Tips & Tricks :Buying new Stock

[Guest CS]

Tips & Tricks : Buying new Stock

 

share your buying new stock  tips & tricks with other fanciers

 

[PIGEON_MAN]

I WOULDN,T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN TO SOMEONE ELSE MY TIP FOR PICKING NEW STOCK BIRDS AS I ONLY GO ON THE EYE,PEDIGREES OR PERFORMANCES MEAN NOTHING TO ME WHEN CHOOSING A BIRD TO BREED OFF.I WOULD SAY THAT I HAVE BEEN SUCCESFULL 99% OF THE TIME IN MY PICKINGS USING THIS METHOD TO PRODUCE WINNERS.

[carl]

Craig it makes sence to go to someone thats flying out of there skin and let them pick the birds for you,only buy out of there best.Thats what i have done over the last three years and  it started paying off this season.I dont know much about eye sign so i only want performance birds,proven familys that have won at the highest level

[Wiley]

buying new stock id agree with carl go to the most successful guy and get him to choose some for you.If you can't do that personnally for a hen i wouldnt want her to have to much of an open vent,but body shape id like to either feel my pigeons to be apple bodied or built like a boat.Like to see good bone structure conformation aswell as silky feathers.When i am choosing stock i look at the bird and say is this what sort of pigeon i would like to have offspring like,as certain qualities are passed down from either side

[Tony C]

Anything as fat as a turkey I put straight back down.

[Beanz]

If there is a sale of pigeons which you like let them have the sale and then see if they have any after as this way if you are lucky to buy any thay will be the ones they wanted to keep themselves.

[Guest Paulo]

only go to an entire clearance sale and buy birds with a couple of wins. If buying youngsters go to geuinine fanciers who win and you can check their performences out in the homing world and race the birds you buy no matter if its 30 quid or 75 quid plus you pay to test them.

 

When handling a bird it should feel like silk and should fill the hand without its keel being too pronounced. Not into eyesign but the eye should look bright and the bird should look good. I like birds who carry themselves with a bit of a strut like in the picture below. Look nice and alert and strong. Obviously looks aren't everything but its a good starting point to go from.

 

Don't buy from big studs or the auctions learnt my lesson the hard way. If possible visit the loft and have a good look round you will often pick up advice and sometimes may even get a free bird thrown in if your a novice. Free eggs sometimes get given and you'll be surprised at what you hatch out of them sometimes!

 

Don't get carried away when buying youngsters pedigrees mean nothing and good birds breed crap as well. Remember when buying a youngster you are buying an unproven bird and the price should be fair and reflect that. No fancier who is racing will sell you their best birds neither especially when it comes to stock birds as they need them. Its hard to find birds who will breed winners.

 

Also give the birds a fair chance as you are learning as much as they are, I know I am! So if they don't win try and analyse why not.

 

[Guest ben]

Never buy of dealers for a start,they always got 1 eye on your pocket,as for so called "clearence sells",possible true many many years ago,but used as just another selling tool nowadays,very sad,but there you go.

    

[schouwman71]

Learnt to be a good stock man,the rest will come.Go into your loft at night and handle your birds and try to remember were they perch in the day time and you will feel the difference when you cannot see them ,those that really feel the best will be your best ones and when picking stock to buy remember how your best felt at night.Les

 

AN old fancier tought me how to do this at 15 yrs old and i have bred many good breeders of winners learning this way,class does really stand out.

[Wiley]

^^Bert brasspenning uses the above system also was in bhw bowt 3 weeks ago

[schouwman71]

Havnt seen that wiley,will av to have a look at that,but it isnt a new method,good stock men have used this method for many winners.as Any body else used this method in the past or heard of this method.

[swilcox]

Never buy of dealers for a start,they always got 1 eye on your pocket,as for so called "clearence sells",possible true many many years ago,but used as just another selling tool nowadays,very sad,but there you go.

    

 

Ben i think thats taring everyone with the same brush.

 

I deal (if you like to use that dirty term) but i have a standard and it is, i only chose stock or select pigeons for other people that are good enough for my own lofts, by using this as a minimum im proud to say i have selected hundreds of winners for myself and others which makes me very proud!!!

 

As for lining my pocket well i have to agree there are some real rip-off merchants about, one guy using another site often buys pigeons for 50 euro and tries to sell them for £150. Myself i work on 10% and in some rare circumstances 15% if im buying and selling which is rare as im normally selling pigeons from our own loft in Holland.

 

My advice is go to someone you trust and who will give you choice, sit in the loft for as long as you need and select with yours eyes and instinct!!!! Then put them in a basket and take them outside, put them in the hand and if they are balanced, good feather, clean throut, tight ventied, good wing and clear eye, you have a chance, the rest is down to natural!!!

 

Stuart

[Wiley]

put them in a basket and take them outside, put them in the hand and if they are balanced, good feather, clean throut, tight ventied, good wing and clear eye, you have a chance, the rest is down to natural!!!

 

agree 100%

 

 

[Roland]

Would like to make a pointer / comment that most realise I'd say. I can put into a poor bird a bit of bleach /protien /linseed, oiled food / garlic etc. etc. and have after 2/3 weeks a superb looking bird with white wattle, nice tight silky feathers, beautiful in the hand and a glitter in a bright eye... My ole open hole birds would would the floor with them every day of the week comee race time... and whereas the ole open natural birds home from hard and distance races, most of the above wouldn't be seen again.

  Point being 'Looks aren't every thing' not by a long chalk.

Mind if my ole natural open hole birds look like that.... then you have to beat them to win the Fed!

[swilcox]

Roland, its not looks that should catch your its mordent charactor!!!!!!!

[Roland]

Exactly Stu... the very point I was making.

[swilcox]

I take my time when selecting and often take 20 - 30 mins just trying to study charactor, but a pigeon must be balanced Roland, balance in the foundation, the rest are building blocks.

[Roland]

Yes one doesn't want a wap side bird that can only fly in a circle lol. Just joking of course.

  Now Steff Van Reet chose ALL his stock and new birds just by handling them.

Was a great flyer up 'Monkey Hanging Country' that was blind... he'd let his sons feed water and train sure... but when selecting for races, breeding he did the lot. They'd bring them to him and he'd number them and what not.

[swilcox]

Staf Told me his secret on selecting fast pigeons,

 

A Rump back with a single pin tail, as he said look for a bottle of wine!!!!

 

P.S.

My Van Reets were as hard as nails and were best when flying over 9 hours!!!

 

Stuart

[schouwman71]

no secret that stuart,most fanciers choose sprinters this way,what staff was was a good breeder and dedicated fancier plus top of the tree stock man,you dont learn that over night,some never learn at all its bred into you ,youve rarther got it or you havnt.Les

[Roland]

Very true Les, some see in minutes what other never see in a life time!

Well believe that also Stuart.

As a great fancier told me, All good birds are bred from distance stock... Meaning when selecting birds for a family, Distance birds with the right Constitution is every thing, regardless what system you put them on regards the distance Races one may specialise in. I personally believe that to be true.

[Guest CS]

Craig it makes sence to go to someone thats flying out of there skin and let them pick the birds for you,only buy out of there best.Thats what i have done over the last three years and  it started paying off this season.I dont know much about eye sign so i only want performance birds,proven familys that have won at the highest level

 

Thank you, your advise is very good, cheers.  

[hillfamilyloft]

I like to use the Belgium philosopy. Breed a good family of birds, obtain stock that beats you in the races, cross them into your family. If the crosses are better than your birds, keep the newbees and rid the rest. I try and only introduce either performance birds or lineage from winners with good conformation. 30 or so birds will leave my loft this year, one will enter to add to my breeders. She is a Vic Miller bird crossed with a daughter of Scott McCallisters 2000 snow bird winner. She is also a half sister to my best breeding birds. I agree that big, sick, and poor performing birds should go. I do not know who said it, but I read something that made sense to me. If you do not like the looks, feel or performance of a bird, the pedigree means nothing. He also said that winners look good to everyone.

Randy