# How to determine "Real" Racing Pigeons/Homers



## ishae_clanx

Good day!
Hi Im a fancier from the Philippines. I have been a fancier way back in high school. I would like to ask how to determine real racing pigeons from those non-racing pigeons. What they taught us here was to look for signs like eye color and if the bird's "nose" is large (looks like pop corn) then thats a Racing Pigeon. We call racing pigeons here in our place Homers.

Any suggestions or info regarding this matter will be highly appreciated...

PS. How will i be able to determine Male from Female Racing Pigeons??

Thank you so much and more power to Pigeontalk.org


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## FrillbackLover

to tell gender u look at the pigeons behavior, males tend to coo loud and oftend, and r slightly larger then females. Males also do little "dances" for the ladies.

when it comes to racing homer many breeder have theorys for what selection makes the best bird. Some believe in the "eye sign" makes the best racer(marks in the bird's eye that apear like stars or halos), while others believe in characteristic like strong backs and wing lenghs.

Racing homers look remarkable differenet then other pigeons.


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## ishae_clanx

FrillbackLover said:


> to tell gender u look at the pigeons behavior, males tend to coo loud and oftend, and r slightly larger then females. Males also do little "dances" for the ladies.
> 
> when it comes to racing homer many breeder have theorys for what selection makes the best bird. Some believe in the "eye sign" makes the best racer(marks in the bird's eye that apear like stars or halos), while others believe in characteristic like strong backs and wing lenghs.
> 
> Racing homers look remarkable differenet then other pigeons.


Thank you sir. We just moved here in the city. I would like to buy racing pigeons just for pet and maybe fly them a little. Could you give me some tips on how to choose the right bird for me? Ill be buying from a petshop near us.


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## FrillbackLover

make sure they are healthy, look down throat to see if it is a healthy pink, not a cheesy, (that could be canker). Try joining a racing homer club, many people r will to help new people and r very friendly.


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## ishae_clanx

THanks man..I did not know that? im a little bit scared in buying from pet shops coz they look like that they are not in good condition but based from my experience when birds are provided with good care and love they bounce back to their healthy condition. Ill be posting my loft design later on..i hope i could see more comments and suggestion from our fellow fanciers. im currently modeling it right now. 
Thanks alot


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## FrillbackLover

good luck with ur pigeons, they give lots of lov and joy


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## spirit wings

I can tell a homer mainly by the head and beak.... to find out if they are a good race pigeon, you would just have to race them to see.


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## ishae_clanx

after i buy my birds i will post them here..i would like you guys to see the birds so that you could suggest or comment about it..thanks alot...

ill be posting my loft/nest design...pls do check it out


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## spirit wings

ishae_clanx said:


> after i buy my birds i will post them here..i would like you guys to see the birds so that you could suggest or comment about it..thanks alot...
> 
> ill be posting my loft/nest design...pls do check it out


great!... we love pictures...


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## ishae_clanx

@spirit wings...you can count on that man...
just posted my loft design...chech it out man and please give me some comments tnx


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## RodSD

The nose cere is a clue, but some have smaller ones. The most important is that they can go home or have homing ability. You can test that during training toss. I am thinking that if a bird can go home from 30 miles toss, then it may have homing ability (as long as it is not following a homer). But this criteria is still vague because some tipplers can home that far!

With respect to determining sex, I go with behavior (adult male coo's, dances in circles with flared, dragging tail) and egg laying for hen. LOL!

There are also physical characteristics where the males are usually bigger, with thicker neck. His pelvic bone is also narrower.

Genetics-wise, if the color is that of sex-linked traits, then you can predict whether the babies are either males or females. You can ask Mary-of-Exeter for that. She is one of our resident genetic experts.


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## ishae_clanx

RodSD said:


> The nose cere is a clue, but some have smaller ones. The most important is that they can go home or have homing ability. You can test that during training toss. I am thinking that if a bird can go home from 30 miles toss, then it may have homing ability (as long as it is not following a homer). But this criteria is still vague because some tipplers can home that far!
> 
> With respect to determining sex, I go with behavior (adult male coo's, dances in circles with flared, dragging tail) and egg laying for hen. LOL!
> 
> There are also physical characteristics where the males are usually bigger, with thicker neck. His pelvic bone is also narrower.
> 
> Genetics-wise, if the color is that of sex-linked traits, then you can predict whether the babies are either males or females. You can ask Mary-of-Exeter for that. She is one of our resident genetic experts.


Thanks man...great trivia....ok looking for mary-of-exter after i post this..
By my experience...i observed that males and females differ in:
1. Males is much larger than females
2. Males has larger heads and neck compared to the hens
3. Females also coo but in a more feminine way (i hope you know what i mean here) while the cocks coo much louder
4. Cocks are more agressive than hens


Please correct me if im wrong...those are only my personal ovbservation through the years of being a fancier. So far basing from those criterias i use in determining sexes. i often get it right about 70% to 80% right. 
At first glance of a pigeon i consider its size and the size of its head then i would put it along with another pigeon which i know is a cock. when they are both in same cage the male cock would coo vigourously on the new bird then the new bird will coo back. From their coo's and behavior while inside the cage will then determine whether the new comer is a either a hen or a cock.


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## RodSD

You got it right. You can even try the mirror effect where the cock sees himself and might coo and dance. But this behavior only works when they are adults. Young birds I am still not sure.

Yeah, I know what you mean by hen coo's. 

With respect to eye-sign, if that is what you are talking about, I only like the concept where the iris looks mountainous with blood vessels. But eye-sign concepts are still hard for me to fathom or believe. But I am open-minded....


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## pigeon is fun

what city you moved in?


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## ishae_clanx

pigeon is fun said:


> what city you moved in?


Im now in Baguio city bro


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## ishae_clanx

RodSD said:


> You got it right. You can even try the mirror effect where the cock sees himself and might coo and dance. But this behavior only works when they are adults. Young birds I am still not sure.
> 
> Yeah, I know what you mean by hen coo's.
> 
> With respect to eye-sign, if that is what you are talking about, I only like the concept where the iris looks mountainous with blood vessels. But eye-sign concepts are still hard for me to fathom or believe. But I am open-minded....


Yeah man..i partially believe on the eye sign?
Youre filipino too?......For me what ever racing blood line the pigeon has even though it comes from the champs line if not given proper care and training it wont do good on the race. Based from my experience Good intensive trainings will be of major factor while love and care for your birds will be a driving motivation for them to come back home


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## chayi

ishae_clanx said:


> Thanks man...great trivia....ok looking for mary-of-exter after i post this..
> By my experience...i observed that males and females differ in:
> 1. Males is much larger than females
> 2. Males has larger heads and neck compared to the hens
> 3. Females also coo but in a more feminine way (i hope you know what i mean here) while the cocks coo much louder
> 4. Cocks are more agressive than hens
> 
> 
> Please correct me if im wrong...those are only my personal ovbservation through the years of being a fancier. So far basing from those criterias i use in determining sexes. i often get it right about 70% to 80% right.
> At first glance of a pigeon i consider its size and the size of its head then i would put it along with another pigeon which i know is a cock. when they are both in same cage the male cock would coo vigourously on the new bird then the new bird will coo back. From their coo's and behavior while inside the cage will then determine whether the new comer is a either a hen or a cock.


You sound like you dont have no problem with finding good homers. But just my two cents i wouldnt buy from a petshop go to a person that race pigeons i know that there are alot of good people with fine homers there.


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## pigeon is fun

ishae_clanx said:


> Im now in Baguio city bro


good luck with your project, pre.


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## ishae_clanx

pigeon is fun said:


> good luck with your project, pre.


Salamat bro hehehe


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## ishae_clanx

chayi said:


> You sound like you dont have no problem with finding good homers. But just my two cents i wouldnt buy from a petshop go to a person that race pigeons i know that there are alot of good people with fine homers there.


thank man,,,,that my problem,,, i cant find reliable fanciers here... i saw a racers club over the web but it seems that it is no longer updated or used... my other option is to buy from other places but its far from our place...so my last resort is a pet shop...they said the get their racers from a farm of racers down south


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## Crazy Pete

If you have to buy from a pet shop could you take some pics of the birds befor you buy them and post them here? it might help.
Dave


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## ishae_clanx

Crazy Pete said:


> If you have to buy from a pet shop could you take some pics of the birds befor you buy them and post them here? it might help.
> Dave



yah...i will ...but i need to construct first the loft then ill buy the birds ehhehe


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## fareed

hi frndz 
i am fareed i am from India Hyderabad, i want to no about racing homers and eye signs
plz any one help no this ?


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## re lee

ishae_clanx said:


> Thank you sir. We just moved here in the city. I would like to buy racing pigeons just for pet and maybe fly them a little. Could you give me some tips on how to choose the right bird for me? Ill be buying from a petshop near us.


I would not get the birds from the PET STORE. You would be doing the birds a favor. But it would be better if you can find a person that has racing homers. Build your loft first. And while doing that try to find some one that raises the birds. MIGHT even ask the pet store who raises racing homers near you. then contact them. GOOD LUCK


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