Relocating Pigeons
(Pigeon Debut) May 2000
It is remarkable how a simple request from Alvin Simon of Baltimore has
brought to my mind a wide range of experiences. The subject of relocating is
pretty well the same as locating and imprinting very young pigeons.
It is a great help if at the new location there are already a lot of pigeons
that are established and used to flying. I always had about 50 tumblers and
rollers that were used to flying every day and of course such as these
generally fly around the loft area, well within sight. They do not and
certainly should not range out of sight.
Now these 50 were an asset for the relocation of new pigeons and for the
imprinting and early training of young ones. One famous old trick (and I'm
here to tell you all that I have quite a few old tricks) was the use of a
racing pigeon basket that I inherited when an old fancier died. This basket
was 3 feet by 2 feet. I got a stack of wood chipping from the lumber company
and the floor of the basket was dressed regularly with fresh chipping.
The pigeons for relocation were placed inside the basket, which was then
hoisted up to the top of a shed some 40 feet away from my loft. The basket,
being safely in place, I would then release my 50 for exercise.
I would then sit and be a spectator, watching my magic 50, the new pigeons
were also spectators. After the 50 had dropped, I sat there and watched them
on the loft top and the grass patch and the new pigeons were watching too.
After several days of this, I would allow just one to fly to join the
dropped kit and day by day work through the bunch. Just release one at a
time. Such being just a bit extra hungry, but not "blind hungry." In due
course, I relocated all 40 new birds from Scattergood in 1975-76 without a
single loss and in batches of 8 to 10.
However, if faced with the problem of no pigeons being available at a new
location, there is of course, more of a problem. It is easy to locate
droppers who should be docile so I would suggest that droppers should be
used. If we fly Tipplers seriously, we use droppers anyway. In Britain,
often 6 to 16 are used.
Just to watch droppers, knocking about on the loft top and foreground is the
essential ingredient. You may well ask, why not just have the basket on top
of the loft? Why not just have the new ones inside the wire netting roof
trap? Now, that there is a good question. My answer is that I find that they
get direction pull and imprinting experience if viewing the loft from a
distance. They will be seen to be striving to get out and join the droppers
or the pigeons already on the rooftop. This is the pull. If they are already
on the loft top they don't get this essential pull.
Another Prescott-ian trick, is to very gently sprinkle the new ones with a
fine spray of water. Ideally, it should come down on them, just as light
rain.
Being wet, tranquilizes them and they don't go off in a stampede. Just one
warning, before I go, if you have such a basket or cage, don't leave it
unattended or if you do, make sure that it's safe from cats or whatever. A
hawk will have a go at caged birds. Me, I'd never leave my birds out and
unattended unless really forced. Over the years, I've learned that it's a
dangerous thing to do.