Pigeon Talk

[Serin]

It is quite interesting how the different pigeons have been selectively bred. Very similar to dogs.

Ferals are the all-around pigeon, closest to the wild bird - basically they are the equivalent of the mongrel/non-breed dogs that live all around the world, but moreso the developing countries, as village dogs. The type from which all breeds descend.

Homers are extremely high-energy, stately, intelligent but aloof pigeons - the working breeds of pigeons. You can keep both as house pets but if you do they need a lot of space and attention to keep themselves occupied, and they are happiest able to do what they were bred to (in their case, to free-fly.)

There are the table birds like kings and runts, which I suppose are analogous to some dog breeds raised to eat and indigenous to Korea. They're big, very calm, taste good but also are very docile and make good pets if you can accommodate their size.

There are the fancy but very nervous types bred purely for their appearance like the archangel pigeons, without particular regard to temperament - reminiscent of a lot of little dogs bred to be cute while not having the best demeanor.

And then there are the fancy types which have been bred with attention not only to appearance but also to a gentle and tame demeanor, including the satinettes, the pygmy pouters, and the old German owls like my Olive. These are like the cocker spaniels and French bulldogs of the pigeon world. Very sweet, calm birds that are the best suited as house pets due to their affectionate, trusting nature and low energy levels. Olive fits well into a household, with the flights across the front room more than sufficient for her needs and with her spending most of her time walking, snuggling or perched in some comfy spot, but I don't think a homer would. Even at the store when I got her I could see the vast difference in the behavior of the two. All the owls just stood together peacefully - the homers paced, pecked and cooed like crazy to each other in the cages.

I really love all the pigeons though... all so unique and specialized. I'd enjoy keeping other types in an aviary setting some time but currently really am enjoying having one as a house pet. A role I would have to say this breed fills very well!

 

[biophiliac]

It is quite interesting how the different pigeons have been selectively bred. Very similar to dogs.

Ferals are the all-around pigeon, closest to the wild bird - basically they are the equivalent of the mongrel/non-breed dogs that live all around the world, but moreso the developing countries, as village dogs. The type from which all breeds descend.

Homers are extremely high-energy, stately, intelligent but aloof pigeons - the working breeds of pigeons. You can keep both as house pets but if you do they need a lot of space and attention to keep themselves occupied, and they are happiest able to do what they were bred to (in their case, to free-fly.)

There are the table birds like kings and runts, which I suppose are analogous to some dog breeds raised to eat and indigenous to Korea. They're big, very calm, taste good but also are very docile and make good pets if you can accommodate their size.

There are the fancy but very nervous types bred purely for their appearance like the archangel pigeons, without particular regard to temperament - reminiscent of a lot of little dogs bred to be cute while not having the best demeanor.

And then there are the fancy types which have been bred with attention not only to appearance but also to a gentle and tame demeanor, including the satinettes, the pygmy pouters, and the old German owls like my Olive. These are like the cocker spaniels and French bulldogs of the pigeon world. Very sweet, calm birds that are the best suited as house pets due to their affectionate, trusting nature and low energy levels. Olive fits well into a household, with the flights across the front room more than sufficient for her needs and with her spending most of her time walking, snuggling or perched in some comfy spot, but I don't think a homer would. Even at the store when I got her I could see the vast difference in the behavior of the two. All the owls just stood together peacefully - the homers paced, pecked and cooed like crazy to each other in the cages.

I really love all the pigeons though... all so unique and specialized. I'd enjoy keeping other types in an aviary setting some time but currently really am enjoying having one as a house pet. A role I would have to say this breed fills very well!

A fair analogy to dogs. Domestication of pigeons has been established at least 5k yrs ago I believe.

To me one of the most amazing things about pigeons is the individual variation that allows fanciers to select for traits that suit the task. You still get variety within homers for example - I have a couple who are anything but aloof.​

 

[Pyxis]

Well, this show went really wonky for me.

They judged my class of chicken, AOCCL, dead last. So I was waiting all day to see how my pullet would do. Finally they judged, and I took a look - and they DQ'd her, and wrote 'wing' as the reason on the cage card. I thought I had made an oops and one of her wings wasn't split, since in this breed it is required that both wings be split, or you are DQ'd. It's the exact opposite for all other breeds; if they have a split wing, it's a DQ.

So I was bummed, but figured I somehow missed she wasn't split in both wings. I pull her out of the cage - she's split in both wings. Uh oh. Now I begin to think the judge DQ'd her BECAUSE of the split wings, which is the exact opposite of what is supposed to happen.

At this point they are already picking the Champion and Reserve Champion of the class. Can't interrupt them when they are judging. They finish, I grab one, ask why she was DQ'd, and say that I know she has two split wings, but she's supposed to. He pauses, looks again at her cage card, and then remarks that, oh, she's a ko! He apologizes, because they had been judging her as a shamo, not a ko shamo.

He fixes it, she gets BB, Best of Breed. But since she got BB, she should have also been competing for Champion of the class. But they had already picked, so she wasn't. For all I know she could have won the class and the whole darn show, and now I don't know.

Meanwhile, they were now picking the champion of the show, and the pigeons still aren't marked as judged. So I asked what was up with that, and the guy in charge of the show tells me they have already been done. I tell him the cards weren't marked.

Long story short, I didn't win with the pigeons, the guy with the Flights did, and the slumped one that @backyard pigeons said shouldn't show well took champion. Apparently the judge is so new though (and the guy running the show said this to me) that he didn't know to even mark the cage cards, so who knows if that was actually an accurate result and if that's how it would have gone at a pigeon show.

But, everyone loved my pigeons, especially the Naked Necks Lots of comments and people taking pictures of them, etc.

 

[cavemanrich]

I enjoy speculating about the birds like Boomer who leave their home loft to live somewhere else, and thus start a new flock (with her enabler @CCUK ) or like ccuk's new bird and Loper who left their home loft, choosing to join another established flock.

I do not claim to have ALL the answers, but will tackle these two.
Boomer,,,,,,,,,, CCUK has a buried pigeon magnet in back yard
Loper,,,,,,,,,, Bio has in her loft

 

[biophiliac]

Well, this show went really wonky for me.

They judged my class of chicken, AOCCL, dead last. So I was waiting all day to see how my pullet would do. Finally they judged, and I took a look - and they DQ'd her, and wrote 'wing' as the reason on the cage card. I thought I had made an oops and one of her wings wasn't split, since in this breed it is required that both wings be split, or you are DQ'd. It's the exact opposite for all other breeds; if they have a split wing, it's a DQ.

So I was bummed, but figured I somehow missed she wasn't split in both wings. I pull her out of the cage - she's split in both wings. Uh oh. Now I begin to think the judge DQ'd her BECAUSE of the split wings, which is the exact opposite of what is supposed to happen.

At this point they are already picking the Champion and Reserve Champion of the class. Can't interrupt them when they are judging. They finish, I grab one, ask why she was DQ'd, and say that I know she has two split wings, but she's supposed to. He pauses, looks again at her cage card, and then remarks that, oh, she's a ko! He apologizes, because they had been judging her as a shamo, not a ko shamo.

He fixes it, she gets BB, Best of Breed. But since she got BB, she should have also been competing for Champion of the class. But they had already picked, so she wasn't. For all I know she could have won the class and the whole darn show, and now I don't know.

Meanwhile, they were now picking the champion of the show, and the pigeons still aren't marked as judged. So I asked what was up with that, and the guy in charge of the show tells me they have already been done. I tell him the cards weren't marked.

Long story short, I didn't win with the pigeons, the guy with the Flights did, and the slumped one that @backyard pigeons said shouldn't show well took champion. Apparently the judge is so new though (and the guy running the show said this to me) that he didn't know to even mark the cage cards, so who knows if that was actually an accurate result and if that's how it would have gone at a pigeon show.

But, everyone loved my pigeons, especially the Naked Necks Lots of comments and people taking pictures of them, etc.

Sorry for your Ko Shamo, you have birds that deserve better judges. Glad you had fun with the pigeons! I have been waiting all day for your update. lol

 

[cavemanrich]

Well, this show went really wonky for me.

They judged my class of chicken, AOCCL, dead last. So I was waiting all day to see how my pullet would do. Finally they judged, and I took a look - and they DQ'd her, and wrote 'wing' as the reason on the cage card. I thought I had made an oops and one of her wings wasn't split, since in this breed it is required that both wings be split, or you are DQ'd. It's the exact opposite for all other breeds; if they have a split wing, it's a DQ.

So I was bummed, but figured I somehow missed she wasn't split in both wings. I pull her out of the cage - she's split in both wings. Uh oh. Now I begin to think the judge DQ'd her BECAUSE of the split wings, which is the exact opposite of what is supposed to happen.

At this point they are already picking the Champion and Reserve Champion of the class. Can't interrupt them when they are judging. They finish, I grab one, ask why she was DQ'd, and say that I know she has two split wings, but she's supposed to. He pauses, looks again at her cage card, and then remarks that, oh, she's a ko! He apologizes, because they had been judging her as a shamo, not a ko shamo.

He fixes it, she gets BB, Best of Breed. But since she got BB, she should have also been competing for Champion of the class. But they had already picked, so she wasn't. For all I know she could have won the class and the whole darn show, and now I don't know.

Meanwhile, they were now picking the champion of the show, and the pigeons still aren't marked as judged. So I asked what was up with that, and the guy in charge of the show tells me they have already been done. I tell him the cards weren't marked.

Long story short, I didn't win with the pigeons, the guy with the Flights did, and the slumped one that @backyard pigeons said shouldn't show well took champion. Apparently the judge is so new though (and the guy running the show said this to me) that he didn't know to even mark the cage cards, so who knows if that was actually an accurate result and if that's how it would have gone at a pigeon show.

But, everyone loved my pigeons, especially the Naked Necks Lots of comments and people taking pictures of them, etc.

My suggested action on that judge,,,,,,,,

And for you Pixis I suggest some TEA

 

[cavemanrich]

BTW why is there a wise old man emoji and no wise old woman emoji???

Found one

 

[backyard pigeons]

Well, this show went really wonky for me.

They judged my class of chicken, AOCCL, dead last. So I was waiting all day to see how my pullet would do. Finally they judged, and I took a look - and they DQ'd her, and wrote 'wing' as the reason on the cage card. I thought I had made an oops and one of her wings wasn't split, since in this breed it is required that both wings be split, or you are DQ'd. It's the exact opposite for all other breeds; if they have a split wing, it's a DQ.

So I was bummed, but figured I somehow missed she wasn't split in both wings. I pull her out of the cage - she's split in both wings. Uh oh. Now I begin to think the judge DQ'd her BECAUSE of the split wings, which is the exact opposite of what is supposed to happen.

At this point they are already picking the Champion and Reserve Champion of the class. Can't interrupt them when they are judging. They finish, I grab one, ask why she was DQ'd, and say that I know she has two split wings, but she's supposed to. He pauses, looks again at her cage card, and then remarks that, oh, she's a ko! He apologizes, because they had been judging her as a shamo, not a ko shamo.

He fixes it, she gets BB, Best of Breed. But since she got BB, she should have also been competing for Champion of the class. But they had already picked, so she wasn't. For all I know she could have won the class and the whole darn show, and now I don't know.

Meanwhile, they were now picking the champion of the show, and the pigeons still aren't marked as judged. So I asked what was up with that, and the guy in charge of the show tells me they have already been done. I tell him the cards weren't marked.

Long story short, I didn't win with the pigeons, the guy with the Flights did, and the slumped one that @backyard pigeons said shouldn't show well took champion. Apparently the judge is so new though (and the guy running the show said this to me) that he didn't know to even mark the cage cards, so who knows if that was actually an accurate result and if that's how it would have gone at a pigeon show.

But, everyone loved my pigeons, especially the Naked Necks Lots of comments and people taking pictures of them, etc.

What?! I'm so sorry pyxis!

this seems really unfair... But there's nothing you can do about it... I wouldn't recommend @cavemanrich action on the judges!

Ok, did they really give the slouched pigeon champion? Champion of pigeons, or of the show? I'm so sorry, pigeon breeds vary in show standards from breed to breed, but NONE that I can think of has slouching as a desired trait.

Oh well... I'm sorry, I'm sure your birds looked wonderful!

 

[backyard pigeons]

Well, this show went really wonky for me.

They judged my class of chicken, AOCCL, dead last. So I was waiting all day to see how my pullet would do. Finally they judged, and I took a look - and they DQ'd her, and wrote 'wing' as the reason on the cage card. I thought I had made an oops and one of her wings wasn't split, since in this breed it is required that both wings be split, or you are DQ'd. It's the exact opposite for all other breeds; if they have a split wing, it's a DQ.

So I was bummed, but figured I somehow missed she wasn't split in both wings. I pull her out of the cage - she's split in both wings. Uh oh. Now I begin to think the judge DQ'd her BECAUSE of the split wings, which is the exact opposite of what is supposed to happen.

At this point they are already picking the Champion and Reserve Champion of the class. Can't interrupt them when they are judging. They finish, I grab one, ask why she was DQ'd, and say that I know she has two split wings, but she's supposed to. He pauses, looks again at her cage card, and then remarks that, oh, she's a ko! He apologizes, because they had been judging her as a shamo, not a ko shamo.

He fixes it, she gets BB, Best of Breed. But since she got BB, she should have also been competing for Champion of the class. But they had already picked, so she wasn't. For all I know she could have won the class and the whole darn show, and now I don't know.

Meanwhile, they were now picking the champion of the show, and the pigeons still aren't marked as judged. So I asked what was up with that, and the guy in charge of the show tells me they have already been done. I tell him the cards weren't marked.

Long story short, I didn't win with the pigeons, the guy with the Flights did, and the slumped one that @backyard pigeons said shouldn't show well took champion. Apparently the judge is so new though (and the guy running the show said this to me) that he didn't know to even mark the cage cards, so who knows if that was actually an accurate result and if that's how it would have gone at a pigeon show.

But, everyone loved my pigeons, especially the Naked Necks Lots of comments and people taking pictures of them, etc.

I know it would be a drive, a really really long drive, but come to the Louisville pigeon show to get some expert judges, and ask them what traits to breed for in your frills and nn pigeons. It would be nice to meet you to!

 

[backyard pigeons]

Thanks! Here are two of the them, they're pretty birds:

View attachment 1771520

View attachment 1771521

Was this pigeon banded? With a NPA, ARPU or flight club band?