tango_kid

No i don't own a loft but i was hoping to make one as i am doing GCSE Resistant materials (woodwork). But i could do with a size recomendation and an amout of birds that you wuld need. Thanks, Mike p.s. Is there any cheaper make of clock??

I might not the in any position to talk but its not just the time, there is also a big initial outlay if you are looking into racing as a hobbie, especialy if your young like myself or you are one of thoes people who take on hobbies for a few months but never get into them properly. Mike

Hello again, After last time when i thought i might not have enough time to have pigeons the forum has kept bringing me back with further questions that i dont realy want to ask. But here goes. Basicly i think i'd be more interested in racing pigeons as i have a very big competative streak and this sounds like something that could interest me. However, i have been trawling the net for weeks and not been able to find the definative guide to starting racing. For instance do you need to join clubs, how do you train your birds, how much does it all cost and so on and so forth. And i would appreciate it it nobody said find a local fancyer, because i dont find it my sort of thing to find one talk to him for along time and then say sorry i cannot afford it ect. So here are my questions. 1) What equipment do you need? A totaly extensive list please and prices also. 2) How do you set about training racing pigeons and at what distance ect. 3) how often do you fly the pigeons? young birds old birds And stock birds 4) Where do you buy your birds from and how much would they cost. 5) How many birds would you need to get started and how much space would you need as a minimal considering cheapness is the key I think thats it for now but if i think of anything else i will let you know Thanks in advance, 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.

Nice young uns. Mike

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.

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.

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??

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

Thanks Tippler1, Mike

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.