Homing Pigeons

Have you seen these old classic movies, wherein the birds, as in pigeons, were used to deliver important messages to people who were far away from you? I always wondered about the fact that how could a pigeon know exactly where the receiver would be and how would the pigeon find its way back home! I am sure this thought would have come up in your mind as well! These pigeons are none other than the homing pigeons who are known for their abilities to travel miles away from home and yet find their way back! It is due to this quality that the homing pigeons are named so. These pigeons can take extremely long distance flights, wherein 1,118 miles is the highest ever recorded! Amazing, isn't it? And the best part is, that after covering so much of distance, they still somehow manage to find their way back home.

How to Raise Homing Pigeons

Many people believe that homing pigeons are extinct, however, this is not the case. The belief is probably a confusion that has resulted in similarities between homing pigeons and passenger pigeons, which are an extinct species. You can easily find homing pigeons for sale at your local bird shop or even online for about $25 per pigeon. Although make sure that the place from where you are purchasing these pigeons is trusted when it comes to dealing and shipment. The white homing pigeons are probably the most popular ones in the market.

People raise these pigeons for various reasons like hobby, breeding or even racing! Yes, these pigeons are very popular for racing purposes, and trained ones can fly up to 600 miles and return home safely. There are people who are training homing pigeons right from a young age for racing purposes only! Even if you are raising them for hobby purposes, these birds are amazing pets because you really don't have to put much efforts into it and they can never get lost! No matter what the reason be in your case, mentioned below are some important points regarding the training and raising of homing pigeons.

Shelter
If you are planning to breed homing pigeons, you must provide the pigeons with a proper shelter and birdhouse. Start on with getting 2 pairs of homing pigeons so that they can start the mating process if you want to breed them for the purpose of racing. The pigeon house should be airy enough and should have an elevated loft which should be caged or wired initially so that the pigeons don't fly off! It also acts as a protection against predators like raccoons or cats. Make sure that there coups are clean and safe enough to keep the eggs. Also try to include clean sands with small shells and stones so that the pigeons can do some picking. There is no specific space requirement, just make sure that it is spacious enough for them to live comfortably.

Food
You don't really have to take extra care when it comes to feeding homing pigeons. You can feed them the regular whole grains, corn, rice, soybean, sorghum or legume seeds. Although, you must not feed them with superfine or powdered grains. Also make sure that the food given to the pigeon is free of mold, pest or any other hazardous element. Keep a corner where you can keep the grains for them to feed all the time. Especially, if you have young homing pigeons, they need a lot of food to grow!

Water
By water, I mean both for drinking and for birdbaths. Homing pigeons love to take baths. It also helps them keep cool and clean in the summers and minimizes their chances of developing diseases. Keep a bathing container at least 7-8 cm deep so that they can enjoy their bath to the fullest. Giving them baths at least 2-3 times in a week is good.

Training
If you want to train them for racing purposes, then you must do so when they are about 6 weeks old. You can take them to a place which you want them to register as 'home'. Once they get used to the place which is now their home, you can start on with their training process. The first step would be to teach them to enter the loft using the trap door entrance. Gradually take them a mile away from their loft and watch them fly back home. As the time passes, increase the distance. You can also wait for them near their loft and treat them with their favorite food!

Some Facts about Homing Pigeons

The homing pigeons have been one of the most popular species right from the history. They were used to send important messages from one point to another, which is why the homing pigeons are also known as the carrier pigeons. The section below consists of some interesting homing pigeon facts which would help you in knowing these species in a better way!

• Homing pigeons are monogamous and have only one mate for their entire life. However, in case of the death of their mate, they do find another one!
• A homing pigeon named Cher Ami was honored with the French Croix de guerre for his amazing heroic service in World War 1. This homing pigeon delivered 12 important messages in spite of being injured! Amazing right!
• People also use white homing pigeons in 'Release Dove' ceremonies. These ceremonies usually take place at occasions like weddings, sporting events or funerals.
• The homing pigeons look very similar to the wild pigeons. The only difference would be that they seem to be more muscular than the wild pigeons and probably have a mark in their leg.
• Homing pigeon lays about two eggs at a time, the care of which, is taken by both the father and the mother in turns. The male pigeon incubates the eggs during late mornings or afternoons and the mother incubates the eggs during the rest of the time. The egg hatches in about 17 days.
• The homing pigeons were used as carrier pigeons almost 3,000 years ago by the Egyptians and Persians.
• Researchers believe that the homing pigeons consist of a natural magnetic mapping technique in them which helps them find their way back home no matter how far they are. So you don't have to worry about your pigeon getting lost, as long as your pigeon knows that your home is his home!

I hope after knowing so much about the homing pigeons, you would definitely want to get one of your own. Make sure you have a vet nearby who can help you in some medical emergencies. Also, if you are planning to keep quite a few, get them in pairs, one male for one female. Also separate the weak ones from the healthy ones as one sick pigeon can affect the others as well. Take care of their food and hygiene and provide them the basic necessities, that is all they want and need! Good luck!