Does age matter

[king]

Age doesn't matter at all. For both cock or hens. There have been countless great pigeons bred from old pigeons. As one post has already been said longevity is a good thing, especially if staying fertile. Many don't ever get the chance to breed from older birds as many modern families of today are often infertile at 6 or 7, probably due too over use of medications.
Genetics has proven that the young from older stock are not diminished in any way due to age.

[Andy]

Very interesting Tony. As I don’t keep stock birds all my youngsters are bred from my racers. I would like to think that as my race team improves so should the youngsters from them. I will breed a few latebreds from the widowhood cocks that perform best during the season.

[Andy]

Age doesn't matter at all. For both cock or hens. There have been countless great pigeons bred from old pigeons. As one post has already been said longevity is a good thing, especially if staying fertile. Many don't ever get the chance to breed from older birds as many modern families of today are often infertile at 6 or 7, probably due too over use of medications.
Genetics has proven that the young from older stock are not diminished in any way due to age.

I agree King. The genetics of a pigeon don’t deteriorate with age. The only thing that may change is the ability to rear them properly when getting older. Slipped under younger pigeons would solve that.

[Anthony webster]

Age doesn't matter at all. For both cock or hens. There have been countless great pigeons bred from old pigeons. As one post has already been said longevity is a good thing, especially if staying fertile. Many don't ever get the chance to breed from older birds as many modern families of today are often infertile at 6 or 7, probably due too over use of medications.
Genetics has proven that the young from older stock are not diminished in any way due to age.

I agree King. The genetics of a pigeon don’t deteriorate with age. The only thing that may change is the ability to rear them properly when getting older. Slipped under younger pigeons would solve that.

I think it's the quality going in the egg with age they still lay but iv definitely seen a difference as birds get older how there children ain't as good as racer as previous yrs,
Iv a red cheq hen every baby raced for 4 seasons won but not now with her iv retired a dtr and a absolutely brilliant grand dtr from race team I bet these breed how she did at there age.

[Andy]

Do you think that would apply more to hens than cocks Tony as it is them that determine the quality of the egg itself?

[Anthony webster]

Do you think that would apply more to hens than cocks Tony as it is them that determine the quality of the egg itself?

Yes pal I say so, I would only keep special pairs together others wise it would be younger paired to older

[Trev]

Do you think that would apply more to hens than cocks Tony as it is them that determine the quality of the egg itself?

Yes pal I say so, I would only keep special pairs together others wise it would be younger paired to older

I would be the same, I wouldn't get rid of a good old faithful but if I still wanted to breed from it then I would definitely be looking for a younger partner, preferably a son or daughter. I know fanciers who won't keep a stock bird for more than two or three years and to be honest if your breeding is right, by this time you should have produced better birds than him/her anyway.

[Anthony webster]

Do you think that would apply more to hens than cocks Tony as it is them that determine the quality of the egg itself?

Yes pal I say so, I would only keep special pairs together others wise it would be younger paired to older

I would be the same, I wouldn't get rid of a good old faithful but if I still wanted to breed from it then I would definitely be looking for a younger partner, preferably a son or daughter. I know fanciers who won't keep a stock bird for more than two or three years and to be honest if your breeding is right, by this time you should have produced better birds than him/her anyway.

That's my weakness I'm hard task master very ruthless but if they make retirement here they stay here until they die, it's my weakness but all my old faithful winners are still here I look at them as if I owe it to em for what they done for me racing, two get to 3 or 4yr old here they must be rock solid n must be able to destroy results on cold east winds when most birds quit or just home in race day,
But I do find when I breed of these birds there's a inner confidence I have with there baby's that I know they can take cosh n liberties with.

[Trev]

I have got a few older stock birds at the moment that I've been given, all of them are from winning lofts and one I know has bred at least one Federation winner. I've had two of them for two years and one just this year, at the moment I'm not convinced about any of them. A few years ago I was also given some ex stock birds that the fancier had paid good money for, they had all bred winners for various different lofts. I bred from them for a couple of seasons before losing them trying to break them, I think I've got two pigeons left from them, one of these has been very good for me taking Federation spots from 300miles and 400miles last season. Now this could very easily be my management rather than a fault with the birds but does beg the question, were they just too old ??

[Andy]

No harm on being hard with them when young. I don’t think it’s a weakness to have a heart for those that have given you everything and earned a perch for life.