What do people look for when buying in new pigeons?
myself, i have quite a strict criteria. in no particular order.
Are the pigeons winning at a high level?
can i do what the current owners are doing in terms of time, effort and amount raced?
is there a long line of winners in the family?
are they a true family of pigeons, put together over sometime?
do i like the look, feel of the pigeons?
are they winning for others?
will they complement what i already have?
do i get a good feeling from the seller?
just a few initial points
what do you look for?
To be absolutely honest I have only ever bought one pigeon and that was a 10 year old ex stock, Noel Perrin hen from Louella lofts, I paid £75 for her back in the 90s, unfortunately I only got one round off her before she escaped my loft never to be seen again.
Most pigeons that I've had have been gifted to me from fellow club members.
If I were to bring in new blood I would go to a loft/ breeder that was regularly winning/breeding winners from the same kind of races that I want to be winning from.
How those birds handle or look, within reason, wouldn't really matter to me too much as long as they fit my methods and perform well.
Most pigeons that I've had have been gifted to me from fellow club members.
If I were to bring in new blood I would go to a loft/ breeder that was regularly winning/breeding winners from the same kind of races that I want to be winning from.
How those birds handle or look, within reason, wouldn't really matter to me too much as long as they fit my methods and perform well.
Hi John
If I were bringing in a "family" then all of your points mentioned are a valid and valuable points. If I'm bringing in an individual pigeon then the criteria is somewhat different. I'm more than happy to trust my instincts.
I remember when Dad started back up we got together a team of 8 Stock birds (babies). We hoped for 4 pairs but they ended up being 5 cocks and 3 hens. I callled Lee Painter and asked him if he had any hens spare. Yes, he said I've a Section with 12-15 in come and take what you want he said.
I went over and he opened the door. Before it was 1/2 way open I said "I'll have her for a start!" pointing at a Blue hen. He said "Yea of course, let me double check what she's off". I said to him "I don't care she shouldn't be in here"
I took her back. That was the hen that bred "Champion Eddy" (amongst many other winners)
I'd guess she's responsible for at least 150 x 1st - and I never handled her before I wanted her.
She just looked like she'd breed a lot of winners - and she did
If I were bringing in a "family" then all of your points mentioned are a valid and valuable points. If I'm bringing in an individual pigeon then the criteria is somewhat different. I'm more than happy to trust my instincts.
I remember when Dad started back up we got together a team of 8 Stock birds (babies). We hoped for 4 pairs but they ended up being 5 cocks and 3 hens. I callled Lee Painter and asked him if he had any hens spare. Yes, he said I've a Section with 12-15 in come and take what you want he said.
I went over and he opened the door. Before it was 1/2 way open I said "I'll have her for a start!" pointing at a Blue hen. He said "Yea of course, let me double check what she's off". I said to him "I don't care she shouldn't be in here"
I took her back. That was the hen that bred "Champion Eddy" (amongst many other winners)
I'd guess she's responsible for at least 150 x 1st - and I never handled her before I wanted her.
She just looked like she'd breed a lot of winners - and she did
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Anthony webster
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2024 4:54 am
My self
No1 don't get fooled by birdage numbers
No2 check there location and see if they can win against the wind not when everything suits them
No3 buy a big kit and race the socks of them and keep the best after 3 seasons racing if they are good go back but only buy the same as what worked for you over 3 seasons,
Just like to point out that alot of in fashion names selling for big money now could not win there club last season against wind but when wind turns and birds fly directly over there loft they can win,
But most important to me is winning against the wind
And looking for a flyer who can send a small team and perform at the top regularly.
No1 don't get fooled by birdage numbers
No2 check there location and see if they can win against the wind not when everything suits them
No3 buy a big kit and race the socks of them and keep the best after 3 seasons racing if they are good go back but only buy the same as what worked for you over 3 seasons,
Just like to point out that alot of in fashion names selling for big money now could not win there club last season against wind but when wind turns and birds fly directly over there loft they can win,
But most important to me is winning against the wind
And looking for a flyer who can send a small team and perform at the top regularly.
This is a good question and topic but also has a lot of different answers so is difficult to answer.
I rarely look to buy in pigeons. I have been gifted some good birds over the years. I used to be a diary farmer and loved the breeding side. Trying to improve what I had with selective breeding. I do the same with my pigeons. I just try to improve what I have with testing and selective breeding.
If I did bring anything in I wouldn’t worry about what it was like. I would look at what ever pedigree was available and would only be interested in the parents and grand parents, any further back has little to do with the pigeon in question. I have had pigeons with good pedigrees that have bred nothing. I have had pigeons with no pedigree that have bred well. Probably the best pigeon I have had was a yearling cock that I brought for £10 from a good fancier in our club back in 1984 who was giving up. Myself and my dad went to his loft and had the pick of his birds. They were Van Hees. I selected 2 cocks and 2 hens. One of the cocks was killed when my loft collapsed in the storms of 1987. The other one went on to be sire of the loft. I had him broken out in 5 different loft locations. He was still filling his eggs at 16 and bred a hen that topped the Cornish combine from Rennes twice in 2 weeks when he was 14 years old.
I think it’s very difficult to bring pigeons in that straight away fit in with your system and racing on your methods. I would look to have them breeding youngsters that were competitive against what I already had and would be integrated into my own birds but only once proven.
It takes time to prove new stock and to many look for instant success and quickly move on to the next if they don’t win straight away.
I rarely look to buy in pigeons. I have been gifted some good birds over the years. I used to be a diary farmer and loved the breeding side. Trying to improve what I had with selective breeding. I do the same with my pigeons. I just try to improve what I have with testing and selective breeding.
If I did bring anything in I wouldn’t worry about what it was like. I would look at what ever pedigree was available and would only be interested in the parents and grand parents, any further back has little to do with the pigeon in question. I have had pigeons with good pedigrees that have bred nothing. I have had pigeons with no pedigree that have bred well. Probably the best pigeon I have had was a yearling cock that I brought for £10 from a good fancier in our club back in 1984 who was giving up. Myself and my dad went to his loft and had the pick of his birds. They were Van Hees. I selected 2 cocks and 2 hens. One of the cocks was killed when my loft collapsed in the storms of 1987. The other one went on to be sire of the loft. I had him broken out in 5 different loft locations. He was still filling his eggs at 16 and bred a hen that topped the Cornish combine from Rennes twice in 2 weeks when he was 14 years old.
I think it’s very difficult to bring pigeons in that straight away fit in with your system and racing on your methods. I would look to have them breeding youngsters that were competitive against what I already had and would be integrated into my own birds but only once proven.
It takes time to prove new stock and to many look for instant success and quickly move on to the next if they don’t win straight away.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
Some very good points there Anthony. I like your thought on giving them 3 seasons to prove themselves.Anthony webster wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 8:26 pm My self
No1 don't get fooled by birdage numbers
No2 check there location and see if they can win against the wind not when everything suits them
No3 buy a big kit and race the socks of them and keep the best after 3 seasons racing if they are good go back but only buy the same as what worked for you over 3 seasons,
Just like to point out that alot of in fashion names selling for big money now could not win there club last season against wind but when wind turns and birds fly directly over there loft they can win,
But most important to me is winning against the wind
And looking for a flyer who can send a small team and perform at the top regularly.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
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Anthony webster
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2024 4:54 am
I be honest Andy it's 3 seasons of selection so after baby's anything that's there can go forward but as yearlings there selected hard and only the best stay as 2 Yr olds but the 2 n 3yr olds must hit top results regularly because these are looked apone for future breeding,Andy wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 8:47 pmSome very good points there Anthony. I like your thought on giving them 3 seasons to prove themselves.Anthony webster wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 8:26 pm My self
No1 don't get fooled by birdage numbers
No2 check there location and see if they can win against the wind not when everything suits them
No3 buy a big kit and race the socks of them and keep the best after 3 seasons racing if they are good go back but only buy the same as what worked for you over 3 seasons,
Just like to point out that alot of in fashion names selling for big money now could not win there club last season against wind but when wind turns and birds fly directly over there loft they can win,
But most important to me is winning against the wind
And looking for a flyer who can send a small team and perform at the top regularly.
If lads treat there pigeons like there in army they will progress fast
Baby's are squaddies so u need to weed the weak n igrant ones out,
Yearlings are like paratroopers they must perform
All older birds must be exceptionally good like the sas in my opinion any 2 n 3yr with out loads of top honours should not be in any ones team,,
This is for racing lads there's other flyers who just enjoy the hobby with lots of pleasure.
I was like that some years ago. My race team was made up of widowhood cocks. These consisted of a few yearlings, the rest were birds that had scored. As I don’t keep prisoners or stock birds as such, only retired racers, the hens kept were the ones that bred the ones to score or yearling hens which would hopefully become breeders.
Since restarting my goals were different looking at the extreme distance races. So raced natural on open loft. Very much more relaxed. But since all the problems with flying the channel I have decided to go back to sprint racing. I’m using the same birds at present and will take a bit of time to sort them out.
Since restarting my goals were different looking at the extreme distance races. So raced natural on open loft. Very much more relaxed. But since all the problems with flying the channel I have decided to go back to sprint racing. I’m using the same birds at present and will take a bit of time to sort them out.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
My opinion is buy a batch to race. When you buy the odd bird you got to be lucky that it’s any good.my best bird came out of batch of 8. It saying that the last batch I brought in and it was years ago when mixed with my own birds all died... propped up birds. Never bought no more in after that. Do your homework who you have them off. ATB for season
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George and Morgan
- Posts: 2062
- Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2022 8:59 am
- Location: west Oxford
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bar the 2 loan birds one has raced i only breed of raced birds most from final of olr the reason we don't race did find olr birds slow to nest when i handle a bird i don't like to see the tail move do like to feel the wing knuckle on top also the space under the wing were it joins the body the eye difficult to say on this feathers silky not long or short just feels right