| Author |
Barnyard Buddies:  Anyone have advice for raising pigeons?  |
|
|
FARMALLChick
True Blue Farmgirl
978 Posts
Lora
Alexandria
IN
USA
978 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 08 2013 : 07:45:25 AM
|
Last night, DH and DS went to Strawtown livestock auction DH was looking for rabbits or a goat and other related items. They came home with a rabbit hutch and a mated pair of Helmet Pigeons. I haven't a clue how to care for pigeons. Right now they are staying in the pantry - warm and protected from the other animals in the house in a way-too-small cage until I can get a larger cage. I am hoping to stop by a local flea market on the way home tonight. They had a large bird cage in there earlier this week for $25. I am so hoping it will still be there!
I asked DH why he bought pigeons. He looked at me and said "Ask your son." Apparently, DH was talking to some folks, not paying attention and DS started bidding. Next thing DH knew, DS was tugging on his arm about holding up the bidding number. Luckily, they were only $12.
I had a chat with DS about bidding and bringing home animals that I usually end up caring for. I informed him that if he didn't take care of them properly, they would go back to the auction. He assured me he wouldn't let that happen. We shall see!
"Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway" -John Wayne
www.CountryFriedAcres.etsy.com www.farmallchick.blogspot.com www.farmallchickphotos.blogspot.com |
|
|
crittergranny
True Blue Farmgirl
1096 Posts
Laura
Lindrith
NM
USA
1096 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2013 : 2:25:43 PM
|
My daughter has a couple and one thing is they need flax seed. It is expensive but I guess it's very beneficial to them. They sound really cute. Once they get homed in you may be able to let them out, but hawks love to eat them and they last about half a day here in this area. Not a pigeon around here ever. But there are lots of wild doves. I guess they are smarter.
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CrittergrannysLair
www.creamofthecroptrailrides.webs.com |
 |
|
|
FARMALLChick
True Blue Farmgirl
978 Posts
Lora
Alexandria
IN
USA
978 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2013 : 2:45:06 PM
|
I will definitely get some for them. I was reading about this particular type and it seems they don't have very good homing skills. They are very pretty though! My DH went to the flea market that I was going to stop at this evening and bought the cage. I told him to disinfect it with a bleach solution and set it in front of the fire place to dry. Who knows what in there before! We will probably be making a trip to the pet store tomorrow.
I also contacted a local pigeon person via the National Pigeon Association and she told me that I could feed them layer crumbles with other grains and seeds mixed in. Thank goodness! She also told me about Foy's pigeon supply website.
Another new adventure. I will try to post a picture of them this weekend.
"Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway" -John Wayne
www.CountryFriedAcres.etsy.com www.farmallchick.blogspot.com www.farmallchickphotos.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
crittergranny
True Blue Farmgirl
1096 Posts
Laura
Lindrith
NM
USA
1096 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2013 : 2:52:25 PM
|
My daughter has owl pigeons. They are so cute with a little bow tie on their chest. But they turned out to be 2 males and one picks on the other so she had to separate them. If we can ever get back to the breeders house which is far away she will trade him for a female. The more aggressive one that is. I used to have a spanish dove who was over 20 when I got her and I had her like 10 more years. I think I fed her cockatiel feed but can't remember for sure. I love the sound they make...cooo.
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CrittergrannysLair
www.creamofthecroptrailrides.webs.com |
|
|
|
prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2013 : 3:02:41 PM
|
I used to have a mated pair of doves. They were very prolific. The female laid eggs in her food dish. I found them a new home and kept one of the babies. His name was Ghoster. But he was lonely so I found him a home with a swf. They were white ring-necked doves. Feed stores should have dove/pigeon feed. They're not real smart. But they can be entertaining to observe. And the coo is cute at first but then it gets to be a bit much when you have them in separate rooms. They're devoted to their mates.
Cindy
"Vast floods can't quench love, no matter what love did/ Rivers can't drown love, no matter where love's hid"--Sinead O'Connor
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
FARMALLChick
True Blue Farmgirl
978 Posts
Lora
Alexandria
IN
USA
978 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2013 : 1:18:29 PM
|
We've got them all set up in DS room until we can build a loft this Spring/Summer. Valkrie has laid an egg already, but it broke. Aflac is very protective of Val. I bought a small basket made of pine needles ($1.00) and lined it with dryer lint that I was saving to make fire starters. Val seems to like it. I also installed 2 flat slats for them to sit on since I read that they don't like to hold on to round things like most birds. Weird. They seem happy though. I bought some canary/parakeet feed at Petsmart along with some corn based bedding since we don't subscribe to any newspapers and paper towels will be pricey to use at poop collectors. The canary feed had flax seed, barley, little protein pellets that looked like ice cream sprinkles and a bunch of other seeds. Val likes to be held, but Aflac not so much.
"Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway" -John Wayne
www.CountryFriedAcres.etsy.com www.farmallchick.blogspot.com www.farmallchickphotos.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
FARMALLChick
True Blue Farmgirl
978 Posts
Lora
Alexandria
IN
USA
978 Posts |
|
| |
Barnyard Buddies: Anyone have advice for raising pigeons? |
|
Anyone have advice for raising pigeons?
