# Homing Fancy Breeds



## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

Hello,

Is it possible for fancy breeds like lahores and owls to come back home when released? Because my father had lahores in his country and he said that they would fly and come back and etc. And he said that almost every body would do that in his country. So I was wondering if it is possible to train them?


----------



## Possum Fat (Mar 18, 2010)

Yeah you can open up your fly pen and turn them out and they'll fly around. I've loft flown mookees, lahores, capuchines...several fancy breeds. Most the time I just left the loft open and let them come and go. When I stepped outside and they heard the food can rattle, they knew right where home was.

Just don't be surprised when a hawk, cat, dog, raccoon or some kid with a pellet rifle decides to make short work of one of your birds. It will happen if you turn your birds out. It may not be tomorrow but the next day but the odds aren't in your favor. Lahores are big, tasty lookin birds...and very slow. Perfect for anything that eats meat!


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

ValencianFigs said:


> Hello,
> 
> Is it possible for fancy breeds like lahores and owls to come back home when released? Because my father had lahores in his country and he said that they would fly and come back and etc. And he said that almost every body would do that in his country. So I was wondering if it is possible to train them?


most in this country do not fly lahores or any other fancy breed..esp a release away from the loft, they are bred for show in this day and age and that is what they are good for.. if you want a flying breed then get the flying breeds that is what they were bred for...


----------



## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Lahores do not fly much, or very well. Mine would take a couple laps around the loft, but that's it. You cannot release them from a distance though, just in your yard.


----------



## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

Yeah I kind of figured that part out, because i open my loft up for the figirutas when I am outside. They fly to the fence some trees and then come down when I take out the food dish! Its kind of cool. My dad comes from the middle east and they train any kind of pigeon to be released and come back. Not sure how they do it though :/ I might ask him. They say that they tie the primary flight feathers so they can fly a little bit but not too far. And they let them out with the other birds for about a month and then they take the clips off and the birds are used to the surroundings.


----------



## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

Back in the 1960`s,in New York City,there were a couple of lofts that has Tipplers that would home from 25 miles...They had some races,and would bet alot of money on them...I don`t know how long it took to train them,but it used to be the talk of the neighbood among the pigeon flyers downtown in Little Italy.....Alamo


----------



## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

There is a story in an older Racing Pigeon Digest magazine, about a half Homer/half German Owl bird. That entered several races and always came home. The longest being a 300 mile race. I believe it was called "Willy". I can look it up and scan it to post here, if anyone is interested. It has a pic of the bird and it looks half and half.

I personally have a half Homer/Half Catalonian that I am training. So far though, I have only taken it one mile. It came home quicker than the late hatch homers that I tossed with it. It was an accidental breeding on the floor of the loft and I let it go ahead and hatch, just to see what I may come up with. I thought I had all hens in there, but one wasn't (how many times have you heard that?). I obtained a Cat that was supposed to be a hen. Not!


----------



## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

I was bored so I scanned it anyway.

From the Racing Pigeon Digest, January 15th, 2007. Hope it is readable.


----------



## lmorales4 (Jul 8, 2010)

Thats pretty cool just goes to show you, you learn something new everyday!!!


----------



## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

That is cool? If you breed that bird back to a german owl will it loose its homing instinct? I mean it is possible to train other breeds i bet. Because if you can trains parrots to come back when they fly i bet you could do it with pigeons!


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

That story is real cool, but it is not a reason to go out and fly crossbreeds or fancy pigeons, this was a special case.... and handicapping their wings only spells hawk bait to me... so I would NOT be soaping wings or clipping wings.. they would be defenseless from a BOP... letting some fancies loft fly when hawks are not moving around as much can be done if you are out there to watch them and call them in to eat and not leave them out there for too long.. fancy birds are just not built like a homer/racer, so you have to understand you may be putting them in a situation they probably won't win if a bird of prey comes to make them a meal.. if there were no BOP, then I think they would do ok, if they did not fly too far and get lost.. If your determined to put them at risk, at least put a snap-on band with your phone # on them.


----------



## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

I difinitely do not recommend or suggest that anyone try to "home" fancy breeds. A half breed has a chance. Slim for sure, but a chance. A full fancy breed has no chance, in my estimation.

My Catalonians are the best I have found at out foxing and avoiding hawk attacks. They are just sooo quick. Catching them in the loft is five times harder than catching a racing homer.

I pity the hawk that depends on catching Catalonians for dinner. He is going to go hungry.

There are other stories like the one above. There is a local story here in Cincy, about a guy who had a half feral/half homer and won a 100 mile race. Before my time so I can not verify it as truthfull, but it is discussed by the veterans. Another story I have "heard" is one of a homer/roller cross that won a race.

My only hope is that I have not purchased any offspring down from any of these quirks of luck.


----------



## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

ValencianFigs said:


> That is cool? If you breed that bird back to a german owl will it loose its homing instinct? I mean it is possible to train other breeds i bet. Because if you can trains parrots to come back when they fly i bet you could do it with pigeons!


Most difinitely it would lose all or almost all of its homing ability.

It is a mistake to think that only homing pigeons have homing ability. Actually, many birds (not talking fancy pigeons here) have homing ability. Some can come home from much longer distances than homing pigeons can.

That is why I have not caught my local harasing hawks and taken them to points far away.


----------



## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

The homing pigeon is a crossbred pigeon from the very begining of its existance...The Culmet,Owl, and two other strains were used to produce what we have today... I have seen Owls trained with the YB`s back in New York City.... They fly very fast,and have no problem keeping up with the YB`s...I just don`t remember how far down the road training they went....
I might get one someday and try it....Alamo


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Alamo said:


> The homing pigeon is a crossbred pigeon from the very begining of its existance...The Culmet,Owl, and two other strains were used to produce what we have today... I have seen Owls trained with the YB`s back in New York City.... They fly very fast,and have no problem keeping up with the YB`s...I just don`t remember how far down the road training they went....
> I might get one someday and try it....Alamo



I hope you will use a hell of a good owl, to have any chance of getting a winning bird, first generation...lol..


----------



## JT (Mar 25, 2009)

ValencianFigs said:


> Yeah I kind of figured that part out, because i open my loft up for the figirutas when I am outside. They fly to the fence some trees and then come down when I take out the food dish! Its kind of cool. My dad comes from the middle east and they train any kind of pigeon to be released and come back. Not sure how they do it though :/ I might ask him. They say that they tie the primary flight feathers so they can fly a little bit but not too far. And they let them out with the other birds for about a month and then they take the clips off and the birds are used to the surroundings.


That's true, because in the Middle East, like in Baghdad for example, you don't see a falcon in the sky very often. Because my loft was on the rooftop, cats had no access to my loft, and since there were almost no falcons around, I didn't have to lock up my birds.


----------



## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

spirit wings said:


> That story is real cool, but it is not a reason to go out and fly crossbreeds or fancy pigeons, this was a special case.... and handicapping their wings only spells hawk bait to me... so I would NOT be soaping wings or clipping wings.. they would be defenseless from a BOP... letting some fancies loft fly when hawks are not moving around as much can be done if you are out there to watch them and call them in to eat and not leave them out there for too long.. fancy birds are just not built like a homer/racer, so you have to understand you may be putting them in a situation they probably won't win if a bird of prey comes to make them a meal.. if there were no BOP, then I think they would do ok, if they did not fly too far and get lost.. If your determined to put them at risk, at least put a snap-on band with your phone # on them.


There is no way they would be at risk because I only take them out when I am outside and my yard isn't that big and they don't go far from the loft. I usually take them out right before sunset and hawks here don't come out often during that time.


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

ValencianFigs said:


> There is no way they would be at risk because I only take them out when I am outside and my yard isn't that big and they don't go far from the loft. I usually take them out right before sunset and hawks here don't come out often during that time.


well that is the way to do it if your going to...I have been tempted to do just that with my fantails... just can't get the courage up..I worry too much, and if anything happed to them I would feel like crap..


----------



## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

spirit wings said:


> well that is the way to do it if your going to...I have been tempted to do just that with my fantails... just can't get the courge up..I worry too much, and if anything happed to them I would feel like crap..


Yeah, I know what you mean. I usually fix the garden do something so hawks can see movement of humans. So they don't come. Or I just walk around with the pigeons.


----------



## egpigeon (Jan 15, 2008)

ValencianFigs said:


> Hello,
> 
> Is it possible for fancy breeds like lahores and owls to come back home when released? Because my father had lahores in his country and he said that they would fly and come back and etc. And he said that almost every body would do that in his country. So I was wondering if it is possible to train them?


yeas, they can fly and come back but not like race pigeons


----------



## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

egpigeon said:


> yeas, they can fly and come back but not like race pigeons


Yes, i know that.


----------



## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

smoqa said:


> That's true, because in the Middle East, like in Baghdad for example, you don't see a falcon in the sky very often. Because my loft was on the rooftop, cats had no access to my loft, and since there were almost no falcons around, I didn't have to lock up my birds.


There are some falcons and hawks, but they got other stuff to eat like chickens and quail. So they don't bother them.


----------



## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

ValencianFigs said:


> Yeah, I know what you mean. I usually fix the garden do something so hawks can see movement of humans. So they don't come. Or I just walk around with the pigeons.


If a cooper hawk want your bird it will come right down 2 3 feet from you and take the bird. Thy have little fear of humans And want a easy meal. The larger hawks red tails and such they are slower and not as brave. A cooper will go right in a loft for lunch if they can find a way inside. So never think you being the with the birds Will keep a cooper away.


----------



## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

I don`t want to race a OWL,but wouldn`t mind seeing how far it can be trained with the YB`s,and make it home with them...Just thought it would be an interesting experiment..Alamo


----------



## blongboy (Nov 10, 2009)

wow that would mean the father bird must be a great homers !! if woody did that good


----------



## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Actually I don't think that the father had to be such a great homer. Just a decent homer.

If I understand genetics correctly, Woody would just inherent the homing gene (if there is such a thing and I believe there has to be) from his father, and would have decent homing ability just like his father.

Both your mother and your father do not have to have the genes for homing, for them to be passed on to you. Either one would suffice, if I understand genetics properly.


----------



## blongboy (Nov 10, 2009)

conditionfreak said:


> Actually I don't think that the father had to be such a great homer. Just a decent homer.
> 
> If I understand genetics correctly, Woody would just inherent the homing gene (if there is such a thing and I believe there has to be) from his father, and would have decent homing ability just like his father.
> 
> Both your mother and your father do not have to have the genes for homing, for them to be passed on to you. Either one would suffice, if I understand genetics properly.


so ...then....why would people go all out to breed good homer to good homers? all homer can home good then right?or wrong?


----------

