| Blogs > greybeard59 > Spring time promises! |
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Spring Time Promises. Well it's that time of years again when my birds are going to nest. I'm looking forward to seeing what this years results will be in the young. In case you don't know I have racing pigeons as a hobby and all my birds are banded, registered with clubs and have pedigrees with some going back as far as 1944. Racing pigeons are raced much like horses racing or racing. During the early summer months the old birds are trained to come home from short distances then then when they home quickly there are taken out further and further from home. When they get home they must get into the loft as fast as possible as they are timed and their times are compared with other club member's birds. The bird getting home the fastest and in the loft the fastest is the winner and the longest race during the year can be from as far away as 600 miles. One of the longest races held here in past years was from Burney California to the West Coast of British Columbia. The winning bird is usually home on the same day. Racing and pigeons is an exciting and very rewarding hobby. In the spring when the mated pairs go to nest there is always high hopes the offspring will be better birds than last years birds. It takes a lot of knowledge of breeding methods and a skillful eye to be able to mate up the birds. The best is mated to the best and inbreeding usually produces the best young. This year one of the pairs I put together are bred down from a bird known as "Famous 05". This bird "Famous 05" was one of the champion birds of the Netherlands during short and middle distance races. These races are up to about 400 miles and the are very fast races often rewarding the owner and breeder with high cash prizes. A local breeder in this area that I know has won over $50,000 cash with his racing pigeons in the past year. Actualy he did this two years in a row and has won over $140,000 from racing his birds in the past three yeasr. Not bad eh? One of the things I like about racing pigeons is the birds are large enough to hold and they don't bite. They'll let you handle and admire their young without fretting over you and if a little time is spent with these birds they'll come to you and fly onto your shoulder looking for treats or just a litle attention. Spring is here again and i look forward to seeing what the young will turn out like. The promises are in the air or hopefully will be during upcoming race seasons. |
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4/15/2006 9:04 am |
Hi GB: My ex also races pigeons. It's quite the hobby here in Canada. He has been racing for years and like you finds it exciting, rewarding and also relaxing. I used to enjoy seeing the birds coming in from a race, circle the coop and land. He would then hustle in a quiet way, so as not to disturb the pigeon, remove the racing band and clock it. All of that being done very quickly, time lost is position lost in the race Quite amazing how the racing pigeons can find their way home after being released from very very far away. Also if the weather was foggy, grey or overcast, it would sometimes take them the whole weekend to return. I remember him also losing birds and they would eventually return a couple of weeks even a month after their race. Or someone would find it, contact him through the band on it's leg and return the bird to him. Pigeons are very smart. It's an interesting hobby and a great way to spend summer weekends. I wish you all the best for this year's racing season. Amber
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4/15/2006 9:45 am |
Cher Ami rides again.....whoops flies again!!
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4/15/2006 9:46 am |
Actually this sounds like an interesting hobby. Thank you for sharing.
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4/15/2006 8:09 pm |
Hi Amber. It is a wonderful hobby isn't it. I really enjoy my birds. I'm sure you and your ex did as well. It was so nice to read about another member that knows about these fantastic birds. Thank you for responding. Your response was very much appreciated. Thank you to terri.
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I am glad to see you in Blogsville and sharing about your birds with folks who will appreciate your stories.  Abracadabra 
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