White "Dove" Release

[Hokum Coco]

I was wondering if there was anyone else out there that found this business successful

I am retired and am able to devote a lot of time toward "MY HOBBY". I find the birds on a good year break even. My market is Moncton New Brunswick Canada and surrounding area which is a population of about 80,000 people.

Your schedule is "NOT" ideal for this type of business.

Training and conditioning takes up untold hours of your time.

I have to take that out of the equation when factoring my operation.

Most of my business comes from funerals

"Weddings seem to be in DECLINE near me that is where the money is"

I do not charge for funerals and am a poor business man.

I rely solely on the generosity of the family to compensate my birds. Some funerals I have done for no compensation. I find it hard to give much advice on your situation. No two markets are the same. @sourland mentioned "NOT" to free fly your birds and I am in total agreement with that statement it is not his first rodeo when it comes to pigeons either.

I would like to help you more unfortunately there are "too many variables" in your market to comment wisely not to mention your life style.

I think trial and error is going to be the best teacher in your venture.

My best advice is "NO ADVICE".

I am a believer that great minds think for themselves "NOT ALIKE".

 

[backyard pigeons]

Thanks hokum. Very good advice.

I am retired and am able to devote a lot of time toward my hobby. I find the birds on a good year break even. My market is Moncton and surrounding area which is a population of about 80,000 people. Your schedule is not ideal for this type of business. Most of my business comes from funerals (wedding seem to be in decline in my area) I do not charge for funerals and relay mainly on the generosity of the family to compensate my birds. Some funerals I have done for no compensation. I find it hard to give much advice on your situation. No two markets are the same. @sourland mentioned "NOT" to free fly your birds and I am in total agreement with that statement it is not his first rodeo when it comes to pigeons either. I would like to help you more unfortunately there are too many variables in your situation to comment wisely.

I think trial and error is going to be your best teacher in this situation.

 

[ReseisCL16]

I really appreciate the research! I looked at those articles and, like you said, they seemed kinda biased. It seems to me that it is important to be ethical about all of this by training the pigeons slowly to fly farther and farther from the loft. I definitely agree that it is cruel to release actual doves or other breeds of pigeons that aren't meant to fly the distances homers can. How do you guys tame your pigeons? Peanuts as treats are a good idea, but the current pigeons I have are too timid to come close to eating them out of my hand (plus they don't know that it's food I'm offering them)...

 

[Hokum Coco]

Peanuts as treats are a good idea, but the current pigeons I have are too timid to come close to eating them out of my hand

It does not happen over night. It may take a months or more to gain their confidence move slow as pigeons are spooked with any sudden movement. Break up a few peanuts the size of a chicken pellet to get them acquainted. Before long they will fly on you looking for treats and come when called (as long as you have teats that is.) Some may never be allow to fly on you because of the pecking order in birds. The dominate birds fend them off from landing.

 

[backyard pigeons]

Great advice above.

It does not happen over night. It may take a months or more to gain their confidence move slow as pigeons are spooked with any sudden movement. Break up a few peanuts the size of a chicken pellet to get them acquainted. Before long they will fly on you looking for treats and come when called (as long as you have teats that is.) Some may never be allow to fly on you because of the pecking order in birds. The dominate birds fend them off from landing.

 

[jak2002003]

I used to do this when I lived back in the UK.

Did not make any money... probably made a loss if I looked at it as a business... because of travel costs, phone bills, bird feed, cages, coops, etc etc.

However, it was fun and nice hobby.

If you have a job / go to work, then I don't see how you can do it... as you have to be free for the wedding, party or funeral times to take the birds there.

There is no cruelty involved so long as you use white racing / homing pigeons and have trained them. In fact, my birds loved doing it.. they get really excited when they are ready to be released and race back looking very happy and no worse for wear. Its good exercise for them too and keeps them trim and healthy.

My opinion is if you want to do this as a money making business you will fail. You can't make a career out of it. But its a fun and satisfying hobby... but does take up a lot of your time and energy (which people with a passion for their racing birds won't find a problem).

 

[Hokum Coco]

I used to do this when I lived back in the UK.

My hobby echoes the same results.

Here is a special video I was involved in and a local girl and family I will remember the rest of my life my hobby has introduced me to some amazing people.

https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/becca-s...URNHuQ0ZXYF9TIa_bSnlCF4_2JRDBMYscVMZochzbelrE

I wish you nothing but the best in your venture. I am on this site daily and will help you in anyway I can to get you started as a pigeon fancier. A few BYC members regard me as an expert on this site. This is a title I like to shy away from. Any advise I have given has usually come from stupidity on my part. I have almost 69 trips around the sun I have been completely wiped out recently by a weasel attack (they can squeeze through a gap I estimate as ½"+- wide). I would like to have a flock of about 50 birds. I have bounced back to a count of 34 birds down from my goal of 50 which I did attain this year. I was free flying my birds for a time and the hawks were picking off a lot of my young birds along with birds you loose on training tosses for a variety of reasons. I have a Belguim blood line and once my birds reach maturity can out fly most eagles and hawks (peregrine falcons are the one exception).

Get the best birds you can afford this will cut back on losses white birds have a tendency to draw predators you will soon discover.