Anatoly, a pensioner from Samara, has been raising pigeons for decades and offers a glimpse into the world of dovecote keeping, revealing unique insights into the lives of these birds, from chickhood to adulthood. He candidly shares the joys and challenges of caring for his flock, highlighting the diverse breeds and individual personalities of his pigeons.

Anatoly’s dovecote, acquired in the Soviet era, has been a constant in his life. He fondly recalls how his childhood fascination with a neighbor’s pigeons led him to establish his own dovecote after returning from the army. The dovecote has remained untouched even as surrounding garages were demolished.

He keeps around ten different breeds, including grivuns, sizaris, and various colored pigeons. Anatoly carefully manages their reproduction to maintain breed purity, pairing similar colors to avoid what he calls “ugly” offspring.

Pigeon parenting varies, with some parents being neglectful and others being overly attentive. After the dove lays eggs, she incubates them for 17-19 days while the pigeon guards her. Anatoly sometimes manipulates the breeding process by transferring eggs to other nests, allowing certain pairs to produce more broods.

Although he doesn’t sell his pigeons, Anatoly occasionally gifts them to friends or exchanges them for millet with people from the collective farm. He recalls a time when thoroughbred pigeons could be sold for a ruble.

Feeding his 80 pigeons requires a balanced diet of grain, peas, corn, and seeds, costing him around 3000 rubles for 5 bags of grain that last about 5 months. He spends several hours daily cleaning the dovecote, feeding the birds, and keeping away wild pigeons.

Pigeons stay at the dovecote because they become accustomed to the place. New birds are tied up briefly to help them understand that the dovecote is their new home.