My 4H leader is looking into getting a few pairs of American Fantails and I would almost certainly end up with a pair since I have the space, but I know nearly nothing about these pigeons.
I am curious about their pose or stance, why their head sits so far back? I've read they can have bad balance and have no problem raising and feeding babies but is it just the "selective breeding over a lot of years" that makes their necks go back that far, or is it something genetic? Is there a certain way to handle/hold them because of their odd pose to not hurt them, like how you have to be careful with a dachshund jumping from high heights because of their backs?
Will they need lower perches since they can have bad balance? Wider perches? I heard that they might need their vent trimmed for breeding sometimes (which makes sense) but are there any other special requirements for these guys? I'm hoping I'll learn about them more and hopefully get some information from the person we buy them from but a little background info never hurt anyone
I am curious about their pose or stance, why their head sits so far back? I've read they can have bad balance and have no problem raising and feeding babies but is it just the "selective breeding over a lot of years" that makes their necks go back that far, or is it something genetic? Is there a certain way to handle/hold them because of their odd pose to not hurt them, like how you have to be careful with a dachshund jumping from high heights because of their backs?
Will they need lower perches since they can have bad balance? Wider perches? I heard that they might need their vent trimmed for breeding sometimes (which makes sense) but are there any other special requirements for these guys? I'm hoping I'll learn about them more and hopefully get some information from the person we buy them from but a little background info never hurt anyone
