Gun Dog Forum

This is my first year with pigeons so I was wondering about some of the does and do nots of working with pigeons in the winter.

For me, hawk losses are much greater during the winter months. I don't fly my pigeons as much in the winter due to this.

My pigeons sole job is to be used to train dogs. I do some training during the winter.
I will let them out to fly some during the winter.

I fly my birds some during the winter and expect some loss's. When the come back in they are locked up for several days with the predator door shut. Used to be a lot of hawk's watching my loft but took away the food and not so many any more. They are awful prolific so don't worry about losing a few. I know when they are around, they sit on a tall power line in the field behind the homer's loft. They are there, the pigeon's don't get out.

As others have said, hawks are an issue regarding losses. For much of the north east once the smaller perching birds return and provide more food items for the hawks they are less of a concern. Id say fly them until you have an issue then lock the birds up for a week, when there are limited food items and if the hawks are successful they will return again and again. Mid-day would be best and try to avoid days/times of low sunlight periods.

This is the first winter I have been having them free fly, there is not many hawks around here in the winter. and to be honest I have been running them very low maintenance, I have not watered them since it got cold (I live a half mile or so from open water) and during cold snaps I feed them daily but less so when it is nice (and it's been an easy winter so far. The theory being I want them hungry enough that they will search for there own food keeping them in better flying shape.