If you ever wondered how they got their name? Well, here's the history. They were named after the Jacobean Monks (in Picture) who had a similar hood covering their heads. But these pigeons are anything but monk like in their habits. They guard their territories well and peck away any bird that intrudes. They keep a patch of six square feet right under their control! The Cocks do not chase after other hens as much as Homers or Runts would do. They are very poor fliers, worse than even fantails. They make no attempt to fly even when in the open. But I advise you never try leaving them in the open. A swift cat can make an easy meal of an expensive bird!
A 2x4 cage is a more practical place to keep a pair of Jacobins. As they seem to feel pretty confused in the evening in a large loft. I have tried leaving them free in the loft and realized that they seldom seem to find each other when the light gets dim. And the birds do tend to feel pretty insecure when alone in the night. So a cage is always the better option.
I move their eggs to other birds for incubating. Homers are the preferred choice. Historically most Jacobin breeders use foster parents to raise the chicks. Although some breeders also trim the Hood feathers to facilitate easier mating, I have felt it necessary to only trim the vent feathers. After all what's a Jacobin without its Hood!
I right now have my Homer sitting on Jacobin eggs, they're due around First of July. I will post the pictures when out.
