Quest for TEXAN PIONEERS.....

[donne]

Homing pigeons are not less robust or dove like compared to Ferals. It's the opposite... There are plenty domestic non utility pigeons bred to be healthy and vigorous. The flight I posted above has an large oil gland which is good thing as it protect feathers and also makes them shiny as an side effect. They also have bright red eye cere and bright red beaks, feet and legs showing that they have a large amount of healthy blood flow. I consider that a sign of robustness.

This is off topic but Print Tippler I don't see how red eye ceres, Bright red beaks and feet have to do with blood flow and Robustness I always thought it was just a pigment would you mind explaining little more do all breeds have to have this pigment ? I find this interesting cause some birds in my flock have it and other don't I never thought of it as a big deal I think my flocks pretty robust.

 

[Print Tippler]

This is off topic but Print Tippler I don't see how red eye ceres, Bright red beaks and feet have to do with blood flow and Robustness I always thought it was just a pigment would you mind explaining little more do all breeds have to have this pigment ? I find this interesting cause some birds in my flock have it and other don't I never thought of it as a big deal I think my flocks pretty robust.

Well I don't have any science to back up it up. It's just how I see it. Some domestic pigeons have oil glands which are located above their tails while others do not. I believe having it brings a lot of benefits to the bird as it coats the feathers and helps with vitamin D, I believe. I'm not sure on the red cere and beak now that I think about it. But discoloration of the feet, legs or beak of the bird does show a sign of sickness. I would assume an increase of coloration is a healthy thing. When they are very unhealthy it be lost. Not sure all about it. Theres are genes/ traits which do increase or decrease the health of the bird though I would think. Short beak birds have a harder time preening themselves I would think. Birds that have bulging eyes are probably prone to more i think. The breed of dog pugs have a higher risk of eye problem do to how there head is short and there eyes come out. Exercise is a good thing. Probably in birds too so I would think a bird that is able to fly would ultimately be more health. There are a lot of little things in breeds that ultimately decides how healthy it really can be I think, that and of course how you take care of them.

 

[sport14692]

 

[laughingdog]

I know I'm young and have learned more actually hands on from older birders than many an internet searches, as anyone posts opinions on anything un checked without proof as facts. I've learned and found more factual and actually helpful info from people on here, as have from good old actual experiance. few breedest elite snobs though unfortunately, and some know it alls as well.. I was looking for kings, as actually oldest utility breed and most successful world over, most others crosses etc from. Look at how lofts etc in Egypt n middle East are as beautifully ingeniously simple large structures, that kings are free flown from "dove cote" type structures. There maybe cheap/free kept, minus grain insects etc they eat (I've seen pigeons in real life and you can look up on video of them eating insects, greens, berries, fruit, nuts, etc), costing lil money prob to whoever/everybody. Homers here be general or racers, were n are also used in letting free fly to forage and later eat from/young, and also homers used to breed meat breeds. I've seen n heard many say many breeds of fancy show pigeons are hard to breed, feed young, cover, heat, n not trample/crush. I've had a few breeds extremely seeming need help from their shape breaks feathers legs etc, n all have had healthy young on own. Parlors found do better breeding them in lower cages on wire to keep clean n from rolling out trying to fly from stimuli, crushing or tossing eggs (I've never had that trouble, but woman bought from kept in normal taller coop, n she couldn't breed them).
My white racing homers were very great meat birds, compared to only king pigeons I found local so far that were smaller and scrawny. I'm in east tn n heard of giant homers too locally, but never seen, n they were expensive once of two of times. I'm all ears of anyone knows local of some to me decent.