Thinking about getting started in this hobby.

[Lance]

I've been thinking about this for a little while now, but I'm worried about one thing, would having a pigeon loft attract wild pigeons from the area to my property?  Will they want to "shack up" so to speak? If so what steps could I take to avoid this from happening?

 

There is a small city pigeon(maybe 15 - 30 in it) flock that roosts nearby if that helps.

[Guest]

;D well Lance welcome , there are always exeptions but generally no . over here we have numbers of pigeons flying to lofts (coops) that are located only feet apart in some cases and they rarely stray to far from their own place  ;D       hOPE THIS HELPS !    andy

[paul l]

welcome to the forum mate hope u enjoy as i have it s a great place to ask questions and make new freinds at the same time all the best

 

                    paul

[Lance]

Well I live in a city and fairly close to neighbours.  The wild pigeon group usually hangs out a few hundred feet away.

 

At either rate, if it doesn't draw them in and keep them around my yard, everything's fine, last thing i would want is to p*ss my neighbours off by attracting flocks of pigeons into the neighbourhood.  A problem due to living in the city.

 

Well now that all the local laws have been checked, I guess next thing's next, deciding on a loft.

 

I think i want a max of maybe 5 pairs.  What would the smallest loft size be for that many, so i have a starting point?

 

Oh and thanks for the welcomes.  

[Lance]

http://www.fbipigeons.com/small_starter_loft.htm  The loft on this page i found would be easy to have.  I could probably comfortably double the interior size making it a square. and add a 2nd avairy.  I have a family shared 20x15 foot shed that i like to call "the barn" And as it's shared I would have to take a section of it only.

 

I'm thinking 6'x6'x6' with an outside avary maybe 4'4 or 6'x3'.

 

I want a max of 10 pigeons for the mean time as I learn and get used to the hobby and such.  But with those proportions, how many could i comfortably house with that?

[Chatrace]

30 to 35 birds would do well in that area with the avairy. Have you tried to find a club in your area?

[Lance]

There are a few.  I also work at a seed shop, where fanciers come in to buy food all the time.  (This is how i found out about the sport)

 

It's been a bit frustrating to find club webpages online.  It seems that the Canadian clubs don't do much on the internet.  (Jealous of hte american clubs here.. )  But finding the club once i decide to wont be much of a problem.  And is required by city bylaw to be registerd with a club.

 

Now any recomendations on types of bird?

[Lance]

I live in Southern Ontario.

 

How far would you have to go to effectivly train sprinters?

[Lance]

Transportation could be a problem then, as i don't own a car at the present.

[THE FIFER]

ONCE U GET IN WITH A LOCAL CLUB THEY SHOULD GIVE U SOME HELP, WITH INFO ETC, AND TO GET STARTED, IS A GOOD THING TO GET IN WITH SOME OF THE FANCIERS WHICH COME INTO THE SHOP. ALL THE BEST STAY ON THIS SITE AND ASK AS MANY QUESTIONS AS U WANT, THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD FANCIERS ON HERE AND ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP. ALL THE BEST.

[Lance]

Well thanks.  I don't work til next week, and i'm not sure what i'll be doing, might be doing back room stuff all day..  But i'm sure i'll eventually see a fancier sometime soon.

 

 

[Gingernut]

I would like to keep a very few tumblers, How many can one keep in a four foot by two foot by two foot house on legs in my (wifes) garden.

[Wiley]

1square foot per bird i would say mate

[mosslands1]

why dont you get a survey going catch some of the city birds breed some young from them and race them angainst the best there is bet they do better than the ones you buy and you wont get yougbird sickness they are ammune to it

[Wiley]

why dont you get a survey going catch some of the city birds breed some young from them and race them angainst the best there is bet they do better than the ones you buy and you wont get yougbird sickness they are ammune to it

 

 

you can try it mate,and ill ave a look at your results.

 

[Lance]

why dont you get a survey going catch some of the city birds breed some young from them and race them angainst the best there is bet they do better than the ones you buy and you wont get yougbird sickness they are ammune to it

 

Do city birds even have the homing ability?

[THE FIFER]

no

[Lance]

Yeah, i didn't think so.  Though it would be an interesting thing to do.

[Jim McArthur]

This is a good thread and we ought to keep it going!

 

I'm also new to the hobby, still in the planning stages of getting started. I want to start with just a few birds, in a city backyard. Not sure yet whether it'll be racers or rollers / tumblers. Am interested in hearing from you veteran fanciers as to recommendations of types of birds, how to train them, lofts, etc.  

 

Jim

[Guest]

JiM

Did you get my e-mail about a contact for you in New Orleans ????

[Jim McArthur]

I must have missed that message, Hyacinth; where / when did you post it? :-/

 

Jim

[Guest]

It was an e-mail Jim to the address you gave on here when you were going on your trip to Atlanta

[Jim McArthur]

For some reason, Linda, I don't seem to have received that message.

 

capnwilliam@yahoo.com

 

if you don't mind re-trying!  

 

Jim

[Guest]

I'll check if its still in my sent items box and re send

[DEEJAY]

Here is the starter loft i plan to build with modifications!

http://www.redroselofts.com/starter_loft.htm

 

Check out the examples of lofts that were built using the starter loft as a guide line!

Hope this helps!