Pigeons need to be intimate with nature; a loft that allows them that luxury can make it easier for them to develop an attachment to their homes. 2. Dry Environment Too much moisture inside and outside the loft increases the chances of your pigeons to acquire diseases. As a pet owner, it is your sole responsibility to ensure that the loft stays dry. With this, the birds can be trained to compete with one another and at such a tender age, they are already molded to become great racers. So you are wondering about what a futurity race is all about. To set the record straight, the futurity race is a kind of event that is being sponsored or held by loft managers or the pigeon clubs. You have to make sure that water is not entering the loft's roof whenever it is raining, and there's no part of the loft that is prone to leaks. Keeping the pigeons dry will prevent them from being irritated and they will not be bothered by parasites that can cling on to their bodies. 2. Have Proper Ventilation Keeping the loft well ventilated greatly improves the health of the pigeons. More often than not, it is the mental faculties of your racing pigeon that will ultimately help you win the big prizes especially in competitions that involve long flights. Take into consideration the fact that pigeons rely on their internal compass, navigational skills and homing instinct in order to fly to a designated point at the shortest route possible. This way, you can easily control and maintain each one of them, depending on their needs. 3. Buy pigeons from a friend or a reputable source It is always easier to trust someone whom you already know. If you have a friend who's also a racing pigeon fancier, then that's good for you. He can walk you through the ropes of finding and buying pigeons of the highest quality, but are not that expensive. This ability of the pigeon to return to its nesting places despite great distances is what is taken advantage of by the pigeon racing enthusiasts. Training a Young Bird The basic training of a youngster must be done by the handler himself. It is about familiarizing the bird with its handler. Later on, as the handler executes the commands, the bird learns to obey.