My grandads old pigeons!!!

doo · March 1, 2008

Oh dear Chicken Legs seems to have all the feathers pecked away from the back of his neck. I've only noticed as he leans in to eat his food. Think the Big Blackie is pickin on him. Should I be worried or do they fight quite alot?

Global girl I think you will find that chicken legs might be a hen bird & that the big black one is acock & he maybe driving her till she lays an egg, they do this so no other cocks don't tred their hen & some cocks can be pretty hard on their hens, min at 17 yrs old she will struggle to lay eggs I fear you couls buy some pot eggs (fake pigeon eggs) & see if she will sit them, if she does the cock should calm down.

I maybe totally wrong but it's worth a try....I would also use redband & peanuts but only peanuts that are fit or human consumption & the smaller the better health food shops should have these

globalgirl · March 1, 2008

Hi Steve and Sam Thanks for your reply. I'll def try that but Blackie only seems to pick on chicken legs when he/she?!?!?! is trying to eat. It doesnt matter how many different pots of food i put in there Blackie just would not let Chicken legs eat. Which is why I separated them. I've been speaking to my mum and have decided to buy a much bigger shed to put at the bottom of the garden so they can all be together but I can fence off one side if they start fighting. They dont go out any more as they are so old and I'd like them to have more room. We now think that we might keep old one eye seperate as she is so very old and nervy as she only has the one eye (hence her name ;D) and even chicken legs that was being bullied himself is now dive bombing poor old one eye. Then she gets all jumpy and flies into the shed wall cos she cant see where she's going!! I never realised pigeons were such bullies!!! I had one eye on her own for a little while and she seemed quite happy by herself. I dont know how you guys cope with lots of pigeons I'm struggling to get 4 of em to get on with eachother. Think I'm a bit too soft!!!!

globalgirl · April 2, 2008

Hi guys

Well I'm having a right old time with my 4 pigeons!!!! :-/

At the moment I have Blackie in one shed, Drop Wing in another and Chicken Legs and One eye in another. They at last are all not fighting eachother but I'm worried about the two on their own being lonely. I tried to put Drop Wing back in with Blackie but he nearly killed him!!! Do you think it cruel having them on their own? When I cleaned out Blackie he was really freaked out which doesn't normally happen. Mind you there are so many cats around here whihc I keep chasing away but it must be quite scary. I'm gonna buy a new big shed for them and am hoping that I can partition off the shed and put old One Eye and Chicken Legs in one side and Blacie and Drop Wing in the other. Do you think if I put them into a new shed together Blackie might not be so terratorial?? Still haven't had the guts to clip em but my friend is gonna ask her friend who has pigeons to come an do it so fingers or claws crossed ;D :K)

pjc · April 2, 2008

If you put them into a new shed they will still be teritorial, the problem is only being one other bird in the section he is going to pick on that. If there were more then he would have less chance to be dominant and wouldn't keep picking on the same one!

Phil

globalgirl · April 22, 2008

Hi Phil

Thanks for your reply. Am still quite worried about them. Drop wing just either lays on the floor or on his perch and doesn't seem that active. Blackie hasa lost alot of weight and Chicken Legs has def lost his sparkle. I just dont know what to do for the best. Is it normal for them to lay down alot. Do they need mates? Am I gonna upset them if I move them again? Can you recommend a good web site anybody so I can try to learn a bit more about them. I just want them all to be comfortable and happy xx :'(