Purebred Pigeon Sept/October 2025

GIANT HOMER – Page 28 – Purebred PIGEON Breed of the Issue - AMERICAN GIANT HOMER RaisingAmericanGiant Homers By Jim Plowdrey T he Giant Homer is an enjoyable breed to raise. They are a utility bird, making them a larger breed of pigeons. Most Giant Homers weigh between 30 and 40 ounces. Given their larger size, they have a harder time flying than most other pigeon breeds. Therefore, a different technique will be required when setting up your breeding loft to accommodate the Giant from a flying breed loft. The following paragraphs are recommendations from my years of experience with Giants for setting up your loft for success. The Giant Homer is generally a docile bird that is easy to tame when young, but when breeding in a community loft, they can become territorial. Therefore, it is best to have at least four or five breeding pairs in a community loft. Other- wise, a dominant male may chase others around, trying to claim as much territory as possible. Having more pairs makes managing them easier because they have smaller areas to claim, and they tend to get along better. If you choose to breed in individual pens, the minimum size I recommend using is 2ft x 4ft x 20in high. This is also the same size I use for the breeding pen compartments in the community breeding loft. On the bottom of each compartment, whether in an individual or community setup, I put down a light layer of straw. Straw helps keep the pair’s feet clean so they don’t soil their eggs. However, you will have to change the straw periodically because of the youngsters. If you are using wire bottoms, you will not need straw at the bottom of the pen. Giants love to utilize the upper compartments but need a way to reach them. To help them gain access to the upper compartments, arrange your loft with perches at different heights. The various levels of perches act like stairs. I also recommend adding a couple of larger platforms, such as 12 x 30-inch platforms at different heights. The platforms give them more areas to tread and perch. It is also beneficial to have flypens for your birds. Flypens act as a refuge for Giants to relax, breed, and bathe. Plus, as a bonus, sunshine helps boost their immune system. After setting up your loft, there is much to do to prepare the Giants for breeding season. I live in Michigan, so I start the breeding season in mid-February, which is a bit later than breeders in the southern states. In preparation for the mid-Feb- ruary start, if the Giants are healthy, I begin worming them in January and again 14 days later to break any cycle. I will also run a canker treatment afterward, around February 1st. Additionally, in the two weeks before the breeding season, it is advisable to begin a routine of lighting your loft in the early morning. I set a light timer to start around 3:30 am or 4 am and leave it running until noon. Near the end of the season, I turn the lights off completely two weeks before I break up the pairs. Before pairing, I will start adding wheat germ oil to the feed for two weeks. Mix the wheat germ oil in any bucket until it is slightly wet-looking. The oil is high in vitamin E, which helps increase libido to aid the bird during the breeding season. You can also buy vitamin E in a powder mix. If you have wire bottoms for your loft (which is advis- able), you must trim the birds’ toenails. This is a critical task because long toenails can cut the babies in the nests. I try to do this in January or before a later show, as they also stand better and won’t trip on the carpet in front of the judge. Not all Giants have this issue, but they should be checked. I also recommend trimming the vents on the Giants. When trimming, leave the whiskers around the butt on the cocks and hens. The nesting boxes I use measure 9L x 9W x 3.5H inches, which is more than enough space for the birds. I fill the box with extra-fine pine shavings from the TSC store (Tractor Supply Company) and scoop out a space in the center for the birds to nest comfortably. Then, I add some straw on top. I work down the straw so that it becomes compacted. Some breeders also prefer to use finer hay or pine needles. Keep grit available at all times, especially during breed- ing season, and check it at least weekly for refilling. I mix 50% pullet-sized oyster shells with the grit during breeding season. The feed mix I use is 50% pigeon grain and 50% pellets. Some people use layer pellets; I currently use the 18% game bird pellets. You will probably need to reduce the weight on many of the Giant Homers, preferably before breeding season. A fat Giant doesn’t breed well. If you have problems with a few birds not losing weight, give them a youngster to raise – this does help. Be patient, as the first round of eggs tends to have a low fertility rate due to various factors. I like to candle the eggs at 4 days, and if they are clear, toss them at 7 days old if the weather is mild. I will hold off on tossing the eggs if we are experiencing a frigid cold air system and wait until near the end of the system before discarding them. When the youngsters are old enough to be weaned, I move them to a small, dedicated pen. This first transition makes it easier on them for the second transition, when they are slightly older, to the young bird pen. There is much more to say about breeding Giants. Each year is different; some years you will use all your bands and some years you won’t. The main thing is to ask for advice if you have problems. Most of the time, we can all help in some way. Even those who have been raising pigeons for a while have problems, so don’t be afraid to ask. What you want to see at the end of the breeding season is a pen full of nice-looking birds – success!•