I have been breeding and flying roller pigeons for over 25 years. I started as a teenager in Paramount California back in the 1970's and started again in 1993 with the birds I have now that I call Ruby Rollers™. I wrote the very popular publication titled "How To Breed Better Rollers" of which I have sold literally thousands of copies worldwide, I have shipped thousands of roller pigeons all over the USA since 2004 and also expor them worldwide.
I have sold pigeon supplies, published and moderated a popular roller discussion forum since 2004, provide phone and web support to hundreds of roller fanciers with questions about breeding and flying rollers to disease and pigeon products, I had a short run publishing the Roller Pigeon Digest newsletter and am now in the process of developing CD's and DVD's on the Birmingham Roller.
My practical pigeon experience is extensive. I want to share some of that knowledge with new roller pigeon fanciers in the hopes that they can have a more rewarding and fun experience with roller pigeons both on and offline.
The following articles are a series of topics that I have visitied numerous times over the years either through online debates, or helping individuals on the phone to answer some of there questions and concerns when it comes to successfully breeding and flying Birmingham Rollers.
These articles are my opinion based on over 25 years of practical roller pigeon flying and breeding experience in the hobby as well as reading and educating myself because I like to be informed. Often, my thoughts and articles take on a contrarian point of view, this approach I find, makes old topics and concepts fresh again and worthy of another look, if not to do anything else but to make a person think for himself and not always buy in to the herd mentality or conventional wisdom. Afterall, conventional wisdom once said that the earth was flat.
It is important that a new roller fancier fully understands and grasps the significance of the Aerial Standard coined by Lewis Wright over a hundred years ago as it informs what we desire to see in a true Birmingham Roller deserving of the name.
Housing for pigeons can range from a simple weekend do-it-yourself project using re-purposed wood and hardware all the way up to a professional breeding loft costing thousands of dollars. For the purposes of this lesson, we will only point out and consider both the needs of the pigeons and fancier as they relate to basic needs and basic care of the pigeons. The actual design will depend on your resources and desire for simple or esthetics or both.
and started again in 1993 with the birds I have now that I call Ruby Rollers™. I wrote the very popular publication titled "How To Breed Better Rollers" of which I have sold literally thousands of copies worldwide, I have shipped thousands of roller pigeons all over the USA since 2004 and also expor them worldwide.