Anyone raise pigeons

I?ve been thinking of getting some birds and now I?m thinking I?d like pigeons

No you don't want them get some guinea hens if you want birds good guards too. Noisy when somebody comes.

No you don't want them get some peacocks.
No you don't want them get some humming birds
No you don't want them get some turkeys
No you don't want them get some chickens
Dad had pigeons.
flyers showers
fancy and bums
let them out and the hawks would just come from miles to destroy.
they would fly and do aerobatics then comedown and go through one way traps for their supper
Sometimes the hawks would just hang from the coops

Yeah I raise pigeons, unwanted ones, you can have them. They sit in the track in the top of the barn. I always thought of getting a falcon then see what those little pigeons do!

You should have dealt with the Pigeon King....Google it and see how a ponzi scheme works..or not!

Ben.

Our neighbor decide to raise pigeons 30 years ago. They got into our barn, would perch on the hay fork track and paint all the equipment white. They would perch along the edge of the barn roof outside and destroyed the roofing, which was asphalt roll roofing. I had to replace it several times. I am glad they?re not around anymore.

SV,
About 8 years ago I got histoplasmosis in my lungs. I know a man who had histo in his eyes. I got mine while helping neighbor convert his chicken coop into hay storage. It took Dr's about a month to diagnosis my condition. First they thought I had lung cancer. Histro isn't anything you want. I caughed so hard my ribs hurt. I thought I was dying, fever, sweats, chills, body hurt. The closest I want to get to a chicken is at KFC.

Histoplasmosis is a lung disease caused by an infection with a fungus, Histoplasma capsulatum. The pulmonary (lung) infection results from inhaling airborne spores of the fungus. The fungus is common in the U.S. in the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys and is common in soil contaminated by bird or bat droppings.

Sounds like you are a magnet for about every disease and aliment known to man or beast(LOL)

There a lot of different types of pigeons that are used for different things.I like the Runts great big old things real tame they will sell good to certain ethnic groups that
like to eat them and they will sell to people as ornamental birds.With your climate you might want to consider ornamental pheasants some of those will bring over $500 a pair like the Tragopan pheasants.Elliots,Swinhoe,Blue Eared,Edwards will go $100 plus a pair.Limited market but I was always able to sell all I raised and had a waiting list for some
of the more rare ones.

You don't want them in any way, shape or form. Shotgun if any show up unwanted. And they are not good eating either.

Dad and I built a 20x20 Pigeon house when I was a kid (pfffffft) and I got to take care of it and harvest the "squabs".....ugliest thing I ever saw...pretty much. We ate them but I don't recall it being a Gourmet's delight. Had it separated into halves; a pier and beam section, with raised wooden floor and nest boxes and all closed in except for the South side which faced the flyway section other half that was all chicken wire with a concrete floor with drain. Roosting bars were provided in both sections. No idea as to the cost payback.

I have raised pigeons since I was 12 years old and that is a long time..'nuff said. I started with show birds and still have them. The variety I have is called a Russian Tumbler. You can Google them as the club has a nice website. There are many other fine breeds also. Some are easier to keep than others. Some need special handling as they cannot raise their own youngsters. I have a neighbor who is big into Racing Homers. If you want a really nice bird that is easy to raise, can be flown outside the loft and has a halfway decent chance of escaping the hawks...this is the bird. Plus you can train them to fly home from distances. The ones who do tricks in the air are hawk magnets as are the slower fancy breeds. Health issues are not a problem if you are careful to use a mask when cleaning. That is really the only time to worry. Most people I know with breathing issues from pet pigeons got it from breathing lime dust they scattered to keep the loft dry. Don't do that. Use ventilation. Any questions, drop me a line. I still fly my homers and show my Russians. I have decades of friendships...it is a fine hobby.

FYI...one of the largest pigeon shows in the country is in Louisville next month. The National Young Bird Show (NYBS) will have most every pigeon commonly available and extensive sale pens. Worth even a couple hours drive...but get there early. It is a one day show.
NYBS

Swallows, martins, flycatchers, even bats, not feathered rats. My Grandfather's farm (still ours) had a pigeon roost in the south gable of the coal shed. Hawks took them in about 1956 or so. Shed had 8X8X15 inch boxes behind south facing open square holes of 4"X5" tall. As far as I can remember (I was 0 to 6 years old) gramps never touched one of them, or fed them ever. Jim

Histo is rare and very costly. Meds were special order. Could only take 8 pills before I had a reaction to them.

I've been told of others having relatives that died from Histo.

No way would I want my kids or grandchildren to get it. No chickens or birds, period.

(quoted from post at 11:44:07 09/21/19) Swallows, martins, flycatchers, even bats, not feathered rats. My Grandfather's farm (still ours) had a pigeon roost in the south gable of the coal shed. Hawks took them in about 1956 or so. Shed had 8X8X15 inch boxes behind south facing open square holes of 4"X5" tall. As far as I can remember (I was 0 to 6 years old) gramps never touched one of them, or fed them ever. Jim

Click to expand...

ood description....'feathered rats'!

What would be their function ? Mostly smaller daries around here and most farmers hate them. Very messy and dirty when they perch in the barns. I have been on several pigeon shoots where we would go from farm to farm to "lessen" the amount of birds. They are more of a pest and annoyance here than anything else.

The pigeons I shoot at work are very tasty. I just cut the breast meat out.

Every time someone mentions a pigeon, it usually opens a big can of worms.If you think you'd like to have them do a little research, you will find some good links using Google if you haven't already. Personally, I like Pigeons more than most people.