What are good starter pigeons?

[punk-a-doodle]

I am currently staying away from heavily adorned breeds (such as the cute, yet really muffed out English trumpeters) due to the little bit of extra care they need to keep those feathered feet poop free and free of broken blood feathers, especially breeds that spend a lot of time on the ground. I've found that the feathers lie so closely to the leg in the frills, that care doesn't have to be taken with them. Here's a video of my guy, so you can see the legs in action:

German owls look so close to the bluette oriental frills, that they might be a better choice. They are still home bodies (meaning, they aren't likely to stray from the coop as much unless spooked), but they can fly a bit better, but still not great (frills are total predator snacks in my experience), and have no feathering on the leg at all. They do have a different crest, which is a shell crest instead of peaked. I still would not let these guys roam without supervision, and even then, you still might lose them to a hawk.
If keeping them indoors only and just letting the less predator prone breeds out to fly, the frills are awesome. They can be really tame, and have a sort of cheerful attitude about them that you can't help but smile at.

My guy is as dumb as a brick, but he is so much fun to have around. He is constantly pecking at and exploring everything, much more so than a feral I had healing up in the house, or our ringneck dove.

 

[hookedonpigeons]

I use to have some old frills and they are just as easy to take care of as any other pigeon. As raising pigeons with chickens, I've never done that. I have always raised my birds separately. When my birds get out for exercise my chickens bite them on the head.
You can always hang a 2x4 cage on your chicken house to keep a few in.

Thanks
Logan

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[cochinGurl]

tho i have never had them, i know tumblers are a good sturdy breed, and lots of people start with them. but the breed you would get depends on your climet and also what your looking form racers, exibitation, flying ect.

 

[jerseygirl1]

THis is a great starter thread - I was interested in only two pigeons, maybe as homing pigeons. THnaks for all the info!

 

[rittert3]

I started with mixed up rollers and barn pigeons and had a blast with them. I don't think I ever paid over $7 for a bird and got most of them $2 ea or $10 for mated pairs (that never bred again, lol (I was feeding scrach grain that had cracked corn and didn't know to feed whole corn instead of cracked)). Honestly if I ever get anymore just to have around I will go buy the cheap shooter pigeons at a bird aucton. These always go for just a buck or 2 a bird. ETA: If you live near a grain elevator don't fly any pigeons you're attached to, there was one about a half block away from where I had mine and after a few months they caught up with the wild pigeons and never came back.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Start with some good homers, then no need to worry about them leaving. (young that you raise there)