Thinking of keeping homing pigeons

[GinaTheDuck]

Thank you!! And I have a couple more questions lol, like how do you prevent them from breeding? And should I just be able to buy pigeon feed from the feed store or do I need to mix it myself?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Don't let the ones you buy get loose. Ones born on your area will be okay since that is 'home'.

We had a 4Her a few years ago that got a pair and the judge let one loose since it's a homing pigeon and will go home. Except their home wasn't the 4Her's

 

[cavemanrich]

Thank you!! And I have a couple more questions lol, like how do you prevent them from breeding? And should I just be able to buy pigeon feed from the feed store or do I need to mix it myself?

You can get ready to go pigeon feed. That is how I used to purchase. Peeps mix their own when they have access to feed at better price than already mixed feeds.

You do not prevent them from breeding, unless you keep males, and females separate. You can prevent young pigeons from hatching,,,,, by replacing their eggs with plastic ones. Just removing eggs is not recommended,,,,,, because they will just lay another set. Pigeons are not like chickens,, that can keep laying eggs. A pigeon producing eggs takes a lot out of the pigeon. That is why placing plastic eggs will have pigeon thinking all is well, only no hatch at the end. After a longer cycle, pigeon will lay more eggs, but not constantly, if you were just removing them.

 

[biophiliac]

Here is an article by a BYC member on pigeon care ...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/basic-pigeon-care-feeding-and-housing.68171/
Most has been covered by prev answers but still may be helpful.

 

[GinaTheDuck]

How do you prevent them from breeding? And I just picked a couple pairs up! My boyfriend and I are starting on building the loft, this is all so exciting!

 

[biophiliac]

You need to get ahold of some fake eggs. I have 12 on hand.
Your birds are very pretty! Can you tell how you found them?
Here is a link to one source of wooden eggs
https://www.nepigeonsupplies.com/product/fake-eggs-wooden-2/
Some of mine are wooden and some are plastic. Both work.
You can just Google 'fake pigeon eggs'.

 

[GinaTheDuck]

Oops I'm so sorry I missed your earlier message saying to replace eggs! I got these guys from a very nice fellow on craigslist not too far from where I live. I also got a checkered male to pair with the almond and a pure white one to put with the mostly white one. Thank you for the link to the fake eggs, I'll be ordering some of those soon. Do you have any advice for getting them to pair up lol? I was thinking maybe putting one pair into the new loft and keeping one in the current cage (it's 64sq ft so its not exactly cramped temporary quarters just not what I'd prefer to have them in) for a couple weeks so they can get um "cozy" with each other. Would that work well?

 

[biophiliac]

Oops I'm so sorry I missed your earlier message saying to replace eggs! I got these guys from a very nice fellow on craigslist not too far from where I live. I also got a checkered male to pair with the almond and a pure white one to put with the mostly white one. Thank you for the link to the fake eggs, I'll be ordering some of those soon. Do you have any advice for getting them to pair up lol? I was thinking maybe putting one pair into the new loft and keeping one in the current cage (it's 64sq ft so its not exactly cramped temporary quarters just not what I'd prefer to have them in) for a couple weeks so they can get um "cozy" with each other. Would that work well?

Yes, caging them separately how you want them to pair up should work if you know their genders. How old are they?
I have always let mine chose their own mates.

 

[GinaTheDuck]

I think one pair are pretty young, I know they hatched this year, the other pair I believe are at least a couple years old, he said they have been good breeders for him.

 

[backyard pigeons]

Congrats! They are beautiful. Are they homers?