"$56"- * 5 r /&84
Follow that pigeon!
The Canadian Pigeon Fanciers Association (CPFA), Club Modène Québec (CMQ) and the Inter-Provincial Bird Association (IPBA). The IPBA will be having its semi-annual bird auction on March 28 in Alfred at the Knights of Columbus. The auction starts first thing in the morning and goes on until everything is sold. It is opened to the public where more than just pigeons will be auctioned. As secretary-treasurer for IPBA, Schlegge is passionate about what he does and takes pride in a job well done. “I care about the vendors as well as the buyers,” said Schlegge. “I want to make sure the vendors get a reasonable fee, and the buyers get a healthy, quality, well-bred bird for a fair price.” Training made easy Schlegge has started breeding his pigeons for this year and is getting them ready to race. “It’s really easy to train them,” he said. “Start with a new batch of babies in mid-March. ComeMay, they will becomemy flying stock.” Schlegge said the most important part of having good racing birds is having a clean and dry enclosure, good ventilation, clean water, good food, and lots of perches. The young birds go outside in caged enclosures. “They are not free, but they can go in and out as they like,” Schlegge said. “Once they have all gone out, I open up the cage. Eventually they will all go out and fly around. They will learn to fly together as a bunch.” The pigeons start off by flying circles around the property, getting their bearing and
DIANE HUNTER diane.hunter@eap.on.ca
Carl Schlegge fromEast Hawkesbury used to work with computers. Now retired, pigeon racing has become a great hobby of his. “When I was 10 years old, I saved a pigeon with a badwing,” recalls Schlegge. “He ended up healing very well. Every morning he would wait on the railing for me. I’d get on the bus for school and there he’d be. For a little kid, that was something. I developed quite an attachment to that bird.” The rescued pigeon started Schlegge on his journey to pigeon racing. Originally from Ottawa, Schlegge retired to East Hawkesbury and lives on a hobby farmwith his partner and several animals including dogs, cats, llamas, and several different types of birds. “There is just something about animals,” said Schlegge. “I have always really loved animals. I feel a special connection to them.” Schlegge started collecting and racing pigeons after a friend gave him some pigeons when hemoved to the area. “I got into it when I retired out here,” said Schlegge. His friend, Andre Bakx, gave Schlegge a few pairs of racing pigeons to get him started. “That childhood attachment came again,” said Schlegge. “I joined a pigeon club called Fly in Circle. I won a race first year out, and I kept going.” Schlegge belongs to several different organizations in regards to pigeons and racing;
Carl Schlegge with some of his older racing pigeons. Although not racing this year, Schlegge said pigeon racing has become a great hobby.
learning landmarks. Motivated by food, they return to eat. As they get used to flying close to home and figure out directions, Schlegge said they are ready to start training. The training process includes getting the birds used to baskets, or cages, so they can be transported further from their home base. The birds will be taken consecutively further away until they become accustomed to finding their way back from great distances. “The pigeons have excellent eyesight,” said Schlegge. “They can see about 10 miles. We start them at 10 miles away and when they get used to that, we go 20 and then 30.” The
process is repeated until the birds recognize their surroundings further and further from home until they can find their way from hundreds of miles away. “These birds have such a drive to get home, it’s incredible,” explained Schlegge. “If they become injured, they will try to walk home.” Schlegge said he is not in it for themoney. “I just do this for fun,” he said. “Once it starts becoming too competitive, I am no longer interested.”
More information on the IPBA and the upcoming auction can be found at http:// ipba-aieo.weebly.com/. VENTE MEGA SALE
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