Introduction. Please help me get started.

[jigger]

Hello. Looks like a great site. I raised fancy pigeons when I was a boy and I always wanted to get back into pigeons. This time I want rollers. I need all the help I can get. Here's what I think I want to do but I'm open to suggestions. I want a small loft. I live in town in a residential area. I do not want to compete. I just want to watch them fly every evening. I do not want to raise pigeons and then have to cull the ones that I don't want. I'm a little too tender hearted for that. What I'd like to have is about a dozen or so good rollers, preferably all hens and replace them as they die off or get lost. No breeding if possible.

Here are some of the things you can help me with, if you please. Pick out any or all of them to respond to.

1.Where can I find a plan for the loft that will fit my needs as described above? What do you suggest?

2.Can I have a kit with all females and expect them to return to the loft?

3.Can you suggest literature that will give me the basics of care, feeding and flying Roller pigeons?

4.Are there other web sites I should be looking at as well as this one?

5.How would you go about acquiring birds? I would rather pay a little more if that will assure me I'm getting good quality birds. Again, I want to keep and care for the birds I get. I'm not good at culling.

[bluecheck]

1. http://www.redroselofts.com/starter_loft.htm
http://12voltman.wordpress.com/2007/...-loft-designs/
(I'd also ask the club guys in the clubs below since they know what is best in your area.)

2 - yes

3 - The Birmingham Roller Pigeon by Wm. Pensom http://www.sierrawave.com/pensom/
There are also about five other good ones, you can find them all at JEDDS Pigeon Supply
http://www.jedds.com/StoreFront.bok
ROLLER AND TUMBLER PIGEONS, Batty, Joseph
TRUE SPINNING ROLLERS II by David D. Kowalski
WINNERS WITH SPINNERS by Graham Dexter


4 - http://www.nbrconline.com for Birminghams http://www.angelfire.com/ut2/uora or http://www.cichlidlovers.com/fors.htm for Oriental Rollers

5. Find a good local breeder whose birds you can check in the air (that's the best); otherwise, talk to the clubs they can point you to good guys.

[jigger]

Bluecheck,
Thank you. That's the information I needed.

Can you expand on the All-Hen question? Is it a good idea? What are the pros and cons? Seems like they might take off if they don't have mates????

[Tennman1]

Whenever you get a bunch of women together, they just want to cluck and scratch and not fly

[pigeonmama]

Originally Posted by Tennman1

Whenever you get a bunch of women together, they just want to cluck and scratch and not fly

Watch it, sonny!! This old hen will get ya
Daryl

[jmaxpsi]

lol....i believe they perform better when they are happy...... look into oriental rollers.