not all strays are rubbish

Reported a stray about 5 weeks ago, one of the really hot days racing and it was only beat for the sake of water as it was in fantastic condition for a natural yb. Lovely cock and I knew someone would love him back. Owner collected the following day, travelling @200 miles round trip and genuinely glad to get him back.

He rang me a fortnight ago saying this bird was 2nd club beaten by short margin, then called on Saturday again to say he'd won this week and was in the first dozen in the national result on a really hard day with many birds missing.

Always give them a second chance.

Nice to hear Barnie. Nice one. Maybe will breed you a youngster.

A lad, a 16 year old, and very took up with pigeons. Had a small loft.
A pigeon dropped in and he reported it.
the owner came and collected it. Look at his set up and said kind words and a promised him of a pair off the stray WHICH was a national winner. I kid you not.

Lad was friendly with a fancier who wrote for the B.H.W. whom he told. the Pen man knew the fancier and the ring number was fond etc. Days went by, weeks to and then months.

the lad was a mite dishearten. had told a few of his great expectations and took a little flak from some aclub night. As good as said he was a dreamer, or a fibber implied.

The Scribe wrote an article regards this happening and the false, and harmful happenings when the National winner didn't uphold his promise... To a youngster!
A few days after the article was published in the B.H.W. the Scribe phone the National winner and asked if he recalled the happening!
Plus he would be writing a follow up in a couple of weeks time... which wouldn't be of a flavour the National winner would like, as he would be asking him, publically, if he remembered!
The B.S. that followed was that the N\ational winner did remember, and had misplaced the address as the la wasn't on the phone...

Well te scrible followed up, agreeing that might be true, but surely could have contacted the Club he was in etc. etc. and finished by asking Seems strange one remembers the loss, but not the fancier reporting and giving him it back! etc etc.
Of course most, me included, believed he couldn't give a fickled rat behind once the bird was safely back..

Mind the National winner did actually take him down a pair of youngster!
but the question begs, 'Would he have, if not caught with his pants down'?
I doubt it.

As I often say, which is 100% true, many a stray won a good race back in time ... and most likely still do.

i had a stray in, a fine looking cock bird.. Phone the number. It was a top fancier. Had a little chat. Hr said it was very well bred etc etc. and would I like to try it?
I said 'Can do'!
Then offered to sell me a hen to go with it.
Any way two years later, it won a good race.
though I had never spoke to him in two years, I thought it would be nice to let him know.
So i phone him and relayed as such.
He asked who I was etc. I told him. He asked for the ring number! Which a bit taken back I gave him.

he asked if I had Transferred it. Did I pay for it and was he owed any mone etc.
i lauhed at him. He again said he would check it out, and as I felt it was a good birds would i like to buy a mate for it, or even a few pairs.
I sai, nice and clearly 'Oh, sorry i have some one of importance that wants to talk to mep and and put the phone down.
He is still in the B.H.W. spouting bragging rights etc.
Now i don't know, but would put good money down he has lofts breeding anything to sale from birds probably never seen a basket, let alone been in one.

Good looking birds doped to the eye balls I wager too!

always nice to get that sort of feedback it shows yer time was appreciated

Some good friendships have arrisen from reporting a stray.

The first one I reported, and I must admit at that time (still at school) had kept one or two and not reported them, belonged to a Mr Marshall of Redlands Road Loughborough, I told him how old I was etc;

He sent me six young ones, all the old fanciers took an interest in them and in particular a silver hen, she was the best looking pigeon I have ever seen and I had many offfers to take her off my hands.

Never got a youngster from her as she always laid soft eggs, the only pigeon I
have ever had that did so.

He later also lent me stock pigeons.

Only had one pigeon reported myself, picked up flown down from water race and taken to fancier who reported it.

When I rang him he said what a nice pigeon it was and told me how I should treat it and race it, bet he did not have one in his loft that had won as much as her at both racing and showing, bit thanked him never the less, for both the return and the advice.

Would maybe be good idea to have a new theme for fanciers to relate experiences regarding strays.

Regards.

Another exception being one found on the beach injured.

Was found by fancier who was an entertainer, said could he keep it.

He entertained in Scarborough one season and asked if anyone knew me as the pigeon I gave him was the best that he had ever had.


Pigeons go missing for numerous reasons and not all are bad.

Regards.

Old strays just let out. Young ones same. So many times reprted a young bird and was told to keep it or pull its head off. From one of the directors of the CU last year no less. 45 minute drive for him. Too many bred nowadays. Expendable objects.

yes good birds can sometimes get lost.......as others have said, they can go missing for numerous reasons, not just because they are crap .

they always deserve another chance if they get lost .....

I had a great looking Cock bird. Flew Lerwick etc. in good time.
It strayed. Had a it Reported via 'Name' always advertising.
But before he had he had its Photo and so-called wins it had for him.

Never twigged til he reported it. Me and Barry - fed Sec at the time- looked through his past adverts. He had even put the ring number in the adds.
I was peeved a bit. barry was livid and wanted me to report it to the R.P.R.A.

I didn't. I was on the phone in them days etc.


Any way I got a very apoligetic letter stating it was, he thought, he bought in and had race very well. Got lost for a while, and had returned.

I had him send it back.
A week in and I let it out. It went back and he wrote stating as such, and would i be inteested in selling it.

I gave him it. Couldn't do with the hassle. Many had admired it down the club.
Barry was mad at me lol.

barnie wrote:

Reported a stray about 5 weeks ago, one of the really hot days racing and it was only beat for the sake of water as it was in fantastic condition for a natural yb. Lovely cock and I knew someone would love him back. Owner collected the following day, travelling @200 miles round trip and genuinely glad to get him back.

He rang me a fortnight ago saying this bird was 2nd club beaten by short margin, then called on Saturday again to say he'd won this week and was in the first dozen in the national result on a really hard day with many birds missing.

Always give them a second chance.

Owner called, same bird was his first back again at the weekend over 300 miles into cold north east wind. Remember this is a natural youngster too, hope it continues as a yearling.....got the makings of something special I reckon.....

just goes to show colin, good birds make mistakes too .........so worth giving a lost bird a second chance .

just goes to show eh ,good to get the feedback to

Well done barnie, bet the fancier is over the moon, think what could have happened if the pigion had gone into some lofts.

Natural, not Darkness I see.

Regards.

barnie wrote:

barnie wrote:

Reported a stray about 5 weeks ago, one of the really hot days racing and it was only beat for the sake of water as it was in fantastic condition for a natural yb. Lovely cock and I knew someone would love him back. Owner collected the following day, travelling @200 miles round trip and genuinely glad to get him back.

He rang me a fortnight ago saying this bird was 2nd club beaten by short margin, then called on Saturday again to say he'd won this week and was in the first dozen in the national result on a really hard day with many birds missing.

Always give them a second chance.

Owner called, same bird was his first back again at the weekend over 300 miles into cold north east wind. Remember this is a natural youngster too, hope it continues as a yearling.....got the makings of something special I reckon.....

If it keeps going as is etc Barnie you could just maybe have a pigeon named after you I suggest & if it eventually finishes up in the stock loft you could put the word out with the owner you would appreciate a round of youngsters for your effort .

Knackered wrote:

barnie wrote:

barnie wrote:

Reported a stray about 5 weeks ago, one of the really hot days racing and it was only beat for the sake of water as it was in fantastic condition for a natural yb. Lovely cock and I knew someone would love him back. Owner collected the following day, travelling @200 miles round trip and genuinely glad to get him back.

He rang me a fortnight ago saying this bird was 2nd club beaten by short margin, then called on Saturday again to say he'd won this week and was in the first dozen in the national result on a really hard day with many birds missing.

Always give them a second chance.

Owner called, same bird was his first back again at the weekend over 300 miles into cold north east wind. Remember this is a natural youngster too, hope it continues as a yearling.....got the makings of something special I reckon.....

If it keeps going as is etc Barnie you could just maybe have a pigeon named after you I suggest & if it eventually finishes up in the stock loft you could put the word out with the owner you would appreciate a round of youngsters for your effort .

Hope some of these sitting here have as big a heart knackered

Only ever had one that's done anything, not that I like strays as got enough rubbish myself nevermind someone else's haha...it was 2nd club 4th fed then it went missing. Funny enough it went back home apparently a year later and the bloke who took the garden over kept it

barnie wrote:

Knackered wrote:

barnie wrote:

barnie wrote:

Reported a stray about 5 weeks ago, one of the really hot days racing and it was only beat for the sake of water as it was in fantastic condition for a natural yb. Lovely cock and I knew someone would love him back. Owner collected the following day, travelling @200 miles round trip and genuinely glad to get him back.

He rang me a fortnight ago saying this bird was 2nd club beaten by short margin, then called on Saturday again to say he'd won this week and was in the first dozen in the national result on a really hard day with many birds missing.

Always give them a second chance.

Owner called, same bird was his first back again at the weekend over 300 miles into cold north east wind. Remember this is a natural youngster too, hope it continues as a yearling.....got the makings of something special I reckon.....

If it keeps going as is etc Barnie you could just maybe have a pigeon named after you I suggest & if it eventually finishes up in the stock loft you could put the word out with the owner you would appreciate a round of youngsters for your effort .

Hope some of these sitting here have as big a heart knackered

Hope so Barnie no future racing having a loft filled with fairy flake types etc .

My white American stray has been crossed with Tmak reds. Her offspring mated to others. They will go to one lofters next year, some of them. Have faith in her family crossed..