Pigeonbasics.com

Hello,
Breif intro: Names Mike, 14 year old who is about to start my Gcse's. I Said it was breif .
Recently decided i would like a new hobbie to spend some time and possibly money on. I then came acros pigeon racing/fancying. I then began the usual internet serch to get info prices and find out whether the hobbie is correct for me. Unfortunately there are no amazingly good intro's for novices in the uk so i thought id find what seemed to be a reputable forum and join it. This is why i am here.

I then asked my mum whether she thought racing pigeons of fancy pigeons would suit me most. After a breif description of each i came to the conclusion that what i wanted was a breed of fancy pigeon that looked nice, was fairly cheap to keep, Hopefuly could fly around in your garden and that if i realy got into it i could enter in shows such as driffeild ect. I am not looking to breed them however. I then looked at the normal type of pigeon: Fantail, garden doves ect but they all seem abit.....dull. So here are my questions:
1) What sort of breed would suit me?? (the ones i have in mind are birmingham rollers and portugese tumblers but there might be birds that look nice and do the same type of thing, oh and that are fairly cheap initialy)
2) How would i house such a bird? could i let it fly around the garden i know it would come back to me??
3) If they can fly around the garden how do you train them to stay in your garden and your garden only??
4) Is there any good breeders in the east yorkshire area that i could be alerted to??
Thanks for reading my essay and hopefully for replying. If i come up with any other questions i wil let you know!!
Thanks, Mike.

Hi mike and welcome i am glad to hear that you are taking your time in deciding what birds to get unlike me as i rushed into pigeons with all guns blazing thought about it 1 day had 15 birds the next only to lose them due to stupidity 2 years ago and have lost many more since i have had many different breeds and have now found rollers suit me and my children best

One more thing: I would prefer a type of pigeon/dove that you can leave out and not have to keep inside.
Also we feed the local birds so there is alot of seed on the lawn often and we have chickens which any pigeons /doves would be able to eat the feed of.
Mike

Oh and if somebody could take the time to explain pretty much everything you need to get started with both race and fancy pigeons it would be greatly appreciated. It's just that people keep on talking about clubs and numbers and lofts and stock pigeons and everything else and i have no clue.
Thanks, Mike.
p.s. sorry for all the questions

hi pal 1st you need to decide what birds you want to keep then get in touch with a local club i keep rollers and joined the Northern Roller club. I joined so that i could get rings for my young birds i have 4 pairs and they are flying stock which i breed from and am in the process of building a kit box for a kit of 20 flyers you need not join a club or have stock birds or numbers untill you decide what you are doing i have kept birds for 2 years and have had all different types and now decided to keep rollers therefore joined a club which suits my needs the rest is your choice get young birds preferably straight from the nest or not flown the loft as they will settle better with you i still learning so not the best for advice but there alot of nice people on here willing to help out new starters
also try this site

http://fancypigeonchatter.forumakers.com/

Ps i started with a couple of old hutches which i still use now in the brick outhouse but am looking to get myself a proper loft when i have the money but my birds are happy with what they have here so i am in no hurry

Mike, good luck with whatever type you decide to keep, we have racers, show racers, Old German Owls and Kormorner Tumblers, which all have there good and bad points.
One thing I would comment on in you above posts is that unless you live in the middle of the country with totaly no neighbours then do not think about leaving the birds out to free fly all day long!
There are many reasons not to, i.e
you will get complaints from neighbours if the birds start going in there gardens or sitting on there roofs,
The birds being out will attract raptors and you will start losing birds,
The loft being open is the prone to unwanted cat visits etc,
You will have no control over your birds if they are allowed to do as they please.

If you want to give them plenty of fresh air then design your loft with a flight or aviary so the birds can enjoy controlled freedom while your not there and then you can let them out to fly when you are there. This way you will also get the pleasure from watching them fly and then if the feeding is correct be able to get them back into the loft for security when required.

Phil

Quoted from pjc

One thing I would comment on in you above posts is that unless you live in the middle of the country with totaly no neighbours then do not think about leaving the birds out to free fly all day long!
There are many reasons not to, i.e
you will get complaints from neighbours if the birds start going in there gardens or sitting on there roofs,
The birds being out will attract raptors and you will start losing birds,
The loft being open is the prone to unwanted cat visits etc,
You will have no control over your birds if they are allowed to do as they please.

If you want to give them plenty of fresh air then design your loft with a flight or aviary so the birds can enjoy controlled freedom while your not there and then you can let them out to fly when you are there. This way you will also get the pleasure from watching them fly and then if the feeding is correct be able to get them back into the loft for security when required.

Phil

very well said phil had the same problem when i 1st started out with cat's and the neighbours but that is sorted now i have full control over birds and they have the freedom of a flight on the loft

we have seen a recent thread about neighbour problems so its even worth talking to the neighbours first as well.

mine are ok now as i dont have as many birds as i did at 1st and all the kids like to come over and watch the birds and help feed them and water so all are happy also 1 of them comes over often himself and helps out and when i go away he steps in for me untill people see the birds they just think eew pigeons dirty city rats with wings as i did untill i got them myself and you come to appreciate them

This is what we as a fancy and sport need to make the general public realise that a pigeon does not just hang around outside the town centre waiting for food from you they are really intellagent creatures i couldn't see my life without birds in it now i go out to them and chat when me and her indoors row silly i know but hey WTF

Jimmy

Thanks for the info guys this is realy helpful.
Jimmy_84: how big are the hutches you are useing because this would probably be the most cost effective way for me as i am not earning at the present?
Also what are fly stocks and what are kit boxes? And with the clubs how much do they cost and is there weekly meetings or somthing?? That applys to racing and other clubs. Also how much do differnt types of pigeon cost? How much do pigeon rings cost? And Fialy if i decided to go down the racing route please can you give me a step to step guide on how to get there please.
Thatyou so far your your contributions they are truly appreciated.
Thanks Mike.

Mike, try to find a local fancier that would be prepared to mentor you that way you can learn about the birds, how to care for them etc etc,
Then if you still feel its realy what you want and you have the support of your parents then go for it!

Phil

Does anybody know of any fanciers In the bervrley area of east yorks?
Also just incase i can't find one i'd love it if someone could answer my previouse questions!! lol
Thanks Mike.

most people when refering to stock birds keep them in they don't fly out i just call mine flying stock becoz i let my birds out

my hutches are 3ft x2ftx1ft just adapted to house the birds andmade the front into up and over so only the birds can get in and out and nothing else can

race clubs can't answer about meetings fancy pigeons no meeting i am aware of i just paid my membership and ring money but you can meet people at the shows and i think racers meet on a weekly basis due to races

all birds cost a different amount i can brred you some rollers but won't be till next year now and you live a distance from me but the birds will be free but would cost for courier to pick them up and deliver them to you they charge about £35 for 6 birds but that not a problem i can breed you 6 to make it worth sending for them or like phil said find a local fancier who will pass on knowlage to you and may even breed you a few birds to start you up i did but then found that racers weren't for me as cost and i don't drive to train them properly so i keep the rollers and enjoy them

JIMMY

Thanks for the generous offer Jimmy!! How many Birds/hutch do you think is sensible? How long do you let your birds out for per day?? What do you feed them? What is the difference between your stock flyers and your kit box if you fly them both? Do you show your birds??
Thanks Mike.

not really sure yet not got any in kit boxes as not long had my rollers at the i am feeding a breed and wean mix while they are rearing young birds then once they have finished breeding i will but them on just wheat with red band to keep them in good condition, but during the moult i will feed the a moulting mix. I think in a kit box they will kit and fly better or that is what i am hoping for, i let them out for about 45mins in the morning and then again about half 7 during late nights, I don't show or compete with them yet but i may do in the future. just start with a couple of birds and take it from there i rushed in had about 15 birds and not a clue how to care for them and kept loosing birds and then i was told about breaking birds to my loft using a cage or aivary on the front of loft/shed
Jimmy

So for six rollers how big a hutch would i need? And how much is the cost of rings/membership to clubs ect??
Thanks Mike

if you have a look through members pictures somebody posted pics of a kit box a couple of weeks ago.

they will have rings on just need transfering to you which i will sort out and i joined the Northern Roller Club and it is £5 per year membership and £2 per 10 rings plus P&P if you or your dad are any good at DIY you could build 1 if you built 1 about 4ft x 4ft x 4ft that would house about 10 birds happily so i was told when i asked

Not all clubs are same price i think racing membership is dearer but i'm not sure

Awesome, thanks for all the help guys. You've helped me no end. Jimmy, if the parents are ok and it all works then i will pm you some time within the next week or so hopefully. Oh and last question what is a yb? Thanks guys you've been a great help.
Thanks again Mike.

it means young bird

it means young bird i will defanatly breed you birds next year mate if you are really wanting some no problem

Thanks Tippler1,
Mike

And thanks Jimmy you got in there while i was typing lol. Top bloke!
Mike

Just a thought, wouldn't keeping pigeons in a 4 foot* 4 foot enclosure be like batterie chickens?? Or do pigeons not mind so much??

is this you
http://pigeonkidd95.piczo.com/

they would be ok as long as they were let out to fly i was told that this would be ok check this post by DOVEscot

http://forum.pigeonbasics.com/m-1182164634/s-24/highlight-kit+box/#num24

Quoted from peter.j

is this you
http://pigeonkidd95.piczo.com/

dont think he has any birds yet but he should take a look at the set up

No! I wish that were me tho mate then i'd know what i was doin! lol.
Nice website all the same. Great, was just wondering if they'd be ok. My goodness this has been a productive night. This morning i didnt know anything about pigeons but now.. lol
Thanks all contributers Mike.

no problem mate we all need help and advice i still have to come on and ask things i have a thread with some photo's of my 2 young birds on

http://forum.pigeonbasics.com/m-1217701818/s-0/highlight-my+2+young+uns/#num0

Hi Mike
I keep Portuguese Tumblers (Flying type) They are great little birds -very fast and agile but at only 1/2 the size of a roller are  unfortunately
the perfect size for sparrow hawks so are no good for keeping 'free' in the garden
I have to let mine out after the Oriental rollers have had their fly as the hawks can't catch them and give up!!
Actually I would recomend Oriental rollers - they don't roll as neatly as Birminghams and will not 'kit' (stay in a tight group) but are good to watch as they do a lot of diving and rolling sideways. They do however carry their wings dragging on the floor and some people find this untidy?!

There is a chap called NIcolas girard He has some videos of Orientals on you-tube in fact there are lots of videos of pigeons on there -would let you see the breeds in action before you made a choice
I believe there is an auction in Goole every thursday that has pigeons (friend of mine bought some tipplers there)
Lofty

this is nicolas's web page  http://pagesperso-orange.fr/pigeonsport/index_en.htm

I started with 3 pair of busshearts in a 6ft - 4ft shed, kept them like this for 3 years as pets then thought it would be fun to race em, well as im sure all on the forum are aware once you start in this game it just snowballs and it becomes a fulltime hobby, I used to keep budgies before but they made way for the lofts I was given from local flyers, been racing 3 years now and I love every minute of it and have met some fantastic people from all over the country on the way. although I am new to the sport the one thing that stands out for me is the lack of publicity which I think could improve the image of the sport as all the poeple I work with thing people that fly pigeons wear a flat cap and have a wippet.

Quoted from tango_kid

Does anybody know of any fanciers In the bervrley area of east yorks?
Also just incase i can't find one i'd love it if someone could answer my previouse questions!! lol
Thanks Mike.

hi tango if you can get hold of a guy called  Des shaw who at one time was the Beverly beavers king of the Sky's  he sold his birds  i don't know if he is still  living but he would be a good one to ask for advice  

Thanks for all the info and links but i have come accross a problem. With school and the high likelyhood that i will be getting a paper round in the morning in the near future i do not know whether i would be able to fly birds in the morning. I could most possibly/almost definatly fly them for one hour at night but when the dark nights come it is dark by the time i get home from school so they are probably not it the mood to fly . Any help apprecaited i hope this doen't mean i cannot have pigeons any ideas....
Paullock: How did you make the transition to raceing pigeons and what would you need to buy/join ect to start racing?
Thanks Mike.

After talking with my mum and thinking things over i dont think i have got enough time to have the fancy pigeons that i had hoped for. What with gcses ect i will be very short for time soon and so i currently deciding on what to do. After reading various posts i get the impression that racing pigeons do not need as much flying as rollers because they take alot of energy racing. Therefore i would much appreciate it if somebody could run me through everything you need to start racing pigeons cost wise as well as everything else if at all possible. At the moment i will take some time to decide on the best plan of action while reading your responces. Also i am having problems sourcing a cheap loft so if anybody could help me with that it would help alot other wise than this i will talk to my dad the DIY man and see if he can come up with a cost effective loft.
Thanks for all the time people have taken to help, Mike.

If you have not got enough time to keep fancy pigeons then you will definately not have time to keep racing pigeons and do them justice

If you have not got enough time to keep fancy pigeons then you will definately not have time to keep racing pigeons and do them justice

thats for sure

Keeping any type of pigeon-or pet- is a ever day job--food and water ever day just like you need
Never ask a pigeon to drink water that you will not drink.