American Fantail questions?

BackyardFarmer4 · Mar 8, 2016

Ok so i just acquired 2 pairs of fantails. 1 pair looks like a regular pigeon with a fantail and the other pair has there heads really far back. i wanted to know if the pair with there heads really far back could breed? Will there be any problems with there heads being so far back? Can they feed there babies? Can they fly around my yard or can they even fly? (im not worried about hawks) Can they breed with other fantails that don't have their heads far back? Thanks in Advance! -Dawson

Hokum Coco · Mar 8, 2016

BackyardFarmer4 said:
Ok so i just acquired 2 pairs of fantails. 1 pair looks like a regular pigeon with a fantail (Most likely a cross or an Indian fantail) and the other pair has there heads really far back (American Fantail those are the features they were bred for to attain.) i wanted to know if the pair with there heads really far back could breed? Yes Will there be any problems with there heads being so far back? No Can they feed there babies? Yes Can they fly around my yard or can they even fly? Not very well and should never be released out of view of the loft as a rule as you may loose them. (im not worried about hawks) Can they breed with other fantails that don't have their heads far back? Yes even a regular sidewalk pigeon for that matter. Thanks in Advance! -Dawson

Fantails are mainly used as drop birds to entice Homing or Racing pigeons to trap into the loft faster. The Indian fantails are the better fliers of the two breeds (they can not compare to even a poor homing pigeon however.) Sometimes (not always) the males have a hard time copulating with the females to fertilize the eggs.
When this happens some fanciers remove feathers from around the birds anus to encourage a more successful mating.

Champion Indian fantail

Champion American fantail.

nchls school · Mar 8, 2016

BackyardFarmer4 said:
Ok so i just acquired 2 pairs of fantails. 1 pair looks like a regular pigeon with a fantail If there is a tuft on the head they are Indian fantails. and the other pair has there heads really far back. Regular fantails. i wanted to know if the pair with there heads really far back could breed? Yes. Will there be any problems with there heads being so far back? It is normal for the breed.Can they feed there babies?Yes. Can they fly around my yard or can they even fly? Yes to both questions, but they are not strong fliers like many other breeds. (im not worried about hawks) Fantails will not allude hawks so if you have hawks about keep the fantails penned Can they breed with other fantails that don't have their heads far back? All domestic pigeon breeds can cross.Thanks in Advance! -Dawson

I prefer the Indian fantails with their more normal posture, Indian fantails are less nervous (shaky). These are Indian fantails. The picture is from yahoo images.

ChickenHermit · Mar 8, 2016

When I had american fans, they were pretty good parents (no problems with feeding). However, because of the weird posture, their balance wasn't fantastic. They were's very good fliers either, and tended to hang out on the ground a lot. All this led to them getting picked on a fair bit by our other breeds.

BackyardFarmer4 · Mar 9, 2016

Ya. i heard that sometimes the tails need trimming and the fuff around the vent. So the heads wont be a big issue?

ChickenHermit · Mar 9, 2016

Nope! Just lousy balance and sometimes getting picked on. Other than that, we had no issues with them. They can be sweet and often made good pets.

AZbirddad · Apr 12, 2016

Fantails are fun birds people love to look at them mostly the kids. One thing I found is if you have other breeds or birds separate them untell you know thay have did the one mate thing. Sometimes clipping helps. Even the tail, wing ends and around vent. Thanks

jak2002003 · Apr 15, 2016

Fantails make wonderful pet pigeons... they are very gently and placid.. and tame really easily.

They are also prolific breeders and usually not aggressive to each other or other birds nests and young.

I don't like the show quality ones, however, with they heads so far back and weird posture. They look deformed to me. My birds are normal fantails.. just bred for dovecotes and gardens. They have more normal posture, but still have the fantail. Also no feathers on the legs or feet... I don't like that either as they get dirty! They are good at flying too, with the more natural shape... although they tend to fly to and from things.. like from the ground to the house roof and back.. rather than doing long circles high in the air.

appps · Apr 22, 2016

BackyardFarmer4 said:
Ok so i just acquired 2 pairs of fantails. 1 pair looks like a regular pigeon with a fantail and the other pair has there heads really far back. i wanted to know if the pair with there heads really far back could breed? Will there be any problems with there heads being so far back? Can they feed there babies? Can they fly around my yard or can they even fly? (im not worried about hawks) Can they breed with other fantails that don't have their heads far back? Thanks in Advance! -Dawson

My American fantails came from a show breeder. He trims the side feathers on their tails to help them breed. He doesn't use them as parents either, he uses regular pigeons as foster parents because he has a much higher success rate. Recently though we ended up with a baby from a pair of untrimmed birds and they raised it themselves after a little bit of a slow start so it can be done, was the first time a pair had succeeded in hatching an egg in four years though. The head is back but they can put it forward when needed.

One of these escaped and it took my sister hours to catch it again, followed it all over town, so yep they can fly when they want to.

I have to admit to thinking they looked weird first time I saw them, ones head was so far back she looked like she was a walking headless bird! but they have really grown on me now and I quite love the look of them.

confederatemule · Aug 18, 2019

jak2002003 said:
Fantails make wonderful pet pigeons... they are very gently and placid.. and tame really easily.

They are also prolific breeders and usually not aggressive to each other or other birds nests and young.

I don't like the show quality ones, however, with they heads so far back and weird posture. They look deformed to me. My birds are normal fantails.. just bred for dovecotes and gardens. They have more normal posture, but still have the fantail. Also no feathers on the legs or feet... I don't like that either as they get dirty! They are good at flying too, with the more natural shape... although they tend to fly to and from things.. like from the ground to the house roof and back.. rather than doing long circles high in the air.

American Fantail questions?

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nchls school

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