surfer_chicken Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 A pigeon was sitting on my neighbours doorstep this afternoon and didn't even move when they were walking in and out of the house. I was worried he was injured so I went around and picked him up- so tame! I noticed he had a ring on so I typed in the number and he's a racing pigeon. Poor little guy is exhausted! He's now living in a cat carrier with water and mixed corn and I've emailed someone to contact his owner. So he'll either get collected or fly home himself when he's regained his strength. I don't want to give him back though- he's so sweet and tame. I didn't realise how soft pigeons were. (Keeping him away from the chooks encase of disease though). Otherwise I'm loving the new edition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 If you feed and water him for a day or 2 he should be happy to continue his journey home. He will no doubt have an owner waiting for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Oh my goodness - it must have been the day for them, as we also got a lost racing pigeon yesterday!!! Not from Ireland is he like ours? Percy's leg ring starts with IHU. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellekatz Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Emma you can't have given him a name already!! Does seem to have been the day yesterday , maybe all the thunder storms around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfer_chicken Posted July 2, 2011 Author Share Posted July 2, 2011 I know I said I was loving the new addition but... Our lost pigeon won't leave! He's been here for four or five days now and has been out during the day since Thursday. He disappears in the morning when I let him out, then can be seen hanging around the garden after midday and tries to snuggle up next to my amber star, Lily, in the evening (who I can assure you expresses her displeasure and he has lost a few feathers to her ) He's currently hanging around on the patio getting ready to pack himself off to bed. I hoped he would take himself home by now, and I can't contact his local union until Monday, and on top of that I've heard horror stories of what could happen to him for "failing". Any tips? My OH is already calling him Raymond despite me specifically telling him not to as I don't want to get too attached (realistically we can't keep him long term) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 Our Percy left on Friday. As we hadn't anything back from the Irish Union & because of the horror stories ( which are true) - we opened his cat carrier. He was actually a bit restless that morning. He hung around the garden for hours testing his wings. Then eventually flew on the eglu, onto the decking rail, onto the shed roof & off. Hubby was upset - he'd been making plans to buy a dove cote! We have now decided we would like a few pigeons / doves in a dove cote, on our smallholding. My sister once had a racing pigeon that hung round for 3 weeks before flying off.. so persevere with him for a bit longer! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfer_chicken Posted July 3, 2011 Author Share Posted July 3, 2011 I thought he'd gone last night! He hung around looking like he was coming back to the carrier to sleep and then disappeared. He just swept past the window now though, and is back on his normal perch on the neighbour's roof I'll persevere then. It's difficult leaving him out food though, as I've been using the chicken's mixed corn, which is their treat, so eventually they find it and decide they've hit the jackpot And we're also thinking Raymond might be a girl as the local wood pigeons have been putting on some lovely dances for her Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Years ago I had a racer that lived with us at the surgery where I worked. We used to have quite a few lost ones brought in.In all that time all the owners bar one were not interested in making arrangements for the birds' return. The reason being that once a bird has been blown off course and has become lost it will not home again. I once had the same bird brought in twice after I had liberated it into the park where lots of tourists fed the pigeons. The last time I took him back I took his ring off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
