Banding a Baby Pigeon - 101

10 Day Old Baby Roller Pigeon

The Band goes on the foot.




Slide it over 3 toes.

The back toe will bend upwards as you slide the band onto the ankle.

This is painless to the baby.

Taa-Daa! Done.

This Little Guy is now Banded for life.
His name is "513".



I mentioned earlier that AJ and Me have 100 Pigeons, well as of 10 days ago we now have 101. We usually do not let the Hens hatch eggs in the winter, but this one sneaked by AJ. The Baby Pigeons grow very fast the first 2 weeks and you must band them at the exact right time. To early and the band falls off, to late and the foot is to big to get the band on. This little Guy was the perfect age and size. Pigeons make me think of the story "The Ugly Duckling". AJ loves every one of his birds and thinks they are beautiful even when they are Babies. He is looking at the Babies through the Eyes Of Love. He can see past the Pin Feathers and tell you what color they will be when grow. When I look at the Babies all I see is featherless chick, a body and beak to big for the head and almost see through skin. But in just a month or more these "Ugly Duckling" Baby Pigeons turn into Beautiful Birds.

My Husband is so dedicated to his Pigeons. He is out in the loft every day feeding and watering them. The waterers are washed clean daily. The droppings are cleaned regularly. He checks the birds to make sure there are no sick ones. He clips toe nails and beaks that grow long and start to curl under. There are large pans of water that are used for regular bathing, that is my favorite thing to watch. They are dusted for lice. This goes on daily, 365 days a year. In the Hottest days and the Coldest days, Aj is out with the Birds. I have gone out to the loft and found AJ inside the pen with Pigeons roosting on his back and on his head as he is cleaning. These are his Pets. We never destroy any bird, unless it is ill beyond repair. We have had birds live to be in their teens.

AJ has had Pigeons since he was a young boy. It is a great Hobby for a young person. It teaches them responsibility and gives them great gratification when they see a Pair of Pigeons, that mate for life, raise a Baby.

Don't forget to feed and water the Wild Birds this winter!