[Beaker bird]

Hi I'm a total novice to having birds, other than hand rearing a few chickens and ducks as a child with my parents.
I have just got an incubator for Christmas and im hoping to get 2 or 3 pigeon eggs, incubate them and hand rear them before moving them outside when the weathers nicer.
I have ordered some books and was wondering if anyone can give me a few tips in the meantime on how I would go about choosing a breed ect.. and where I can acquire pigeon eggs as I have no idea.
Also am i better to get two or would 3 be better?
Any basic tips or books or any help or advice would be fantastic

Love the site too.. I imagine my works going suffer now iv found it haha

 

[sky tx]

Are you prepared to hand feed the squabs? they are not like chickens and eat on their own. Squabs have to be hand-fed a liquid diet 3-4 times a day for maybe 20-25-30 days -maybe a little longer.

 

[MaryOfExeter]

It does take a lot of time just rearing one baby. They have to be hand fed formula several times a day. Most people do not sell or ship pigeon eggs for the reason, unless the person receiving them has a pair of foster parents ready to lay. It may be best to get a pair of adult pigeons first while you're still learning, before you decide to take on something like this With a pair, you can let them raise a couple babies, and you can handle them a lot while they're young so they are tame. Another alternative is simply getting some newly weaned youngsters to tame, instead of adults.

Here's an article on incubating and raising squabs:
http://pigeonracingpigeons.com/2009/12/26/articial-incubation-and-hand-raising-young-pigeons/

 

[Beaker bird]

I foolishly presumed they would be like the chickens i had as a child! Sky tax, Thanks ever so much for your reply and yours too Mary. I will spend the next few months thinking this through LOTS more and will look at adult pigeons first definitely.
Thanks again.

 

[yopigeonguy]

I foolishly presumed they would be like the chickens i had as a child! Sky tax, Thanks ever so much for your reply and yours too Mary. I will spend the next few months thinking this through LOTS more and will look at adult pigeons first definitely.
Thanks again.

LOL, no pigeons are not at all independent when they are small!!! If I were you I would get some duckling or chicks to hand rear and just get some adult pigeons and let them do they parenting

 

[Beaker bird]

Fantastic idea.. thanks ever so much for your advice.