# possible new pigeon owner



## pigeon-please (Apr 16, 2017)

hello so i am new to the community and i have learned some things about these much under appreciated birds. however i do still have a few questions mainly about how to get one! 

so Im strictly talking about about a pet quality pige. 

1.I know they eat a mix of seed with a bit of veggies, still trying to find a reputable source. so far Brown's pigeon and dove lovers feed seems to be the most easy to access. Is this a good brand? What other brands would one recommend? i am also not looking for bulk as in doing my research i have found a lot of places that sell in bulk and i only plan on keeping one pigeon, or at least for a good while. 

2. I am still having a hard time figuring out how to get grit. also what is the difference between red and grey grit? so far im seeing that pigeions seem to be more attracted to the red variety. also are their any other alternatives?

3 so from my understanding dog crates make a great choice for a pigeons enclosure. the size i was looking at was ~36" long by ~23" wide by ~25" tall. would this be ok? i know bigger is always better but i live in apartments so i am limited.

4.Now the exciting part lol 
So so far ive been thinking about 4 possible breeds. 

1 Classic Old Frills ( im pretty set on the sattinetes and everyone says that they are the sweetest little angels)

2 Lacerne Gold Collars ( i feel like these guys are more expensive and tht is probably why i will not choose this breed if they were cheaper then this would be no questions my pick)

3 Nuns (i really like these guys but im not sure about their personalitys and their rating as a pet quality but they look very cute and i hear that they are a smaller breed and that appeals to me. they also dont seem very popular and might be difficult to find.)

4 Lahores (these are so aesthetically pleasing to be however i do not like their big feather feet! big turn off for me. i do like the fluffy feet kind but the actual feather feet i do not like at all. i also hear that they are more prone to being distant and aggressive?)

5 And for now my last choice is the Damascene ( these guys seem really cute and i really like their shape the most but their colors are very beautiful as well. i feel like these guys are more of a show bird though so i dont think they will be good pet quality) 

Now with the breeds I have listed are there any health issues known about these breeds? from my understanding most of these breeds are pretty healthy and are not prone to any genetic issues or the sorts except for the Lahores which i cannot recall but they get alot of problems with their feather feets.

Also Im still open to suggestions about other breeds! (exept for kings... call me a hater but they just have no appeal to me..kinda boring in color, but if i fall in love with one then so be it!! )

5.Another problem Im stricken with is where are the breeders!! i live in SoCal and I must not be looking in the right places as I cant seem to find much around me! (

If im missing anything important let me know! as i still have a lot of research and time on my hands. I dont plan on getting a bird until my boyfriends elderly cat of like 18 years dies and i think he still has a good few years in him left!

(p.s. I know that any breed can be a great pet but i feel like some breeds have more potential than others)
(p.s.s. I am only considering a Young Hens as i feel like they are more what i am looking for temperament wise. i know each has a personality of thier own but i think we all know that hens tend to be more cuddly than the cocks. at least from what ive seen. but i really just want one that is more docile is really my main thing. breed is only a detail, i want a pige for their personality and tameness/handleability and that is why its so important to me to find a breeder that is at least somewhat close and also knows their birds well because i really want to make this right for me and the bird. i know that it will be tuff to meet my expectations but it shall be worth  )


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Hi, and welcome to the wonderful world of pigeons.
I have alot of pigeons, roughly 300, so I buy in bulk! I get 50# pigeon mix, 50# multi flock pellets, 50# whole corn and 50# 'Favorite' wild bird mix, and mix it all together. That feeds for 1 week.
You can buy a good dove mix, they come in smaller bags (5#). You can also buy 5# bags of safflower and whole corn to mix with it. That would probably feed 1 pigeon for about a month!
Any feed and grain store would have grit. Mine prefer the gray.
A dog crate is fine. Pigeons prefer flat perches or platforms.....not round perches. Being ground feeders, water and food dishes should be set on the bottom of the cage, not hung on the sides. They also like to throw seed around, so a skirt around the bottom of the cage would be helpful!
Breeds.....there are many breeds of pigeons. If your looking for a house pet, I would stay away from the 'flying' breeds. Homers, tumblers, etc. They require more exercise and flying time around the house.
I have homers, tumblers and American Fantails. I'm partial to the fantails for pets. American Fantails are smaller than Indian Fantails. American's have clean feet and legs, where Indian's have feathered feet and legs. American Fantails are very docile, not aggressive, and not big on flying due to their body structure. They fly from point A to B.....floor to table, but don't fly around a room. They'd be happy hanging out on a desk or table pecking around and checking things out as opposed to flying up to a ceiling fan or flying from one room to another.
The birds you've chosen are beautiful, but they do require flying room daily. Fantails have an awesome personality and very handleable. Because of their big chest, their somewhat clumsy and entertaining.
There are plenty of breeders of all breeds that are usually willing to ship a bird to you. You could even find them on this site.
These are a couple of my hand raised American Fantails.


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## jowjowjow404 (Apr 13, 2017)

oh god fantails my dream pigeons im so amazed by these birds love them!


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## swiftypigeon (May 4, 2017)

You will definitely love this activity! I've been keeping pigeons for close to 15 years, and I can say that it is an activity that I won't stop in the near future. You may need to get some info from pigeon keepers, and also gather more info from guides and books. Personally, I've found this guide on how to raise pigeons quite helpful.


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