Childhood memories

[Ketchup]

Growing up, i was 10 years old when i met a neighbor older than myself, maybe in his early 30’s that had pigeons. I could see his birds flying from my back yard. I pointed them out to my dad one day and and asked him if i could walk the 4 doors down and talk to the guy. He said sure go ahead, so off i went on that Saturday morning. 
 

That meeting turned into me becoming obsessed with pigeons. Not just any pigeon, but Birmingham Roller pigeons. If you are not familiar then search for them on youtube. Very awesome, acrobatic  birds. 
 

The guys name was Larry. He sold me “i mean my dad because i was only 10” 6 birds a few weeks later. My dad and i built a small little coop in the backyard, and that was the beginning of my life long love.  
 

During the next 8 years until i graduated, I acquired over 100 pigeons. I would spend my days after school just sitting out there watching and learning their behaviors and sounds. It was very relaxing for a kid like myself. 
 

After high school i sold everything bird related as i was working full time and having my first kid at 18. For the next 20 years i often dreamed about those wonderful days, and knew one day i would find myself with another setup of Rollers.  In 2000 i met some local guys and joined their roller club. One of the guys gave me 20 birds to get started. He and i became very close until his passing in 2012.  I miss that guy every day. In his 80’s and just so easy to sit down with for hours and talk pigeons. He had birds most of his life. 
 

Shortly after,  i sold everything to prepare for a divorce. Like years before i thought about getting back into the hobby but didn’t want to be tied down, as i enjoy my spare of the moment getaways. Well, that feeling from my youth kept creeping up until last week a guy i know offered me some young birds, so i took him up on his offer. I am headed to KS friday to grab them. 
 

Not having a place to keep them, i thought i better get busy and build something, so today after work i got a good start on a kitbox “pen for the birds you fly, called a kit of birds”. I should have one side of it done tomorrow, and will finish the other when i need the space. 
 

For those not experienced with these birds, there are local, regional, and worldwide clubs that fly against each other.  I will fly against my club guys as well as against guys from all over the world, but it will take me a year or 2 to get a kit of birds worthy of competition. Once i get these young birds flying, and they start rolling good, usually by 4 months old, anyone interested in coming over and watching them perform is more than welcome. 

[BilletHead]

4 hours ago, Ketchup said:

Growing up, i was 10 years old when i met a neighbor older than myself, maybe in his early 30’s that had pigeons. I could see his birds flying from my back yard. I pointed them out to my dad one day and and asked him if i could walk the 4 doors down and talk to the guy. He said sure go ahead, so off i went on that Saturday morning. 
 

That meeting turned into me becoming obsessed with pigeons. Not just any pigeon, but Birmingham Roller pigeons. If you are not familiar then search for them on youtube. Very awesome, acrobatic  birds. 
 

The guys name was Larry. He sold me “i mean my dad because i was only 10” 6 birds a few weeks later. My dad and i built a small little coop in the backyard, and that was the beginning of my life long love.  
 

During the next 8 years until i graduated, I acquired over 100 pigeons. I would spend my days after school just sitting out there watching and learning their behaviors and sounds. It was very relaxing for a kid like myself. 
 

After high school i sold everything bird related as i was working full time and having my first kid at 18. For the next 20 years i often dreamed about those wonderful days, and knew one day i would find myself with another setup of Rollers.  In 2000 i met some local guys and joined their roller club. One of the guys gave me 20 birds to get started. He and i became very close until his passing in 2012.  I miss that guy every day. In his 80’s and just so easy to sit down with for hours and talk pigeons. He had birds most of his life. 
 

Shortly after,  i sold everything to prepare for a divorce. Like years before i thought about getting back into the hobby but didn’t want to be tied down, as i enjoy my spare of the moment getaways. Well, that feeling from my youth kept creeping up until last week a guy i know offered me some young birds, so i took him up on his offer. I am headed to KS friday to grab them. 
 

Not having a place to keep them, i thought i better get busy and build something, so today after work i got a good start on a kitbox “pen for the birds you fly, called a kit of birds”. I should have one side of it done tomorrow, and will finish the other when i need the space. 
 

For those not experienced with these birds, there are local, regional, and worldwide clubs that fly against each other.  I will fly against my club guys as well as against guys from all over the world, but it will take me a year or 2 to get a kit of birds worthy of competition. Once i get these young birds flying, and they start rolling good, usually by 4 months old, anyone interested in coming over and watching them perform is more than welcome. 

This Is cool. Keep adding stuff. I for one will read.

[Quillback]

That is pretty neat.  So when you say competitions, are they homing pigeons?  

[Ketchup]

3 hours ago, BilletHead said:

This Is cool. Keep adding stuff. I for one will read.

Will do. Stop by one day once i get them going. 

[Ketchup]

51 minutes ago, Quillback said:

That is pretty neat.  So when you say competitions, are they homing pigeons?  

Quill, they are not in that homers can go hundreds of miles and return home. The rollers are stationary to their home. When you fly them they will go up around 200 to 300 feet and do their rolls, fly between 15 minutes to an hour, and land on their kitbox and go in via a trap door. 
 

In a competition setting, you fly either an 11 bird kit or a 20 bird kit. The birds have to fly at least 20 minutes. If a bird lands before the 20 minutes your kit is DQ’d. They are judged by how many break “roll at the same time” and the depth of the roll. They have to roll a minimum of 10’ to score. The more that break and deeper the roll the better the score. A great bird will roll 30’ to 40’ and do it 2 or 3 times a minute during competition. 
 

During competition other fliers come to your house to watch. There is a single judge that travels house to house. In the World Cup fly, a single judge will spend 2 months traveling to hundreds of lofts all over the world, judging birds. That fly happens once a year, in the fall. 
 

Its a great hobby, great people, and wonderful for kids. Like anything it can get expensive. Some birds can go for up to $1000 each. A great producing pair of breeders can go for $2500 to $4500.  A typical young bird sold to guys like me is between $20 and $40 for a squeaker which is one old enough to wean off the parents, and ready to start training. 

[Quillback]

That is pretty neat.  When you get into a competition, let me know if you don't mind, I'd like to see one of those.

[Ketchup]

Here is a good, short video. 

 

 

[DADAKOTA]

Know a fella on here that whacked a homer during dove season.  Called the owner and inquired what he fed the bird as he wanted to make sure it was safe to eat.

[ness]

Well, I learned something today. I had heard of keeping pigeons, but know nothing about it or why folks do it. Pretty cool. Thanks for sharing.

[BilletHead]

6 minutes ago, DADAKOTA said:

Know a fella on here that whacked a homer during dove season.  Called the owner and inquired what he fed the bird as he wanted to make sure it was safe to eat.

  Ooof 

  I have shot a few but they were common barn and farm birds. Tasty you have to treat them like duck and dove. Rare to medium rare. If I knew that someone had pet/ hobby birds I wouldn't shoot them.