UkPigeonRacing

I loaned a stock hen to a new starter earlier this year and asked him to breed a pair for me once he had got a couple of pairs for himself.
He bought me one youngster which had been pecked to bits saying that the other one had died for that reason.
Yes of coure, I gave him a rollicking but accepted the baby which has now matured by a month or so. I wanted the young bird for the blood (not to race) as I new what he was pairing it too.
It developed a "check" or stress mark across the tail feathers so had obviously gone backwards at some point and has gone on to be just a little "stunted".
My question to you all is - will this affect any future breeding results.
If I was racing it I would have probably culled it but this bloodline is quite valuable (to me) and is likely to be a one off opportunity.

Oh, Dave.
The perils of giving your pigeons to other people.
First question? Have you got your hen back? If not, get it back.
The youngster may surprise you and grow into a good pigeon and certainly be worth a try in the stock loft.
And what have we learned?

Had stunted before and been fine

I'm a big believer that they must have the best start in life, I've experimented over the years with winter breeding. Look at many winter bred ybs you put through that's been on the dark, I can guarantee in most lofts you'll find a fret in the first 3 flights. These ybs are still successful and still go on to race for many years and breed.

Is it ideal that the bird you got no. But it's also a lesson learnt the hard way. I used to loan many pigeons over the years, some you never get back as they always the same excuse after a number of years, either they got out or they went I'll so had to kill them. Funny they never tell you at the time only when you want these pigeons back.

Make your own mind up take a chance, there's no one in this game that can guarantee you it's going to be a good breeder or not

Diamond Dave wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2026 8:38 am I loaned a stock hen to a new starter earlier this year and asked him to breed a pair for me once he had got a couple of pairs for himself.
He bought me one youngster which had been pecked to bits saying that the other one had died for that reason.
Yes of coure, I gave him a rollicking but accepted the baby which has now matured by a month or so. I wanted the young bird for the blood (not to race) as I new what he was pairing it too.
It developed a "check" or stress mark across the tail feathers so had obviously gone backwards at some point and has gone on to be just a little "stunted".
My question to you all is - will this affect any future breeding results.
If I was racing it I would have probably culled it but this bloodline is quite valuable (to me) and is likely to be a one off opportunity.

NO. If the bird moults out fine, it will be ok.

Wiley wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2026 12:13 pm I'm a big believer that they must have the best start in life, I've experimented over the years with winter breeding. Look at many winter bred ybs you put through that's been on the dark, I can guarantee in most lofts you'll find a fret in the first 3 flights. These ybs are still successful and still go on to race for many years and breed.

Is it ideal that the bird you got no. But it's also a lesson learnt the hard way. I used to loan many pigeons over the years, some you never get back as they always the same excuse after a number of years, either they got out or they went I'll so had to kill them. Funny they never tell you at the time only when you want these pigeons back.

Make your own mind up take a chance, there's no one in this game that can guarantee you it's going to be a good breeder or not

Hi Wiley, thanks for that mate. I would absolutely agree with that for a race bird that it has to have the best start in life. There is no room for anything that has gone backwards but not sure how it would affect the breeding potential in the stock loft.
Taking sll the opinions into account, I will stick with it and see how it turns out. It is quite late bred anyway so it has time to mature a bit before I take anything off it.

NO. If the bird moults out fine, it will be ok.
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Thanks King - apart from the breeding potential, will it always be stunted or will it mature back to normal

Diamond Dave wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2026 2:12 pm NO. If the bird moults out fine, it will be ok.

Thanks King - apart from the breeding potential, will it always be stunted or will it mature back to normal
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Well ALL young birds do increase slightly in size after their first moult. But a small bird ain't going to become a medium if you know what I mean. So I doubt it will make up any growth it lost when reared.

I’ve got a youngster here. Bred in January out of my best widowhood cock. Was coming on nicely and looked a picture. From the first training toss, from 8 miles, as usual for the first toss the youngsters after being liberated at 7.00 came back late. Most came in one bunch. But this young cock didn’t come back until late afternoon. The next toss from the same spot he came out of the crate walked around on the ground and went back into the crate. I brought him back home in the crate. The others had come out quickly, cleared and beat me home. From the third toss I had the same result. All coming out quickly and beating me home, except this cock. He came out walked around behind the crate and then ran back into. Again I brought him home. He then stopped coming out of the loft. I wonder whether he was chased by a hawk on his first toss. Then something I have never had before. All 4 of his end flights on both wings broke off, not just the tip but down near the base. He has now moulted right through and his flights are all fine. He now comes out for a fly again. I’m not going to race him but being that he is out of my best cock I’m going to take a pair or two youngsters off him next year and will have to see how they turn out.

Blimey Andy that's unusual. Was there any visible damage to th9se flights before they broke off.