Doves for Weddings..Info Please

[leecey411]

I was wondering how you train doves for release and return. like those at Weddings?

 

[deerman]

You use good white homers, raise them let them fly around home then take them a few mile each week. and let them fly home.

Pic of white homers in training basket.

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

Yep. NEVER release any birds at weddings/funerals that are not white HOMING PIGEONS. They may be called white doves, but they are really white homers. For display purposes (ONLY) you can have white ringneck doves, fantails, or other fancy pigeon breeds. Just leave the homers for the flying parts.

There are quite a few ignorant people out there that only care about the money, not the birds, and they will release fancy pigeons and doves, which are not capable of flying back safely home, and instead are left to basically die in the wild. Some people were simply told wrong, but the other's that either don't know better, or even do know, should come to places like this, and ask as you did...so they get their stuff straight before they go releasing pigeons!

Anyways, that was just a rant, not yelling at you

So sorry if I sounded mean, LOL. I just have seen too many rescued babies in bad shape, in result of these release situations.

 

[BigPeep]

I should add that the training needs to be done in a 360 degree arc from your loft for the total radius that you expect to do the wedding releases. After the young birds are experienced in flying around your loft, take them one mile in each of the four directions on successive days. Then increase to 2, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 etc.

This will take more time than training for racing as the races are usually all run from the same direction.

Even after they know their way back, you should take them out a couple of times a week to keep them oriented.

You need to develop a method to call them in once they land, such as shaking a tin can with seed, whistling, or using fantails that you call in.

 

[trueblueshowgirl]

I've been covetting white rock doves for a couple of years now. It just strikes me as a wonderful hobby- the process of training them to return. Where the heck does one buy them? I've looked and looked. Seems like a carefully guarded secret society, these white homer people! LOL!

I think my biggest concern would be losing them to predator birds- on my property alone we have nesting barred owls and broad winged hawks- but I've also seen plenty of bald eagles and other predator birds around. Our biggest problem has been with ravens getting our chickens.

 

[deerman]

Check the racing site like, AU for birds even breeders of the white homer band their birds.


On training i live about 50 mile to three big cities. one north,south and other west. I also band with 2nd color band. one group train for each city, thats 3 groups.

Now not all white homers, are good at homing, so buy from someone training their birds out to 150 miles.

I even cros mine with top racing birds, most will not be all white ,but some will.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
nice pr of white racer on eggbid. Alway check feedback, read what other say about what buyer say about the birds.

http://eggbid.com/listings/details/index.cfm?itemnum=1249200116

 

[BigPeep]

On the predator issue, the white birds are more conspicuous, but you can compensate for that by getting a highflyer and just have them circle the loft with the highflyer. They will then tend to be up too high for the hawks. Don't let them just hang around outside all day. You only want them to be out when you are actually flying them for exercise. Use a call of some type or a fantail as a signal that you are going to feed them and then will come right down. Then keep them inside until before the next feeding time.

 

[trueblueshowgirl]

Quote:
Thanks! It appears they're no longer for sale, though. So is that a fair price- about $100 (after ship) for a single pair of breeders with no pedigree? ( 'Tain't cheap, eh?

)

I'll keep my eye out on Eggbid for more of the same. Good to know.

 

[trueblueshowgirl]

Quote:
Interesting! Huh. Noted, thanks.