Advice For A Newbie

[yorkshirelad]

For a lot of years i have had an interest in homing pigeons, i used to spend hours as a ten year old boy sat outside lofts belonging to miners when i lived in derbyshire and for the last 40 years wanted to have a go myself, now having had a bit of a health scare( looks like a bypass is going to happen soon) i have decided that if i dont do it now i never will, i have kept various livestock over the years, presently showing rabbits with my daughter and partner, got a few sheep( nice lamb with the mint sauce) and a few hens, i am self employed well at least at the moment ( dont earn much but pays the bills).

I would like to ask for the advice of all you old hands out there on what is the best system for a newbie to go for, i am not sure if to go for long distance or sprints, What breeding should i look out for relating to distance.

In short tell me what to do in your opinion

I am thinking of maybe 4 to 6 pairs , Could i get away with less?, Building my own loft, How big or Small can i get away with?, Maybe you would like to be my online mentor as i dont think i have anyone closer than about 25 miles at the moment, i think the nearest club that i can make out is about 40 miles away, Dont want to rush the procces but would like to be looking for young birds next spring and maybe some old birds for breeding, I live near LAMPETER which is in west Wales just South East of Aberystwth ,Look forward to your thoughts

[THE FIFER]

I am sure you are in the right place for help m8, first thing is get your loft ready,then get birds yes a few to let you breed from keeps you interested then youngsters which will get you inyo the racing game,all the best, keep in touch through the site m8,any questions just ask,

[yorkshirelad]

I am sure you are in the right place for help m8, first thing is get your loft ready,then get birds yes a few to let you breed from keeps you interested then youngsters which will get you inyo the racing game,all the best, keep in touch through the site m8,any questions just ask,

But were do i start, surely i need to decide on a system, Widdowhood, Darkness, Natural? before building the loft, i dont want it to become a full time hobby so how small a setup could i get away with?, i would be happy to send a couple of birds away to races, not looking to send a basket full, do i need three sections or two in the loft, i have read a couple of books and searched the net but the more you see the more confusing it gets, Ian

[Guest spin cycle]

But were do i start, surely i need to decide on a system, Widdowhood, Darkness, Natural? before building the loft, i dont want it to become a full time hobby so how small a setup could i get away with?, i would be happy to send a couple of birds away to races, not looking to send a basket full, do i need three sections or two in the loft, i have read a couple of books and searched the net but the more you see the more confusing it gets, Ian

 

 

to start with a small shed 6x4or8 ft to house some 2011 ybs with an aviary enclosing a sputnik....so birds can go in out of sputnik and have a good look around without being loose....eventually the aviary comes away and the birds fly in/out using the sputnik. spend 2011 getting a kit of 20 ish ybs flying around the place....trained but not raced. this will give you a taste of keeping pigeons before you get to committed or it gets to complicated. if you keep stock then pigeons are a doddle....but establishing a new loft can be trying however. JMO all the best

[yorkshirelad]

to start with a small shed 6x4or8 ft to house some 2011 ybs with an aviary enclosing a sputnik....so birds can go in out of sputnik and have a good look around without being loose....eventually the aviary comes away and the birds fly in/out using the sputnik. spend 2011 getting a kit of 20 ish ybs flying around the place....trained but not raced. this will give you a taste of keeping pigeons before you get to committed or it gets to complicated. if you keep stock then pigeons are a doddle....but establishing a new loft can be trying however. JMO all the best

cheers your time is much appreciated

[ovy1255]

BUT IT IS FULL TIME -realy demanding on time and money,if you are expecting to be out of action for some time with your ticker then try a hobby you can pick up and put down when you want.if you still fancy watching the pigeons come home go to a local fancier and ask to help him /her,after a short time you will realise that you need time to keep pigeons and race them -train them -breed them and clean them out as well as keeping them healthy andlook at the BOP situation in your area as you are going to be the new mcdonalds for them.

if after all of this you still want to keep pigeons then join the rest of us idiots who enjoy our sport of RACING PIGEONS.

[yorkshirelad]

BUT IT IS FULL TIME -realy demanding on time and money,if you are expecting to be out of action for some time with your ticker then try a hobby you can pick up and put down when you want.if you still fancy watching the pigeons come home go to a local fancier and ask to help him /her,after a short time you will realise that you need time to keep pigeons and race them -train them -breed them and clean them out as well as keeping them healthy andlook at the BOP situation in your area as you are going to be the new mcdonalds for them.

if after all of this you still want to keep pigeons then join the rest of us idiots who enjoy our sport of RACING PIGEONS.

[/quote

 

No problem with being with the birds everyday just dont have the spare time to be with them for hours at a time, i dont think they can be anymore expensive than the rabbits we keep at the moment, i have already done 5500 miles back and forward to shows this year so far and thats on top of feed etc, not expecting to be out of action for to long they rekon i will be feeling 20 years younger in 6 weeks or so, and then we will be nearing christmas so hope to get started on the loft just after that, and maybe some stock in early spring all being well, not really sure about the bops, we have a lot of red kites and buzzards in the area but i have only seen 1 sparrow hawk in the 15 years i have been here, that doe's not mean they are not around, lots of crows rooks and ravens, how do they affect the pigeons?

[ovy1255]

well after the op give me a shout and i will breed you a kit of 10 if you will pay the carrage to get them to you.

 

also the welsh pigeon show is on 30th october at the sobell centre aberdare -you are in wales arnt you?

[yorkshirelad]

well after the op give me a shout and i will breed you a kit of 10 if you will pay the carrage to get them to you.

 

also the welsh pigeon show is on 30th october at the sobell centre aberdare -you are in wales arnt you?

Your offer is much appreciated and i will bear it in mind, thanks for the info on the show, will certainly be looking to go there if at all possible, all the very best to you