UkPigeonRacing

I stumbled across a story recently from an older chap I had the pleasure of talking to!

He was talking about a feral bird he had caught as a young lad, that went on to train remarkably well!

He like I'm sure many others back in the day rooted this to his interest in the racing sport.

He believed that this bird trained particularly well due to the fact it was taken on its own and tossed up. He said his dad used to take it to work with him some 30 odd mile away, chucked up in the dark, and he would wait at home, change the water at first light, and the bird would be back in the coop when he turned around! He scored this belief in his methods for years to come, going on to be rather successful.


Now...

That definitely all makes for a grand story, but do you believe single tossing for have that impact?

In one of my clubs I race on the dog leg so to say, so unless the birds head straight back from the release point I don't have much luck!

Not to say that I do any better in the other club either, but I'm wondering, would single tossing the birds lead me to those magical independent birds that fly freely from the flock, or was that story just a story, and other factors came into play?

I use to train from 10miles to 30miles all my birds went up together from each point for the first 2-3 times then put up in pairs I though it helped them out as I went from dead last the first season to top 8 the 2nd season ofcourse couldn’t factor in I learns better ways of feeding and managing the birds also I guess lol

Despite my lack of experience, I do have one of my own philosophies which is that I won't put young birds into a race basket unless they have been single tossed at least once a minimum of 25 miles.
But gotta say that didn't help me last w.end when I dropped 11 from the first race.

Diamond Dave wrote: Tue Jul 29, 2025 3:24 pm Despite my lack of experience, I do have one of my own philosophies which is that I won't put young birds into a race basket unless they have been single tossed at least once a minimum of 25 miles.
But gotta say that didn't help me last w.end when I dropped 11 from the first race.

Ouch!

I heard a few people had a bad one last weekend!

There’s no doubt in my mind that single tossing sorts out those with a suspect homing ability as those that take to it haven’t relied on others to get them home.
My late partner wasn’t a fan but I once took a promising yearling hen that had performed well as a yb with me to a job I had in Kent which was 248 miles by road and singled her up in preparation for a 2 bird race from over the channel, she won it at a canter. If you have the time and opportunity I highly recommend it.
A local fancier that always did well over the pond took it a stage further as when he was getting them ready he used to single up against the wind whatever the direction, not every one can do it of course.

Heard that theory before imo when a pigeon is released away from home it wants to return as quick as possible, any incentive is created at home that’s my belief anyway

Murray wrote: Wed Jul 30, 2025 12:01 am I know a bloke in NZ who always tosses them in threes, so they go harder. The problem with single tossing can be they go at their own speed. With some company they compete and go a bit quicker.
I do like tossing them in a group of about a dozen. I find they group up quickly and learn to break for home. The other week I had my small race team in a short race. I went out to the liberation. When released they all swung in a circle then a bunch broke off and headed straight for St Arnaud. The others took off after them.

But the big advantage of single tossing is the bird has to think for it's self. Flying fast is no advantage if you don't know where you are going?. Birds that get used to flying in packs often just follow the rest.

king wrote: Wed Jul 30, 2025 1:08 pm

Murray wrote: Wed Jul 30, 2025 12:01 am I know a bloke in NZ who always tosses them in threes, so they go harder. The problem with single tossing can be they go at their own speed. With some company they compete and go a bit quicker.
I do like tossing them in a group of about a dozen. I find they group up quickly and learn to break for home. The other week I had my small race team in a short race. I went out to the liberation. When released they all swung in a circle then a bunch broke off and headed straight for St Arnaud. The others took off after them.

But the big advantage of single tossing is the bird has to think for it's self. Flying fast is no advantage if you don't know where you are going?. Birds that get used to flying in packs often just follow the rest.

We’re agreeing again

Bowbroom wrote: Wed Jul 30, 2025 4:18 pm

king wrote: Wed Jul 30, 2025 1:08 pm

Murray wrote: Wed Jul 30, 2025 12:01 am I know a bloke in NZ who always tosses them in threes, so they go harder. The problem with single tossing can be they go at their own speed. With some company they compete and go a bit quicker.
I do like tossing them in a group of about a dozen. I find they group up quickly and learn to break for home. The other week I had my small race team in a short race. I went out to the liberation. When released they all swung in a circle then a bunch broke off and headed straight for St Arnaud. The others took off after them.

But the big advantage of single tossing is the bird has to think for it's self. Flying fast is no advantage if you don't know where you are going?. Birds that get used to flying in packs often just follow the rest.

We’re agreeing again

It's a bromance It's been nice to watch it blossom

We’re just two old gits with divergent but sometimes convergent views