I have made note here for the beginning fancier, since I have helped get a few folks around here started! I would love to visit and exchange ideas via e-mail just drop me a line at the address below.
So, the breeding is basically like this. The regular pairs go into the breeding loft with some freedom. The new pairs are locked into a box. In a few of the breeding lofts my nesting boxes have fronts. This box will be about 2 feet long, a foot deep, and a foot high. Each one has its own feeders, and a door that I can prop open or fasted shut. It will take a week to 10 days for these birds to become mated, then they get their freedom into the loft. A trick I use is to let them go a day without feed and water (as it is cool up here) then they seem to get along better. I also use small portable dog kennels for mating the more high strung birds.
The eggs come in a couple of weeks, and in about 18 days we have hatchlings. Pigeons are generally great parents, but if I know that a great bird (for racing) is not a good parent I will switch eggs with a bird that is a better parent. Another trick! I just have to stay on top of the record keeping! The young pigeons are banded with club bands, AU bands, or IF bands (two of the national clubs) when they are a week or so old, big enough to keep the band on!
I am getting my flight loft in order now, for training the young birds. It is in a separate building, much smaller, and has a flight pen that opens wide so the young flight team can access the skys safely. I will position the trap bobs so that they will swing in and out, giving the young birds experience with the bobs. These guys will not have nests, but as this will be a co-ed facility for a time, they may want to lay eggs later in the summer. (These will be tossed)
Spring time is nothing but busy, and the only way I can get caught up is when my dear wife gives me a hand!
A few photos
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