PIGEON INFO

I asked some experienced fliers what they thought were the three most important things that every pigeon fancier should know. They came up with the following...

The following contains reccomendations and opinions not "Pigeon Gospel" . Use or discard them as you see fit.

#1 - Pigeon Health

Whew! What a doozie to start with. But Definetly the most important!

The highest quality bird with the best loft in the world will not fly well unless it is healthty. You need to practice good loft maintenance, follow a medication schedule, and always feed your birds properly.

To save you some time researching and me some space, I have located three sites concerning pigeon health...

Global Pigeon supplies has a maintenance schedule at www.globalpigeon.com/main.html Continental Breeding station has a simplified health program by Dr. David Marx DVM. at www.cbspigeon.com/health.html Lastly, there is a site concerning pigeon disease at www.comanco.com/selected.htm . I hope these will help enlighten you as they have me.

I would also recommend books as a great resource, though hard to find in my neck of the woods. Check your local bookstore or even Amazon and Barnes & Noble on line. One book I would suggest would be Rotondo on Racing, by Joseph Rotondo. It covers bird health in depth and many other aspects of pigeon raising and racing. A couple of pigeon suppliers also carry books and videos about the sport. Foys Pigeon Supplies , Siegel's, and Global Pigeon Supplies have a wide selection to choose from.

#2 - The Loft

The way I try to treat my loft is as if I might have to live in it. {Who knows if I keep on with my birds like I have ...I may have to. :-) }

You would want your house to be clean and in good order, right? No messes or spilled food. You would like it to be comfortable, no drafts and dry. Well the same goes for your birds. An unclean, unventilated loft with overcrowding is an open invitation to problems and disease. If you have a few good, healthy birds in a well kept loft you are already half way to being a good pigeon flier.

Check out my lofts pages! One covers the basics of construction and outfitting. The other has pictures of what others have done with theirs. Who knows maybe you will find some good ideas for yours!

#3 - Quality Birds

I'm sure I'll get e-mails galore on this topic...but here goes!!

Quality can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, to me it means having birds that have proven their worth to the loft. Granted proven birds may cost, but a high price doesn't always mean quality. When looking at birds, always check their race performance or that of the parents. All birds are different, but you will have a better chance with ones that have a proven background.

Whether you buy birds from a breeder, a fellow flier or are offered "freebies" always strive to get the best you can. Try to make sure that they will be an asset to your loft.

Check out the breeders of some real "Winners" on my Links Page!