The birds are not what i bought?

Devo1956 · Tue Oct 13, 2026 12:42 am

So how many times do you get the feelings? When buying birds it does help, you buy them from a good racing loft. But then comes the loft managerment of yourself. Getting to know your birds. And it won't happen overnight. as much has you would like it to. Get to know the birds, they will tell you . With the right management, your loft can become a winning loft. Just buy working with your birds, they become winners. And go on to breed good winners. But some times this does hapen, so dont give up.

Wiley · Tue Oct 13, 2026 1:57 am

Hi Devo

Im someone of a slightly different opinion and that's what makes the sport great! Personally I believe you got to find the birds that work for you and fit into your lifestyle. The best pigeons I've ever had were from Frank Tasker, Gevaerts Van schoorise and the Vandenbrande Brothers. I've tried many many different birds over the years but none have stood the test of time like those 3 families because they work for me I suppose and we're selected that way.

I think many fanciers buy birds, which in theory should make them better, but they don't and can't duplicate what the original man could do with his birds and hence why the results differ.

Selection is key to everything, be ruthless

Murray · Tue Oct 13, 2026 3:20 am

I'm in the enviable position of having a loft full of pigeons that can leave winners and I never paid for one of them. My great mate David Cox has passed along eggs or squeakers or I've foster raised babies off his best.
Being an old stockman I've been able to achieve results as good as his, and in what is a real complement he has sent a direct son of the Hawkeye and his mate to me to breed youngsters for Breeder's Plate races and OLRs for him.
Not a great picture, they don't trust me yet

but they are lovely pigeons.

Andy · Tue Oct 13, 2026 7:59 am

It’s been said so many times. You can buy a man’s pigeons but you can’t buy the man. Certain birds will work for you and on your system, and also in your location, but others however good they should be wont. That’s why I don’t buy in pigeons but would rather work with what I’ve got. Yes I’ve had in gifted birds to try. Again some have done well some not so well.

Murray · Tue Oct 13, 2026 8:37 am

Andy wrote: Tue Oct 13, 2026 7:59 am It’s been said so many times. You can buy a man’s pigeons but you can’t buy the man. Certain birds will work for you and on your system, and also in your location, but others however good they should be wont. That’s why I don’t buy in pigeons but would rather work with what I’ve got. Yes I’ve had in gifted birds to try. Again some have done well some not so well.

That's the truth, Andy.
I know David has given freely to other blokes who a couple of years later are still clocking late if they get one at all. They've gained nothing.

I've had an amazing shed full of pigeons dropped in my lap. The Grizzle Thone'. The W/F Thone'. The big inbred Heremans and his sister. The Red Thone'. The Maselli Janssens, and of course the one and only Billiondollarbaby.
Among others.

I've protected them like jewels. And now I've got a small loft with a pair of pigeons in every nest box that have left winners, are winners or are siblings of winners. And winners are coming out of our shed.

You can't buy the man. And that's good thing. Imagine if you put all this effort into them and someone who has no idea can beat you all the time.

Tony-P- · Tue Oct 13, 2026 2:36 pm

it's ok saying bring pigeons in that fits you as a fancier and your loft.
BUT..... as a total beginner, how would I know which birds to bring in and from who ?
Yes people say check the racing results but these pigeons may win every week for that fancier but my not for me, is this down to the loft management, feed, training or loft position ?
going by what you are saying bringing birds in, breeding Y/Bs off them, then training them and racing them only to find out there duds (or I am) it will take a full season, and then what start buying birds in again how many seasons would it take me to get the right birds ?

Devo1956 · Tue Oct 13, 2026 3:51 pm

Tony the more you put into it mate, you have better chances of getting results. Research and hard work helps you get there, and it wont happen overnight.

Tony-P- · Tue Oct 13, 2026 4:31 pm

Yes your right there mate, people talk about paper pigeons and then buy them and they are no better than what you have in your loft, for some or most people they can't keep going out and paying top money for paper pigeons to get no or very little results.
So my question is where do you start to look for these pigeons that will not cost the earth but will move you forward in a season or two mate.

Andy · Tue Oct 13, 2026 5:58 pm

Tony-P- wrote: Tue Oct 13, 2026 4:31 pm Yes your right there mate, people talk about paper pigeons and then buy them and they are no better than what you have in your loft, for some or most people they can't keep going out and paying top money for paper pigeons to get no or very little results.
So my question is where do you start to look for these pigeons that will not cost the earth but will move you forward in a season or two mate.

Don’t expect results overnight. Keep going with the birds you have. By testing them at both racing and breeding you will soon find the ones that start to work for you. Then you can start to build around those, they may not be the ones you first thought were the best or even liked the most but you will soon start liking the ones that do best for you. It could take a few years to establish a base family. The worst thing you can do is keep getting in new birds and hoping. That’s the quickest way to stop enjoying the sport.

king · Tue Oct 13, 2026 7:16 pm

Andy wrote: Tue Oct 13, 2026 5:58 pm
Tony-P- wrote: Tue Oct 13, 2026 4:31 pm Yes your right there mate, people talk about paper pigeons and then buy them and they are no better than what you have in your loft, for some or most people they can't keep going out and paying top money for paper pigeons to get no or very little results.
So my question is where do you start to look for these pigeons that will not cost the earth but will move you forward in a season or two mate.
Don’t expect results overnight. Keep going with the birds you have. By testing them at both racing and breeding you will soon find the ones that start to work for you. Then you can start to build around those, they may not be the ones you first thought were the best or even liked the most but you will soon start liking the ones that do best for you. It could take a few years to establish a base family. The worst thing you can do is keep getting in new birds and hoping. That’s the quickest way to stop enjoying the sport.

In the late 70s & 80s I used to buy a kit of 6 YBs in every year (in the days when disease wasn't a problem) I'd pick a fancier from anywhere around the country based on their performances. if any of the 6 turned out any good it was bought in to the gene pool. They had to fly the channel out to 500 miles to prove themselves. Wouldn't advise anybody do it now, you can get all the diseases just by racing now