the wild pigeons of Salisbury beach part 41

I can't help but think of Mitt Romney when I saw this photo.
* For those of you who do not know what I am referring to, there was a story going around (and Mitt doesn't deny it) that he strapped his dog in a crate on top of his station wagon for a ride claiming "the dog liked it".
Dog lovers and animal rights folks were in a major tizzy over this.
I must say, I get the chills seeing this 1970's photo as a way of transporting birds.




I thought this photo ws kind of cute. My pigeon always climbs up my arm and likes to sit on my shoulder.





OK this photo is gross.
He is letting the pigeon pick corn out of his teeth.
It is really gross (and unhealthy)for the pigeon. The human mouth is a nasty cess pool of bacteria.



I had been trying to find books at the library on pigeons. Unfortunately, all the books I've checked out on pigeons are severely antiquated.

*The above photos I scanned from the book "How to Raise and Train Pigeons" by William H Allen published in 1972.

I thought I may get some 'old fashion' advice, at least, in some of these books. However, most of these book really reflect just the 'sign of the times".
One book I read that was written for the Boy Scouts in the late 60's recommended "spraying your pigeons with DDT if they had feather lice."
DDT!
Oh my F* God!

Believe it or not, there isn't a lot of books out on the market on caring for and raising pigeons.

I stuck gold when I found "The flying vet pigeon health & management" book. It was published in Australia in 2000.

So far, my little pigeon seems to be doing A-OK.
Saturday night he had a coughing fit and expelled a blob of mucus. He did this after he demanded that I hand feed him. I've concluded, since his tests all came up clean, that he gobbles this food down causing himself to choke. He should have been weaned weeks ago but he chase me down, hitting me with his wings and squawks for his "bottle". He knows how to eat from a cup because I've seen him do it. He will stop if he sees me watching him.

On sunday, I had to practice "tough love" and NOT hand feed him no matter how much he begged. I would know if he ate sufficiently by the amount of poops he dropped.
He dropped plenty of poops so he WAS eating on his own.
So far, he hasn't had any coughing fits and he doesn't appear to be starving.
He continues to follow me around the house and sit by my feet like a dog.
He likes his casserole dish/bath tub. I leave that on the floor next to the french door. He hops it and splashes around in delight. He can bath himself now.
My cockatiels and budgies have gotten used to him. They don't seem to be a afraid of him any more. "Fresh baby" (my Paris Hilton look-a-like) will lift her wings, rock back and forth as if to say "I'm the pretty girl around here STILL!"

Yes, I am the crazy bird lady your mother warned you about!