"> But how long does it all take?"

By far the most structurally modified domestic pigeon breed is the show Fantail.  You are talking about at least fifty loci that differ from wild type in Fantails.  Many people have crossed such birds to other breeds to move some particular trait into Fantails.  If the trait being moved is either dominant or codominant three to four generations of backcrosses to pure bred stock will give show quality birds providing you raise at least a half dozen or so individuals a generation.  The more individuals per generation the faster you will progress.  In less modified pigeon breeds you can get back to show quality in two generations if you happen to get lucky.

The hardest pigeon example I know of involved moving a suite of traits that cause a coloration called frill stencil into show Fantails.  Frill stencil is  four or more different color mutants all recessive.  Some are likely supplemental mutants.  To do the move required mating to full Fantails alternatively with crossing the results of such matings back to birds exhibiting full frill stencil.  That process took some 20 years to get back to modest show quality Fans.  I do not consider the guy that did this a very skilled breeder personally.  He knows less genetics than kids generally get in high school biology.

If you are a skilled breeder and selecting for measurable traits it generally does not take too many generations to eliminate the results of an out cross.  If you are not skilled or can not measure the traits it can take a long time.  But, if you can not measure the traits how can you know if you are making progress?

Dick

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