Pigeon Racing

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1. THE PIGEON’S HISTORY

Nobody knows exactly when Man first used the pigeon to carry messages. There is evidence that as far back as 3,700 years ago, Man discovered the homing ability of pigeons. In ancient sieges, pigeons were used to carry messages about troop movements, while the spies within the besieged cities used pigeons to keep themselves informed about what was going on outside the city walls. Julius Caesar used pigeons in many of his war campaigns. Experts on prehistoric remains have provided us with proof of the high regard that ancient peoples held for the pigeon. Archeologists have found inscriptional records that the pigeon and the dove occupied a position of reverence and were regarded as holy in early civilizations. The earliest known record of domesticated pigeons dates back to the 5th Egyptian Dynasty (about 3000 B.C.). And in the 18th Dynasty, Thothmes III made mention of 258 pairs of pigeons and 5,237 pigeons of another kind.

Pigeons and doves are mentioned in the mythology of almost every religion known. In the old Middle Eastern religions, this bird was sacred to Astarte, the goddess of love. Pigeons, doves, and turtledoves were mentioned in the Old Testament as the only birds allowed under the Law of Moses to be sacrificed in early Hebrew rituals of purification.

Leviticus 14: 21–22: And if he be poor and cannot get so much; then he shall take . . . And two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one should be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.

Also, in the Christian religion the dove is emblematic of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 3: 16: . . . and Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water; and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him.

All through the annals of time the pigeon has played a large part in the history of Man. Even wars demanded the services of the pigeon. Sending messages by pigeon has long been known to military men as one of the most effective means of communication. Not only did the ancient armies use the pigeon for communication but so, too, did the armies engaged in World War I, World War II, and the Korean conflict. Nobody will ever know how many lives were saved by message-carrying pigeons, but one thing is known for sure: that history pages would have been written very differently if it had not been for pigeons.

Besides performing tasks in ancient civilizations, the pigeon (dove) has played a part in mankind’s spiritual beliefs from Astarte-worship to the Judeo-Christian religions.

Military training tosses like this one from a portable combat loft made possible feats like that of Cher Ami.

Many pigeons have gone down in history as being war heroes. Many men owe their lives to these pigeons. The best known of these war-hero pigeons was Cher Ami. On October 27, 1918, an American battalion fighting on the Verdun front advanced too far into German-held territory, and the men found themselves surrounded. Every means of communication with the rest of the American fighting force was gone. Several pigeons were released, but were unable to get through. Finally Cher Ami rose to the sky, only to be hit by shrapnel. Even with severe wounds, he flew for 25 minutes to return home to 77th division headquarters and save the Lost Battalion.*

Even while such history was being made, the fact remains that deeds like this would have been impossible if it were not for the pigeon hobbyist. Pigeons are kept by people from every walk of life. It may be the rich man on the hill or the poor man down the street, but whoever it is, you know that they are dedicated and love their birds.

Queen Victoria kept Jacobins; Mary Queen of Scots kept Barbs; Elizabeth Barrett Browning kept doves; King George V and Roy Rogers kept racing pigeons. Even though there are hundreds of varieties of pigeons, none is held in such high esteem as the racing pigeon.

Our modern racing pigeon is a breed of recent creation, with Belgium and England given credit for its development. Today’s racing pigeon is a cross of many different breeds. It is a mixture of the Eastern Carrier, the Owl, the Dragoon, the Horseman, the Chesturlet and the Camus. The Belgians are given credit for starting the sport of pigeon racing. The first pigeon races on record were held in the early part of the 19th century in Belgium. Today it is the national sport there, with some 220,000 participants. The world population of racing pigeon enthusiasts is estimated at seven and one half million. The sport of racing pigeons started in the United States at the same time it started in England (1871). Today there are approximately 50,000 racing-pigeon flyers in the United States.

During the 1890’s American interest in racing pigeons increased and spread into all the larger cities on the Eastern Seaboard. In June of 1896, 570 birds competed in a 500-mile race, with 35 homing the same day. This race proved that the sport of pigeon racing was in America to stay.

*As a result of this service to the U.S. army, Cher Ami was mounted after death and is still on display in the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. The Lost Battalion was a group of soldiers from New York, commanded by Major Charles S. Whittlesey.

2. THE LOFT

One of the most important factors in being a top pigeon-flyer is the loft you provide for your pigeons. Every successful pigeon-flyer has a loft that is properly constructed. The actual cost of construction has no bearing on the amount of success obtained.

Planning the Loft

This chapter will guide you in the proper way to construct your pigeon loft. It is surprising that the design of the loft is all too often neglected. If you live in an area where the houses are close together, a loft must be constructed that will fit in accordingly. It should be neatly constructed, so no one has reason to complain about its appearance. Build your loft so that it faces away from the direction in which bad weather prevails. It is impossible to condition a pigeon that lives in a cold, damp loft. Try to build the loft in a quiet spot and far enough from nearby houses so that people won’t complain about noise. Also try to keep it away from high-tension wires because the birds may meet with an accident.

Before you begin to draw your plans, take time out to visit as many lofts as possible and take notes and pictures. Once you have a general knowledge, then draw your plans. Before you begin construction, you should check local building codes and ordinances.

To tell you how to build the ideal loft is somewhat complex. For a loft built in the Chicago area would not work for the fancier in Florida or Liverpool. Therefore this chapter just gives a general idea on building a loft. You must improvise according to your locality.

Loft size is very important. You should plan on three partitions: one for breeders, one for young birds, and one for old birds [birds that have reached at least their second year of flying]. Do not let the height of the partitions be so high that pigeons can fly over your head. Partition sizes may vary according to the amount of birds you want to keep. Still, an ideal size is when you are able to touch all four walls when standing in the middle of a single partition. If at all possible, build a hallway into your loft. This will give you plenty of storage space, and it allows each section to have its own entrance.

Foundation and Floor

Many kinds of building materials will suit the purpose, but timber is the best. The foundation should consist of seven block pillars, each 18″ high and square. Place one in each corner of the loft; then one in the middle front, one in the middle back, and one directly in the middle of the floor. This will leave a space under the loft high enough so that cats, mice, rats and other pests cannot hide without being seen. Also, it enables air to circulate under the loft, thus keeping it dry. On top of the pillars, build the framework for the floor. Lay the flooring so that the grain of the wood runs in the same direction that you will be cleaning the loft. This prevents splintering of the floor. Before laying the floor, creosote the framework and the underside of the floorboards. Creosote is a heavy oily liquid distilled from wood tar. It preserves wood and will prevent your loft floor from being infested by insects.

The Roof

Keep the following rules in mind when you are building the loft roof, regardless of what style you choose. The pitch of the roof should run from front to back. This allows the rain to run to the back and makes it less tempting for the birds to land on. A I-foot overhang on all four sides is advisable. Use good-grade roofing material and make sure that the roofing nails do not protrude into the loft’s ceiling. A small picket fence should be attached to the front edge of the roof. This discourages the birds from landing on the roof and it also makes it easier to train them to land only on the landing board. Skylights are very beneficial to the health of the pigeon. A bright, warm, dry loft means health and success. The importance of a bright and dry loft cannot be stressed enough.

FLOOR PLAN

FLOOR PLAN

An ideal set-up for skylights. Note the picket fence that discourages the racers from landing on the roof.

The Sides

If you plan on an inner wall, the placement of the studs is not too important. If there is only an outer wall, space the studs so that the perches and nest boxes fit between them. The sides and back of the loft should be without windows: this is where the doors, perches, and nest boxes belong. Construct the windows in the hall in such a way that rain cannot enter when they are opened. The front of the loft is where the windows, traps, and landing board belong. The landing board should be as large as possible. Two feet wide by the length of your loft is ideal. Cover it with a heavy roofing material, making sure that dampness cannot warp it. The height of the landing board is very important. It is advisable to have it waist-high. This allows you complete control of the birds when trapping. In the United States the stall traps are the most popular, while in the European countries, the birds are trained to fly through a window or door and are then clocked in their nests.

Your loft need not be as elegant as this, but all lofts should abound in sunshine and fresh air.

Another loft ensuring that the pigeon will not lack sunlight and air—this one built on top of a tall city building.

Always make the landing board waist-high to ensure yourself maximum control of your birds. Note, too, the roof overhang and large skylights of this loft.

The dimensions for making stall traps should be taken from the loft that you feel has the best trapping system. Use the best grade wood possible; the bobbs should be made of aluminum. Take your time: do not rush and make needless mistakes.

The windows should be as large as possible, so that plenty of fresh air and sunshine enter the loft. Hang the windows in such a way that, when they are opened, the pigeons are unable to perch on them. Some type of wire or dial framing should be made for the front of each window. Such meshing prevents anything from entering or leaving when the windows are open.

Ventilation

You may have just completed the most beautiful loft, but if you do not have proper ventilation, forget about being a success. Pigeons need plenty of clean fresh air, and when this is not available many problems develop. You achieve good ventilation when bad air is replaced with fresh air without causing an air current to blow directly on your pigeons. Make all the partitions completely solid, even the partition doors. Small metal ventilators may be installed next to the floor at the front of the loft. In addition, roof vents should be installed, which allow the stale air to leave. Make sure you install roof vents in such a way that it is impossible for strong air currents to blow directly down on your pigeons.

Good ventilation is one of the most important items in obtaining good health. In fact, you may have to change your ventilation system many times before you find the correct system for your loft.

If you get a heavy pigeon smell upon entering the loft, you know that there is poor ventilation. On the other hand, check for harmful air currents at night. There is no way that a pigeon can be brought into racing form if he is subjected to harsh air currents.

Small ventilators installed at floor level in the loft ensure that these birds will enjoy proper ventilation.

A garage-top loft equipped with roof vents. Note the pleasant appearance of this loft.

Aviaries (Flypens)

Aviaries are a very essential part of any loft. This is another item that is too often neglected. Aviaries allow the pigeons to have a constant supply of fresh air and sunshine, and the aviary is specially important to