The Tumbler Pigeons: Tumbler pigeons are famous for their ability to roll and spin. Roller and Tumbler pigeons are two types. One is flying and the other is non-flying which is roller. A knowledge of Pigeon training is necessary for all the pigeon fanciers who love to participate in pigeon racing and high flying competitions or events. In this article you will learn about feeding, breeding and training of the high flying Tumbler. Pigeon flying mainly depends on the health, cleanliness and right kind of food.
The High Flying Tumbler Pigeons
There are mainly two types of tumbler pigeons. The best tumbler pigeons for high and low flying are the long-headed tumblers. The Short-faced tumbler are more for show rather than flying. Some tumblers often when flying with the kit will keep constantly tumbling underneath the others. Always remove these kinds of birds as soon as possible as they are detrimental to others.
The high-flying tumbler has a common appearance and a quality bird can seldom be distinguished from a quantity of inferior ones. Colors of these birds are chiefly black badges, blue badges and red badges. Years back, black saddle-backs and belnecks were all the rage, but at present time dark birds are the favorites.
As per the research of old fanciers they consider that the dark ones are the strongest and are of harder nature. Since 30 years the flying tumbler was rather a different stamp of bird to that of the present time. They had shorter beaks and broader chests. Most of them being red badges and red mottles.
What Should Be The Size Of The Pigeon Loft?
The pigeon loft size should not be small in size. The loft should be about seven feet square, with proper sunlight and great ventilation. Place some fitted shelves on one side, and perches on the other side. Most importantly always lime wash the loft to destroy all insects prior to breeding to protect the young ones.
How To Get High Flying Tumbler Pigeons?
It is very important to get good blood line of tumbler pigeons from a fancier who flies a good kit of birds. Fly your birds on daily basis for best training. Best time for flying in summer is first thing in the morning, good birds will fly all day. Theses long flyers are very scarce, and it takes a many years to procure them to perfection. The best plan is to get a few good birds and breed your own young ones from them. In this way you can increase your home breed and have some wonderful high flyers.
Moreover always keep an eye on any idle, slothful or mad tumbling birds that fly underneath the others. Remove them as they will not only distrub the other birds but also made them to land back.
Avoid flying your birds in bad weather and snow, as they can be lost in bad weather. I have seen many kits driven away from home by hail and snow storms. Most fanciers keep their stock in the place all winter, on account of the bad weather. High flying tumblers are never safe in winter. In past times birds don’t fly as long as they do now. At the present time a kit of good birds is rare to see them tumble. Fanciers make cross breeding of tumbling birds with the non-tumbling birds to reduce this habit. By this technique, birds can fly now up to 10 hours.
Breeding of Tumbler Pigeons
Tumbling birds should be paired to one that cannot tumble, results will be some steady flying young ones. Birds should be paired in separate small boxes probably 2×3 feet of area for some days. Feed them twice a day, give them a sprinkle of hemp seed once a day to make them healthy and active. The best birds should pair together to get the best chicks.
Prior to breed it is recommended to lime wash the loft inorder to kill the insects. Always check birds are healthy to breed, a dose of Epsom salt is recommended by old fanciers. Rue tea also plays great role and improve the health of birds. Give some old crushed mortar it will be a great benefit to them, assisting hens in producing a very strong shell to their eggs. Breeding birds should be fed two times a day. The best food is peas and barley, and a small quantity of hemp seed occasionally.
Nesting Material For Pigeon Breeding
Pigeon requires nest box to form their nest in. Ideally the box should be about eight inches square and two inches deep. Some pigeon fanciers use clay pans, but as per my experience the pots give the younger one’s cramp. The wood box is far superior. Straw, with a small quantity of deal sawdust, is the best for nests.
Pigeons only lay two eggs, and they sit 16 to 17 days in summer, and 18-19 days in winter. Sometimes the hen is very weak when about to lay egg, and even cannot stand on her legs after laying the eggs. It is due to lack of calcium and multivitamins. Castor oil, before she lay eggs will give great relief and cause the bird to lay more freely.