Help??

[Bryan C]

So I want to get into breeding pigeons and I have some question:
1. What breed should I start with?
2. How big of a cage do I need to build?
3. What size nest boxes?
4. What kind of nesting material?

 

[Hokum Coco]

Pigeons basically fall into 4 categories Show, Performance, Utility, and Homing.
I would suggest starting with "Young" homing pigeons that have "Never" been flown.

I make my nest boxes the size of a feed bag. Line the nest box with a feed bag when it gets soiled fold it up and pop a new one in EASY PEASY.

This is what I use for nest bowls approximately 10" in diameter available at the Dollar Store.
(It is wise to have 2 nest boxes for each breeding pair)


Nesting material can very from pine needles, twigs, grass, hay, and wood chips. My loft is a converted baby barn.



There are many types of trapping systems this is mine. Top is window hinged and doubles as roof, floor is hinged doubles as shutter for window in winter, Landing ramp doubles as door forming a small aviary to train pigeons to go through a bob wire trapping system.









Here is a recount of a memorable day.


Pipper

My grand daughter's hand-raised, orphaned-homer failed to return on a 20 mile toss. It was one of the few times she did not accompany me on a release. She suffered tears and heartache when I told her of the loss.

Amazingly when I went to close up the loft at dusk what should come flying in but (her pigeon) Piper!

I checked him over and he was tore open from his neck to his tail feathers.

My first instinct was to put him out of his misery. I however brought him into the house for a better look. My wife flushed out the wound with a saline solution and I glued him back together with crazy glue. He was good to go in about 5 days

This is him incubating eggs after his ordeal. .

My grand daughter was On The MOON when I told her of Pippers return. Grand daughter has experienced love, loss, heartache. first aid, joy, responsibility, and kinship with yours truly. She has also developed special bonds with some of our doves who prefer her company over mine when she comes into the loft with me.

It has given her a good subject for presentation at school as well.

We also are starting up a small enterprise with white dove releases (Pippers parents were both solid snow white just for the record).




Pippers Parents

Grand daughter did her first dove release at a wedding last fall also another release for an anti bulling campaign at her grade school.

With the aid of the Internet she has also become somewhat of an authority on homing pigeons. She definitely knows more than the average 12 year old on the subject and can talk your ear off.

This was relayed to me by her teacher after she was forced to cut off a presentation she made when the question period looked like it was not going to end.

She would rather hang out with Hokum (her name for me since she was one) then any of her friends or parents (for that matter).



Picture of Back Yard

However she will be entering her teens next year (make-up and boys will probably soon shove me aside).

I know however that these birds have made her a better person regardless what comes in the future.

Plus I have another grand daughter who is only turned 3 and calls me Coco (since she was one).

 

[Bryan C]

Thank you this really helped now im going to have trouble selecting a breed there are so many

 

[Hokum Coco]

Click the link to see what one bird accomplished after being imprisoned for over one year after he escaped (He is definately not one of your regular homers he would have made it home in one day if he had escaped first thing in the morning instead of at supper time (I realize it is a shorter distance as the crow flies):

https://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=2...vE1FfsgXOTDHtFd0x4VFqig&oq=Ott&mra=ls&t=m&z=7

You should also check into a pigeon trap for your loft. Run a search on line to see a variety of different types.

It is also a good idea to keep a couple pairs exclusively for breeding once you find they are descent birds.
You may find you will kiss a lot of frogs before you get a prince. You are bound to suffer losses when you fly homers especailly when you are starting out with young birds that are not predator wise in a new loft.

Here are a few tips when and if you decide to get homing pigeons.
Always fly your birds hungry when training especially on short flights.
Take away their food for 12 hours before tossing.

Food is your only ace in the hole when training young birds.

Leave only enough food for your birds to feed half the flock on return.
You will find your response time increasing also they will trap instantly when they know their is food awaiting their arrival.

It will not take long before you know who your best fliers are!!!

Try not to feed your birds 24/7. Feed only twice a day morning and evening what they can eat in 10 minutes (you do not want fat lazy homers) You may make exceptions when they are with young.


As the birds mature food is still the primary motivator.
When they take a mate you will find the companion becomes even more of a motivator.

All my birds are supposed to be snow white according to their parents!

My bob wire trap for my homers; Window closes for winter storms and floor hinges for easy cleaning.Landing ramp closes to form small aviary to aid in trap training young birds.



A feral pigeon trapped into my coop.
Not a good idea to have ferals mixed in with your flock.