Questions About Breeding White Homers

[RAREROO]

Hi I was at a local poultry auction this past weekend and there were several cages of White Pigeons that were bring pretty good prices and I have been wanting to get some pigeons and now I'm thinking about trying to breed those whites to sell at the auction. Its mainly one guy that buys them to be used for wedding releases and such but I was thinking about trying some but I have never had pigeons before so I would really appreciate any info on breeding them. But the basics I would like to know are

How old before they can breed ?

Do they have to be paird or can a large breeding group be kept well in a flight pen ?

How many chicks do they usually hatch per clutch?

And how long does it take a batch of young ones to reach a selling age where they can be sold for release ?

Thats the main points and please feel free to add anything I missed.

Thanks

 

[seedcorn]

Buying older white homers for wedding releases, won't work as they'll fly home.

They will pair off themselves. With adequate nesting areas, they will lay 2 eggs, hatch them, and raise them--unless one dies on the way. Both parents will feed them as they'll grow fast and large and have a healthy appetite.

 

[RAREROO]

If I got them I would keep them in a sheltered loft connected to a large aviary that they can fly in but cant get out to fly away. I dont know what the guy at the auction that buys them does, I think he resells them and I guess they fly to where ever they want when they are released. I am in South Ga and I know what he buys a bunch of roos and goats he takes them to Miami Florida to sell them so I guess thats where he takes the pigeons too. Would Pigeons even try to fly from South Fl to back to South Ga if they were released ?

 

[srsmith69]

They pair up naturally. Not like chickens where one rooster can service multiple hens. Its a one to one ratio. The hen will lay one egg usually in the afternoon. About 40 hours later, she will lay a second egg and begin to incubate them. Rooster and hen takes turns with the incubation with the rooster on the nest usually in the afternoon and the hen on the nest at night and during the morning. 18 days after the second egg is laid, they will hatch, hopefully. Pigeons are generally eating size at 4 weeks to 1 month old. After that, they lose their baby fat and become less tasty. When the squabs are around 3 weeks old, the hen will start a new clutch. The rooster will continue rearing the previous clutch while she sits on the new nest. If the pigeons are happy, and healthy, homers should produce a clutch about every 5 weeks. As far as when they're ready to be homers and release at weddings to return to their roost, don't know. But, they have to be fully feathered, flight condition, and trained over a period of time to return to the roost.

 

[seedcorn]

yes, they will try if they are homers. Successfully? until it happens who knows. Homers that fly professionally are trained. Start local, little by little farther out. I'm guessing you are correct he is buying them for a squab market.

Curious, what are they bringing?

 

[RAREROO]

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Thanks for the info

 

[RAREROO]

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I think he buys them for selling to people who use them in weddings, these were smaller pigeons, I think it is White Kings that are used for the squab market correct ? I believe I have seen them before and these werent that big. These were bringing I think about $5 - $7.50 each and there were several maybe 20+ per cage so I'm sure the total was a pretty nice price. How does this price rank though, is it average or cheaper than what they usually cost ? Remember this was an acution though and maybe only two people bidding on them and the regular guy that buys them is a reseller like I said so I'm assuming they are actually worth more if if hes reselling them, but how much more ?

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

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Yes, and they can very easily make it back. They can fly up to 500-600 miles in one day.

Pigeons have two eggs/babies per clutch. They are sexually mature 4-6 months old, but may not take interest in breeding until closer to a year old. Just depends on the bird. The babies are weaned at 26-30 days, and you can sell them as soon as they can eat and drink on their own.

The birds you bought should be used as breeders only. Fly the babies. It's easier than risking losing the parents. I hope you do plan to fly some of your own.

 

[RAREROO]

Quote:
Yes, and they can very easily make it back. They can fly up to 500-600 miles in one day.

Pigeons have two eggs/babies per clutch. They are sexually mature 4-6 months old, but may not take interest in breeding until closer to a year old. Just depends on the bird. The babies are weaned at 26-30 days, and you can sell them as soon as they can eat and drink on their own.

The birds you bought should be used as breeders only. Fly the babies. It's easier than risking losing the parents. I hope you do plan to fly some of your own.

Oh I havent bought any yet, just researching them first and make sure I know what to do with them before I do. And of course I'd have to fly some of my own, I couldnt just sell them without having fun with them first. lol And I have family that all live different distances from me so I could take them to their house and let them go there and let them come home from there and then move them to a further trip and then even further.

Thanks for the info though and I'll make sure to keep the ones I do buy in just a breeder pen.

What about Fantails though ? I would like to get just a few of them just to have around ? How would they be about being let out and not flying away ? They wouldnt be as bad as homers would they ?

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

Fantails are fun to keep around for fun

And they make nice displays at weddings (no releasing, of course). You can keep them in for a couple weeks and let them out safely, no matter how old they are.