Oberlin, Ohio
Table of Contents Dedication Dedication This book is dedicated to my father who influenced me to
choose pigeons as a subject since he raises and breeds them
himself. Introduction I have been interested in pigeons for the past three
years, ever since my dad bought me a pair of pigeons at a
sale. My first pigeons were frill backs, named for the curly
feathers on their backs. My dad has raised pigeons for as
long as I can remember, and he has won quite a few trophies.
I like to help him feed them and get them ready when he
takes them to show at the fairs. Raising and showing pigeons
is a fun hobby. Chapter One Types of Pigeons There are three main types of pigeons. The first one is
the utility bird, which is raised for meat. Second are the
flying birds, which are raised and trained to perform in the
air. Third are the fancy pigeons, which are bred for color
and appearance. Utility birds include such breeds as kings, Texas
pioneers, and carneaus. These birds breed very frequently,
which makes them perfect for mass production of pigeon meat.
They are also very large, with most breeds around five
pounds when fully grown. Since they are bred mostly for
size, they are neither the most colorful nor attractive of
the pigeon varieties. Flying birds include pigeons such as homers, rollers, and
tipplers. Homers have the ability to find their homes even
when they are released hundreds of miles away. Rollers
perform tricks in the air, like somersaults, rolls, and
dives. Tipplers are bred for their high-flying
endurance. Fancy birds include German trumpeters, fantails, and
jacobins. German trumpeters have a distinctive coo like a
trumpet and feathered feet. Fantails have a large fanned-out
tail and a chest that puffs out when they walk. Jacobins
have a feathered hood that totally covers their heads. Chapter Two Homes When raising pigeons, one of the most important things is
to make a comfortable home for them. There are many
different types of homes in which a pigeon could live. Some
common examples are coops, cotes, lofts, and barns. All of
these homes should be designed to meet the needs of the
particular type or types of pigeons that one is raising,
whether the homes are large and expensive or very small and
simple. The first consideration is to plan the setup for the
cages to make them easy to clean. This can be accomplished
by putting trays under each cage to catch the waste, or by
using an open floor plan in which the birds nest along the
walls and any waste drops to the floor. The waste can then
be cleaned up periodically by scraping the floor and hosing
it away. It is also important to allow for adequate ventilation by
leaving a small hole or vent in one wall. The size of the
hole should depend on the size of the area to be ventilated,
but it should not be large enough for the birds to escape.
In addition, if the hole or vent is too big, the coop will
be too damp. Pigeons strongly dislike dampness, and it can
cause them to get respiratory illnesses. While the coop provides a comfortable place for the
pigeons to live, its main function is to provide the space
and materials necessary to encourage the birds to breed.
Each pair of pigeons, consisting of a male and female of the
same breed, needs to have its own nest. These can be
breeding boxes or nest bowls, or just separate spaces that
are set aside for each pair, as long as the space is filled
with straw, twigs, or other nesting materials. The nesting
areas should be sized to fit the size of the pigeons. Kings,
for example, would need a larger nest than homers or
rollers, because kings are larger birds. Chapter Three Maintaining a Clean, Healthy Appearance Pigeons are very clean birds if they are taken care of
properly. The most important thing one can do to is to keep
the cage or coop clean. When their surroundings are clean,
it is easier for the pigeons to keep themselves clean.
Another reason to make sure the coop is kept clean is to
keep bugs and pests away, such as mosquitoes, flies, and
other small insects that might cause infestation. Their
bedding should also be replaced frequently, because germs
that grow in the bedding can make the birds sick. Finally, a
bathing area, such as a large bowl or bath pan, should be
made available to the birds so they can clean their
feathers. Even healthy pigeons will lose their feathers
periodically in a process called molting. When molting
occurs, they lose all of their old feathers and grow all new
ones. When the feathers start to fall out, they all fall out
at different times so the pigeon does not look completely
bald. Molting also changes the appearance of the bird as it
grows older. Young birds need to molt once or twice before
they achieve their adult appearance. As the pigeon gets
older, the color of the feathers starts to fade, so younger
birds are closer to the ideal color for their breed. While pigeons are good at keeping themselves clean, there
are some special things that one might do to get them ready
for a show. First, all pigeons that are to be shown should
be dusted with a special powder to kill any bird lice they
might have, since birds with lice are automatically
disqualified. Stained feathers can be cleaned with a
toothbrush and denture paste. Next, the pigeons' feet should
be cleaned carefully and their nails trimmed. Shining the
feet and legs with petroleum jelly will make them look
cleaner and redder, which can help raise the bird's
appearance score. Chapter Four Food and Water Pigeons need to eat a well balanced meal each day that
includes protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and
minerals. Since pigeons are grain eaters, this meal consists
of seeds in various proportions that will change depending
on the season. Pigeons have different dietary needs during
breeding season, molting season, and winter resting
season. The most important types of grain in pigeon feed are
pulses, cereals, and oilseed. Pulses are especially
important during molting season, because they contain the
protein the birds need to replace their feathers. Some
examples of pulses would be beans, peas, soy beans, lentils
and tares. Cereals contain mostly carbohydrates, so they are
important sources of energy year round. The proportion of
carbohydrates should be increased during the breeding
season, as pigeons require extra energy to produce eggs and
later, to care for their young. Some examples of cereals are
oats, wheat, maize or corn, barley, and millet. Oilseeds are
the fat carriers, and are necessary to help the pigeons
acquire the body fat they will need during the long, cold
winter. One does not want to feed their pigeons too many
oilseeds, because some have high protein, and too much
protein is bad for pigeons. Examples of oilseed would be
hemp seed, rapeseed, and linseed. In addition to grain, pigeons also need to eat grit.
There are different varieties of grit, but all contain some
combination of oyster shells, granite, charcoal, and
minerals. Grit serves two purposes. First, it acts as the
pigeon's teeth and helps the pigeon grind up its food.
Secondly, it supplies the vitamins and minerals that are
needed to build strong bones, feathers, beaks, and
eggshells. Without grit pigeons would die. Grit containers
should be stored in the flying area of the pigeon cage, or
in between the food and flying areas. How the birds are fed is also very important. The birds
should be fed regularly once or twice a day. They should be
fed at the same time each day, so they know when to expect
their food. Most breeders prefer to feed their birds in a
trough instead of scattering grain on the floor, because on
the floor it will become sour and soiled leading to
diarrhea. Fresh clean drinking water should be available at all
times. Water fountain jars are a convenient way to supply
water to the pigeons, because they automatically refill the
bowl with clean water from a reservoir. Water should be
replaced about every two days in warm weather. When it is
very cold out it should be replaced more often, so it
doesn't freeze. No matter what the season, the water
container must be kept very clean to avoid making the birds
sick. Chapter Five Diseases Pigeons are susceptible to many diseases. One of the most
common diseases is canker, which is also known as
Trichomoniasis. Canker occurs mostly in squabs (baby
pigeons), but it can sometimes occur in adults. When a bird
gets canker, it affects the throat and mouth, which are
coated with a cheesy yellow-white substance. This disease
can be fatal because the yellow-white substance often
enlarges until the bird cannot breathe. One very effective
remedy is to swab the throat with a solution of three parts
glycerin and one part iodine. Most veterinarians say that
canker is not contagious, but serious breeders will isolate
the affected bird and clean the whole coop as a
precaution. Pigeons also get the common cold, much as humans do,
though they do not respond to the same treatments. When a
pigeon becomes ill with a cold, it is important to keep it
warm and add cod liver oil to its food to help build up its
strength. Castor oil helps clean out their systems, while
medicated salve or camphorated oil will open their nostrils
to help the pigeons breathe. Although the cold itself is
caused by viruses, dampness or drafts in the coop make the
illness worse. Getting rid of the dampness or sealing up
drafty areas will help the birds recover. As with other
viral illnesses, it is important to keep the infected birds
away from the healthy ones. Another serious disease in pigeons is diarrhea, which can
cause illness or even death. It can be caused by feeding the
pigeons unseasoned, moldy, or sour grain, which is one
reason it is so important to make sure the pigeons have
fresh food. Once a pigeon has diarrhea, its diet should be
changed to easily-digested foods like corn and small grains.
A small amount of castor oil or Epsom salt will help clear
the toxins out of its system and help the bird recover. Chapter Six Predators There are many predators that will attack pigeons. One
major threat to pigeons is an animal that is common to
nearly all neighborhoods: the ordinary house cat. When a cat
breaks into the coop, the owner should try to trap it as
soon as it is discovered. An easy way to do this is with
fish bait in a box trap. Once the cat is caught, it can be
released unharmed away from the coop. Cats will often return
to the coop, so it is wise to watch carefully for several
days to make sure it has left the premises. Another enemy of the pigeon is the hawk. Some hawks are
more dangerous to pigeons than others. The cooper's hawk,
which is roughly the same size as most pigeons, feeds
strictly on birds, so it is a major predator of pigeons.
Red-tailed hawks will also attack pigeons if they are
hungry, though they prefer larger, slower prey. On the other
hand, a sparrow hawk, or American kestrel, will not attack a
pigeon at all. Since hawks are a protected endangered
species, they cannot be controlled. Therefore, it is best to
keep the pigeons in the coop when hawks are nearby. Many rodents will also kill pigeons. Perhaps the most
dangerous of these rodent predators is the Norwegian rat,
which is the most common rat in the United States. The
Norwegian rat is able to slip through doors and gaps in
walls to kill pigeons in the lofts. It has also been known
to chew through pigeon shipping crates to kill the birds
inside, and it will kill the birds even when it is not
hungry anymore. Rats can be killed with several types of
poisons, but these poisons will also kill other animals and
even people. Therefore, many people prefer to use traps to
catch and kill the rats. Chapter Seven Interesting Facts The homing pigeon was introduced to the United States in
the mid 1800's. In that time period, the first five-hundred
mile race took place in the United States. Racing pigeons
have been known to go as fast as 92.5 miles per hour on
average during a four-hundred mile race. Pigeons can fly up
to seven hundred miles a day. While many birds prefer to fly
close to the ground, pigeons have the ability to fly very
high in the sky. A full-grown pigeon has about 10,000
feathers. The pigeon beats its wings up to ten times per
minute, while keeping a heart rate of six hundred beats per
minute for up to sixteen hours without rest. One ancestor of the pigeon is the rock dove. In fact, the
dove sent out by Noah in the Biblical story about the ark
was most likely a homing pigeon. While there are many
theories on how homing pigeons are able to find their way,
no one knows for certain how they can travel for hundreds of
miles and reach their destinations so reliably. Some other interesting facts about pigeons have to do
with their use during times of war. Pigeons were used by the
ancient Greeks to send messages during battles. Pigeons have
also flown in many modern wars, including World War I and
World War II. They have saved countless lives by delivering
messages about troop movements. In fact, the French, Swiss,
Israeli, Iraqi, and Chinese Armies have all used
pigeons. Pigeons have very remarkable senses. Scientists believe
that they might even hear wind blowing over mountains from
hundreds of miles away. They also have the ability to hear
sounds eleven octaves below middle C, so they are able to
detect earthquakes and electrical storms. Glossary Words barley - a widely distributed cereal plant belonging to
the genus hordeum of the grass family having awned flowers
that grow in tightly bunched spikes, with three small
additional spikes at each node breed - to produce (offspring); procreate camphorated - to impregnate with a white,
pleasant-smelling substance that acts as a
counterirritant canker - a disease of the mouth and throat affecting
pigeons carbohydrates - any of a class of organic compounds
composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen including starches
and sugars produced in green plants by photosynthesis:
important source of food for animals and people that
provides energy cod liver oil - an oil extracted from cod and other
related fishes, used as a source of vitamins A and D contagious - capable of being transmitted by bodily
contact with an infected person or object coop - an enclosure or cage in which poultry or small
animals are penned cote - a coop or shed for sheep, pigs, pigeons, etc. Epsom salt - hydrated magnesium sulfate occurring as
small colorless crystals; used in fertilizers, dyeing, and
tanning, and as a cathartic fats - any of several oily solids or semisolids that are
water-insoluable and are the components of animal adipose
tissue and many plant seeds grit - hard abrasive particles as of sand, stone, or
gravel hemp seed - seed from an Indian hemp plant cultivated for
fiber homers - homing pigeons infestation - the act of being overrun by unwanted,
troublesome pests isolate - to confine or separate an object from other
objects within an area lentils - a plant of the legume family, having flattened
biconvex seeds used as food linseed oil - a drying oil obtained by pressing flaxseed,
used in making paints, printing inks, and linoleum etc. loft - a room or other space designed as the living
quarters of birds maize - corn mass production - to produce (goods) in large quantities
especially by machinery millet - any of various cereal grasses grown for grain or
forage minerals - any of a class of substances that occur in
nature that are necessary for the health of an organism molting - to shed feathers in the process of growth or
renewal molting season - a time duration in which birds will lose
their feathers due to climate change. oilseed - any of several seeds, as the caster bean,
sesame, or cottonseed, from which an oil is expressed pigeon - any bird of the family Columbidae, having a
plump body and small head especially the larger species with
square and rounded tails predator - an organism that cannot produce its own food,
so it hunts other living organisms. protein - any of numerous organic molecules constituting
a large portion of the mass of every life form, composed of
20 or more amino acids linked in one or more long chains,
the final shape and other properties of each protein being
determined by the side chains of the amino acids and their
chemical attachments pulses - the edible seeds of a certain leguminous plants,
as peas or beans rapeseed - the seed of a rape plant reservoir - a cavity or part that holds some fluid or
secretion respiratory - pertaining to or serving for
respiration rollers - any of various medium-sized, often brightly
colored Old World birds of the family Coraciidae, that
tumble or roll over during display flights salve - a medical ointment for treating wounds and
soars squab - a nestling pigeon tares - a noxious weed toxins - any of various poisonous compounds produced by
some microorganisms and causing certain diseases trough - a long narrow open container of wood, stone,
etc. for holding water or food for animals unseasoned - not seasoned utility - (of domesticated animals) raised or kept as
potentially profitable products rather than for show or
pets vent - a small hole or opening to permit passage or
esscape as of a gas ventilation - a ventalating or being ventalated veterinarians - a person who practices veterinary
medicine vitamins - any of a number of un-related, complex organic
substancesfound variously in most foods, or sometimes
synthesized in the body, and essential, in small amounts,
for the regulation of the metabulism and normal growth and
functioning of the body Bibliography Allen, William H. (1972). How to Raise and Train
Pigeons. New York. Milstead, Everett. How to Raise Pigeons for Pleasure
and Profit. Muller, Erich Shrag, Ludwig. (1985). Fancy
Pigeons. West Germany. Naether, Carl. (1984). Pigeons. Kitchener. Roth, D.L. The Value of a Pigeon. [Online]
Available http://www.urbanwildlifesociety.org/pigeons/pijvalu.htm/,
April 3, 2005. Unknown Author. (2000). Random House Webster's College
Dictionary. New York. Unknown Author. Pigeons.com [Online] Available
http://www.pigeons.com/,
April 3, 2005. Whitney, Leon F. (1961). Keep your Pigeons Flying.
Middle bury. About the Author Stephanie was born on Friday November 13, 1992. She likes
to play soccer and sing in her spare time. She has one
sister named Rachel and two parents named Deborah and David.
At age nine, she moved to Oberlin from South Amherst. She
goes to school at Langston Middle School and she is in the
talent development program for reading. In the future she
hopes to be a professional soccer player or to be a
singer. .
Introduction
Chapter One - Types of Pigeons
Chapter Two - Homes
Chapter Three - Maintaining a Clean, Healthy Appearance
Chapter Four - Food and Water
Chapter Five - Diseases
Chapter Six - Predators
Chapter Seven - Interesting Facts
Glossary Words
Bibliography
About the Author
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