Types of Pigeons and Why They Need Rescuing
November 28, 2024
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]]>How To Catch An Abandoned or Lost Pigeon
So you’ve found an abandoned or lost pigeon! First of all we would like to thank you for taking the time to help a flighty friend in need. Now, it’s important to act fast in these situations as domestic pigeons do not have the survival instincts to last very long on their own in the wild. With our tips and tricks you will have a much better chance of catching your pigeon quickly and safely.
#1 Waiting Until Nightfall
The best and easiest way to catch a pigeon is waiting until the sun goes down. Pigeons do not have great eyesight in the dark and sit still on their night time roosting spot making this the perfect time to catch them. However, if you are unsuccessful at catching the pigeon and they fly off they could land somewhere more dangerous for them to be at night so only try this trick if you are confident with your catch.
To have the best success you want to monitor where the pigeon has chosen to sleep, if possible, and then attempt to grab them while they are there. If you need to use a light source to see, we recommend doing so as little as possible as to not give away your position or intentions to the bird. Turn off the lights around your house and don’t talk while approaching the bird. A net or towel may assist you, but a lot of times we find it easiest to just grab them.
Catching With a Net
If you have any sort of netting that isn’t too heavy, this is an easy way to trap the pigeon while doing no harm. Common nets you may have laying around can include a pool cleaners or fishing nets. When using this method it will be easier if you can get them into some sort of corner as well. Be careful not to hit the pigeon in the head with any hard piece attached to your net and be aware of their wings once caught. You want to act fast so they aren’t able to out fly your attempt. If you are able to catch the bird, transfer them into a cage so you can better see their condition and allow them to calm down.
Cage Method
For this method you will need a see through cage, a very long piece of string or anything you can tie to the door so you can pull it closed while you are a good distance away, and food.
It’s crucial to have a cage that is see through such as a wired dog cage. If the cage is covered and dark the pigeon will not be able to see the food as well and they tend to be less eager to step in. Which leads to the next step, once you have said cage you will need seed to lure the pigeon in. It’s still important to know what seeds are safe. Specifically pigeon seed which you can often buy at a pet food store or online is best, however a safe alternative is cut up (thawed) frozen peas, safflower seeds (found in the wild bird food aisle), or wild bird feed in a pinch. Bread is very unhealthy for birds so we do not recommend feeding this.
Once you’ve figured out what food you will be using, you’ll need to put the food directly in the middle of the cage, if it’s too close to the door they may not step in the cage and if it’s too far back or to the sides, they may try to get the food through the sides of the cage instead.
Next may be a bit of a waiting game, you will need to hide somewhere out of sight but close enough for you to observe the cage. Try not to be too eager, you don’t want to slam the door as soon as the bird gets one foot in the door. Once you see the bird fully inside then you can pull the door closed behind them. Keep pressure on the string so the door doesn’t bounce back open though then lock the cage door after approaching it. Do not attempt to grab the pigeon out of the cage while still outside to transfer them elsewhere as they may escape. Bring the cage indoors and then you can transfer them to a different cage if wanted.
Box or Basket Method
If you don’t happen to have a cage around but you do happen to have a light weight basket or box then this could work too! It will be essentially the same set up as the cage method. However instead of attaching the string to a cage door, you will need something similar to a stick to prop up one side of the box/basket which you will tie the string around. Same goes for this method, you need a pigeon safe food to put in the middle of the space underneath the box/basket to lure the pigeon in. Next, find a place to hide where you can see the trap and hold the string but you are out of sight. Now you wait until the pigeon makes it’s way to the food where you pull the stick out from underneath the trap and hopefully you have the pigeon inside!
If You Think The Pigeon May Be Sick, Just Catch Them.
Most domestic pigeons that have been abandoned in the wild will not be doing well. Domestic pigeons do not know how to find food, water, shelter and evade predators meaning that most get very sick, injured, or may have not eaten for days. If you find that the pigeon isn’t flying around or moving too much they may be sick and you may be able to catch them with some ease. Still, you do not want to try running up to the bird and catching it with your hands because you might not be fast enough. Instead, it’s very helpful to use something such as a towel or a sweatshirt to toss over them so that you have a few extra seconds to grab them. Alternatively, you may just be able to pick them straight up if they are very sick. As a note: When directly handling a potentially sick animal, it may be best practice to wear gloves.
The Pigeon is Caught! Hooray!
For info about keeping them as a pet, check out these resources.
Keeping a Pigeon as an Indoor Pets
Click here to go to our bird rehoming FAQ page in case you need to find them a home.
Immediate next steps after rescuing an abandoned or sick bird are here:
To learn more about common rescue situations, check out these articles on Pigeon Racing and Dove Releases.
To help you find out if you have a domestic or wild/feral pigeon needing help, check out this article.
How To Catch An Abandoned or Lost Pigeon
June 8, 2023
No Comments
Thank You Craig Newmark Philanthropies!
June 5, 2023
No Comments
Keeping A Pigeon As An Indoor Pet
June 5, 2023
No Comments
Pet or Wild? How To Tell A Domestic vs. Feral Pigeon
April 6, 2023
No Comments
Dove Releases – Beautiful, Breathtaking, and Barbaric
May 24, 2022
No Comments
The post How To Catch An Abandoned or Lost Pigeon appeared first on Dreaming of a Chance Bird Sanctuary.
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]]>Thank You Craig Newmark Philanthropies!
We are so excited to share with you the news that Craig Newmark Philanthropies has generously donated $5,000 to our sanctuary to help promote our pigeon rescue and education efforts! This award will enable us to provide important resources to our rescues for their care as well as educational support about the abandonment of pigeons. We are thrilled to have Craig Newmark Philanthropies on our team to help make a positive impact on these beautiful creatures.
As such, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Craig Newmark Philanthropies for their life-saving donation helping our rescues to receive the best care possible while also allowing us to educate the community about pigeon abandonment. Their contribution is instrumental in ensuring these amazing birds have a safe and nurturing environment where they can thrive. Pigeons tend not to get funding for their care the way other animals may making this grant extra impactful as we strive to help the underdogs of the animal world. Craig’s love for pigeons, philanthropic spirit, and commitment to animal welfare are genuinely inspiring, and we are honored to have his support for Dreaming of a Chance. Together, we can continue to positively impact the lives of these fabulous creatures and raise awareness in the fight against animal abandonment.
Types of Pigeons and Why They Need Rescuing
November 28, 2024
No Comments
How To Catch An Abandoned or Lost Pigeon
June 8, 2023
No Comments
Thank You Craig Newmark Philanthropies!
June 5, 2023
No Comments
Keeping A Pigeon As An Indoor Pet
June 5, 2023
No Comments
Pet or Wild? How To Tell A Domestic vs. Feral Pigeon
April 6, 2023
No Comments
Dove Releases – Beautiful, Breathtaking, and Barbaric
May 24, 2022
No Comments
The post Thank You Craig Newmark Philanthropies! appeared first on Dreaming of a Chance Bird Sanctuary.
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]]>Pigeons As Indoor Pets!
Pigeons are super smart and a lot of fun! As one of the original domesticated birds, they adapt very well to home life and quickly make people fall in love with them. If you are looking into keeping a pigeon as a pet and want to know how to get started, this article is for you!
The Enclosure Itself
Probably the first thing that comes to mind when you are looking to get a pet pigeon is the enclosure. For starters, lets look at cages. Large dog cages (48″ x 30″ or bigger) work well for a set up where the pigeon is away from other animals such as dogs and cats. For places, where they would be in the same room as those animals, you will need thinner slats between the bars so that the dog, cat, or other animal couldn’t hurt the pigeon through the cage. Similar size cage should be used. Please note that pigeons prefer more space horizontally than vertically meaning that adding height to a cage isn’t sufficient – they need more space to walk around.
After you get the cage set up, you will need to add a food bowl, waterer, plenty of enrichment, and some sort of bedding – we like unscented puppy pads for the cages.
Time Outside the Cage
Just because the pigeon has a large cage does not mean that it suffices for all. Your pigeon needs to be able to spend time outside of the cage. That’s where pigeon pants come in. Pigeon pants are essentially diapers for pigeons that allow for the owner to let the pigeon wander a room without them pooping on stuff. Pigeons are still able to fly and move normally but it keeps your home clean. When pigeons come out of the cage, a few things are important to note.
#1: No other species should be out in the room at the same time as them as they could potentially be hurt by bigger animals than themselves or hurt animals that are smaller than them.
#2: Check to make sure that you don’t have anything dangerous out that the bird may get into such as poisonous plants, little bits of metal, or toxic food on the floor.
#3: Either pull down the blinds or make sure that the pigeon can see that there is a window there. Window collisions can be very dangerous to the bird.
#1: No other species should be out in the room at the same time as them as they could potentially be hurt by bigger animals than themselves or hurt animals that are smaller than them.
#2: Check to make sure that you don’t have anything dangerous out that the bird may get into such as poisonous plants, little bits of metal, or toxic food on the floor.
#3: Either pull down the blinds or make sure that the pigeon can see that there is a window there. Window collisions can be very dangerous to the bird.
Very, very important is to NEVER FREE FLY! Free flying is extremely dangerous for pigeons. They are huge targets for predators and even in a matter of minutes, pigeons may be attacked by a predator. Unfortunately, if this happens there is little you will be able to do to stop it even if you are watching the whole time. Please, please – do not free fly. If your bird gets startled also, they may be lost forever.
Enrichment
As mentioned before, pigeons are extremely intelligent. As such, they do best with a lot of enrichment.Some great ideas for enrichement include perches of all different types, heights, sizes, chicken swings, toy xylophones, dog puzzle toys, certain parrot and baby toys, stumps, foraging mats, and nest boxes. Pigeons also require a decent amount of attention if they are kept solo. Eventually, they tend to bond to their owner and see them as their companion. If you aren’t around a lot to be present with your pigeon, it is reccommended that you adopt them a companion from a shelter near you. The cage aspects mentioned before will accommodate two pigeons fine. They will likely enjoy nesting together so be sure to grab some fake eggs to swap the real eggs out for.
Picking Out Seed
There are a few things to consider when looking for seed to buy. One thing to consider is the number of seed types there is. Generally, low quality seed mixes will have only 3 or 4 seed types. It is good to have a variety of seeds to be complete in vitamins and minerals.
Another thing to consider is if the seed mix has a lot of fillers. Corn is one ingredient that is often used as a big filler. While some corn is fine in a diet, it should not make up the majority of the seed mix.
Speaking of corn, some seed mixes have too large a seed sizes for all pigeon breeds. Watch out for seeds that have big seeds in them like whole corn.
Finally, it is good to check up on recall history for brands to see if they are historically pretty safe brands or not.
We personally like Hagen pigeon and dove seed as well as Versele Laga no corn mix.
Finding An Avian Vet
A lot of rescue pigeons when found are very sick as they have gone through so much. It is important to get them checked out by a veterinarian who can assess their health, run a fecal test on them, and treat them if necessary. Even if the bird was gotten through a rescue, you still will need an avian vet for future check ups and potential emergencies. Here are some search tools to help you find accredited bird vets near you.
Also you can try searching for an avian vet near you or exotic vets. For poultry, you can try searching for a farm animal vet as well.
Other Considerations
#1: Be sure to check for common household hazards to birds. Although this is by no means a comprehensive list perfumes, aerosols, PTFE/PFOA pots/pans/air fryer baskets, certain plants, little pieces of metal that can be swallowed, incense, smoke, paint fumes, and more can be deadly to birds.
#2: Your bird will benefit from routine fecal tests to make sure that they do not have internal parasites. Risk is lower indoors but it is best to still test.
#3: A vitamin/mineral supplement may be needed if your pigeon doesn’t eat all of their seed mix. Talk to your vet about if this is necessary for your scenario or not.
#4: Certain toys can have dangerous parts for birds. These include but aren’t limited to dangles inside bells on swings or toys that they can potentially rip off and get lodged in their mouth as well as certain clips on toys.
#5: External parasites are easy for pigeons to get as you can carry them in on your clothes potentially from wild birds when you go hiking or walk outside. Check your birds for any signs weekly,
#6: Monthly or more frequent health checks are the best way to monitor that your birds are safe. Consider looking them over head to toe to check for any issues.
Types of Pigeons and Why They Need Rescuing
November 28, 2024
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How To Catch An Abandoned or Lost Pigeon
June 8, 2023
No Comments
Thank You Craig Newmark Philanthropies!
June 5, 2023
No Comments
Keeping A Pigeon As An Indoor Pet
June 5, 2023
No Comments
Pet or Wild? How To Tell A Domestic vs. Feral Pigeon
April 6, 2023
No Comments
Dove Releases – Beautiful, Breathtaking, and Barbaric
May 24, 2022
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The post Keeping A Pigeon As An Indoor Pet appeared first on Dreaming of a Chance Bird Sanctuary.
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]]>Dove Releases - Beautiful, Breathtaking, and Barbaric
This is Roberto. At just 3 weeks old, Roberto had been a victim of a dove release. When we were called about him, three white homing pigeons were reported and despite our extremely quick response time, two had already been killed by predators by the time we got there.
White homing pigeons are bred to look like doves but are used as substitute given that they are better at finding their way home. Unfortunately, their coloration sticks out like a sore thumb for predators and they are often killed by aerial predators within an hour if not minutes.
Roberto’s Story
We quickly worked to catch Roberto to get him to safety, but it was clear that the dove release place that originally released him had not been caring for him properly. On top of being only ~3 weeks old and still needing crop milk formula (crop milk is food parent pigeons feed their babies), Roberto had numerous diseases. Despite hand feedings, multiple vet visits, and countless treatments, the diseases had done too much damage to his organs and he ended up passing away at only a few months old.
There is no possibility that a baby pigeon can begin training to fly back home when it just barely had enough feathers to fly. In the eyes of the dove releaser, Roberto was disposable.
What Is A Dove Release?
Dove releases involve the releasing of white pigeons into the wild for ceremonies, weddings, or other events.
This is cruel because:
- The birds do not know how to survive in the wild if lost.
- They can easily be spotted and attacked by predators trying to get home.
- Many times the pigeons aren’t even trained yet to fly home.
How Do I Know If It Is A Dove Release Bird or A Wild Pigeon?
White pigeons are almost always domestic. Albinism can occur but very rarely. Generally albino wild pigeons won’t survive long enough to reach adulthood. If you see a solid white or mostly white pigeon, a rescue should definitely be contacted as most likely you have a dove release bird on your hands.
How can I help a dove release pigeon?
- If comfortable, try to catch it and bring it into safety
- Do not feed it unless advised by a rescue to.
- If it showing neurologic signs, do not give it a water bowl
- Call a local shelter or sanctuary to help
- You can call us (Dreaming of a Chance) – 845-239-7257 for advice whether local or not.
Note: If an animal has been starved which is the case for many racing pigeons, they must receive specialized food. It takes energy to digest food and oftentimes their last bit of energy is going towards normal organ function. Digesting food, especially rich foods, will shift the remaining energy allocated to the organs to digestion and could cause permanent damage or death of the animal. Do not feed the animal unless you are advised to by a rescue, wildlife rehabber, or avian vet.
Many birds can sustain severe injuries including concussion which can make placing a water bowl in with them dangerous. A concussed bird can easily drown in a water bowl. Again, only place a water bowl in with the bird after consulting with an expert.
Here is a list of rescues in different states that take on pigeons:
Pigeon Rescues:
- Dreaming of a Chance – NY
- Palomacy Pigeon Rescue – CA
- Great Lakes Pigeon Rescue – IL
- Olive’s Place Sanctuary– OK
- Avian Underdogs – CA
Wildlife Rehabbers That Help Pigeons
Types of Pigeons and Why They Need Rescuing
November 28, 2024
No Comments
How To Catch An Abandoned or Lost Pigeon
June 8, 2023
No Comments
Thank You Craig Newmark Philanthropies!
June 5, 2023
No Comments
Keeping A Pigeon As An Indoor Pet
June 5, 2023
No Comments
Pet or Wild? How To Tell A Domestic vs. Feral Pigeon
April 6, 2023
No Comments
Dove Releases – Beautiful, Breathtaking, and Barbaric
May 24, 2022
No Comments
The post Dove Releases – Beautiful, Breathtaking, and Barbaric appeared first on Dreaming of a Chance Bird Sanctuary.
]]>The post Pigeon Racing From The Perspective Of A Lost Racing Pigeon appeared first on Dreaming of a Chance Bird Sanctuary.
]]>Pigeon Racing From The Perspective Of A Lost Racing Pigeon
Pigeon Racing: Harley the Racing Pigeon’s Journey
At just a couple of weeks old, Harley found herself severely injured and fighting for her life having been hurt on what was likely her first pigeon race. Harley suffered from 3 deep wounds which in the heat of the summer had become filled with maggots and a subsequent infection. When she was rescue, the poor girl could barely lift her head and had to be syringe fed water as she was too exhausted to drink on her own. She immediately started on antibiotics and had her wounds flushed.
It became apparent that Harley had suffered some nerve damage from one of her puncture wounds (most likely caused by a bird of prey) and was knuckling her foot and couldn’t seem to locate its placement under her body. It took 3 months of physical therapy, multiple wound treatments and wraps, a few weeks of antibiotics, and parasite treatment (heavy loads of parasites as well) but Harley’s nerve damage healed, her strength came back, and her wounds sealed.
The sad thing is Harley is one of the lucky ones. So many of these racing pigeons aren’t found, treated, or sustain injuries so severe that they can’t recover. This is all avoidable.
As a domestic pigeon, these birds should not be free flying. It is comparable to setting your chihuahua in the wild and expecting it to survive all on its own. Very, very rarely could this ever happen.
So why do people race pigeons?
Well, let’s take a look at what pigeon racing actually is.
Pigeon racing involves the release of domestic pigeons for a gambling sport. The pigeons have to fly long distances (generally 300-500 miles!) to a certain location deemed home in order to win the race. Pigeons bond for life and oftentimes it is this bond with their mate they motivates them to want to get back home. The long flights often causes extreme exhaustion and high risk of predator attacks. As a domestic bird, they do not know how to obtain food or water on these often several hundred mile races nor how to find proper shelter meaning that most racing pigeons we get in are extremely dehydrated, emaciated, and often have respiratory issues from exposure to the elements.
Impact on Racing Pigeons
According to a study done by Peta, pigeon racing funds 15 million dollars in illegal gambling proceeds each year and it loses an estimated 60% or more pigeons on each race (PETA, 2012) ! That’s insane! And yet, pigeon racing is totally legal in most states and isn’t considered animal abandonment despite thousands of pigeons each year being released into the wild and not making it back.
Oftentimes, individuals who have found lost racing pigeons and contacted us to help have called the racers. Not a single person yet (2022) that we have helped with the found pigeon has had the racer accept the pigeon back.
Isn’t Pigeon Racing Animal Abandonment?
Animal abandonment is literally defined as “leaving behind an animal alone or permitting the animal to be abandoned in circumstances which might cause harm to the animal.” Yet releasing a pigeon into the wild for a race knowing it may not come back and could be injured by predators, flying into foreign objects, susceptible to dehydration, starvation, diseases from wildlife, and more and then refusing it when it is injured, is considered legal.
Pigeons are extremely intelligent and have been taught to help with cancer research, can self- recognize, categorize, and learn the alphabet. They are incredible sentient beings and do not deserve to undergo such torments especially at such a young age. Many pigeons in captivity can live 20+ years. At 6 months old, they are just a youngster still.
Not to mention the implications this has on wildlife. Most racing pigeons we get in have extremely high levels of internal parasites and they are often drug resistant. Additionally, many come with bird lice as well. Pigeons tend to try to self- rescue which is where they try to find a nearby place with people and even the shyest of birds can perch on people or nearby objects in an attempt to be seen. One place they often self rescue at is people’s backyards. If you have a bird feeder, guess who is going to grab a snack and possibly give these parasites to the wild birds or possibly catch diseases the wild birds are carrying.
Many people have a negative connotation towards pigeons that they are dirty, but in reality it is people making them that way. Improper cleaning of enclosures, lack of health checks, and abandoning them into an unknown environment is going to cause these problems. Pigeons when given the opportunity take frequent baths and spend large amounts of time preening themselves to perfection. After all, you got to look good for flirting with the other birds.
How do I know if I found a racing pigeon?
Racing pigeons will be banded to identify the winners. If found, most racers will not want their pigeons back. Being found means they lost the race and their genetics and vet bills are not favorable to the breeder. If a pigeon has a band, it is domestic. Please try to catch it or call a rescue to catch it. Time is of the essence.
How can I help a racing pigeon?
- If comfortable, try to catch it and bring it into safety
- Do not feed it unless advised by a rescue to.
- If it showing neurologic signs, do not give it a water bowl
- Call a local shelter or sanctuary to help
- You can call us (Dreaming of a Chance) – 845-239-7257 for advice whether local or not.
Note: If an animal has been starved which is the case for many racing pigeons, they must receive specialized food. It takes energy to digest food and oftentimes their last bit of energy is going towards normal organ function. Digesting food, especially rich foods, will shift the remaining energy allocated to the organs to digestion and could cause permanent damage or death of the animal. Do not feed the animal unless you are advised to by a rescue, wildlife rehabber, or avian vet.
Many birds can sustain severe injuries including concussion which can make placing a water bowl in with them dangerous. A concussed bird can easily drown in a water bowl. Again, only place a water bowl in with the bird after consulting with an expert.
Here is a list of rescues in different states that take on pigeons:
Pigeon Rescues:
- Dreaming of a Chance – NY
- Palomacy Pigeon Rescue – CA
- Great Lakes Pigeon Rescue – IL
- Olive’s Place Sanctuary– OK
- Avian Underdogs – CA
Wildlife Rehabbers That Help Pigeons
- Look at your state’s DEC for list (link to NY’s)
- Wild Bird Fund – NY
- Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Center – NY
Article source:
PETA, (2012), Investigation Exposes Pigeon-Racing Cruelty. https://www.peta.org/features/pigeon-racing-investigation/
Types of Pigeons and Why They Need Rescuing
November 28, 2024
No Comments
How To Catch An Abandoned or Lost Pigeon
June 8, 2023
No Comments
Thank You Craig Newmark Philanthropies!
June 5, 2023
No Comments
Keeping A Pigeon As An Indoor Pet
June 5, 2023
No Comments
Pet or Wild? How To Tell A Domestic vs. Feral Pigeon
April 6, 2023
No Comments
Dove Releases – Beautiful, Breathtaking, and Barbaric
May 24, 2022
No Comments
The post Pigeon Racing From The Perspective Of A Lost Racing Pigeon appeared first on Dreaming of a Chance Bird Sanctuary.
]]>The post Housing For Pigeons – How to Build An Outdoor Pigeon Aviary! appeared first on Dreaming of a Chance Bird Sanctuary.
]]>Housing For Pigeons - How To Build An Outdoor Pigeon Aviary!
If you are thinking about rescuing a pigeon and keeping pigeons as pets, then probably one of the first things that popped into your head is housing for pigeons. Pigeons are pretty easy keepers once you have the right setup and here we are going to show you how to create an outdoor pigeon aviary to do just that.
Space Requirements
At our sanctuary, we aim to give each pigeon about 8-10 square feet of aviary per pigeon. We build our aviaries at 6′ tall as this makes it easier for us to clean the aviary and access it and gives space for plenty of perches and flying space for the pigeons. If you are only looking to kee a few birds, the minimum requirement for an outdoor space for pigeons is a 8′ x 4′ x 6′ tall pigeon aviary. This aviary can house up to 4 pigeons but is needed for minimum roaming space for 2 pigeons as well. If pigeons are outside, you must have at least two.
Predator Proofing Your Aviary
It is very important to predator proof your aviary as pigeons are prey animals to many species. All enclosures should be fully covered in 1/2″ to 1/4″ heavy gauge mesh. The whole aviary meaning roof, sides, the ground, and any gaps need to be coated in that 1/2″ – 1/4″ mesh as they have a lot of predators. No gaps is very important. About 1/2 of this aviary should be shelter with 1/2″ mesh still underneath the plywood sides and roofing panels. We also recommend creating a half wall to prevent harsh winds from hitting the birds in the winter.
Adding Enrichment
Pigeons are extremely intelligent and require tons of enrichment in their enclosures. Great enrichment ideas are perches, a shallow bath tub, toy xylophones, swings, etc. They will need nest boxes regardless of males, females or a male/female pair. It is important to note that freeflying is NOT recommended as it is extremely dangerous to the birds despite if they stay close by to you. Aerial birds of prey kill pigeons who free fly frequently and can within seconds of release.
Types of Pigeon Aviary Materials
Pigeon aviary frames can be constructed easitly using a pressure treated wood frame or a galvanized metal frame. There are many kits that sell galvanized metal frames but beware that you may need to add additional support beams to make it last a long time.
As far as footing goes, we use pine shavings under the shelter portion for soft bedding and pine chips as flooring. Pine chips as flooring are due to accessibility for us as we can replace them easily. Depending on your location, many people like to use cement pavers so they can spray off the pavers with the hose for cleaning (this won’t work in places with cold winters due to it creating ice), others like a dirt floor, and some use laminated flooring. With wood chips, it is important to know which woods are safe for birds as many are not, but we have had great success with wood chips in our aviary.
Types of Pigeons and Why They Need Rescuing
November 28, 2024
No Comments
How To Catch An Abandoned or Lost Pigeon
June 8, 2023
No Comments
Thank You Craig Newmark Philanthropies!
June 5, 2023
No Comments
Keeping A Pigeon As An Indoor Pet
June 5, 2023
No Comments
Pet or Wild? How To Tell A Domestic vs. Feral Pigeon
April 6, 2023
No Comments
Dove Releases – Beautiful, Breathtaking, and Barbaric
May 24, 2022
No Comments
The post Housing For Pigeons – How to Build An Outdoor Pigeon Aviary! appeared first on Dreaming of a Chance Bird Sanctuary.
]]>The post Duck Intelligence appeared first on Dreaming of a Chance Bird Sanctuary.
]]>Intelligence of a Duck
Favorite Colors
Ducks have shown preferences for the colors green and blue meaning that they have favorite colors (2).
Duck Development
Ducks learned to communicate with their young while they are developing in order to try to synchronize development and make sure the young knew their voice when it hatches (2).
Citations:
1.Handwerk, Brian. “Defying Stereotypes, Ducklings Are as Clever as They Are Cute.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 14 July 2016, www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/defying-stereotypes-ducklings-are-clever-they-are-cute-180959806/.
2. Barnes, Amber. “Fun Facts About Ducks.” The Open Sanctuary Project, 23 Dec. 2020, opensanctuary.org/article/fun-facts-about-ducks/.
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]]>Intelligence of a Turkey
Recognition of Geography
Turkeys have the ability to recognize over 1,000 acres of land through its geographic content. Much better than I can do – quite impressive for sure! (1)
Socializing
Turkeys create lasting friendships with one another much like how people create social groups. They are known to be very affectionate to humans as well.
Vocalizations
More than 20 vocalizations have been distinguished in wild turkeys and they can recognize each others voices. (1)
Citations:
1.Girczyc, Christine, and Christine Girczyc. “The Curiosity, Intelligence, and Personality of Turkeys.” Animal Outlook, 18 June 2020, animaloutlook.org/personality-turkeys/.
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]]>Bachelor Flocks 101
What is a Bachelor Flock?
A bachelor flock is a group of roosters happily coexisting with one another in a dedicated living space. These are great for people with too many roosters for their number of hens or individuals looking to rescue roosters.
What are the Requirements?
For it to be successful, there are a few requirements. To start, they cannot see female chickens, they need adequate space, and lots of enrichment. It also helps if you can keep similar mentality breeds with one another.
Space Requirements
We recommend 3-5 square feet of coop space and 30-50 square feet of run space per boy. If they are being kept inside for long periods of time which is not recommended, more coop space is required per boy.
Visual Barrier
If they can see female chickens, the roosters will try to fight over them so it is important that the girls are out of sight. You can do this by creating a visual barrier along the side that is facing the girls or by distancing the enclosure from that of the girls.
Enrichment
Lots of enrichment is always encouraged but is necessary for a bachelor flock. You should have plenty of perches, barriers they can hop over, and hiding places for the boys.
Who Can Join?
Very few types of roosters can’t live happily in a bachelor flock. You can mix sizes of roosters and breeds. We found things were calmer running two flocks with mellower disposition breeds and more dominant breeds however at one point they did co-exist. Rhode Island Reds (RIR) and RIR crosses are the only breed I am aware of that do not do good with other roosters in any setting.
So Does This Actually Work?
It really does work. Not only do the boys live together happily, but some individuals have reported that their roosters were a lot calmer and friendlier after being put in a bachelor flock. We have had great success and are firm believers in it.
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]]>Sexing Pigeons
Sexing pigeons isn’t as easy as it seems. Although the only true way to tell the sex is by DNA testing, behavior can help tell a lot. Below we have some options for sexing your pigeon.
Nesting Behavior
If you have a bonded pair, you may have noticed that one pigeon nests more at night and the other more so during the day. Typically, the male pigeon will sit on the nest during the day and the females will sit on them at night.
Courting
The male pigeons typically show a lot of courting behavior. They may even do this towards humans if there is no other pigeon around. This involves puffing out their chest, making almost a bowing motion, and a lot of times saying “woo, woo, woo”
Egg Laying
If your pigeon is a female, they eventually should start laying eggs and if bonded with you, may expect you to help out with the nesting duties.
DNA Sexing
Feathers can be used to DNA sex pigeons if you want a definitive answer. Behavior is pretty accurate for sexing pigeons, but is not a guarantee. DNA Sexing is the most accurate method.
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