Pigeon Fancying

A pigeon lover and a pest controller debate if the birds are to be loved or loathed

Project Pigeon’s debate on BBC 5 live radio last night:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12699424

Workshops in Pigeon Keeping

Come and find out about pigeons!

2pm-4pm Fridays and Saturdays, February – April 2011

Project Pigeon’s Loft, Milk Street, Digbeth, Birmingham (in Boxxed’s backyard opposite Birmingham Backpackers under a viaduct)

Places are free but please book in advance by emailing:

projectpigeondigbeth@gmail.com

Saturday 19th February:  Introduction to pigeon fancying

Find out about the history of pigeon fancying, meet some pigeon fanciers and find out about why they keep pigeons, meet Project Pigeon’s birds and watch some pigeons fly.

Friday 25th February:  A pigeon’s home and life

This workshop will be focused on the different seasons in a pigeons life, from racing season to breeding season.  We will also look at the different kinds of pigeon lofts there are.

Saturday 26th February:  Day to day pigeon loft management

How to keep your pigeons clean and happy – from cleaning the loft to giving the pigeons a bath.

Friday 4th March:  Making nest boxes and perches

A woodwork session where we will design and make essential items for the inside of pigeon lofts and make any loft repairs.

Saturday 5th March:  Racing pigeons, Birmingham rollers and tipplers

There are many kinds of pigeons, racing pigeons are used in racing, Birmingham rollers in sequence flying and tipplers in endurance flying.

Friday 11th March:  A pigeon’s diet

Like any athlete a pigeons diet is very important.  In this session you will find out about all the vital vitamins, minerals and foods needed to keep pigeons on top form.

Saturday 12th March:  Veterinary skills

Vets in the UK know little about racing pigeons, and if you took your pigeon to the vet every time there was something wrong it would cost a lot and wouldn’t be practical.  Learn about what kinds of injuries pigeon get and how you can help your pigeon.

Friday 18th March:  Breeding

Come and see and learn about squeekers (baby pigeons)!

Saturday 19th March:  Training and racing

How do pigeons find their way home?  How do you train a racing pigeon?  How do you win a race?!

Saturday 2nd April:  Making a magazine about pigeons

Help Project Pigeon design a magazine based on what we have learnt during the workshops.

Saturday 16th April:  Come and watch a live pigeon race!

You might have been to the horses or to the dogs but have you ever seen a pigeon race?  Now is your chance!  Please email if you intend to come to this because the time of the race will only be known on Saturday morning – the morning of the race.

Community Pigeon Loft Project

People from all around the world keep pigeons and pigeon lofts reflect the culture in which they are located. Chinese pigeon lofts are different to English pigeon lofts, these are different to Irish pigeon lofts, which are again different to Iranian pigeon lofts, which are different to Pakistani pigeon lofts…..

Project Pigeon needs your help to design and build a loft that reflects all the different cultures in Digbeth and Highgate, Birmingham.

To talk about the project and get some inspiration please drop into to one of the Community Consultation Days:

Thursday 3rd February: 7.30am-2.30pm Eastside Café, 99 Coventry Street, Digbeth

Sunday 6th February: 10am- 4pm Project Pigeon’s Loft, Milk Street, Digbeth (in Boxxed’s backyard, opposite Birmingham Backpackers)

Wednesday 9th February: 2pm-6pm Project Pigeon’s Loft

Tuesday 15^th February: 7pm-11pm The Spotted Dog pub, 104 Warwick Street, Digbeth

We will be running workshops and talking to different groups throughout January, February and March, if we haven’t already contacted you and you would like us to come and run some workshops with you/ your group please get in touch with us:

Project Pigeon: projectpigeondigbeth@gmail.com / 07967637017

If you are an individual or group who would like to submit a design please email it to: projectpigeondigbeth@gmail.com before 6th March

Designs will be exhibited at Eastside Café between 7th March and 12th March and on-line at:

www.flickr.com/photos/communitypigeonloft

The pigeon loft we all design will be built between mid March and May 2011 so look out for further information.

Please see www.project-pigeon.co.uk for more information about Project Pigeon

This project is supported by the Working Neighbourhoods Fund

Project Pigeon Prizes

It was the Aston and District Pigeon Flying club prize giving on Friday night, we collected two certificates.  One of our pigeons came 6th out of 212 pigeons on a 75 mile race from Swainswick and another came 4th out of 279 pigeons in a 114 mile race from Taunton.  We are very happy with the results.

(The jumper I’m wearing is one of a range of things we have made for British Homing World Show of the Year- in Blackpool at the end of January – where we’ll be having a stall)

Fused Magazine interviews Project Pigeon

Project Pigeon interview

Top spray!

Project Pigeon is busy making a film

Have a look at a few clips here:
www.youtube.com/user/ProjectPigeon1

Project Pigeon Interview

Have a look at our interview on Dazed Digital:

www.dazeddigital.com/ArtsAndCulture/article/7023/1/Project_Pigeon