Crowley man breeds pigeons

Charles Broussard, local resident and pigeon fancier, shows his prize pigeons.

Photo by: Katherine Miller

By Katherine Miller
STAFF WRITER

CROWLEY – In the fall of 1979, Charles Broussard, a local resident, became interested in show pigeons. A grocery store manager by trade, being a pigeon fancier is his passion.
“I had a cousin who had owned both show and racing pigeons. He asked me if I would like to take up the hobby, and I have been doing it ever since,” he informed with a smile.
In the fall of 1980, Broussard attended his first show in Dallas.
Show kings, of which there are 114 breeds, broken down into 64 classes, consist of 14 different colors. The categories are broken down by color, age, sex, etc., and are judged according to standard.
Broussard is part of an association called the American King Club, which promotes American show king pigeons. The club consists of seven districts, with Louisiana being in district 4. Also included in the district are Texas, Oklahoma Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri and New Mexico.
On Saturday, November 1, a district show was held in Stillwater, Oklahoma, during which one of his pigeons was named first runner up. Awards typically consist of cash prizes and trophies. The highest award a pigeon fancier can earn is the Master Breeder’s Award.
When asked if he had hopes of earning this certificate, his reply was, “This is a hobby to me. If I do, that’s good, and if not, I’m just as happy having a hobby I enjoy.”
He is also the secretary of a local club named the Cajun King Club, which consists of fanciers from this area.
Currently, Broussard owns 23 pairs of birds, including his other birds, with a total of 85. He explained that pigeons are typically bred during the spring. Pigeons must be at least four months old, but preferably above six months. Re-mating happens again once more in January.
“Right now, I’m trying to breed a bird to produce a reduced indigo color,” he said proudly.
He further explained the time and effort it takes to maintain and breed pigeons. The theory behind this is the longer the better, as the pigeons’ features improve and they become more tame with time.
When asked what he liked most about his hobby, he replied with a smile, “We have a lot of fun buying and trading pigeons. I have met a lot of lifetime friends as a result.”