As a passionate pigeon fancier and Pigeon Boss with over 40 years of experience in the sport, I have one golden rule that every pigeon enthusiast must follow: never release your pigeons in foggy weather. This isn’t an exaggeration, but a crucial step to protect your beloved racing pigeons. Especially during the molting season, when they are more vulnerable, fog can pose a significant threat. Today, I want to guide you through the risks and explain why it’s often better to keep your pigeons safely inside their loft.
The Dangers of Foggy Weather
Foggy weather makes it extremely difficult for racing pigeons to maintain their orientation. Pigeons rely on visual landmarks on the ground and in the sky to find their way back to the loft.
In fog, their visibility is severely reduced, which means even the most experienced flyers can become disoriented. This can result in delays or, worse, the loss of your prized pigeons.
Vulnerability During Molting Season
The molting season is already a challenging period for your pigeons. They are shedding old feathers, leaving them with less energy and resilience to endure long flights. During this time, your pigeons are not in peak condition, and they are often less motivated to train. When you combine this with foggy weather, it creates a dangerous situation. Your pigeons are not only physically weaker, but also mentally less sharp, increasing the risk of losing them even more.
Less Desire to Train
An important signal that we often overlook is the pigeon’s own instinct. In bad weather conditions, such as fog, you’ll often notice that pigeons are less eager to fly. They prefer to stay in the loft. This is their way of signaling that it’s not safe to fly. As a fancier, you should respect this instinct and avoid forcing your pigeons to fly against their will. It’s much safer to keep them inside for the day and wait for better conditions.
The Invisible Threat:Predators
In addition to the challenge of disorientation, there’s another significant danger lurking in the fog: predators. Birds of prey, such as sparrowhawks and goshawks, have no difficulty finding their prey in foggy conditions. In fact, your pigeons become easier targets due to reduced visibility. Add to this the weakened condition of a molting pigeon, and you have a perfect storm for disaster. A pigeon that would normally be fast enough to escape may now be too slow or too tired to defend itself.
Jan de Wijs’ Tip: Keep Them Inside During Foggy Weather
My advice as Pigeon Boss is simple: never release your pigeons in foggy weather, especially during the molting season. Fog is too dangerous. Your pigeons can become lost, predators take advantage of the situation, and you risk losing your valuable birds. On these days, just let them stay safe inside the loft. Rest can sometimes be just as valuable as training, especially during periods when your pigeons aren’t at their strongest.
Safety First
We all understand that, as fanciers, you want the best for your pigeons. But sometimes that means making choices that don’t always align with your normal routine. Foggy weather is one such situation. It’s always better to skip a day of training than to lose your pigeons to unfavorable conditions. Especially during the molting season, it’s important to be cautious and avoid exposing your pigeons to unnecessary risks.
Conclusion
Foggy weather and the molting season are a dangerous combination for your racing pigeons. The loss of orientation, weakened condition of your birds, and the increased risk of predator attacks make it unwise to release your pigeons under such conditions. Listen to their instinct and keep them inside when the fog rolls in. By doing so, you protect not only their health but also their future as top racers. Better safe than sorry!
Until the next tip...
Jan de Wijs
The Real Pigeon Boss
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