# Interested in English Carriers



## PigeonX (Oct 17, 2010)

I am interested in the English carrier breed because they look so big and chicken like. I do know that they are show birds and are able to fly, but are they able to home around at all? Can they even fly around and range? I think it would be sweet to have a pair that would be able to home around your loft. I do know they are a very shy breed, but do they begin to show their attitudes once they become use to you like homers? They do not seem like very vocal birds. Do they breed at the rate of homers and other breeds? and do they mature like homers? I know that they probably take longer to mature because they just look like the slow maturing type, but do they grow to adult size within a month just like other pigeon breeds? How popular is this breed in the US? How many guys here on PT own English Carriers? Where would I be able to buy a pair? Sorry if if it seems like I am asking random questions but had a few questions I had with English Carriers... because I may want some in the future.


----------



## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

From what I can recall, the English Carrier was used in the beginning along with other breeds to develop what we now know as the homing pigeons. But in the last while they have only been bred for show purposes so I think they have lost their homing ability. They however can still be let out to loft fly (flying around the loft) as long as its safe and you have trap trained them to a feed call. I'm sure not all english carriers are docile and shy. With every breed there are some pigeons that are more docile while some are rather aggressive - it all depends on the particular bird. They should and probably do breed at the rate of homers and other breeds since there are no extra feathers like the fantails and they can feed their own young so you will NOT need pumpers like some breeds with short beaks require. 

I cannot tell you how popular the breed is in the US since I'm from Canada, but here in Canada there are some breeders but the carriers are not the most popular breed (racing pigeons are, as it seems they are the most popular breed in the US too). I know there are some members here on PT that breed English Carriers. You should make a thread in the buying and wanted pigeons section and ask for English Carriers and you will definitely get some replies. Good luck!


----------



## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

Gurbir said:


> From what I can recall, the English Carrier was used in the beginning along with other breeds to develop what we now know as the homing pigeons. But in the last while they have only been bred for show purposes so I think they have lost their homing ability. They however can still be let out to loft fly (flying around the loft) as long as its safe and you have trap trained them to a feed call. I'm sure not all english carriers are docile and shy. With every breed there are some pigeons that are more docile while some are rather aggressive - it all depends on the particular bird. They should and probably do breed at the rate of homers and other breeds since there are no extra feathers like the fantails and they can feed their own young so you will NOT need pumpers like some breeds with short beaks require.
> 
> I cannot tell you how popular the breed is in the US since I'm from Canada, but here in Canada there are some breeders but the carriers are not the most popular breed (racing pigeons are, as it seems they are the most popular breed in the US too). I know there are some members here on PT that breed English Carriers. You should make a thread in the buying and wanted pigeons section and ask for English Carriers and you will definitely get some replies. Good luck!


No racing homers while popular Are far from the main breed in the US. Show pigeons are kept and raised by more people. English carriers While a show bred now days Has a certion following. Yes they could be flown around the loft. BUT I would hold until hawk season is over. As they may have lost some of there natural reaction.. And in canada there are several who raise some very good top show pigeons. It is allways the person want on what breed they raise.


----------



## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

I believe the OP is from the United States and not Canada (that was just an example I gave). 

I'm surprised racing homer's aren't the most popular breed :O Seems like a good majority on this forum have racers. I think it is the most popular breeds since show pigeons can be any of the 100's of breeds but racing pigeons are a breed on their own entirely. For example: I'm sure there are more people in the US that have racing pigeons than say Old Dutch Capuchines, or German owls, or satinettes, or fantails. Alone, the racing pigeon is the most popular in my opinion. When we talk about all of the show breeds combined then yes there probably are more people with show pigeons than people with racing pigeons.

This link has some information on carriers: 

http://www.aviangems.com/EnglishCarrier/About%20Us.htm

This link has the contact information of a lot of pigeon breeders, I'm sure you will find one or two in there that breed English Carriers:

http://mumtazticloft.com/PigeonBreeders.asp


----------



## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

On this site it has taken several years to build up the racing section as to race people posting there. And the show bird section has never had much luck people come and go as to not many people here show or race. Yes some breed are less in people raising them Fantails are raised and showed by several And some very good ones are in Canada. If more people did raise race birds Then the US would have a large number where often many clubs are small with 5 flyers. the pigeon hobby its self has been in decline for years world wide. There are about 250 different breeds of pigeons racing homers are 1 of the breeds. leaving what 249 more. In europe sure race birds are very popular many thousand of people keep them BUT they are on the decline also there People have no time for pigeons today. Young people are not interested. Neighborhoods complain. And old timers are going away. The hobby is slowly fading.


----------



## mickey mouse (Oct 13, 2007)

there are in the usa about 13,000 racing breeders, down from over 30,000 sixty five years ago.
there are large clubs of far more than five members in certain states.
the north east coast has a great many clubs with many flyers, as well in the calif. coast & down in florida the ghc club has over 225 members & tampa over 50, so it all depends on where you live or where you want to fly and compete.
the carrier pigeon was the base pigeon used to create the racing homers as well as many others for certain features & the reason you now get throw backs of some of these crazy features like frills,bibs and feathered feet.


----------



## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

mickey mouse said:


> there are in the usa about 13,000 racing breeders, down from over 30,000 sixty five years ago.
> there are large clubs of far more than five members in certain states.
> the north east coast has a great many clubs with many flyers, as well in the calif. coast & down in florida the ghc club has over 225 members & tampa over 50, so it all depends on where you live or where you want to fly and compete.
> the carrier pigeon was the base pigeon used to create the racing homers as well as many others for certain features & the reason you now get throw backs of some of these crazy features like frills,bibs and feathered feet.


That just shows how the hobby is in decline. And there are many small clubs And yes there are some larger clubs/ combines that are made up from several clubs. The USA is a large country. And some three hundred million people. Not like those SMALL countries in europe that are about the size of 1 US stae that has many thousands of race people there. They are lucky to have that many in a small area. But they to are seeing and talking about the decline in the hobby.


----------



## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

It isn't even an argument that the pigeon hobby itself has been on a steady decline in the past years. What I dislike greatly are the people that sell birds that are SO overpriced its ridiculous. Sure you'll make a few bucks now but how are you helping the pigeon hobby expand and still be there 50 years from now? As if the prices for building lofts, buying feed, and the racing clocks themselves aren't enough. 

I think the only way that this hobby can flourish for generations to come is if EVERYONE got at least 2 people interested in pigeons in their lifetime. Sure when you die, a pigeon fancier is lost, but 1 of those 2 people will make up for your loss and the other one will increase the number of fanciers. My goal is to get at least 2-3 people interested that have absolutely no experience with pigeons. I may not have been the most experienced fancier, but at least I will have given back to the hobby that kept me out of trouble all these years.


----------



## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

Gurbir said:


> It isn't even an argument that the pigeon hobby itself has been on a steady decline in the past years. What I dislike greatly are the people that sell birds that are SO overpriced its ridiculous. Sure you'll make a few bucks now but how are you helping the pigeon hobby expand and still be there 50 years from now? As if the prices for building lofts, buying feed, and the racing clocks themselves aren't enough.
> 
> I think the only way that this hobby can flourish for generations to come is if EVERYONE got at least 2 people interested in pigeons in their lifetime. Sure when you die, a pigeon fancier is lost, but 1 of those 2 people will make up for your loss and the other one will increase the number of fanciers. My goal is to get at least 2-3 people interested that have absolutely no experience with pigeons. I may not have been the most experienced fancier, but at least I will have given back to the hobby that kept me out of trouble all these years.


I have gave hundreds of pigeons to different people. i have helped people get a start. And i have seen people i gave birds to let them starve to death. I have given birds to people and they then a few monthe later decide they do not want pigeons any more and try to SELL them back to me for a good amount of money when I was the one that gave them the birds. It would be nice to see the hobby increase. I believe it would help alot of young people As there are a lot of misguided youth today. And It would be a shame to see the hobby 50 years from now all but gone. But It just is not going to happen the hobby is being faded away By the new age. Yes Some birds are over priced. But it is like anything else If a person is will to buy something at a high cost then they will If nobody would pay that price then it would be that price. I myself would never give thousands of dollars for any pigeon. As you would probably never raise that many good ones out of it. But ppeople that do buy those birds Make there money back selling youngbirds off them. for thousands of dollars. Again its people willing to pay. Work on your idea As 1 new person is better then none.


----------



## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

I completely agree! I'm 18, graduated in May 2011 and now I'm in the first year of university taking a bachelor's degree in criminology. I've had pigeons since I was in grade 2 and let me just say that ever since then I've only met 1 person somewhat similar to my age that came to me for pigeons. With today's advanced technology it seems the young generation would much rather play on their PS3 or XBOX than to raise, train, fly/show pigeons. What people don't know is that pigeons can and have saved a lot of youth from getting involved in the wrong crowd. I'm an example of this very situation. Numerous times I was faced with something that would ruin my future but I persevered and rather spent time with the birds. Canada itself doesn't have a lot of people even if it is bigger than the US - around 33 million compared to the United States 300 million. But the area I live in is high in gang involvement/violent crimes/etc. I stayed away from all of that and I have my birds to thank for that.

Because of what I just mentioned, I want to make a career out of the birds. After getting my bachelor's I plan on joining Corrections Canada and work with young offenders. I want to use pigeons in the prison system as "therapy" animals to allow the offenders to become more socialized with people, more caring/kind, and understanding. 

PS. Sorry to the OP for jacking your thread, if the link I posted with the list of breeders doesn't help, personal message me and I'll try finding out some more


----------

