# Racers wanted for 4H program



## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

Racers wanted for 4H program

I'm leading a 4H project dealing with racing pigeons. The goal is to have the kids build small lofts, raise and care for one or two pairs of young birds, train them, and release them at the Emmet County Fair(Northern Michigan) at the end of August.

We need young birds. I would be willing to travel up to 400 miles to pick up birds. Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, or Illinois could be possible.

HAVE VAN WILL TRAVEL!! Contact Mike70, Petoskey, MI

Thanks


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## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

*follow up*

I don't care about the breeding or speed of the young birds. All I expect is healthy birds.
The kids don't need extra worries to start with.

Thanks


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Am always cautious when i see ads for quantities of pigeons. No offense.


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## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

cwebster

I'm sure I know what you mean, and you should be. But I'm on the level.

I'm now retired, and my wife will tell you I'm always looking for a project. Many (55) years ago when I was around 13-15, I had homing pigeons. I had no one to help me, but I still enjoyed raising and flying them. With a basket on my bicycle I rode as many miles as I could to release my birds.

Recently we moved from IL to N. Michigan. I thought it would be great to start pigeons again. I went to various websites to look for clubs in my area. The club, the Northern Lower Michigan Flyers, in Traverse City, MI disbanded. The closest one I could find was 200 miles to the south in Grand Rapids, MI. I contacted the secretary there, and he told me he'd get back to me. He never did.

Then I thought that if there was no one around my area involved, I would try to start some interest up here. I contacted the local 4H representative. She as well as other people seemed pretty excited about the idea. 

Well, she sent papers to me to fill out for a background check. So far my misspent youth hasn't caught up with me!!!

And that's the story. If you would like to find out more, please let me know.


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

https://images.craigslist.org/00P0P_fYAHpPhZK9N_300x300.jpg
Not sure where you are in Ill but go to craigslist and just type in pigeons.
Dave

http://chambana.craigslist.org/grd/5980271837.html


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

Well the top link doesn't work just has a pic.
Sure would like to come up there and hunt morel mushrooms this spring.
Dave


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Here is a link to pigeonclubs in 
http://www.speedpigeon.com/state_michigan.htm
I found pigeons where i live with this link, speedpigeon clubs. ...you may have to get the contact person who who is listed refer you to someone closer to you but i have found their site found their link helpful. We adopted a pigeon, Lucy, a racer, this way. Craigslist always has pigeons, as Crazy Pete noted. If you are on the level...welcome to Pigeon Talk!


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## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

cwebster

Thanks for the list. I also found this a few weeks ago. I've called the two closest numbers with no success. I will try every other one.

I've been lurking on this list for a while and finally joined. I know I will be asking for help and advice.

Thanks.
Mike


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

We have gotten pet pigeons through Craigslist as well as our local animal services. If you dont require pedigreed pigeons, suggest you try your local rescues and shelter too. If you want pedigreed birds, a local racer may have birds so hope you find suitable ones. Ours are just run of the mill birds but we love them dearly.


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## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

Thanks for the additional resources. We certainly don't need pedigree birds. All we need are healthy inexpensive young birds.


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## V-John (May 15, 2008)

It's kinda a tough time of year to get some young racers, as most guys are putting their breeders together or such for their race teams. If you had use for old birds, I could possibly help out.


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## Ladygrey (Dec 10, 2016)

I was going to say it may take longer but perhaps think of getting breeding pairs that hobbiests may have no use for in their program any longer. Training home hatched to me has always been easier.


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## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

One of my goals is to have kids release their birds at the Emmet County fair at the end of August. The fair grounds should be anywhere from 5-20 miles from their lofts. I don't know how long it would take for training young birds for that short distance.

The kids still have to build their lofts. Would a month or more be a good time to find young birds, train, and have the release at the end of August?

Thanks. Mike


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## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

Here's what might be necessary. You somehow get fifteen newly weaned birds sometime in May. The kids and parents can be working on building a 6x6 loft of some kind before school is out and the birds show up. Probably do that for a couple of hundred bucks. Find a source of feed...maybe someone would make you a deal for a 4h project. Get the birds settled and loft flying so that after the Fourth of July fireworks are done, they can start training when dad or someone can help them get their birds down the road. With some luck, they'll still have half the birds left at County Fair time. Just multiply this by the number of kids you can include......maybe it would work to have several teams of kids, each involved in one loft?
I think it's a great idea and could be lots of fun for everyone....just need to make sure everybody knows the amount of time and expense it takes and the fact that they'll lose birds. Lee (Coop) Kohli is the Lakes Zone Director for the AU (Racing Pigeon Union) that would be your area. His e-mail address is [email protected]. I'm sure he could help you.
Good Luck!


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## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Your encouragement and advise is greatly appreciated.

Mike


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## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

*Pigeon Racing Story*

I know some of you were skeptical about my motives, and I totally understand. Here is an update. And, if anyone has any suggestions or comments, I could use all the help I can get.
Thanks. Mike70



-----Original Message-----
From: Ryan Bentley <[email protected]>
To: mnetzky1 <[email protected]>
Sent: Mon, Mar 20, 2017 10:33 am
Subject: pigeon racing story
Hi Mike,

Below is the link to our story about your new pigeon racing program.

Ryan Bentley
Petoskey News-Review

http://www.petoskeynews.com/feature...cle_c04f8a20-0d77-11e7-889e-9be40ec7801d.html


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## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

*Pigeon Racing Story*



cwebster said:


> Am always cautious when i see ads for quantities of pigeons. No offense.


cwebster, It's been a while since I posted my original request for birds. This article is an update. Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: Ryan Bentley <[email protected]>
To: mnetzky1 <[email protected]>
Sent: Mon, Mar 20, 2017 10:33 am
Subject: pigeon racing story
Hi Mike,

Below is the link to our story about your new pigeon racing program.

Ryan Bentley
Petoskey News-Review

http://www.petoskeynews.com/featured...40ec7801d.html


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## V-John (May 15, 2008)

Sent you a PM mike.


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## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

How's your program progressing......hope its working out.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Mike70, thank you for sharing the news story! Hope the program goes well. Sorry for being suspicious but so many people look for quantities of pigeons for shooting or dog training that i get suspicious. Am glad there are people who value pigeons instead.


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## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

*The 4-H project*



raftree3 said:


> How's your program progressing......hope its working out.


Raftree3 and Cwebster and others
Today we had our 3rd meeting of The Flying Clovers racing pigeon club. We have five members, two girls and three boys ranging in age from 6-14 years old. They have almost finished building their own lofts.

Among other things, today, we had a guest speaker demonstrate handling birds. If all goes well, in two weeks I will pickup the promised young birds from a forum source about 225 miles away.

The most rewarding moment today came after I asked if we should close the meeting. The six year old said, "I'd like to stay longer." I asked why. He said, "because I want to learn more."

I'm attaching (I hope) some recent pictures of my loft's progress. It should be finished in a few more days.

Thanks for asking, Mike70


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I came in a minute ago and was able to see the pictures well. Now they are too huge.
You're doing a great job though.


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## RogerD (Jul 12, 2012)

Loft looks great. I handed out your newspaper article and it was well received at the auctions this weekend. I think I have about 10 more birds in addition to the birds I have for you and the kids.


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## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

RogerD
Thanks again for your generosity and advise. The kids and I are so excited.
Mike70


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## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

*Success with 4-H*

We have had a very successful 4-H season so far. We have 4 lofts with 11 participants. Our big culmination was at the Emmet County Fair up here in N. MI. We released birds at least once a day for 5 days. Announcements were made often for the public to observe the birds. We also had 3 different locations throughout the fair for more information on our "Flying Clovers 4-H Racing Pigeon Club." One included handling the birds. 

Our sign up sheet for more information on our club yielded 17 kids from 13 locations. So far most have been contacted with a lot of excitement from the parents and kids.

I want to thank again, Roger D, from this forum who also lives in Michigan for supplying young birds for our initial startup last spring.


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## RogerD (Jul 12, 2012)

Happy to help you and the kids.


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## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

Sure glad things worked out so well. Since you hadn't posted in awhile I was afraid things didn't go well, as is sometimes the case. Our final race of the season will be this weekend, so after that, I'll have some birds available if you need any birds to breed from.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

That's a wonderful update. Thanks for getting back to us. The kids must really be enjoying it.


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## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

Jay3 said:


> That's a wonderful update. Thanks for getting back to us. The kids must really be enjoying it.


The unexpected realization I had when we have meetings is that BOTH the kids and the parents are really very excited about the bird program.
A truly wonderful experience.


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## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

raftree3 said:


> Sure glad things worked out so well. Since you hadn't posted in awhile I was afraid things didn't go well, as is sometimes the case. Our final race of the season will be this weekend, so after that, I'll have some birds available if you need any birds to breed from.


We did have an early problem with some sick young birds, but my rallying cry is "problems are meant to be solved." We all got through it and came out the better for learning so much.

I plan on going out to the AU convention in Phoenix this November. I may be able to stop by you on the way back in December.

Go luck on your final race.

Mike70


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## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

Just let me know. Are you driving? You'll enjoy going to the Convention. i didn't put birds in the Convention race, but I've got birds in another race in Phoenix.


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## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

raftree3 said:


> Just let me know. Are you driving? You'll enjoy going to the Convention. i didn't put birds in the Convention race, but I've got birds in another race in Phoenix.


I will be driving out to CA in Oct. where one of my daughters lives. From there my wife and I will go to the Convention in Nov. Then back to CA for Thanksgiving. My wife may stay in CA for a month or two, but I will drive back sometime after Thanksgiving. If the weather's okay, I'll take the northern route. If not, probably the southern route.

Mike70


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## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

I keep looking for the "like" button. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Hope you have a safe trip.


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## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

Been meaning to comment on the nice article in the Racing Pigeon Dgest about your program! Looks like things worked out really well and your trip to the AU Convention went better than you imagined!!!!!


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## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

Yes. It was a very productive and an educational trip. It was the first time in many many years that my family was together on Thanksgiving. We have a few new members since the article and additional lofts. Today the Audubon Society called for an interview unrelated to the article. It's been an exciting few months. Thanks for the comment on my article. This all has been a true labor of love!!!


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## Mike70 (Jan 25, 2017)

I just realized it's been almost a year since this all started.


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