#pigeon toed bounce machine

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[theramseyloft]

Hello! I'm mostly just asking since I've very curious and have a need for more information. I'm aware that probably everyone can raise any type of pigeon with enough research and an appropriate set up, but are there any breeds of pigeon you'd say are good for beginners? Are there any you'd say are better off with people with experience handling and raising pigeons instead?

There are definitely breeds that are good for beginners and breeds that are not.

It also depends on whether you are asking about good beginner breeds to breed, or to raise individuals of as companions.

I have my personal favorites because they are good starters for both.

Racing Homers 

Are your basic all ‘rounders.

These are the most pigeon shaped of all purebreds; fit, mobile, muscular, and keenly intelligent, these have the least potential health problems and the longest expected life span. 

They are the average size, and take up a moderate amount of nest or enclosure space.

They are excellent breeders with high fertility and excellent parental instincts. They rarely have infertile clutches, set their eggs tight, and have very strong feeding responses.

These are probably the easiest to train because of their high intelligence, bold curiosity, and base line friendliness.

Rescue homers have usually seen some shit, and have learned to fear people because of it, but their high intelligence makes them probably the easiest breed to emotionally rehabilitate.

Portuguese Tumbler

These are a tiny performance breed, but 

Because they are bred to perform, but nothing too extreme, so they are still very physically fit over all.

Their breed standard requires that their back toe lift off the ground in display posture.

Pigeons go into Display Posture when excited, and that three toed stance makes it hard to balance on skin or clothing, so ports are uncomfortable perching on people for long.

They are VERY friendly and curious, and really like people, but, because of their uncomfortable footing, they are not so much hold and cuddle birds as they are land on your shoulder, steal a kiss birds, and go play birds.

These are EXTREMELY prolific!!! Comfortable hens lay like machines and pairs tend to chain breed.

Babies tend to jump down very early, so watch peeps in a high nest box.

Classic Old Frill

These charming members of the Owl family of breeds are my beloved favorite.

Smaller than homers, and slightly easier to house.

Being bred for exhibition instead of performance, they are less muscular and slightly less intelligent, but also less high energy.

COF are what I like to call the Total Pidge Package.

They are physically fit and well balanced with attractive, but minimal embellishments.

They have exceptionally sweet tempers, but they’re very bold, plucky, and just full of ‘tude.

They are an all around temperature hardy breed with excellent parental instincts.

They have earned an excellent reputation for tightly sitting on eggs and squeakers, and their breed standard specifies that their beak can never be allowed to get too short to easily feed their young.

They are excellent pumpers.

Some individuals have narrow nasal slits and wide choanal slits (the openings in the roof of their beak to their sinuses.). This can allow millet to get stuck in their sinus cavity.

Lucerne Peak Crest

Have exactly the same embellishments as the Classic Old Frill; a peak crest and grouse muffs.

They are almost imperceptibly larger, and much more docile, but that docility can be a problem for breeders.

Some lines have peeps that are so quiet that they fail to trigger their parents’ feeding response.

Show Type Racing Homer

Speaking of docile and sturdy, these are bigger than Racers, thicker muscled with tighter feathers, but they are bred for exhibition, not performance.

They are EXPENSIVE AF, though!

Old German Owl

This is another of the Owl breeds. 

Smaller than the COF, with a similarly sweet expression and disposition to match.

These have no embellishments other than their darling bonnet of a shell crest.

The Chinese Owl

Is a much more elaborately decorated owl breed.

You can see his stance in the photo is not that unlike the Old German.

His embellishments are all normal feathers whose growth orientation is upside down or sideways.

Temperament of these is similar to a gerbil’s; They either love people and are docile and highly treat motivated, or despise anything even vaguely human shaped with no in between.

Old Dutch Capuchine

This gorgeous breed has a similar set of mutations to the Chinese Owl centered around their neck, building up to support the shell crest.

This breed has a reputation for tractability, but some lines can be very flighty.

If you are up for housing something bigger, Frillbacks are a great option.

They are especially docile, even rivaling the Lucerne.

Full length muffs are painful, though, because each individual shaft is bigger around than the bones in their toes.

Clean legged or short muffed lines are hard to find, though, because only full length muffs can be shown.

I know a breeder that specializes in clean legged and grouse muffed frillbacks that I would be delighted to link you too.

Voorburg Shield Cropper

Like the Frillback, these are a little hard to house inside because of their wing span. Which is exacerbated by their frankly ridiculous height.

 They are the only breed I know of whose show standard takes off points if they are not friendly and relaxed enough to try to woo the judges.

Voorbies are really fun to work with, especially since their version of aggression is more bumper cars than biting. 

Their globe swells up bigger than their beak is long, so drivy or aggressive cocks will just bounce off of you with out their beak getting close enough to actually succeed at biting.

They have to deflate a little to peck, and they have to be calm to do that, so if you have the space to house one, these are AMAZING for beginners.

My Therapy Pigeon project incorporates all of these because of their temperaments, physical fitness, and excellent parenting instincts.

I find blends incorporating two or more of these breeds to be even better for beginners than the pure forms, as most of them end up being the best of both worlds at least physically, if not both physically and temperamentally.

I apologize, but the two questions you’ve asked are very broad.

Some time tomorrow, I will continue with the fit breeds that require more experienced handlers in another post.

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