I put Gem outside like I do every morning around 7am.
I was in and out all morning as always.
Around 9:00 I went out and Gem was gone.
He had never taken off before. After he had been gone for about 20 min.
I walked all over looking for him and after an hour Dan and I drove to look for him. We found him at my sons house which is a block and a half away. I don't understand because he had never been there before.

And just when I had started to trust him...JEEZ!

He was just visiting. I am sure he was planning to come back all by himself.

Only one time in 10 years has Mollie nearly given me a heart attack. We have tree shelterbelts lining the road alongside our property. So those trees border one side, the corrals, barn, and shed border 2 others, and then the grain bins border the 4th side. Our house is right in the center, and the pigeons' cage is located in one of the shelterbelts. They NEVER leave the square(ish) area that I just described.

Many years ago Mollie did. It was a really windy day and he pretty much 'blew' over the shelterbelt. On the other side was a corn field, then more fields, and more fields... I ran as fast as I could around the belt but when I got there I couldn't see him anywhere. We looked for a few hours but then it got dark. I was worried sick. The next morning he was strutting around on the sidewalk in front of the house and terrorizing the furred creatures like nothing ever happened.

Don't give up on him Susan- maybe he was just curious! Or maybe he wanted to see how far he could go with you .

Without proper training (racing), Gem will be limited to a five mile radius, rarely going out of that 5 mile limit, UNLESS, there's a female involved...one of the (conditions) I mentioned when folks began there questions about free flying.
Faces, Has Gem met your son?, if so, Gem was visiting and you can expect this often, and or the children, if Gem see's a familiar face, he will stop in to say hi.
Worry, another (condition) that I have spoke about, Your love for Gem is unmatched, as with any child, your motherly ways kicked in and out the door you went, (Gem will never leave you Susan.......Never), This is the hardest part about free flying, the worry, but if you keep in mind what I just said and have always said to you this issue will be easier to deal with.
Love, All forms of life are preprogrammed for mating, This is where a good sized Loft comes into play, if the male finds a female and has plenty to offer her, seed, water, a place to nest and raise there young he will bring her home, the pair will look things over and have a mutual aggreement, but if the female feels there a better place to raise a family (persay her loft) then thats where she will take her mate.
Soooooo wonderful Mother, here's something for you to ponder on, Preditors, Romance, are your only (Main) worries while free flying.
As you know, there is much out there that can be harmful, everything you would worry about when allowing your child freedom applies.
Remember Susan, out of all the Faces learned, even the Freedom to come and go as pleased, will never change Gems love for but one person (YOU).
Peace
Arty

Pigeon Love

Arty, thank you for all your help with these birds!!

It must be a scary feeling to see if leave and not know when he is coming back.

Thank you Gary & Parrot Chatter for allowing the Dove & Pigeon to have there own Forum.
Susan loves her Gem a great deal, the same with Camille and Mira, both have offered there birds of peace free flight, There are many worries that come with this decission, I hope they understand I do walk with them (always).
I can feel Donnas love for Abi.
Heather and her relationship with Mia.
There are risks with free flying, there are worries.
Arty

Arty! I think you are the only man who understands the worries of a mother.
You are truly one of a kind. God bless you!

you are making me second guess my thoughts on free flying now LOLOL


I know I know she needs to be able to do it......

right now Mia is doing great in the house roaming around and comes back to me every time she is asked EXCEPT when my hubby is around..... he tells her she is a pretty chicken and she falls all over him LOLOL She wont leave him no matter what

There are no MUST's Heather, free flying will be totally up to you.
Mia was raised in a cage and in-house, so anything on the other side of the window is pure mystery.
Donna, thanks for the kind words.
The Inca Dove

I keep telling myself..."Arty says Gem will never leave me". I truely believe that but I will still worry. Arty; you always have a way of making this be allright. I feel much better now. Yes, Gem is familiar with all my children and grandchildren. My son is here daily. Their house, as I said is a block and a half away but, as the "Crow" flies, not even the distance of a football field. I was baffled because he just sat on their roof for over an hour and didn't try to come home.