Racing Pigeon

tmarr · Jul 17, 2015

Hi there, I have a racing pigeon staying in my shed, with my hens and ducks. It is happy enough eating and drinking well but doesn't seem able to fly very far. It will hop about and fly onto the roof of the shed but that's about it. I'm going to try and catch it to check it's rings but I'm a bit worried as I read some owners cull them if it doesn't return in a reasonable time period,

is this true? Also anyone any ideas what type it is?

laughingdog · Jul 17, 2015

Its shape doesn't look pure racer if is.. maybe homer or roller homer mix, as had homers that had had roller mixed in for color by breeder.
all racers are homers, they're just faster and better hopefully.

jak2002003 · Jul 20, 2015

tmarr said:
Hi there, I have a racing pigeon staying in my shed, with my hens and ducks. It is happy enough eating and drinking well but doesn't seem able to fly very far. It will hop about and fly onto the roof of the shed but that's about it. I'm going to try and catch it to check it's rings but I'm a bit worried as I read some owners cull them if it doesn't return in a reasonable time period, is this true? Also anyone any ideas what type it is?

What a cute bird.

Most owners will not cull them if they are late back... but they may after its late back several times.

You may find once it gets its strength back it will fly back home on its own. Most do that. If you are worried you can always ask the owner via the pigeon club if he will cull it.. and if he will he probably will let you keep it. Its better to tell the owner you have it... as he may be really missing it... some of their birds are real pets... but other people don't really care about them like that.

laughingdog · Oct 23, 2015

Well explained jak

sourland · Oct 28, 2015

I live along a East/West flight pattern for Eastern seaboard pigeon fliers. In my 50 years at this location I have rehabilitated several dozen homers. Several from our local feed mill and others from animal control. I have managed to track down most of the owners through the association bands on the birds. One flier wanted the bird back, and wanted it back urgently. The next morning we met and he told me that this bird and its sibling/nest mate had flown 5 young bird races and finished first and second in the first four. Come race five and only a small percentage of birds finished the race - reason? After thanking me he commented, "I hope that someone like you finds his sister." All others have said, "Keep the bird." Most make no excuses for birds that do not make it home.