Your Favourite Pigeon

Anyone got or had a favourite pigeon, a bird that dosent really put in any good performances but one you would never cull, I mention it because I remember an old pigeon of mine that was really lazy, would fly no more than 10 mins, told my dad to send his nest mate (also a chequer) to Bourges and he sent the Old chequer cock by mistake

Thought id never see him again and He did Bourges 2nd day
always had a soft spot for that old fella, bred 1989. Got another Cheq Cock now, bred 2003, going to Bourges 2nd time 1010, hopefully...

Sorry...meant 2010

i,ve got a bird that sits on my shoulder and birds that have won for me and won good ie topped fed ,section and so on but cannot get rid of these ,too soft, i think sometimes it does,nt hurt to be a little compassionate

youre not being soft with pied hen ray shes a beauty mate

weve all got our favorites

yes my favorite pigeon is the old cock great great grandson of the famous stormqueen 15 now and still looks the part

I never have favs, because in the past I always loose them, but I have had a few over the years. Funny thing is often they turn out to be birds that formerly I didnt like. But something happens to them and suddenly they are the favourite. I like friendly birds and I have a few from last year that are very friendly and one is my secret FAV

its funny how pigeons suddenly become a favourite ........i have a pair of blues which ive always disliked since i bought them, at one point i was on the verge of cutting the rings off and setting them frre as they wouldnt come back to me and the previous ownwer had emigraited so they would have lived feral......but then out of 3 nests of ybs they bred decent birds which scored positions racing and now they are two of my best birds.....

Yes david thats what I mean, things which happen change what we feel, Like getting to know someone, as personality comes through.
Funny thing I loaned a bird out this year I bought from louella a dordin to a mate...I bred apair from her which I gave away, they turned out to be a pair of crackers winning lots of minor positions in club and fed.
I quite liket the bird now I got her back, and shes getting a better cock this year.

your right martyn, you do look at them in a different light once they have raced well or bred a good one.......you start to look at the good points about them when your in the loft looking at them......strange isnt it.

Always had favorites when i was younger

When got older had no favourites as they cost money?????????????????????

Most of the time they are the also rans

istill have favourites when it becomes all about the money then your not enjoying it so theres no point in flying might as wellpack in , after all its a hobbie

dont get me wrong i want to win as much as the next man but if i dont then thers always next week

just keep trying dont you ian......at the end of the season if its not a good one, then we need to look at the reasons why.....birds ? management ?

thats right david you look at the reason why and try to put it right

i think we need to "up" our game every season, win or loose just to to keep competative.

Just thought I would mention, it is funny how we can like a bird after its proved itself, going back to the bird I loaned out, I proffess to be a bit of an eyesign lover and have always used it when breeding. I attach no importance at all to racers as I cannot fathom anything from their eyes at all. I have seen fabulous racers with eyes of streeters...anyway I did examine her eye when I got her and thought nothing of it really, but after it produced 2 birds that did well and then another I got her back, and you guessed it I looked at her eye hoping to find something..and I did...a trait I asociate with good breeders. Now have I been fooled and just see something because I know she can breed, or can I really see it. To be honest Im not even sure any more really. But it is there I have rechecked it but I find that so strange, We will see this year, as Im giving her a better cock .

hi martyn, interesting point......do all your good breeders have this trait, and is it just in a certain family of birds. i dont think eyesign means anything re racing but do like to consider it when selecting pairings.......by this i dont look at the second circle as most seem to study, all i go on is the iris which i like to put oposites together or what id term as strong to weaker.

You remember last night talking about secrets and telling them to fanciers, well I have some, which are found in good breeders and I can find them sometimes, but I dont want others to know...as with this hen I missed them first time round it seems. I was taught them from a respected eyesign man in my area, but I do believe its a talent, one man looks at an eye, then another man and they see nothing. Then another talented eyesign man sees it as its been there alll the time. thats my opinion.
The answer to the question is yes there are things to look for so called secrets, but no not in just certain familes they appear in all.