Hoppers are for pigs and maybe chickens, but not for pigeons. It's all right to feed your youngsters in hoppers to keep the grain off the floor and then remove the hopper as soon as they are fed, but to keep food in a hopper in front of them at all times is ridiculous. Racing pigeons must be conditioned (mentally and physically) for the races and kept under control.
Taken from Widowhood Flying
by Mark Gordon