12.10.2026 13:33
Retired senior sergeant Ahmet Özkalıpçı began raising nearly 40 Şebap pigeons in Erzurum after retiring in 2019. Özkalıpçı, who rents a 3+1 stove-heated house in Gürcükapı, spends about 10,000 liras a month on rent and expenses.
Ahmet Özkalıpçı (58), a retired senior chief sergeant living in Erzurum, started raising Şebap pigeons, which he had been interested in and curious about since his childhood and youth but could not make time for during his years of service, after retiring in 2019. Özkalıpçı, who has about 40 pigeons, pays a monthly rent of 3,500 lira while renting a 3+1 house with a stove for his birds.
Özkalıpçı, who after retirement made time for the pigeon passion that had remained unfulfilled inside him for years, devoted the house he rented in the Gürcükapı neighborhood of Yakutiye district to his 'Miski' and 'Gök' breed Şebap pigeons. Özkalıpçı spends about 10,000 lira a month including electricity, water, feed, and winter stove expenses. Although the total value of his birds reaches millions of lira, he states that he does not raise his pigeons for financial gain and that the friendships he has gained through this pursuit are more valuable to him.
“Retirement gave me the opportunity to make time for the pigeons”
Explaining that his interest in pigeons dates back to his childhood and youth, Özkalıpçı said, “I served as a non-commissioned officer in the Turkish Armed Forces for 32 years. In 2019, my last duty station was Erzurum. I retired in Erzurum and then continued to live here. Since my childhood and youth, I had an interest and curiosity about these birds. But due to our working conditions, we could not take an interest or make time. After I retired, retirement gave us the opportunity to make time for them. From that day to this, well, we have been dealing with these birds for 7 years now.”
“I cannot put a price on my birds”
Özkalıpçı, who said that he spends time with his friends in the house he rents for his pigeons and lights a stove in the winter months, used the following expressions: “We have a 3+1 house with a stove. We arranged it so that friends can sit together there. We sit here from time to time, chat, and spend time with friends. We pay the rent of the house, cover the electricity expense, water expense, and other expenses. In winter, our stove is lit, and there are firewood and coal expenses. But these do not bother us at all; they give us pleasure. The rent of the house is 3,500 lira. With its winter electricity, water, and stove, this place costs me 10,000 lira. I have nearly 40 birds. We call them Şebap pigeons. The ones I have are the birds we refer to as 'Miski' and 'Gök'. I cannot put a price on my birds, I cannot price them like that. The friendships and companionships these birds have brought me are more important to me. Sitting here with a few friends and having a conversation over a glass of tea gives me much greater pleasure.”