These two 💜
Splay and Pipin who were my first ever pigeons I ever had, splay had his leg amputated and Pipin had a tumour on her back which was removed, but since the she’s not been able to walk (very well).
They both paired up after a few weeks, both were babies at the time , but as soon as they reached maturity they paired up.
They both live in my lounge as pipin is too delicate for the aviary, I have some very boisterous boys in there who like to shout and start unnecessary fights, so Pipin and Splay haven’t ever fitted in.
During the day they go in my kitchen, so splay can have a good fly around and at night they just head behind my sofa to ‘nest’. They have both been ‘nesting’ for months now, but Pipin can’t lay eggs due to her disabilities, so every day is nest day for them. 😅
Trying to watch TV or relax at night is a no-go, they spend hours behind the sofa finding the perfect spot to nest and shout about it - which they do every single night.
Two happy birdies who have had a second chance at life 💜
Happy Sunday 💜 from these happy pidges 🐦
It’s been a very busy day here, lots of cleaning (3 aviaries) and an enclosure being built. A nice productive day ☺️
I released 4 babies this week, I didn’t get the other 2 of film, it happened way too quick.
But the guys in this video (and I will post a second clip in the comments of them both flying around), are PP (Peter peas) and Fletch.
It’s hard to see who is who, but I ‘think’ Fletch went first , as PP had a bit of a battered tail from throwing himself at the avairy as he was ready to go a couple of weeks back 💜
I decided against releasing the other 3 babies as I didn’t feel they were ready - 2 were the youngest and one is a bit too tame for my liking (was hand raised from 5ish days old and had a broken leg and foot, so was inside for quiet a while prior to going in the aviary, he’s not tame, but not scared of me either, so needs a little longer to wild up).
Amber Hill Kelly de Souza
The woodies cage cleaning day today 💜
It’s always a big task as I have to catch all the woodies and bring them inside , as wood pigeons are extremely nervous / flighty compared to feral pigeons and just walking in to the aviary they get stressed…
Things have been moved around and added, so they’re a little bewildered at the minute, I’ve added some more branches & ramps & a new box, so it will take them a little while to get used to the new set up.
The ferals couldn’t care less and enjoyed ‘helping’ with the clean 😅
I’ve got a few more Woodies to put in here, they’re in rehabilitation at the minute with various issues, so once fit enough they’ll join this gang.
💜
The last one of my baby gulls released, back in to the wild…and what a lovely place it is.
There were flocks of gulls on the sand in the distance, who he headed straight to.🥰
I couldn’t believe how amazing that first flight was, what a strong little guy.
Good luck baby 🌊💜
Update on the tiny tot who was brought to me last night.
He’s going strong this morning, although I’m still not 100% happy with his breathing, but he’s emptied his crop, done lots of poops and was screaming for food early hours this morning.
(I didn’t go to sleep last night, I worry far too much about these birds 🙈).
So I put him with a broody couple who have laid 4 sets of eggs so far, I have had to swap them for fake eggs as I’d be over run with babies…
Buddy the mum, has taken to him immediately and gave him his first feed… she was a little confused to start with and pecked him, then heard him squeak so followed that up by feeding him 💜
Pegs , the husband was on patrol straight away , shouting at anyone who was even looking in the direction of his little family.
Aren’t pigeons just INCREDIBLE?! 🥰
He will be brought up better with them due to being brought up on crop milk.
It’s a substance made in the male and females crop, that has all the vital nutrients , fats and proteins a baby pigeon needs to thrive.
It’s the consistency of cottage cheese, the parents regurgitate it up to the throat where the baby puts his beak in to and eats it from the throat.
They are on this for 7-10 days ish, then parents add seeds to the milk and eventually wean the baby off of the milk completely.
Once they fledge the nest and able to walk around, parents will show them how to forage for food until they are ready to start fending for themselves independently.
I will keep a close eye on him throughout the day and keep an eye on his breathing / health.
Good luck little one 💜🥰🐦
P.S , Pegs decided to build a nest on the floor in the corner, once his first lot of eggs didn’t ‘hatch’ due to them being fake, he moved out of his nesting box and made another nest hoping it would be better, bless him. His move has paid off and his wife is very happy with it 💜
Don’t often post about my free - flyers.
But here’s some of them “helping” / in my way trying to clean their boxes out 😅
They’re stunning birds 💜
Fatima hates sharing ‘her’ greens.. which are meant for everyone 😅 🥬 🐦
Did you know greens, such as lettuce, cabbage, leaves, shoots etc and fruit / berries, makes up the majority of a wood pigeons diet?
Although they like to eat seed, having it as a staple diet in captivity isn’t too natural or healthy for them.
They eat a huge variety of food in the wild so it’s important to offer them this in captivity.
All the pigeons I rehabilitate get a selection of greens through the week, even ‘ferals & ex racing pigeons’ love it - as you can tell by this video 🐦
And it’s our responsibility to give these birds what they require for them to be fit and healthy and what is natural for them 💜
My little Splay is such a good *fake egg* dad 💜
Even though he sometimes forgets to sit on them (rarely actually sits on them lol).
He’s made a perfect little nest and is very proud of it 🐦💜
A windy Saturday 💨 🐦
I’ve put a few of the babies out today, once they mature a bit more they’ll move from the disableds avairy to the free-flying aviary next door.
Everyone’s happy (apart from Tonguey the white pidge!!!).
😊
💜
These two make me laugh 😂
“Splay” and “Pippin” were both my first ever feral pigeons I had in my care, they came together, Splay had severe splayed legs, so he couldn’t walk and Pippin developed a large tumour, once removed she’s never really been the same since (just very laid back and doesn’t like flying).
So I’ve got them both for life.
Splay spent the first 2 months of his life as a house pigeon, he wore a little pigeon nappy and spent his time with me wherever I went, as he couldn’t walk at all due to his legs.
After a few weeks of trying to correct his legs, I made the decision to have his worst leg amputated.
He recovered amazingly and gets around just fine with 1 leg.
Splay bonded with me and I was basically his ‘human mate’, but in the meantime he also paired up with Pippin, they’ve been a bonded pair for around 8 months now… but when I’m around, unfortunately Pippin is second best and she gets very jealous and likes to attack me (although she’s the sweetest little thing and always flies to me / on me and likes a cuddle when she’s in the right mood… she’s got 2 completely different sides to her 🙈).
Splay gets a bit confused by the whole thing, sometimes attacks me, sometimes protects me, sometimes wants a cuddle, sometimes just shouts at me… depends how he’s feeling on the day too 😅
So this video is a perfect representation of our complicated little love triangle 😂🐦🐦🐦
Fatima the fabulous ’helper’. 😅
I’m adding bits and bobs to my disabled woodies aviary and Fatima always has to be centre of attention… 💁🏼♀️😂
She’s been living with my other woodies for a few weeks now - after being moved from my other aviary… and she is making it ABSOLUTELY CLEAR, every day, that she does not want to be a pigeon and does not want to ’wild up’. 😂
I’m still her ‘mate’ and she shouts at me through the window, avoiding all the other woodies at all costs 🙈
Unfortunately, I think little Miss Fatima will be with me for a very long time, she was in a cage with someone for her first 6 months of life and she’s been with me for 8 months, so she’s known no different than to be slightly domesticated, which I obviously didn’t want, but it’s incredibly difficult to get her to show interest in other pigeons and to learn from them.
One day she might decide she wants to pair up with another woodie and realise she’s a pigeon & not a human, but for now, this is how it is and I’m absolutely fine with that, as long as she’s happy 💜
Weaning this little terror on to seeds 😆
He’s so funny , I’ve only had him 2 weeks, he’s gone from a little baldy to this in such a short time 💜
He’s around 3-4 weeks old now.
I’m not forcing his mouth open, Incase anyone thinks I am, it’s how baby birds ask for food. when he gapes I just shove his head in the pot and he basically thinks I’m ‘feeding’ him 😂
