Pigeon Talk

[-Kiwi-]

I cant wait for Kiwi and Peach to begin laying eggs this spring! This time around the parents wont be loft flown, since I dont want to risk losing them. Yay for spring!!

 

[backyard pigeons]

Is she still considered a blue bar or ash red

Yes, still a blue bar. Lots of blue\black birds get brown in their plumage while young. Hopefully it grows up to be healthy and strong!

 

[backyard pigeons]

@WVduckchick how are you and your birds? How many Sats do you have now?




@cavemanrich when, oh when, are you getting pigeons? Pigeon fanciers are a dying breed, I don't care if you raise ugly pigeons:

Or pretty pigeons:

YOU just NEED pigeons!



@biophiliac how is your flock? Do you still need some hens? I have about twice as many hens as males! You want any?

 

[backyard pigeons]

@Old_Strain_Lover how are you and your birds? BTW, I finally found the "_" on my keyboard, so I am now fully capable of calling upon a wise pigeon fancier.

 

[Birbseeb]

Pigeon fanciers are a dying breed

I honestly think the pigeon fancy should pivot toward extolling their virtues as house birds -- maybe the age of huge show and race lofts is on the way out, but I think there are many people who love birds and who don't want the huge commitment of a parrot-type who'd love learning more about all the variety of (much easier to keep) pigeons out there they could enjoy. Breed clubs could try doing some outreach in that regard somehow.
No doubt the demographics and ideals are changing, but it doesn't have to end up badly for the birds (or breeds).

There is actually a pet store near me selling some cute Nuns, so maybe the idea is catching on? I also see quite a few house pigeons on Instagram nowadays too, which I think helps spread awareness of how fun they can be.

Honestly, as much as I've always loved pigeons it was seeing so many housepet birds online that made me think I could actually try owning some of my own, despite not having a farm or loft. That honestly had never occurred to me before, since I had always seen pigeons as more poultry-style of pet than a indoor pet bird.

 

[cavemanrich]

b p
I first need to build a stand alone loft with good ventilation. My current loft is inside the back top of garage. It is being used by my chickens as winter housing until spring. Have been doing this always.
My concern is the pigeon dust that I need to avoid. A standalone loft next to my chicken coop in the outdoors would solve the dust issue. I have not been able to even build my new chicken coop in the last year. Mainly due to Covid, and I need help to get done. Hoping for this pandemic to pass, so I can get help from those that are willing to help me. I cant do things myself like I was able to before.
Of course no (non pretty pigeons) for me. I just want White Homers.
Here is last pix of the last 3 that I had. Sure miss them

 

[backyard pigeons]

I honestly think the pigeon fancy should pivot toward extolling their virtues as house birds

Perhaps, but that is sure death to much of the pigeon fancy. A single house pigeon would eat a miniscule amount of food, so there goes fifty pound bags of pigeon feed and company's. Next would be Foys, Jedds, Vita King etc, as no one would buy supplies like nest bowls, perches, and meds from them. And then no one would be buying bands as there wouldn't be breeding happening. So no, House pigeons aren't the solution.

What I don't understand though, why are house pigeon getting more popular? Do people not realize these guys are FLOCK animals? Flocking is in their BLOOD. A human is no substitute for a pigeon .

How can one deprive a pigeon of doing what's natural?

maybe the age of huge show and race lofts is on the way out,

DONT SAY THAAAT!

That would be the death of the hobby. Racing clubs are struggling, for many reasons. thankfully show clubs aren't as much, but the NPA is.

What people need to do to get word out is simple. try! There's lots of talk but no action. I wrote this to the "Racing Pigeon Digest" recently, to give ideas of getting youth involved.


First, I want to say thank you so much for all you do for the pigeon hobby. It doesn't go unnoticed.

"Youth are the only hope for the hobby, but are not interested in pigeons" is the common phrase thrown around today. Why do we say this? Where are we getting are information from?

Coming from a minor, youth are very interested in pigeons, once they learn about them. I had no knowledge or interest in pigeons until I read one small pamphlet on them, that changed my idea. I had no idea you could free fly them, and they came back. "What other bird can do this?" I asked myself. And was immediately ready to get pigeons. After several months of research, I got the go ahead from my parents, and here i am, 3 years later with 45 homers in my city backyard.

I gladly tell my piers about my pigeons, what I do with them, what they can accomplish, how many I have, and much more. I have yet to meet a youth who knew about homing pigeons. I also have yet to meet youth who had no interest. This gives me hope! The youth aren't getting involved, because they don't know that homing pigeons exist.

How do we teach the youth about homing pigeons? I can't think of a better place to start than tossing birds. Bring the birds to them. I have tossed my homers in front of 60 students at a school, and the moment the birds exited the cage there was instant excitement in the crowd; students and teachers alike. As the birds flew, they began asking questions. Common knowledge to me, but a new language to them. "How far can the fly" my blood can return home from 500 miles. "What do they eat" I feed a grain mixture, with 13% protein. "How do you band them" "What do you keep them in" "Are there any clubs that do this" "how do they know how to get home" (i couldn't answer this one) "how long do they live" etc. Why are the youth said to have no interest in homing pigeons when they had never heard of them before?

To do this, individual's and clubs alike should take initiative. Educate the youth, their parents, offer your name and phone number, and if the kids get the go ahead from their parents in a couple months, help them get started. Help them plan a small but well made loft, offer a few young birds (we all have a few to many) encourage flying them, and stay in touch. I am so thankful for the people who got me started in racers. Wow! They have helped so much with food, flying, breeding, getting birds, or when my 2020 bands are late! Thank you for everyone who has helped youth get started, it means a lot to all of us.

I am so tired of hearing "I'm enjoying the last few years of pigeon racing" "another nail in the coffin" "A dying hobby". Those that say these things obviously don't care enough about pigeon keeping to do anything about it, as those aren't the people that helped me get started.

I think its awesome to get youth involved in pigeons, its the best hobby. But they aren't the only hope. Adults are interested when I tell them about my pigeons to. Its never to late to start in the pigeon hobby.

So go toss some pigeons at the playground! Explain them to kids and their parents. Let them hold a bird, let them open the door. It won't be something they will forget about.

 

[-Kiwi-]

 

[biophiliac]

@WVduckchick how are you and your birds? How many Sats do you have now?




@cavemanrich when, oh when, are you getting pigeons? Pigeon fanciers are a dying breed, I don't care if you raise ugly pigeons: View attachment 2501678

Or pretty pigeons: View attachment 2501682

YOU just NEED pigeons!



@biophiliac how is your flock? Do you still need some hens? I have about twice as many hens as males! You want any?

My motto : you can't have too many hens. Lol However I am restricting my flock size based on the loft size (and my age)
So while I am currently stuck with many extra cockbirds, they are my pets ... Thanks for your generosity!

 

[Birbseeb]

What I don't understand though, why are house pigeon getting more popular? Do people not realize these guys are FLOCK animals? Flocking is in their BLOOD. A human is no substitute for a pigeon .

I mean, the same could be said for every pet bird, no?

I actually feel that birds like macaws, cockatoos, and such are far more unsuitable to be housepets, but they have been kept so for hundreds of years. And they are much more emotionally and intellectually complex compared to our thoroughly-domesticated pigeons.

I suppose it can be debated whether any bird should be kept inside at all, but if they are allowed free flying time indoors and even some controlled outside time, and kept at least as a pair or with lots of attention and stimulation, can it be said a pigeon would be less happy than any exotic bird?

But I do understand that the appeal for many (if not most) pigeon fanciers is their flying, and of course many breeds are specifically for that purpose... so the idea of pigeons as house birds would seem a sad diminishment of them. The fancy pigeon breeds, though, I think could be adapted better to that role.

I don't deny that it's sad to see the generations pass on and the fancy shrink... purebred dogs are also having this issue, at least in the U.S.
(I don't know how it is with the cat folks, they've always been more niche, comparitively).

Fewer people live in the rural areas where pigeon culture thrives... and even in most cities I imagine the old style rooftop lofts would not be allowed anymore like they once were. In suburbs, many neighbors or HOAs would also probably not look kindly on free flying loft birds. It's a more difficult situation nowadays, I think, for people who like pigeons.

Diversifying their role beyond being seen as 'just' outdoor poultry can help, at least as it can get people interested in house pigeons and then maybe go from there.