# hard to believe but all very true



## USENKOstillflys (Sep 23, 2005)

Hello all, I am a new member here and just as new in the pigeon world. I am clueless and in way over my head, and after I explain a little bit maybe some of you could offer whatever information you have, because I have very, very, very, little. My grandfather (Karp Usenko) immigrated from Germany right after World War II to Nyssa, Oregon, with his wife, and four children. In a foreign country, couldnt speak the language, and five mouths to feed, even today I cannot even begin to understand what that must have felt like. anyway, he taught himself enough english to get a job at the sugar factory, and within six months got himself a pair of tumbler pigeons to ease his stress and take his mind off of things. this is around 1951 give or take a year. since his first two he has never not had pigeons from that same pair. a few years down the road, early sixties maybe, he bought a pair of homer pigeons from a Charles Heitzman, (i believe i got the spelling right, but if i dont someone please correct it for me as someone out there should recognize the name.) Since that day on it was tumblers and homers. all later pigeons coming from those first two pairs. at 93 this last dec. right before he passed away, he had 16 tumblers & two homers (exactly what he wanted, for the last four years and i will probably never figure out how he pulled that off.) anyway, i was the one in the family that was sitting with him till the end, and his pigeons that were left unsettled him greatly. he first asked me if i would take each one and hold it next to me and put it to sleep because he didnt want them to suffer. I looked at him like he was crazy. i said grandpa, not in a million years could i do that, but i promise you that i will take your pigeons and make sure they have a good home, and i will do all i can to make sure they survive. the look on his face when i said that i will never forget, and i cant tell you how proud i am to be the keeper of this line of pigeons. and oh what a journey already. first off all, we let the homers go after his funeral, and one went the wrong way and one wouldnt leave, landed on a telephone pole. honest truth here. i dont know much about the homer pigeon, but grandpa used to always take a pair with him when he would visit anyone and have you write a little note without him seeing it and send the birds off. no one in the family ever remembers one occassion when one bird landed right away and stayed around. they both found there way home though, but a week later both were gone. the homer line ends. by the time i get a loft built, and whatnot, (around a month) my aunt was watchin them and staying at grandpas house till it sold and decided she would like it if the pigeons stayed until it did sell because she didnt think she would be able to stay if they were gone. they were always there. well, the house sold and i got the pigeons in middle june 2005. we were down to 9 tumblers. the only thing i was told (and this by my aunt) oyster shells and seed, make sure they have water. still not to sure why i throw them oyster shells in there, cuz we went from sixteen to nine when she was in charge, lol. jk auntie. anyways, i hope you get the just cuz there is ALOT left out, but nothing has been altered, blown up, or mis told. But i do need help, advice, something. everyday is an adventure and i love it though. i do know that i have some help from above, because as of today i have 13 full flying, 2 chicks at about 15 days old, and three eggs being sat on. course it took me two months before i would even open the hatch to let em fly. i was scared, wouldnt you have been?


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Welcome to Pigeons.com, we're glad to have you.

Are you and the pigeons still in Nyssa, Oregon?

Oh, I see--you're in Fruitland, Idaho.

Not sure what kind of rollers you have but you may get in contact with:

Mike & Cherry Hurley in Weiser

and

John Sargent in Nampa

and

Steve Moore in Emmett

and 

Cheryl Dayton
James and Lorrie Dayton in Wilder ([email protected])

and 

Steve Hatchett in Caldwell ([email protected])

and 

Beaver Dayton in Homedale ([email protected])

and

Henry DeBoer in Wilder ([email protected])

Those folks are National Birmingham Roller Club members in your basic area and while there are some differences between rollers and tumblers, they'll still love you and want to help. And it looks like you're surrounded.

Pidgey


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## USENKOstillflys (Sep 23, 2005)

Pidgey said:


> Welcome to Pigeons.com, we're glad to have you.
> 
> Are you and the pigeons still in Nyssa, Oregon?
> 
> ...


  THANK YOU, AFTER I FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE THIS SITE I WILL POST PICTURES UP, AND REPLY A LITTLE BETTER/FASTER,


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Be sure and go back to read that post again because I was editing it while you were already replying.

Pidgey


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hello and welcome to Pigeons.com

You can check out the care and preventative nutrition program for homing pigeons on the following thread: just click on it:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=5760

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Trees Gray said:


> Hello and welcome to Pigeons.com
> 
> You can check out the care and prevention of homing pigeons on the following thread: just click on it:
> 
> ...


Oops .. Treesa meant preventative care .. not prevention .. she'll get a laugh out of that typo!  

Terry


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Welcome USENKOstillflys,

Wow, that is quite a story! I'm sure you eased your grandfather's mind so much by promising to care for his pigeons. It's a wonderful thing you are doing in honor of him and his memory.

I'm sure you will learn quite a lot as you learn to navigate our site. There is a lot of useful information to be found in the Pigeon Daily forum under Resources. Plus we have so many members with so much information they would be more than happy to share.

Good luck with your birds.

Linda


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

TAWhatley said:


> Oops .. Treesa meant preventative care .. not prevention .. she'll get a laugh out of that typo!
> 
> Terry



OOPS is right!!!  Sorry about that I will go back and correct.....


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