Wifes homing pigeons...pics

[Lowell]

I have the rabbits and my wife is just getting started with homing pigeons. Here are the first 2 we got at a game bird swap this past weekend. She also has a few more lined up to get from a local pigeon racing club. I like the pigeons too!!....but would rather eat the rabbits!!

 

[Secuono]

...What do people do with them?
I know up north, they actually race them, but what purpose do they have for others?

 

[Lowell]

There are racing clubs in the area too. We are not interested in racing...at least not yet. We want to be able to have them home from different distances and have our grandkids take them to their home and release them to come back to our house...about 20 miles.

We know a guy in the next town west that takes a trailer about the size of a 6 horse, horse trailer that is full of pigeons and releases them at various distances (hundreds of miles) for the birds to race home for members of a racing club.

Just a hobby of training them to want to come back home.

 

[rittert3]

Lots of people make money using white homers to release at weddings and such.

 

[Lowell]

Know someone close that also does that.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

People used to raise pigeons for meat in a "dove cote"- they would fly off and forage during the day, and return home to roost and nest, so they were a "free" source of meat.

My grandfather raised racing pigeons in Denmark. When the Nazis occupied Denmark, they killed all of the homing pigeons they found to prevent them being used to send messages, including my grandfather's flock.

Here are a few of the medallions he won:

 

[avdpas77]

If you want some to eat, get Giant Homer's, or French Mondains, or Runts. Chickens are easier, but don't have near the personality or intelligence.

 

[Secuono]

Ah, cool. I've only seen a few episodes of the Animal Planet pigeon show. Didn't know did that all over.

 

[wild1slilfarm]

Those are beautiful homers, i raise white homers im looking for some differnt colors, we use ours for meat and just to watch, there are no raceing clubs near us

 

[Lowell]

Very cool story and medallions!!! My wife said, "WOW" when she read your post! We have been reading about how pigeons were used in the war and some of the birds were awarded medals for their service.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

We have been reading about how pigeons were used in the war and some of the birds were awarded medals for their service.

Wow- I didn't know that! I think it is great that your wife's new hobby has inspired you to look back at history.

I hope you have fun with your new pigeons- they are a very pretty color! Make sure to post pics when they have chicks!

 

[grumpy]

We have been reading about how pigeons were used in the war and some of the birds were awarded medals for their service.

Wow- I didn't know that! I think it is great that your wife's new hobby has inspired you to look back at history.

I hope you have fun with your new pigeons- they are a very pretty color! Make sure to post pics when they have chicks!

GOOGLE: Cher-Ami (Dear Friend) World-War One and see what pops up. I raised and raced homing pigeons from 1958 till 1998 when I sold my entire flock to a gentlman in Japan.

Homing pigeons have a very long and distinguished history. Reuters had a string of homing pigeon lofts across Europe in the Mid-1800's. That's how they passed the news so quickly. It was before the telegraph.

The longest race my birds flew was from Houston, Texas, (600 miles to Kansas City, Missouri.) Released 15 minutes after sunrise, on the Saturday nearest the Summer Equinox they would (On a good, clear day) be home before dark!! Usually it was my hens that made the better long-distance fliers. I took 1st and 2nd with a pair of nest-sisters one year.

Grumpy

 

[Lowell]

We checked that out grumpy...very cool. Amazing what those birds could do!! Thanks, Lowell

Also...I think Cher-Ami would be a cool name for one of our birds..... if it shows that it is even slightly worthy!!

Right now the 2 we have, my wife named Santa Fe and Albuquerque...after a recent trip we took.

 

[Bugzy4Lady]

We use our homers for training our bird dogs to hold steady on point. For the pups we place the pigeon in a bird lancher and hide both in tall grass. Then take the pup out to practice hunting. The pup will start running through the field searching for the scent of birds and when the pup starts to get "birdie" he will go on point. If the pup holds point we pretend to flush the bird and release the bird and fire the gun-of course not hitting the pigeon. If the pup continues to hold point we then take a frozen dead bird and toss it into the air and fire again. Then release the pup to get the reward of retrieving the bird. Of course at this point the pup gets lots of praise and good boys. If the pup did not hold point we release the bird but not fire the gun. The pup quickly learns it is no fun to just chase the bird-no reward or praise. We love our "kids" one German Wirehair, four German Shorthair Pointers, one English Pointer and currently one German Shorthair rescue dog.