Also, pigeon pose makes my dang knee hurt.
Which knee?
If it's the front knee, you can work your way up to full pigeon by letting your leg unbend enough so you're not sitting on your ankle. This will probably require having your front leg parallel to your body, as in half-lotus. Don't push that foot around and under your body until it's ready. If this is where you are already, and the pain is in the sides of your knee (rather than under the kneecap), you can alleviate it by putting a yoga brick or a rolled blanket under your pelvis to lift your body off the floor a few inches.
I'm taking a "gentle yoga" class right now and my teacher is big on using props and giving modifications to suit the challenges of individual bodies (and their internal inconsistencies). I, for one, can do reclined goddess all day and night, but my hamstrings are so tight I have to use bricks under my hands to do a standard forward bend.
And don't even talk to me about lunges.