This means that raising and maintaining these birds and their lofts should be prioritized. There are a number of suggestions on how you can make this happen in your own lofts. And it's best that you are guided by these when raising your birds. Overcrowding the loft is not the best strategy. According to many fanciers, every pigeon should be allotted with at least 1 square feet of space. Strict Diet Racing pigeons adhere to a strict diet, which comprises mostly of grains, grits and water. Wild pigeons eat breadcrumbs and food scraps, but they are a no-no to racing pigeons. If you want to raise quality racing pigeons, then you have to provide them with food that are fresh, clean and of the highest quality. After all, it is not only a kind of sport but is qualified to be a hobby as well. In fact, some even consider it a business from which they earn a healthy profit. Historically speaking, even the king of England, George V, kept a loft that had many racing pigeons in it. The others are of course not known to many but one thing is for sure. Have Proper Ventilation Keeping the loft well ventilated greatly improves the health of the pigeons. A regular breathing habit is essential for the pigeon's longevity in the sky when racing. Anything that the pigeon breathes in is reactive to his performance, therefore you should avoid dust and other unnecessary particles from entering the loft that could make the pigeon breathe heavily. As years go by, a lot more people have taken to raising pigeons. Gone are the days when only the nobles can have them. Most of the time, these birds are seen with racing enthusiasts, with the birds as the main attraction. The most successful modern racing pigeons were developed in Belgium. They were a result of a cross between the Cumulet and the Smerle. Here's what I think. If we want to spark interest about pigeon racing as a hobby and a sport, an effort has to be made in regards to reaching out to kids. After all, the fascination with pigeons is in its truest form in the eyes of a child. Their minds are not subjected to corruption by the lure of money that comes with the sport, nor would they care much about a pigeon's type of pedigree.