Got my homing pigeons today!

[MRetriever]

I have been checking out clubs. Might be a possibility one day. But right now it’s mostly just for fun.

I am supposed to be getting a pair of Blue Bar Saddle Janssen Racers and a pair of Bandit Racers.

My pigeons got to enjoy the outside today for the first time

I have on order leg bands. I plan to band them one color and the offspring another and so forth so I can telL who’s original and who’s been born here and what not. But I’m open to suggestions if there is a better way!

Also I read on another thread that pigeons like baths. Do I just get a regular bird bath for them?

 

[biophiliac]

I have been checking out clubs. Might be a possibility one day. But right now it’s mostly just for fun.

I am supposed to be getting a pair of Blue Bar Saddle Janssen Racers and a pair Bandit Racers.

My pigeons enjoy the outside today for the first time

I have on order leg bands. I plan to pm band them one color and the offspring another and so forth so I can tel who’s original and who’s been born here and what not. But I’m open to suggestions if there is a better way!

Also I ready on another thread that pigeons like baths. Do I just get a regular bird bath for them?

I do believe those birds are enjoying themselves already in that aviary! For baths I use a plastic or rubber pan with sides about 6 inches high, like a cat litter pan, or something larger. If you have many birds you can put out more than one. Some like to add a couple Tablespoons of borax(20 mule team brand) to the bath water to deter parasites. I recall you said how clean and pretty - their proud owner probably did this.
So anyway - just put water out for a bath and dump it out when they finish bathing. The water surface will be covered with white powder from their feathers. This is normal.

 

[backyard pigeons]

I have on order leg bands. I plan to band them one color and the offspring another and so forth so I can telL who’s original and who’s been born here and what not. But I’m open to suggestions if there is a better way!

If it were me, get pink and blue. do pink on the hens, and do it on their right leg of they hatched in your loft. for males, do a blue one. Do it on their right if they hatched there. Just a thought... Especially if you don't plan on doing records. BUT, it's ALWAYS a good idea to do records. The bands would just help to remember all the history of the bird without going to your record book.

Also I read on another thread that pigeons like baths. Do I just get a regular bird bath for them?

yep. I like to add two tablespoons of Epsom salt in their bath. It helps for healthy, glossy feathers and it can deter parasites as well. It also relaxes their muscles. Great after a long fly.

 

[MRetriever]

Thanks great suggestions everyone!
I do plan to keep records as eventually down the road I know some will be better, stronger, faster, healthier... than others and you have to make choices from your records in regards to future breedings and who stays and who goes.

But... right now I just love these things! And they are so smart. I kept them locked inside for half and day and that night and this morning I left them out and they were so calm and happy. Then at darkish they went back inside on their own. I was happy!

Do you keep the food and water inside the loft/coop or flight pen/aviary (sorry still learning the proper terms for pigeons!).

Also is it better to train young birds to enter and exit from the building, or the aviary?

 

[backyard pigeons]

Do you keep the food and water inside the loft/coop or flight pen/aviary (sorry still learning the proper terms for pigeons!).

do the loft. It will stay cleaner, and it will allow be harder for critters to find it. Plus, if you don't have a roof, you don't want the food to get wet.

Also is it better to train young birds to enter and exit from the building, or the aviary?

umm... I've seen it both ways, it would probably my be easier to train them to come in the coop, cause they could see the trap better against wood than wire, and they could see the food. But either one would work.

Oh, and your terminology was correct. USUALLY people say loft, and USUALLY people say avairy. but either one is correct.

 

[biophiliac]

There is no one answer to the food question that will work for everybody. I believe it best not to leave the food out either in the loft or the flight pen, but rather let them eat and then pick up any leftovers and put them away. I do usually feed in the flight pen except like today it was pouring rain all day so I fed them in the loft. Then if any are sitting on eggs or feeding babies I give them their own food in their nest box.

 

[biophiliac]

The water can be placed wherever they have access to it all day. [in winter when water freezes quickly I take out fresh water twice a day with the am and pm feed] They should get fresh water daily and the drinkers should be kept clean. I add about 2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar per gallon water. This slightly acidifies the water to discourage microbial growth and helps the birds' digestive health.

 

[backyard pigeons]

This slightly acidifies the water to discourage microbial growth

Sounds fancy! Never heard this part.but makes sense.