I have too many Oriental Roller/Homer pigeons. What do i do with them?!?

[silkiecuddles]

To begin: I bought two Oriental Roller/Homer pigeons from a friend early 2014. One female and one male. They've had two successful clutches so far, and have already begun a third clutch, the last babies only about month old. They are all together in one coop, due to lack of space.
Firstly, If the parents are Oriental Roller/Homer, does that make the babies the same?
Secondly, could they be trained, despite the mixed breed?
Thirdly, I need to do something with them, as there are already six in one coop and more being incubated (under the parents).
And if not much can be done with them as they are mixed, should I try to get either purebred homer or purebred Oriental Roller?

I have a pic of the parents and the first babies on the thread listed below
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/294263/everyone-post-your-pigeon-pics/480#post_14871572

 

[Hokum Coco]

I would like first to welcome you to Backyard chickens SilkieCuddles !!

Firstly, If the parents are Oriental Roller/Homer, does that make the babies the same? It is a crap shoot at best when it come to genetics
Secondly, could they be trained, despite the mixed breed? Yes (you will have a few keepers) but expect sub standard birds and losses .
Thirdly, I need to do something with them, as there are already six in one coop and more being incubated (under the parents).
And if not much can be done with them as they are mixed, should I try to get either purebred homer or purebred Oriental Roller? I would get pure bred Homers personally.

Here is a link (hope it works) showing my set up sadly I was wiped out by weasels recently but will rebuild in the spring: http://globalnews.ca/news/1478351/carrier-pigeons-continue-to-connect-family/

 

[silkiecuddles]

Thank you Hokum Coco for your help. I'm sorry about what happened to your pigeons. Good luck in the spring!

Because they are mixed, how should I begin training?

 

[Hokum Coco]

Because they are mixed, how should I begin training?

I would first separate your flock into two groups by watching them free fly. Those that show more rolling qualities as opposed to homer qualities.

The homing quality birds I would begin by letting them free fly around the loft for a time until they have took flight away from the loft for an hour or more.

When first training new releases I find it best to fly them hungry first thing in the morning with out breakfast to encourage them home that much faster. Only leave enough feed to satisfy half of the flock on it's return that will encourage competition with in the flock itself. I would then begin my training tosses about a mile from home and increase the distances gradually in one compass point at a time.

Starting out again a mile or so and increasing the distance on a new compass point until you are about 30 miles from your loft and have cover all four directions. That is what I find works for me.

In my opinion you would have better luck starting out with good quality young homer birds to begin with. Wishing you good fortune in the days ahead backyard buddy. That being said all pigeons have some homing ability and one of my best homers was a feral back when I was as a kid.

 

[silkiecuddles]

OK, thanks. Should I wait to begin training? My adult pair who are mates a currently sitting on eggs. They also have two boys and two girls. The girls were born three or four weeks ago, I think, but the boys are older. The girls can't fly yet, they just sit around the coop. Should I begin by taking the boys out to fly? Also, I have several cats. And a chicken-killing dog. Would the pigeons be smart enough to escape the cats?

 

[Hokum Coco]

OK, thanks. Should I wait to begin training? A lot of fanciers do not fly their breeding pairs. As I said before you can expect losses no matter what kind of pigeons you are training. Some pigeons are predator wise some are not. It is a trial and error system. I usually do not start training my birds until they are six to eight weeks of age.

 

[notoriousqueen]

If your cramped for space and are not focused on breeding them, use dud or fake eggs. It is non medicinal hen birth control. Works for my birds!

 

[Hokum Coco]

If your cramped for space and are not focused on breeding them, use dud or fake eggs. It is non medicinal hen birth control. Works for my birds!

I sometimes just hard boil their eggs and place them back under them.

 

[silkiecuddles]

Ok thanks for the help Hokum Coco and notoriousqueen. The coop isn't full to the point of them annoying my silkies, but if it gets to that I will try some fake eggs.

 

[notoriousqueen]

Dont boil. They may crack, and it stinks. It is better to use ceramics or wood, can be ordered online. U can not under any circumstances just take the eggs, the hen will just lay again and it will use up all her calcium and she will get sick and ill feathered. I love pigeons. Been doing this for 11 years with a heavy learning curve despite advice.