...Pigeon Society...yes...they are very social

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...When I was in grammer school, I decided that I wanted to raise pigeons.  My parents just nodded...I had a habit of announcing a new hobby...and getting into it...and then dropping it after I got what interested me...and finding a new hobby.  I carefully drew up the plans for the coop, and got my Father to drive me to a store, and he bought the wood for me.     He just piled the wood in the back yard, and said, "Go ahead, build your coop."   

I came walking in one afternoon...my head was bleeding...the frame that I thought was steady...had fallen on top of me...   They took me to the hospital, and part of my head was shaved, and I got 7 stitches.     My Father then told me, "Let's build the coop, together."  We did...and it was a very nice one.     It had a large, closed area, where the birds would be safe from the weather, and a large open area, just closed by chicken wire, where the birds could sun themselves, and enjoy warm weather.   

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...I then spent many, very pleasant years, gathering pigeons and caring for them.     I had about 15 at any given time, and they were all named.  I enjoyed opening the door to the coop, and urging them all to leave, and fly, and they would.  I would watch, and they would fly around for about 30 minutes, and then they would land on the roof of the coop, and climb through the 'trap door' to get back into the coop.  I would then close the door to the trap door, and get to what I needed to do in my R/T.   

I had a hen, that I named 'Bandy', because she had an aluminiun band around her left leg...she was a 'racing pigeon'.  She was a mean bitch...she would even fight with the cocks over a pearch...and she staked out a very nice one.  At the lowest end of the society was 'Kiki'...she was a blue bar pigeon...like you see in parks.  I finally had to nail a small triangle of wood far up in the coop...Kiki would sit on it and sleep on it...and the other birds would chase her away when she came to eat...she was always very thin...she just got whatever was left over.   

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...I bought a very nice cock, I named him 'Rusty', because he was all red colored.  He mated with Kiki...and her status REALLY improved!     They staked out two nice pearches, and a nesting box.  They would eat, together, right after I set out the pan, and drink water whenever they wanted.  Kiki got a bit arrogant...I think...when it was very hot...she would go and just sit in the water bowl...and enjoy being cool.  The other birds stayed away from her when she did that...they knew that Rusty would kick their ass if they bothered Kiki.   

And then...Bandy attracted 'Shadow'...

Shadow was a totally black pigeon, Bandy was a blue bar.  Shadow started hanging around with Bandy, when I let my flock fly.  He came into my coop, and I carried him back to the friend that owned him, and said..."I think that Shadow likes Bandy."  He just nodded, and put Shadow back into his coop.

A week later, I had let my flock free to fly, and they had all climbed through the trap door...except Bandy...she was standing on the roof of the coop...looking at the sky.  I followed where she was looking...and IT WAS SHADOW!  He was putting on a performance!!!!!!!!!  He swooped and soared...and Bandy was watching him!!!  He then landed on my coop, and he and Bandy entered.  I went to my friend, and said..."I want to buy Shadow...how much?"  We agreed on $3.75...and Shadow joined my flock. 

[Medi]

...Well...Rusty and Shadow fought over who would be 'King of the Cage'.     I broke up the fights a few times...and they settled down after a while.  They each had a nice nesting box for their mate, and the best perches.  But...they still fought.   

I was unhappy over the situation, and I was unhappy that eggs weren't hatching.  The hens were laying eggs, and sitting on them...but they didn't hatch.  But...one morning...I SAW that eggs can hatch.   

Shadow was standing at one end of the 'sun area'...stooped.  Rusty was standing at the other end, very straight...and at his feet were eggshells!!!  I quickly went into the coop, and Kiki was sitting on two chicks!!!  *JDL*  I guess that Rusty had carried the eggshells out into the sun room...and was telling Shadow..."WHO BE THA MAN!!!"   

So, just an observation from raising pigeons...

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...Next story about damn pigeons...

My little cousins were visiting...and one ran into the House, yelling..."THE PIGEONS ARE KILLING EACH OTHER!!! ...I ran out, and Shadow and Rusty were really into it!     I ran into the coop, and crawled into the 'sun room'...and grabbed Rusty...he was the one that I could grab...and crawled back out.  I held Rusty when I got back out...I was a REAL MESS...pigeon 'stuff' was ALL over me.  I calmed Rusty down, and asked..."What happened?"

Pigeons have a very complex vocal range.  At times, I would stand near the coop, as it got dark, and listen to them sing... ...A cock would start to coo...it was a deep note...held for 4 measures.  Another cock would join, adding a 3rd to the note.     Then, other cocks would join, and then the hens would add their shriller voices.  They would all sing for about 30 minutes...and then go to sleep...I really enjoyed listening to them.   

But, they can also be very rude...

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...My little cousins pointed at Shadow...and said..."He started it...he kept saying..."look at the fool...look at the fool...look at the fool"...and the red one jumped on him."  Shadow was doing his victory dance...and saying..."pookata poo...pookata poo...pookata poo."  I let Rusty go, so he could calm down...and nodded at my cousins, and said..."I have been trying to get Shadow to be more polite."

Again, pigeons have a vocabulary.  They do that long, cooing sound, but they also have their own phrase.  I could sit on our patio, and identify my birds that landed, after hearing them.  The cocks had very loud phrases...pigeons just repeat the same notes over and over again.  The hens had their own phrases...Bandy had a very complex one...I can't express what it sounded like.  I had a pair of 'Runts'...they were beautiful birds...they were HUGE...and jet black.  The male would call out..."when do we eat...when do we eat...when do we eat."  I would shout back..."After I finish mowing the lawn!!!!!!!!!!!"

So, just raising pigeons...

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...Okay...a colorful story...how pigeons 'do it'...

Pigeons mate for life, and are devoted to each other once they companion.     They stake out perches, and nesting boxes...and the cock will defend the hen if she is attacked.  And, they have a very elaborate foreplay.     The hen stands in one spot, and doesn't move, and watches the cock.  He circles around her, repeating his 'phrase'...and then quickly walks towards her...stooped down...all puffed up...and his wings slightly spread...emitting a complex coo.  She just looks at him...and he walks away...circles again...and then woos her again.     This goes on for about 5-10 minutes...and then the hen crouches down, and spreads her wings...and the cock jumps on her back...and well...it happens.   

The cock then proudly walks around the hen...and she will crouch down...and run up to him...her wings slightly spread...and he ignores her...and keeps strutting...and she keeps running up to him.     After they finish their dance, they just do what pigeons do.

Once...the courtship was delayed...his hen was saying..."Not now...I have a headache...or...I am not in the mood"   She just stood there...and wouldn't crouch down.  The cock got frustrated after dancing for almost 20 minutes.  He spotted another hen, and walked over to her, and started his dance.    His hen watched for about a minute, and then ran in, and pecked and chased the other hen away.    She then let him dance for her for a couple minutes...and then crouched down.  *JDL*

Chickens are different.  When I was coaching the 4-H chicken project, my kids were standing around my coop, and I was explaining how to care for them.  A cock walked up to a hen, and grabbed her neck in his beak, and threw her to the ground, and jumped on top of her...and then let her go.  A kid asked..."What happened?"...and I just smiled and said..."That was 'chicken romance'.