Rescued Pigeons swapping nests

Cynthia wrote:

:Need some help

Mini Pidge, one of John's PMV survivors has been a single Mum for some time now. We think that she thinks that Kermit is her mate, but he has never taken his turn at egg sitting, because his real mate is Glory, so that is a job that poor Mini does alone.

Today I noticed a large glossy male pigeon sitting on her eggs, looking as pleased as punch. He is Oily Ollie, whose mate Juvie died last summer.

Great! I thought, they have found each other...but no, Ollie has found the eggs and considers them his own, he won't let Mini near them. I picked him off the nest, but he hurried back and gently drew the eggs under his chest. In the meantime Mini is so distressed that she has started spinning.

What do I do???

Cynthia wrote:

Crisis over!!! Or at least I hope it is.

Mini's nest is a plant pot, so I got an identical one, put it as close to hers as I could get it, put two eggs on it and then put Ollie on the eggs. So far, he seems content. Mini is back on her nest...but the pot I gave Ollie is one used by Cilla and Griffy, so I had to find them a new pot!

I hope so too, Cynthia.
Please keep us posted.

I've added pictures to the first two posts.

Cynthia wrote:

I've added pictures to the first two posts.

Thanks for posting the pictures.
The pots are nests.

I tell you...this could be a TV drama!

Oh, I give up!

Although Ollie settled quite happily on Nest # 2, whenever we checked him he was back on Nest # 1.

Then I noticed that sometimes Ollie was on Nest #1, other times it was Mini Pidge, so I thought that they might have worked out a routine, but then I noticed Mini was sitting on Nest #2 while Ollie was on Nest #1.

Today I noticed a wet Ollie standing near the nests, no sign of Mini ...but Kermit was caring for the eggs in Nest#1...back home from lunch with my brother I found Ollie on Nest#1, Mini on Nest#2 and presumably Kermit was back on the nest that he shares with Glory.

They are all probably just as confused as I am!

Cynthia

I look forward to seeing this game of 'musical nests' next weekend

Too funny! As long as they are occupied.

Quote :

Too funny! As long as they are occupied

What I love about our pigeons is that although they are "caged", they are always busy doing something: twigging, mating, egg sitting, eating, showing off, flirting, bathing, showering, sun bathing, preening, challenging, displaying, flirting.... The saddest thing I have seen is rows of pigeons on the floor of an aviary, doing absolutely nothing!

Cynthia

Mine are always busy too although there are those few that mostly supervise.

Quote :

What I love about our pigeons is that although they are "caged", they are always busy doing something: twigging, mating, egg sitting, eating, showing off, flirting, bathing, showering, sun bathing, preening, challenging, displaying, flirting.... The saddest thing I have seen is rows of pigeons on the floor of an aviary, doing absolutely nothing!

Cynthia

I've thought the same thing many times. Except when napping my birds are never still. I remember watching a video on YouTube a while ago. There was about 30 or so fantail pigeons. They stood on the floor of the loft 6 or so inches from each other. And just stood there. I then realized they just stood there because there was nothing else for them to do. There were no perches, no nest boxes, no food, no baths, nothing. Just a bare room. It was like a prison cell. I found it very disturbing. :For Shame:

Yes, it is very disturbing.

Cynthia wrote:

Oh, I give up!

Although Ollie settled quite happily on Nest # 2, whenever we checked him he was back on Nest # 1.

Cynthia

I'm kind of having the same problem, Cynthia.

Since I moved the aviary out to the patio, Malio and Sadie feel they can hoard in on Mikko, Pij'ette and Samantha. I found Mikko and Sam on the ground looking up at their 'space' watching Sadie getting nestled in Sam's basket.

After spending the night in the 'motel' I let them out only to find them back at Mikko's place starting all over again.

They thing is, neither Mikko, Pij'ette nor Sam have ever caused trouble. In fact, they very rarely leave their area.

They only started doing this since I moved the aviary. Everything was put back exactly how it was.

They're back in the motel and I'm at my wits end.

Cindy

Jenaka wrote:

I remember watching a video on YouTube a while ago. There was about 30 or so fantail pigeons. They stood on the floor of the loft 6 or so inches from each other. And just stood there. I then realized they just stood there because there was nothing else for them to do. There were no perches, no nest boxes, no food, no baths, nothing. Just a bare room. It was like a prison cell. I found it very disturbing. :For Shame:

Makes one want to cry.

As far as I'm concerned, that's flat out abuse in my book.

This post is too much. LOL. Just reading it, I feel worn out. Pigeons sure do keep one busy. Always something going on. What did we do before we had them. Oh ya, probably the housework that never seems to get caught up now. Too funny!

Quote :

What did we do before we had them. Oh ya, probably the housework that never seems to get caught up now.

I'm glad I'm not alone in that!

Cynthia

NiteOwl wrote:

This post is too much. LOL. Just reading it, I feel worn out. Pigeons sure do keep one busy. Always something going on.

What did we do before we had them. Oh ya, probably the housework that never seems to get caught up now. Too funny!

So true!

Cindy, have things gotten any better with Malio and Sadie? I have a problem bird right now, and am trying different things with him. Maybe they are just tired of their own place and need a change. So that's the change they have chosen. Maybe if you could set up a new place somewhere, they might take that over. On occasion, one of mine, usually Sammy, decides that he wants to try a new spot. I have found them in the weirdest places. He hides so well, that I have freaked out, thinking they had somehow gotten out of the loft, as I couldn't find them! I bet if they had a new place to take over, they would leave the others space alone.
Sammy even built a nest in a bag of pine needles that I had tucked away. It was funny. He made a little bowl in the needles, and scoffed up every ones moulted feathers and added them to it.

NiteOwl wrote:

Cindy, have things gotten any better with Malio and Sadie? I have a problem bird right now, and am trying different things with him. Maybe they are just tired of their own place and need a change. So that's the change they have chosen. Maybe if you could set up a new place somewhere, they might take that over. On occasion, one of mine, usually Sammy, decides that he wants to try a new spot. I have found them in the weirdest places. He hides so well, that I have freaked out, thinking they had somehow gotten out of the loft, as I couldn't find them! I bet if they had a new place to take over, they would leave the others space alone.
Sammy even built a nest in a bag of pine needles that I had tucked away. It was funny. He made a little bowl in the needles, and scoffed up every ones moulted feathers and added them to it.

Picture please!

NiteOwl wrote:

* Cindy, have things gotten any better with Malio and Sadie?

I have a problem bird right now, and am trying different things with him.

** Maybe they are just tired of their own place and need a change.
So that's the change they have chosen.

*** Maybe if you could set up a new place somewhere, they might take that over.

Sammy even built a nest in a bag of pine needles that I had tucked away. It was funny. He made a little bowl in the needles, and scoffed up every ones moulted feathers and added them to it.

* I appreciate you asking. Sadly no, things haven't changed.
It seems to be Malio and Dolly who are the trouble makers. :For Shame:

** I thought about that.
The thing is, Mikko, Pij'ette and Sam are perfectly content with their area and have NEVER bothered any of the other birds or gone to Malio or Dolly's area. Malio and Dolly, on the other hand, both want Mikko's space. It just wouldn't be fair to up root Mikko, Pij'ette and Sam.

*** There are only three corners in the aviary where these guys can nest. If I had a loft of sorts, it would be a different situation. They could easily go find another nesting area.

Right now Mailio and Dolly are 'vacationing' (each in separate cages) and everything is dandy in the aviary. Their respective mates, Sadie and Dumpling are behaving themselves just fine.

[quote="Fancyfeathers"]

NiteOwl wrote:

[b]*:

** I thought about that.
The thing is, Mikko, Pij'ette and Sam are perfectly content with their area and have NEVER bothered any of the other birds or gone to Malio or Dolly's area. Malio and Dolly, on the other hand, both want Mikko's space. It just wouldn't be fair to up root Mikko, Pij'ette and Sam.

*** There are only three corners in the aviary where these guys can nest. If I had a loft of sorts, it would be a different situation. They could easily go find another nesting area.

Right now Mailio and Dolly are 'vacationing' (each in separate cages) and everything is dandy in the aviary. Their respective mates, Sadie and Dumpling are behaving themselves just fine.

What I meant, wasn't to uproot Mikko, Pij'ette and Sam. I meant that the two trouble makers might go to a new place if there was one. I know what you mean about not enough room. In my loft, there are so many large windows that it doesn't leave me a lot of wall space when I want to add something. Maybe there is another place that you just haven't thought ofto add a nest. The two trouble makers would probably fight over it I'm having a bit of trouble with Mica, as he likes to guard everything in the loft. He'll settle down eventually I'm sure. If one thing doesn't work, another will. I'm trying to figure it out. I'm hoping he will get better as he matures. If not, I'll just remove him from the loft for a while, let the others relax, and by the time I bring him back, he'll have lost his pecking order. I know something will work. I'm stronger and more stubborn than he is. LOL.

Matilda wrote:

NiteOwl wrote:

Cindy, have things gotten any better with Malio and Sadie? I have a problem bird right now, and am trying different things with him. Maybe they are just tired of their own place and need a change. So that's the change they have chosen. Maybe if you could set up a new place somewhere, they might take that over. On occasion, one of mine, usually Sammy, decides that he wants to try a new spot. I have found them in the weirdest places. He hides so well, that I have freaked out, thinking they had somehow gotten out of the loft, as I couldn't find them! I bet if they had a new place to take over, they would leave the others space alone.
Sammy even built a nest in a bag of pine needles that I had tucked away. It was funny. He made a little bowl in the needles, and scoffed up every ones moulted feathers and added them to it.

Picture please!

Okay Charis, here's a picture of Sammy's "NEST IN A BAG". I went to get some pine needles out of the bag. There was only a very small hole in the bag, I had to tear it open. But Sammy got in somehow, and this is what I found.


He's a very odd little guy. He always choses out of the way places so you can't get to them. Maybe he's just very smart. If I can't get to it, or find it, I can't change out the eggs. LOL. Right now, he's out there starting a nest in the handicapped box with a ramp that was originally for Cricket who can't fly. But she has taken over a box one row up, with the help of perches and shelves to be able to hop up to it. My birds are all crazy! However there is a good chance that they got that way living with me.

"However there is a good chance that they got that way living with me. "


Ya think?!