UkPigeonRacing

@jack two different families first was bred from geerincx and the one currently is dvb x liedeman, I think when people hear the theory they just think of birds with white nails and don't quite understand the difference, it's a set criteria "zero white feathers all nails white" , many have birds with most nails white with or without white feathers that's common many then disregard the theory because they breed these birds and don't see anything special when in reality they have never had the type to find out if that makes sense

Never heard of this does it only apply to blues?

@diamondave yes only blues mate

Rdhd Danny wrote: Thu Sep 10, 2026 9:53 am So this is something that isn't science the science simply says that a bird with zero white feathers and all white nails carries pied and that's where it stops! however from my experience a bird with all white nails on a blue body and zero white feather are special breeders! I've only had 2 in my career and both was exceptional breeders coincidental? Possibly but when you see this also happening to elite bloodlines in there creating a family of high quality and they point back to the foundation breeder with exactly those traits you see a theme,also birds with these characteristics will often sell privately for exceptional sums between fanciers on the continent, has anyone ever had a bird with all white nails without white feathers? If so how successful was it for you?

The "White Toe" Superstition: In the pigeon racing community, some breeders believe that solid-colored birds with white toenails make superior racers or breeding stock.

White toe nails is genetic. Some show it, some don't. A pigeon can carry the pied gene in its background genetics and pass it to offspring even if the parent has completely dark toenails.
It has ZERO to do with 'elite' bloodlines or exceptional breeders. Any any correlation is purely coincidental.

And it should be noted that so called 'elite' bloodlines make up the biggest percentage of birds bred and raced, and so produce the biggest percentage of rubbish and strays. I'll bet somewhere on a church roof there'll be a self coloured bird hunched up trying to keep it's toes with white nails warm.

That said I do recall having YBs with white toe nails when hatched that had white 'tipped feathers' not white feathers, but when they moulted and lost that 'tipped' feather kept some white and black nails but moulted out without any white feathers.

Rdhd Danny wrote: Thu Sep 10, 2026 1:28 pm @diamondave yes only blues mate

Blue is one of the 3 base colours, but blue bar is a wing patten. If it is linked to the base colour, it should affect ALL blue base birds, cheq/blue/black/Dark cheq ect. And reds that carry the blue colour gene. I can't see it just affecting 'barred' blues?

@king I understand the pied reasons behind the science like I said at the start, it's definitely a sudo opinion not science, I took it like eye sign a nonsense old fancier superstition but when people you respect say "no" watch out for it and then explain how they had one and these birds came from it etc, then you get one which produces an rpra winning yb and several multiple top ten fed winners you say ummmm, then years go by you get another and it does the same thing you question the superstition, why not none blues black darks cheq etc not sure they simply say watch out for the blues so I did and that's been the superstition, like I say we don't know what we don't understand but based on my experience I'd be interested in any blue with all white nails and I'd pay what it cost everytime simply going off my personal experience

Rdhd Danny wrote: Thu Sep 10, 2026 2:13 pm @king I understand the pied reasons behind the science like I said at the start, it's definitely a sudo opinion not science, I took it like eye sign a nonsense old fancier superstition but when people you respect say "no" watch out for it and then explain how they had one and these birds came from it etc, then you get one which produces an rpra winning yb and several multiple top ten fed winners you say ummmm, then years go by you get another and it does the same thing you question the superstition, why not none blues black darks cheq etc not sure they simply say watch out for the blues so I did and that's been the superstition, like I say we don't know what we don't understand but based on my experience I'd be interested in any blue with all white nails and I'd pay what it cost everytime simply going off my personal experience

I hear what you saying Danny, but even top fanciers have superstitions, it doesn't mean they are correct. I recall talking to one of a very well known partnership who raced the Vandenabeele birds, he thought if there was a red some where in the pedigree you could produce one from two birds that were not red. And many thought he was racing legend. He was certainly better at racing than, his knowledge of genetics.
Good luck with your bird.