need to be resced as long as the parents are still around and it is in a safe situation, but I trust that he did need rescuing when you found him. Anyway hope it works out.


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## thao100801 (May 13, 2009)

well my nephew had a homing pigeon that he raised out of the egg for about 2 years and one winter a huge winter storm came in and all his pigeons died but that one so he decided to let it fly freely.
well that pigeon went to go live with some feral that were living on top a school about three to four blocks from his house. (assuming since there is ALOT of ferals there you can see when you drive or walk by the school) well his pigeon flys back every once and awhile and seems to be coming back more and more often now since he has some new homing pigeons. the pigeon would go and land on top of his garage roof since he use to have the loft next to the garage.
true story no lies seen the pigeon and we know that it is the same one because it walks with a limp.

so it all depends...that pigeon has a great homing ability even after many years... since its been flying free for 3 years or so and been surviving on its on he decided that he doesnt not want to catch it or anything...it feels good to see the bird every now and then.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

i release most of the baby piji's i get in for rehab unless they are disabled for some reason.
but..i work very hard to avoid imprinting and never raise them alone, they are in a a room designated for the wild birds and only see me for feedings and cleanings, i keep it very business like no talking to them or anything.
much of the time they still imprint to an extent but as they get older and are completely weaned they begin to wild up and will not come to me for affection.
i feel it's their birthright to be free birds and it's my job to get them back where they belong and they do join up with the local flock, many come to eat in my yard everyday


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## Amal (Nov 3, 2009)

Hello all,
I have another question for you: my vet said that a pigeon used to an indoor environment will not survive in an outside aviary because his body is not used to such temperatures (-5 may be while he is used to 18/20 degrees). He said that the pigeon has to be put in an outside cage in the spring/summer to get it used to outdoors temperatures progressively. What do you think about that ?


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

it's getting pretty late in the season to release a young pigeon, yu may want to consider wintering him over unless you can find someone who has a loft to keep him in with other pigeons.
i get adult birds all year and before i put them in the outdoor aviary i leave the windows open during the day in my rehab room (which is not heated but warmer than outside) for a few days, then i leave the windows open all night and day for a few days, then they can go outside in pre release.
it all about getting them acclimated to the temps slowly


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

that is a tough subject to release or not..i had a feral baby which died due to the indoor accident, and just before he died i had plans on releasing him, he spent a lot of time outside with me and he was digging thry the ground and eating stuff without me ever showing him what to do..
its an instinct they are born with. 
there is plenty of rescue places that save pigeons and they are released back into the wild after they been made strong..
i was gonna bulid a nest out of the wood box in my kitchen window just so he free to come and go as he liked, and is he decided to stay than that would have been his choice.
but i would never deprive a bird from his freedom if he was born free...
in captivity it's a different story..
now i wish i released JOJO instead keeping him around the house..
he would have lived longer.. 
but the point is yeah i would release ..many people release their ferals so i would to..
pigeons or other birds .. some bird species are preserved that way from exctinction, take for an example california condor.. 
almost extincted if it wasnt for few people that were releasing hand fed babied to the wild.
adn pigeons are pretty much raised around humans... so it wont make the difference..
i say release.


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## Amal (Nov 3, 2009)

Hi,
goga82: The idea is not to release it completely but to move it from an indoor cage to an outdoor one. 
Ok I understand you, altgirl35, this should be done progressively and it is late in the season to do that...Yes I found someone who has other pigeons but the cage is outside, so the temperatures will be very low for him, I guess... Right ?
Thanks anyway for the reply.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

oh goga, that's so sad, i'm so sorry


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

that person u trying to give your pigeon to probably keeping his other pigeons outside..
so they used to it.
now if u wait till the winter is over to put him in the outdoor aviary ..
aint that the same if he spends the next winter out, or this winter..
its the same thing this winter or the next one..


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

can you keep him in a cold room for a week or two before you take him to the outdoor cage??


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

yeah im still not over him, and its been more than a month think two..
wish i released him, now i would have a chance to see him every once in a while rather than never ..


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

i think a pigeon will be much happier in a aviary with other piji's this winter than in the home


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

oh goga, do you want to adopt the baby i just got in??


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

altgirl35 said:


> oh goga, do you want to adopt the baby i just got in??


to tell u the truth im done with pigeons i think i bring them bad luck
thats why i always say to people if they find ferals LUCKY Them..
unless i find a bird in need i will not adopt.. im sorry..
its a long story .. i wish i could.. 
i bet its cute 
how old is it?
what colors?


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

he's about 2 1/2 weeks old has a slight splay, i guess he was sort of using his wings to move around before his leg imprved , i just got him from another rehaber yesterday.
his wings look a little off, not sure if he has any permanent damage to them or not at this point, i just have to wait and see how things progress with him.
he's staying the winter anyways and i may recatch one of the ferals i released this summer that still comes to eat everyday to keep him company over the winter, and show him the ropes once spring comes and it's time to release if he's releasable. 
he's your typical feral gray, with the black wing stripes, little sweetheart of course


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

altgirl35 said:


> he's about 2 1/2 weeks old has a slight splay, i guess he was sort of using his wings to move around before his leg imprved , i just got him from another rehaber yesterday.
> his wings look a little off, not sure if he has any permanent damage to them or not at this point, i just have to wait and see how things progress with him.
> he's staying the winter anyways and i may recatch one of the ferals i released this summer that still comes to eat everyday to keep him company over the winter, and show him the ropes once spring comes and it's time to release if he's releasable.
> he's your typical feral gray, with the black wing stripes, little sweetheart of course


poor baby... i love fereal babies..
lucky u to have him
but he sounds like a pretty bird :0
handsome


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

altgirl35 said:


> i think a pigeon will be much happier in a aviary with other piji's this winter than in the home



Just try telling that to Scooter!


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

lol, well scooter's special!! lol
i'm thinking of possible future release, mates all those things


Charis said:


> Just try telling that to Scooter!


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