Curly feathered pigeons/doves?

[ninny]

I was at a swap and i saw the most beautiful pigeons/doves. They were bright white and had curly feathers. Does anybody know what their called and how to take care of them? Somebody had bought them or i would had begged my hubby to get them. What kinda of a house do they need? I've never had a pigeon/ dove so any good reading out there? Could someone post pics and website links so i can find out more about them?
Thanks!

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

They are called Frillback pigeons

Very elegant looking birds, especially the white ones!

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f82/frillback-lockentauben-34148.html
TONS of pictures and good information for the show.


Frillbacks don't require much more than other pigeons. If you plan on keeping just a pair, something like a rabbit hutch will do. If you want to breed them, you can build a small loft, which is like a chicken coop for pigeons. Provide perches and nest boxes, and pigeon usually enjoy lofts with aviaries on the front. The aviary can be a simple wire cage attached to the side of the loft, or it can even go down to the ground like a chicken's run. However you want it

Because Frillbacks are feather-footed, you may want to use some shavings on the floor to help dry the droppings out quick, and keep'em from getting the feathers dirty

 

[ninny]

Thanks everybody!!

 

[ninny]

How big should the loft be? I was thinking of a rabbit hutch thats 30x36 for the winter. Do they fly? What should i feed them? Oh what do you think i can expect to pay for a sexed pair or for a bunch of babys?

 

[AHappychick]

wow those are cool looking!

 

[michaeldaugherty]

They also have frizy doves that come in dif colors .

 

[ninny]

Quote:
Neat what are those called?

 

[therealsilkiechick]

i don't know of a frizzy dove but i have curly pigeons(frillbacks). here is pics of my birds. i also have modena pigeons and ringneck doves all r easy to care for and u'd love and enjoy haveing them. yes frillbacks r fliers. not sure size of flight pen u'd need mine r inside and r pets so they have more of a breeder loft since they fly the house for excersize. i think a rabbit hutch should be fine long as they have wing roo to fly about. their wings open to about 18" give or take as adults.

feed will vary depending on who u r talking too. if u use chicken layer crumbles or pellet u don't have to feed grit since it is powder digestable. but when i feed wild birdseed and mash i think it's called, i use grit also for them or cockatiel grit or a calcium sand for them to help digest. there is comercial pigeon feed with lots of stuff in it but way to expensive here. the best thing i found for bedding for them is pine the hay made alot of mess cuz of the muffs(long foot feathers). i bought mine off of eggbid.com sometimes u can get good deals there. the killer was the shipping from tx. alot of times u can go to poultry auctions here and shows and u can find pigeons for sale where u don't have to pay for the shipping it helps alot. i paid about $85 for all shipped here and i think like $25 ea can't remember now but would depend on the quality of them and such.

they lay 2 eggs in a clutch. they will breed for about a week off and on before first egg is laid. about 2 days later second egg is laid that is when they sit tight to the nest. once they do 18 days from that the eggs will hatch. mom and dad will feed crop milk for 7 days then the feed they eat. they have to set for 14 days to make the crop milk to feed the babies. at about 8-12 days they start to not sit so much when the baby has most pin feathers in this will be the age it starts to produce it's own body heat. sometimes they build a new nest then. mom and dad both care for nest and babies one sets day and one night. at about 21 days they can leave the nest they grow fast. i have 2 on a egg now but it's the twins so will be duds since no male is in with them,lol. hope that helps some and whites r my favs to as well as the almonds.

topaz

alexandrite

the twins pebbles and cocoa

malachite and onyx

one of the sqeekers i think mali and oni's baby

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

The 'frizzy doves' are ringneck doves. Both pigeons and doves can have the silky gene, which is the equivalent to the frizzle gene in chickens. Silky is not what makes frillbacks have curly feathers though. Also like frizzled chickens, silky pigeons/doves can be bald or 'porcupines' with brittle feathers if they are homozygous for it.