Just Starting Out

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hey Hanie,

4-6 birds is a nice amount Pigeons can definitely take care of themselves in a manner if you were to leave for a few days. It's just I'm not sure of your setup or what kind of property you live on in new zealand. I would NOT suggest you let your birds out without supervision while you are away. Predators can be lurking and attack them or they might wonder off. They would do better left inside their pen if you were to go away for a few days with plenty of seed and water. Even better would be to have someone "pigeon sit" if they were able....just to change the water daily and top up the seed.


Brad

[re lee]

May I suggest. You might check your area out. So you may find a local pigeon breeder. And perhaps several. That way you can see different breeds And find what suites Your desire.

[John_D]

Just to echo what Brad has said. It is far better if someone can look in on them if you are away.

One thing which is very important is that pigeons get fresh water at least daily. If you have only covered water containers, once a day should do, but if any drinking water is in an open container it can and will get pooped in which is definitely an unhealthy situation.

It is also not that easy to provide food for 'a few days', unless you have a good sized hopper which will dispense food by keeping the open tray filled as they eat - again, protected from poop.

As far as pigeons as pets goes - well, they are all individuals and some are more 'human-friendly' than others. Except in some special cases, like people who have found themselves raising a baby pigeon which sees them as a substitute parent, pigeons generally recognize that someone is kind to them, and may become hand tame, but mostly don't have the same kind of attachment to people as, say, dogs.

John

[Hanie]

From some of your posts are you saying that piji's are not that great to have a pets? or are they good as pets?
with the going away and having someone "pigeon sit" what would they have to do if you were away for a week?
is there any particular breeds that you can advise that are good at homing and can be quite tame? or would i have to look into that myself?

Thanx

Hanie

[Hanie]

Hey Everyone

I see that no one has made any new posts!
Ive talked to some local pigeon owners. Homing pigeons would aparently be the best but the only problem is that we have a Homing pigeon breeder and raceer just over the road from us (who I also talked to) and he said that if I got homing pigeons they might (when I 1st let them out) fly over to his place when they see his pigeons. Is this true? if I let my pigeons out at a different time to him would that work??

Thanx

Hanie

[WhiteWingsCa]

I'll try and answer a few of your recent questions.

1. If you go away for a week -- you DEFINITELY have to get someone to look after your birds -- they need fresh water every day -- every other day at the very least. It is better to put down fresh food every day too -- leaving feed in the tray overnight is an open invitation for disease carrying rodents.

2. Rollers would be just as good as homers, if you're looking for "pets", rather than working birds.

3. Yes, if you have homers, yours MIGHT go visit the neighbours, and vice versa. But, if you start them young enough, and fly them only when they are hungry, and train them right -- they won't stay at the neighbours. In Europe, there can quite literally be 10 or more lofts within a 10 mile circle-- and all the birds know which home is theirs.

4. Any "homing" breed will home -- some better than most -- it isn't the "breed", it's the "breeding" that counts. Rollers can 'home' to some small extent too, I've heard

5. the tameness of the bird depends on how much time you spend with it, and how old it is when you get it. There is no one breed or type that is tamer than others, that I know of.

[Hanie]

Thanx for your reply!!

When you say Rollers can 'home' to a small extent do you mean that they arent great homers?
And if I bought babies from the neighbours would they be more likeley to go over to the neighbours than if I got them from someone else?

Thanx

Hanie

[bigbird]

Hanie,
Whitewings.ca has given you the right stuff.
Rollers, homers, it does not matter if you want them as pets and you take the time to train them properly, they will stick with your loft.
Rollers are more interesting to watch fly, especially so if the roll.
Regards,
Carl

[Hanie]

Are rollers harder to look after?
are they easy to train?

thanx

Hanie

[bigbird]

Rollers are about the same at any other "fly" type pigeon, in terms of care and training.
It takes daily effort, patience, and a love for the birds.
Carl

[Hanie]

Are Rollers less likely to go visiting? Or would homers not go visiting either?

the main problem for me would be going away ( getting someone to look after them ) and having the time to clean out the cage everyday.

Thanx

Hanie

[Hanie]

Thanx everyone for all your posts its been a great help! I have found Pigeon-Talk the best sorce of info around, mainly because you can ask questions and they get answered!
Im still not totally decided on whether Im going to get Pigeons or not because of the time factor, but if I do Im planing on getting Rollers!!

Thanx again everyone

Hanie