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?
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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.
... Yes,,, the caveman would risk going to prison,,, but life is life. and caveman does not want anything to go hungry.
if caught feeding ferals. I'm outside of city limits, so maybe I would only get a slap on the wrist.
