pigeons/ bathing

i still think the same as what i said in above post about if a bird has not shown anything at all by the time its finished racing as a yearling, i would agree with don and say thats ok if sprinting....i would agree with ian and say that if distance then 2 years old would be my limit for not showing any results....

David i would say for the distance i would leave it till they are three years and after that seasons racing then consider what you would keep and get rid of

yes but what do you class as doing anything wins or places say top four , i race sprint and channel but have also had wins with two year olds sprinting that have done nothing as yearlings you go with your gut feelings , if i had got rid at yearling stage wouldnt have them wins ,

dont know really, until i start racing again i wont really know.....but what i mean by "doing anything" is if they are consistant and making the jurney home in a reasonable time or if they had maybe took a card, even if its a minor one. i think to be successful the birds have to be capable of winning and the fanciers management has to be right, but also even though i dont like to do it you have to draw the line somewhere and cull if showing nothing....there are fanciers who keep a loft full of birds and only a small % of them either breed anything right or win races.....

yes david your right got to start somewhere tho got to keep the best of what youve got and go on from there

yes thats right ian, if i start small then i can keep only what have proven themselves and breed best to best...

do you think a pigeon that is a useless racer could breed a winner ?

most definately david had many pigeons bred winners and never raced very good thats where your gut feeling comes in

Will agree with Ian

Did have one hen that was a complete waste of time racing but could breed winning pigeons so yes sometimes you get that gut feeling

If i had a pigeon that was a consistent and a good trying pigeon and won minor prizes then i would keep it

If the pigeon was an also ran then i would be gone no messing

don, if you were buying a stock pair...what would you base your purchase on ? race performance, pedigree or handling etc...thats providing the seller hasnt proven they have bred winners...

I would only buy of proven pigeons which have won and can see that there children are winning also

Or if i was unable to buy the proven pigeons i would buy there children

I think it is best to buy youngsters from a good fancier, he would easier part with his young, than good proven stock birds, Much faster to settle in with young birds.

i think if fanciers want to do well at racing they have to buy stock from a winning loft that is doing well....the birds he will be racing have obviously been bred from his stock birds so if he is winning with them hopefully like will breed like.....when i say a fancier must be winning with them i dont mean just one good season.

if youve got one pair breeding a winner every year then thats all you need your up and running

i would emagine they would be worth their weight in gold ian, id float eggs from them to breed as many as i could out of them....

yes thats what you do if you get a winner of every nest then your laughing

ken (friendslofts) has a pair that breeds a fed winner in every nest for him and others.....they are always a blue and a blue white flight.

hes one of the lucky ones

he isnt half ian, his mate gave him them because he was going to kill them as every nest they had they smashed the eggs.....never done that in kens loft.

they must be more settled in his loft

yes they must be, ken has bred me 2 ybs off them this year and when he was on the other week he said they were ready.....when i get them judging by my record for loosing them i will put them straight into my stock shed....

yes david hopefully they will breed you some winners

i think its the safest thing for me to put them to stock as i would most likely loose them off the loft or loose them racing.....no point risking good birds is there.

just shows you tho ian, money doesnt always buy success does it....the corn man told me a few weeks ago his wife paid a thousand pound for a pair of birds for him and they never bred a thing any good for him.....i think he either binned them or gave them away.

the best birds you,ll get are as a gift david in good faith