How to care for homing pigeons

[Chicka and Co]

I've been looking into getting homing pigeons and I really need to know the basics of caring for them.

I'm not unfamiliar with keeping birds because I've kept chickens for the past 6 years but what do pigeons need in terms of food, water, loft/aviary, medicine, etc.?

Any other general advice?

Thanks in advance

 

[broody rooster]

i believe they need grit of some sort as well but i dont think thats much of a problem if you let them free fly

 

[laughingdog]

Ask hokum coco but I spelt it wrong.. If you feed pelleted feed (pellets crumbles mash) pigeon/chicken, you do not need grit. Feeding n mixing pelleted chicken layer with scratch grains and wild bird seed, will work good rounding out nutrition n then separate frit container. Acv in water at least once a week helps too.

 

[laughingdog]

Try to get squeakers in that they make squeaky sounds still but are eating on own already. Older good homers should not be flown, n kept as safe breeders.

 

[R3dnck]

I've been looking into getting homing pigeons and I really need to know the basics of caring for them.

I'm not unfamiliar with keeping birds because I've kept chickens for the past 6 years but what do pigeons need in terms of food, water, loft/aviary, medicine, etc.?

Any other general advice?

Thanks in advance

Homing pigeons are amazing birds be aware that once they start breeding they are worse than rats, they multiply fast. I always built a chicken coop type area for them. usually put some small doors about 4 foot off the ground for them to go in and out when you want them to. If you get them young you can keep them in your enclosure for a few months and they will recognize its there home and they will return once they are released, if you get older birds i have found they are imprinted on there first home and usually return there once released instead of staying with your flock. I always fed mine whole corn and a bird seed mix. always keep water available and have plenty of nest boxes. You also need to clean there pens pretty regular because pigeons carry alot of desieses in there feces. Every few months you need to worm them you can usually go to a feed store and find a wormer you can mix into there water. If you have any more questions ill help you to the best of my ability just message me. sorry for all the misspelled words and grammatical errors i was typing this pretty quick lol

 

[laughingdog]

Garlic seed works good as a wormer and preventative, but worms not too much trouble unless you leave feed out for rodents that get in n spread probs, also do songbirds and some bugs. Only leave as much feed as they'll eat in a half hour, in evening, then they'll learn when setting sun they better get home, and make a certain sound when feed them n it'll then work to call them. Scrape out poop daily, usually before feeding.

 

[Chicka and Co]

Thanks so much everyone!!! Also, can males live with solely males / females live with solely females?? Or is that troublesome?

 

[R3dnck]

Thanks so much everyone!!! Also, can males live with solely males / females live with solely females?? Or is that troublesome?

This will slow down there breeding. I have always kept them together but I don't think it would hurt keeping them separate. Do you just have blue bars or do you have different colors?

 

[laughingdog]

Only trouble I have keeping "widow" flocks to flying kits (separating sexes/true pairs), is they don't fly with as much zest, and females keep pairing with each other laying eggs.

 

[rmeltonknox]

Homers are easy to raise. They need a large enough loft, not a tomato box. They need good grain and red grit. And, if you have birds and enough space, you should not have hens paring up and mating. Pigeons need a clean loft, clean water and quality seed and red grit. Period. You should fly young birds asap. Old birds will fly back to their birthplace.