UK pigeon owners

[biophiliac]

I prefer getting youngsters that will home to my loft and can be flown. If you get a bird whose gender is known it will probably have to be kept captive.

 

[CCUK]

I have spoke to the bloke with the pigeons for sale he has five that are about 3-4 years old. He is finishing racing and has sold all the racers. He just used these for breeding but the youngsters are meant to be good birds. I'm not sure. They seem a bit older than I want and untested. I do want to release them and have them return! Any thoughts?

 

[LamarshFish]

I have spoke to the bloke with the pigeons for sale he has five that are about 3-4 years old. He is finishing racing and has sold all the racers. He just used these for breeding but the youngsters are meant to be good birds. I'm not sure. They seem a bit older than I want and untested. I do want to release them and have them return! Any thoughts?

I say go for it, my reasons are below.

Old birds (birds over 1 year), that have been trained to home to another loft, will not return to your loft if flown or even accidentally released. They will do what their training and instincts tell them, which is go home, or die trying. HOWEVER, many homing pigeon fanciers observe that old birds placed in a new loft (that they were not originally trained to home to) eventually home to the new loft after having raised around 4 clutches of youngsters, which can occur in about one breeding summer. One pair of mine started breeding in January and are already on their 5th clutch. As such, I would take this opportunity to acquire nice breeders (which they seem to be since they were used as such for racing) to build your flock. After they have bred 4+ clutches of squabs, try letting them out, maybe next summer. Worst case, they don't come back, but you have their youngsters and a built up loft, who cares? ... AND you may still simply contact the original owner to see if you can retrieve them again in any event, if you are attached to these birds, which often happens.

If you do this, clip the flight feathers on one wing on the old birds, all of them except the one at the very end. This will make it such that if they do escape your chances of catching them are much better.

 

[CCUK]



I say go for it, my reasons are below.

Old birds (birds over 1 year), that have been trained to home to another loft, will not return to your loft if flown or even accidentally released. They will do what their training and instincts tell them, which is go home, or die trying. HOWEVER, many homing pigeon fanciers observe that old birds placed in a new loft (that they were not originally trained to home to) eventually home to the new loft after having raised around 4 clutches of youngsters, which can occur in about one breeding summer. One pair of mine started breeding in January and are already on their 5th clutch. As such, I would take this opportunity to acquire nice breeders (which they seem to be since they were used as such for racing) to build your flock. After they have bred 4+ clutches of squabs, try letting them out, maybe next summer. Worst case, they don't come back, but you have their youngsters and a built up loft, who cares? ... AND you may still simply contact the original owner to see if you can retrieve them again in any event, if you are attached to these birds, which often happens.

If you do this, clip the flight feathers on one wing on the old birds, all of them except the one at the very end. This will make it such that if they do escape your chances of catching them are much better.

Thanks. It does make sense. But is this how you end up overrun with pigeons! If the youngsters are as good as he says it would be worthwhile.
My loft is about done now aswell. Boomer is now in there. I am going to clad it with shiplap and I need to finish the nest boxes. The floor is all mesh so I need to make a tray that slides in and out for cleaning. She is very happy. Two weeks of being caged up in a dog crate would drive me crazy! She was flying around from perch to perch up and down really enjoying it. Tomorrow I will put a bowl of water in there so she can have a bath! I just need to get her some company now.

 

[biophiliac]

Nice work. She looks very happy to get first pick of perches.

 

[LamarshFish]

But is this how you end up overrun with pigeons!

The best way to deal with this is having at least two separate loft sections, which you can separate cocks and hens if and when you want to cease reproduction. I have a small one section loft, and wish it was two sections. Another way to address unwanted reproduction is to simply replace eggs with fake ones, which can be purchased from pigeon supply stores.

The floor is all mesh so I need to make a tray that slides in and out for cleaning.

It seems most fanciers prefer solid floors so they can walk around in the loft, but my small loft has a hardware cloth (wire mesh) floor, and I love it. When I enter the small loft I of course have to be careful to only step on the wood framing so I don't fall through, but the beauty of it is most of the poop just falls right through to the ground. I thought I would have wanted a tray to collect the poop, but having it go to the ground is just fine for me, I made the ground underneath the loft pest proof with wire mesh walls and 6" landscaping barriers underground. Every few months I rake out the poop and use it as fertilizer after I'm confident the spilled feed is no longer able to sprout where I scatter the poop / scrap feed / dirt mix on my grass or wherever.

She is very happy. Two weeks of being caged up in a dog crate would drive me crazy! She was flying around from perch to perch up and down really enjoying it. Tomorrow I will put a bowl of water in there so she can have a bath! I just need to get her some company now.

Very cute! Very awesome! Definitely needs company, but you are on your way to doing so. So amazing how many people on here get hooked onto pigeons after taking in a stray! Just a testament as to how enjoyable these little critters are, even though they mostly don't like being held or messed with, they are so smart and funny to watch move about and fly around. The husbandry aspect of taking care of them and ensuring they have good health and a nice lifestyle has been very fun for me, personally.

Good luck to you. Keep us posted!

 

[CCUK]

The best way to deal with this is having at least two separate loft sections, which you can separate cocks and hens if and when you want to cease reproduction. I have a small one section loft, and wish it was two sections. Another way to address unwanted reproduction is to simply replace eggs with fake ones, which can be purchased from pigeon supply stores.



It seems most fanciers prefer solid floors so they can walk around in the loft, but my small loft has a hardware cloth (wire mesh) floor, and I love it. When I enter the small loft I of course have to be careful to only step on the wood framing so I don't fall through, but the beauty of it is most of the poop just falls right through to the ground. I thought I would have wanted a tray to collect the poop, but having it go to the ground is just fine for me, I made the ground underneath the loft pest proof with wire mesh walls and 6" landscaping barriers underground. Every few months I rake out the poop and use it as fertilizer after I'm confident the spilled feed is no longer able to sprout where I scatter the poop / scrap feed / dirt mix on my grass or wherever.



Very cute! Very awesome! Definitely needs company, but you are on your way to doing so. So amazing how many people on here get hooked onto pigeons after taking in a stray! Just a testament as to how enjoyable these little critters are, even though they mostly don't like being held or messed with, they are so smart and funny to watch move about and fly around. The husbandry aspect of taking care of them and ensuring they have good health and a nice lifestyle has been very fun for me, personally.

Good luck to you. Keep us posted!

Thanks! Well I've spoke to the guy again and I'm picking up 5 on Sunday. He has only used them for breeding. So if I do the same hopefully I will have some fresh new birds that only know here as home. Then I'll get some fake eggs! My loft is a bit small to make another partition.

I think the guy I bought this loft from used a banana to measure! It's alot straighter,firmer and secure now.
I may have a problem though. It turns out that there is someone else with pigeons who live about 20m away from me, I can't believe I never noticed! I don't get on with him (he's a compulsive bonfire burner!) I had a massive row with him a year or so back because of it. But will my pigeons end up with his or his mine? I think his are rollers and I'm getting racers.

 

[biophiliac]

If you have six birds try to have more than 6 perches.
I can't think of a reason your birds would mix with his.

used a banana to measure!

this is funny!

 

[CCUK]

If you have six birds try to have more than 6 perches.
I can't think of a reason your birds would mix with his.


this is funny!

I've only got five perches. I'm going to have six birds! Is that OK? I'll have to see what else the guy is selling as he's stopping with pigeons. I'm going to need nest bowls and leg rings and stuff! It does worry me with my neighbour having pigeons too, but if they're set here hopefully it will be OK. I don't want to lose any to him! Also, I was thinking about letting boomer out for a fly. She's been cooped up for a while. Should I just leave her be until the others have arrived and settled down? Will she be fully homeset to here now? I also need to get her to use the bobwires.

 

[biophiliac]

I've only got five perches. I'm going to have six birds! Is that OK? I'll have to see what else the guy is selling as he's stopping with pigeons. I'm going to need nest bowls and leg rings and stuff! It does worry me with my neighbour having pigeons too, but if they're set here hopefully it will be OK. I don't want to lose any to him! Also, I was thinking about letting boomer out for a fly. She's been cooped up for a while. Should I just leave her be until the others have arrived and settled down? Will she be fully homeset to here now? I also need to get her to use the bobwires.

Easy to make a few more perches and screw them up to the wall.
I made these myself and i'm no carpenter.

I think you really should have more perches than birds.
looking at the pic i'd say you have room for 6-8 more perches...