So you think you want to raise pigeons..........
GREAT!
But.........
There are a few things you should think of before
you
jump feet first into this hobby.
Pigeons, like any animal, take time from your
schedule.
How much time depends on, how many birds you want, what breed you are
raising, your loft set up etc. One draw back is vacationing when you
have a back yard full of pigeons. To find someone competent enough to
care for them can be difficult but not impossible.
In my opinion, there are more positive, life enriching
benefits to
raising pigeons than there are negative.
So if you have your heart set on raising pigeons, please do read on my friend.
There are several ways to do anything however there
is, in my opinion, a best way to start in pigeons.
- Deciding you want to raise pigeons, what breed you
want to raise and what you expect out the breed.
- After careful investigation, building your loft.
- Fitting your loft with the necessary fixtures and
breeding pens/nest boxes
- Acquiring the pigeons
- Pairing the pigeons after a 15 day quarantine period
- Settling your pigeons (flight pigeons)
- Training and flying your pigeons
Everyone who I have known personally has began his
or her interest in pigeons after meeting someone else with pigeons. The
breed that this new comer is interested in is inevitably the same breed
they first saw. Of course there are exceptions and this is of course,
only my experience. Once you have decided to raise pigeons and the breed you
want to raise you need to acquire pigeons if you haven't already made
arrangements. Suggestion; don't get pigeons before you have housing for
them. You could very well loose them all to sickness if you
overcrowd, keep them in unsanitary conditions etc. I know this may sound
like a :no brainer" but many jump the gun in new pursuits and
endevors and I am no exception.
Once you've made the decision what you want to raise, what breed
and so forth you'll need a loft. Visit at least half a dozen fanciers
before making plans on your loft and building it. It is much easier to
do it right the first time and more cost effective as well.
For loft design, the type of pigeons that you want
to
raise will determine the type of loft you build. My suggestion, again,
would be
to meet and visit as many people with pigeons as you can. There are as
many loft designs, as there are types of feet. The actual design will
be dictated by what the pigeons are used for, your climate, your size
restrictions etc. For instance, If you were to pick Jacobins as your
breed of choice, you would certainly not be flying them as they are not
a flight pigeon. Therefore you would not need a trap and other
associated items that you would need if you kept, say, Racing Homers.
Some keys about lofts are, ease of cleaning,
dryness,
ventilation and size.
One of the first mistakes a new pigeon keeper will make is over
crowding his or her loft. I can't begin to count the number of times
that a fancier has asked me for my opinion of what might be wrong with
his or her pigeons. The end findings almost always point to overcrowded
lofts and/or contaminated water and feed.
Keep this in mind six pairs of pigeons will
reproduce
themselves in the first round of babies, if all goes well.
In other words, a pair of pigeons lays two eggs, that's one for each
parent or one to one. Six pairs will make 12 babies, if all goes well.
And each pair can have six rounds, or nests of babies per season. With
a little simple math, one can see a single loft becoming VERY
overcrowded.
While a breeding loft does not necessarily have to be huge, one should
always have accommodations for extra birds. An extra pen making it
possible to separate sexes is always nice as well.
Cleaning - This is always seems to be a subject
that
everyone agrees on but few follow through with. Simply stated, the
cleaner the loft the better. Having said this, it is important to point
out that more than a few people use some sort of floor litter. It has
been proved for decades that the best overall floor litter for a loft
is sifted pigeon droppings. The droppings used as floor litter aid in
quickly drying the fresh droppings. This is all a matter of the loft
manager’s preference. Others prefer to scrape the floor daily. Just
because an individual has selected pigeon droppings, as floor litter
does not necessarily mean the loft is dirty.
Dryness - This is simple. Keep it dry. When I say
dry, I
mean as dry as humanly possible. Moisture breeds mold and bacteria. One
cannot keep one's loft too dry.
Ventilation - Don't lock your pigeons up in a loft
that
resembles a stuffy box. Ventilation should be self-explanatory.
Acquiring good pigeons is the key to success. Buy a
$3.00 pigeon and you'll raise $3.00 pigeons. I am not saying go out and
spend a fortune on pigeons. I am saying learn what a quality pigeon is
in the breed you want to raise and find the best examples of that breed
attainable in your budget.Be VERY careful buying pigeons unseen. Too
many feather merchants are out there. Buy locally and best, from a club
member that comes recommended by other club members. Be Careful, very
careful when buying stock.
Pairing your new pigeons. Simply put a male (cock)
and a female (hen) together in a pairing pen. Feed and water as they
will be there about 72 hours. Once the birds are billing and mounting,
it is usually safe to put them in a breeding loft, IF you aren't using
individual breeding pens to ensure pedigree. No single pigeons should
ever be allowed in the breeding loft. The reason for this should be
obvious.
Settling pigeons is as easy as putting them in a
wire basket and placing the basket on the loft. Once the birds have
been on the loft a dozen times I will "tape" their first four flights
and open the loft, kit box or flight pen and let them go in and out at
will. Do this for a few days then remove the tape. Don't scare the
pigeons up. Let them go up on their own.
Fly your birds on a routine. The more strict you
are with the routine, the better. Try this and see what will happen.
Reading Material - W. Levi's The Pigeon and also
his
book The Encyclopedia of Pigeon Breeds are two of the most informative
works you can read. Most libraries have or can get them. They will
answer most anyone's questions.
Feeding - This is also a matter of preference.
Pigeons
are naturally a grain eater. There are several blends available from
local feed stores. I prefer to feed a pellet form and supplement fiber
by adding small grains like milo. Whatever the feed mixture you choose,
make sure its given in a clean container that the pigeons can easily
reach.
Grit must also be given as it is an essential ingredient in the
pigeon’s digestive system.
(A work in progress)
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