Starting out

[Buster121]

Yes getting a 6 young bird kit, what age will we be able to tell the sex & what would be the best time of year to buy them? also at what age do they start racing from sorry for so many questions

To race you need before end of May, for stock anytime really

[Andy]

Yes getting a 6 young bird kit, what age will we be able to tell the sex & what would be the best time of year to buy them? also at what age do they start racing from sorry for so many questions

As far as sexing is concerned sexing can be difficult even with experience. Tumley lofts will probably attempt to determine what sex they are but won’t guarantee them. It is generally easy with red pigeons but that’s a different topic lol. Blue pigeons are more difficult. Even after all these years we can get it wrong. I raced 2 youngsters last year as cocks that turned out to be hens. The best way is observation. Watching the youngsters as they mature and start cooing.
If wanting to race youngsters this year you would want them anytime soon. Although this would give you a chance to test them you could quite easily lose half of them during the season. As you are just starting out I would advise you to just use your first year as a learning curve in keeping pigeons and enjoy having them. Then early next year you can pair them up and breed yourself a few youngsters. If you wanted to you could then race the ones you buy this year as old birds after breeding off them. Then if you lose any you still have some to replace them with and youngsters to race. So for this there isn’t as much hurry to get the youngsters. I would still have them by June time though. They should be around 4 weeks old when you get them.

[Daz71]

so they would 4 weeks old when they are delivered to me what age do they start training/racing

[Andy]

so they would 4 weeks old when they are delivered to me what age do they start training/racing

Yes they would. They can start training at around 12 weeks. By this time they should be flying well and ranging around home. Ranging is where they disappear for a while, could be an hour or more, instead of just flying around the loft. This is when they are learning about their surrounding area.

[Daz71]

Firstly I can't thank you all enough for your advice, it is very much appreciated. I have started to make a list of what we will need in the loft to enable us to take delivery of some birds as follows:-

Wood feeder with tilting painted metal grid - 60 cm
Plastic V Perch x 8
Plastic Drinker 2 Litre with lid
Feed 20Kg

am I missing anything? cleaning products?

[Andy]

Firstly I can't thank you all enough for your advice, it is very much appreciated. I have started to make a list of what we will need in the loft to enable us to take delivery of some birds as follows:-

Wood feeder with tilting painted metal grid - 60 cm
Plastic V Perch x 8
Plastic Drinker 2 Litre with lid
Feed 20Kg

am I missing anything? cleaning products?

It’s not a problem at all. Only to pleased if we can be of some help. I personally prefer box perches to V perches but have both. I just find it’s easier to pick pigeons up from in box perches than off V perches but just my preference.

A covered drinker is a must. Feed trough yes although you could actually use anything and I quite like to feed my youngsters by hand. As long as the loft floor is clean you can just put a bit of corn on the floor and allow them to eat out of your hand. This helps to get them tame and friendly. Feed obviously, but that in itself can be a mine field. You don’t need any cleaning products. Buy yourself a scraper, a paint stripper is good enough, as you will want to clean them out regularly. I scrape mine once a day during the winter and twice a day during the summer. What you are suggesting will get you started.
You will need to think of a few things when doing/making your loft.
In the future you will need to think about a few other things.
The biggest cost will probably be, after the loft, a system, clock for timing in your arrivals from races. Your club when you get into one may be able to help you with that.
Other things you’ll need is a basket/crate for transporting your birds to either training or racing. Nest boxes and nest bowls when you start breeding.

[Buster121]

Andy think you have covered everything there, one thing I would use is a feeder drinker stand helps keep water cleaner as off floor and although you only having 8 birds would have some extra perches, you can pick both these up on ebay


https://www.pallatts.com/feeder-with-drinker-stand/

[Murray]

If I may just interject here, with all due respect, Daz and Daz Jr need some advice on how to set up a starter loft, how to get some good young pigeons and care for them.
The dark web that is the RPRA, or the same body in other countries, is maybe not something to be worrying a prospective fancier.

Thanks Murray what would a starter loft consist of? I must say it is pretty hard to get any info on my local clubs from the rpra, who to contact & so on without becoming a member, we just wanted to make contact with someone & get a feel for it all first..

Daz, a 'starter loft', as the name suggests is usually a small and simple loft that provides the essentials to keep pigeons healthy and happy. It is dry, safe, i.e. predators cannot get at them, and has nests and perches for the comfort of the birds.
This is a picture of a popular design of small loft from America. Many have been built to this plan around the world, with variations.

[Murray]

My own loft is only a 8'x6' one, but is a bit more substantial. It is fully lined, insulated and is a pretty solid structure. It is more a thing that one might look at when more determined to continue in the sport.

[Murray]

At present that loft is in pieces in storage while we move to a new home.