03.08.2026 18:22
In Hatay, bird enthusiast Abdulhamit Tokyaz keeps nearly 100 postal pigeons, each valued between 50,000 and 400,000 Turkish Lira, in special coops equipped with water purifiers and air conditioning on the roof of his house.
Abdulhamit Tokyaz, a gym operator living in Reyhanlı, whose love for birds began when he was just 13, turned this passion into a hobby over the years. Starting by raising a few pigeons on his rooftop, Tokyaz has, over the past 20 years, come to raise nearly 100 'breeding homing pigeons,' each valued between 50,000 and 400,000 Turkish Lira. Considering the comfort of his birds, Tokyaz built a coop worth approximately 700,000 Turkish Lira for his homing pigeons of many breeds, such as red kespir güllü, rubella güllü, kespir white-tailed güllü, Spanish, and Arabian güllü.
"THERE WERE THOSE WHO OFFERED TO SWAP A CAR" Providing information about the pigeons he raises, Tokyaz said, "The greatest feature of these birds is that they are the modern-day, color-and-pattern-enhanced versions of the homing pigeons historically used for communication. They are all beautiful birds, each different from the other, and we love them all. These birds are well-known and loved in the market, especially drawing great interest in the Hatay region. Their most important features are their patterns and güllü traits; moreover, each bird has its own unique pattern. That's why they attract so much attention. In terms of price, they are also quite valuable birds. The market value of the Arabian güllü breed is approximately 200,000 TL. The value of some of my special breeds can go up to 400,000 TL. There is intense demand for our birds. We have even made trades for motorcycles worth 140,000 TL. There were also those who offered to swap a car. Prices for the breeds range between 50,000 and 400,000 TL. The value of our birds coming from abroad is around 150,000 TL. Rubella güllü prices average around 70,000-80,000 TL," he stated.
FEEDS THEM WITH THE HIGHEST QUALITY FEED AND VITAMINS Also providing information about the coop he built, Tokyaz said, "Our coop consists of seven separate sections. Inside, it has all necessary equipment such as a water purifier, refrigerator, air conditioner, and camera system. I completely preferred wood for the interior design. I did it this way because it looks more natural and aesthetically more elegant. All the craftsmanship of the coop, the wooden paneling, the nesting boxes, and the overall design are entirely my own. Its construction took about 3 months, and I prepared every detail according to my own taste. Since I see this as a hobby, I did it with great love; in our coop, which is my own handiwork, we have ventilation systems at the bottom and top. We take care of them like the apple of our eye. We give them purified water for drinking. We provide the highest quality feeds and the best vitamins. We buy the highest quality supplements like probiotics, electrolytes, and multivitamins and give them to our birds. We take the best possible care of them," he expressed.