Kitchen Garden Forum

Anybody know anything about racing pidgeons?. We've had one in our garden for about 3 days now (green ring on right leg). It will probably move on in its own good time but apart from feeding it with the grain/bird seed we put on our bird table for all the other wild birds, and providing fresh drinking water, is there anything else we should be doing for it?

Primrose

If it is a racing pigeon you are probably doing the right thing.

For some info from the pigeon racers see HERE

For a contrary view see HERE

Hi Alan,
The contrary view just about sums up what is wrong with this country!
Misplaced priorities! I fail to see anything cruel with Pigeon Racing.
JB.

We've had odd ones resting with us over the years with several rings on. There was a guy who kept pigeons where I used to work so I asked him about catching them and reading the rings to trace the owner. He said it was a waste of time as if you returned a lost one the owner would just wring its neck as it was obviously useless for racing.

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Johnboy wrote:
I fail to see anything cruel with Pigeon Racing.
JB.

Geoff wrote:We've had odd ones resting with us over the years with several rings on. There was a guy who kept pigeons where I used to work so I asked him about catching them and reading the rings to trace the owner. He said it was a waste of time as if you returned a lost one the owner would just wring its neck as it was obviously useless for racing.

Say no more

Alan,
You raise chickens and then slaughter them for the pot so would you consider that to be cruel.
I know perfectly well what happens to Pigeons that are late back or returned they are slaughtered for the pot. The only difference betwixt the two is that at least the Pigeons have been allowed to fly whereas your chickens will have been denied there natural instinct of flight.
Say no more.
JB.

Johnboy wrote:Alan,
your chickens will have been denied there natural instinct of flight.
Say no more.
JB.

Hi Johnboy

When they want to fly they do
Three quarters of an acre seems to me enough for my chickens to exercise their natural instincts. My ducks also have a river

Say no more

Hi Alan,
You must be about the only poultry keeper in the country who doesn't clip or even pull out the primary feathers on one wing to prevent them flying away.
This doesn't get away from the point too much.
Please then tell me what you find cruel with Pigeon racing?
JB.

I wasn't trying to start a cruelty debate only pointing out to Primrose that it probably wasn't worth trying to trace the owners. They probably have quite a good life really.

Well, you can all stop arguing now because after five days he seems to have cleared off, not before leaving a big doolie all over my freshly dried washing

Personally, the only good pigeon is a dead one,the breast removed,sauteed,and smothered in strawberry sauce.

Well this pigeon is a bit of a mystery because after a five day absence he's back again today, and started walking towards the house very purposefully as if he was looking for somebody to come out and feed him. And when I did, he seemed very tame and was happy to potter around quite close to me. He's dozing up on our roof. I'm wondering if perhaps he belongs to somebody who lives in the area who keeps these birds just for flying around locally and he's developed a bit of wanderlust.

Primrose, racing pigeons are continually handled, they are therefore used to human company, so I would just feed and water it with the other birds. But Geoff is right, it's no good tracing its owner, because a racing pigeon which doesn't find it way back home, is 'not fit for purpose' so it would just have its neck wrung on return!

Enjoy it whilst its there, it will probably move on when it feels like it.