Keeping and Breeding pigeons?

[AZchickens17]

We have owned a couple of pigeons over the years, but only as pets and have never bred them. I want to build a kit box to breed a couple pairs but need to know what they require in order to breed. Also what are some of the easiest types to breed? Thanks to anyone who can help

 

[Amer101]

To help you out I think normal homers are the easiest to handle and breed also they are cheap and are very friendly too!

 

[AZchickens17]

Ok. I have a local store that sells homers, racers, high flyers and some gorgeous white ones. Do you happen to know what I should feed them. I started experimenting with normal birdseed mixed with cashews, safflower seeds, and oats.

 

[Amer101]

Yes keep feeding them that at a normal diet but you should but not a must give them peas also

 

[jak2002003]

Ok. I have a local store that sells homers, racers, high flyers and some gorgeous white ones. Do you happen to know what I should feed them. I started experimenting with normal birdseed mixed with cashews, safflower seeds, and oats.

All those breeds are easy to breed. The only difficult ones are the extra fancy kinds with distorted body shapes, beak sizes and long feathers.

What is 'normal birdseed'? If you mean parakeet / budgie seed this is not very good for pigeons.

I would cut out the cashews!!!! They are expensive and full of fat. You can replace them with cheap raw peanuts... which the birds go mad for. Only a few mind, they are very high in calories.

I would feed a proper pigeon seed mix. However, in my country that is not available so I feed my birds a wild bird seed mix (which does not have sunflower seeds in it). I add to this some dried green peas, barley and chicken layer pellets.

Also you must feed pigeon grit, minerals, and a calcium source such as crushed oyster shell.

If they don't get natural sunlight they will also need a vitamin D supplement.

 

[ChristineR]

To help you out I think normal homers are the easiest to handle and breed also they are cheap and are very friendly too!

I'm thinking about raising some pigeons. Where do you get the "normal" homers? I can only find the fancy pigeons when I Google search and I don't want to spend a fortune when I'm still learning.

 

[Amer101]

I think the best way to get cheap homer pigeons or barn pigeons which are the same thing. You should check nearby craiglist ads or nearby small bird actoins. I get my cheap homers for 2$ each at my auction but it will be different where you live. I hope that helped

 

[laughingdog]

Normal or barn pigeons are ferals, generally hard for a couple years or so but are like mutt dogs you don't know what you'll get.. they generally have in order of most to least Homer tumbler and utility pigeon blood mixed distantly to recent. Homers to racers, or tumblers to rollers, are best easiest cheapest to get. For starters don't pay more for of decent each than $2 ferals, $5 tumblers, $10 homers.. of these roller breeds of tumbler class are cheapest easiest etc, having most diversity with still intrinsic ability and healthy ease of care, colors patterns markings shapes etc. Racer types of Homer class are probably best basic bird all around. I liked my ferals though for what where worth just as much as fun taming fast and having wild instincts but became extremely loyal loving pets.

 

[JackBaker]

Pigeons are relatively easy and will automatically breed as long as their environment is correct. A good diet for pigeons when your first starting is a ready made mix specially for pigeons called an all year round mix. This will do for most breeds when you are starting off and probably should be the main parts of their diets. I often feed mine mixes made up and ones I make myself, sometimes by mixing other mixes together . Nest boxes should always be off the floor, and I always make them very large with two compartments one as the roomy bit of the nest and another bit which is where the nest actually is. They have a little door from one to the other. This then allows me to have little pots in the part where the nest is not to give the birds with young extra food throughout the day so they can feed themselves and the baby's. A nest box I always find is much easier for them to breed in and I always put nest felts inside them too for extra cushioning, not to mention the mounds they can build from twigs and straw. Pigeons are territorial tho so there must be enough nest boxes for each pair. If you do decide to breed then the year round mix would be fine, however like myself a lot of breeders prefer to have a much higher protein diet for the chicks. I use mainly peas (not the ones we eat) when mine are breeding.
As for breeds there is no limit. All are easy to a degree but the fancier you go the more upkeep they will require. Homers are easy to keep and feed and take very good care of their own young, the only problem you will face with these is that they can be expensive. If they are from racing stock then birds can be a lot of money. So to find someone with low cost birds may be difficult, although not impossible. I breed fantails and Frillbacks and think they are amazing. They are both easy to care for and are good at rearing their own young. I also have a feral pigeon that I hand reared after someone found him and brought him to me at a very young age, his name is Oliver (Oliver twist). He was great at first but I do not know what happened to him, obviouasly youd think being hand reared that he'd be lovely and tame and trust me my other pigeons fly all over me and I did not hand rear them and they are very tame, anyway one day he just decided he hated me. he will tolerate me being close but does not want any phyical contact from me what so ever. So just as a thought a feral may not be the best to start off with, but this just could be me. Ultimately any pigeon of good quality ids going to cost a bit and I would recommend perhaps spending a little bit more to get healthy birds. But go with your gut feeling about any place.

 

[Crzytrkr]

We have owned a couple of pigeons over the years, but only as pets and have never bred them. I want to build a kit box to breed a couple pairs but need to know what they require in order to breed. Also what are some of the easiest types to breed? Thanks to anyone who can help

I myself just got back into pigeons and i have to say i went with tipplers after the first week one of the female got out of the run and I thought for sure it was going back to where it came it landed onthe roof i left the run open and in 20min. She was back in the coop i couldent believe it i was told keep them caged 4 to 6 weeks and in one week bolyaa!!! Back in the cage she went had i gotten homers it would still be gone the Tippler is the oldest of domesticated pigeons I already have after 1.5 months two squabs they are very healthy and thriving in nest boxes made outta milk crates i staggered them on the far end in the coop and there fine! So two thumbs up for the Tipplers!!!