REASONS FOR YB LOSSES

[Tony C]

Think there's many reasons, one not mentioned yet is racing y/birds on systems. Inexperienced y/birds are sent on eggs, w/hood or being  split all week and allowed to run together on Fridays. They just get over excited and cant handle it early doors.

[Matthew]

next season i aim to only breed 30 young birds compared to the 50-60 i usually breed, and i hope to see if this makes any difference.

[Beanz]

breeding off too many paper pigeons instead of concentrating on performance birds.

[jimmy white]

yes i also beleive this , if you have a pair of stock birds that are regularly  turning out good pigeons these birds are worth more than all the paperi beleive a lot of fanciers to just top up to make numbers and" see how they get on"rather than be really selective,with smaller numbers

[THE FIFER]

MY FIRST REASON WOULD BE BREEDING TOO MANY YBS FOR THE SIZE AND AIR SPACE OF THE LOFT [bUT MANY OTHER REASONS TOO]

 

YES AND IN THE SKY ON RACE DAY'S AS WELL, PLUSS BREEDING SAY 60 YB'S HOW MANY NO GOODERS ARE THERE OUT OF THE 60,

 

 

[jimmy white]

by listening to various fanciers , there seems to be quite afew ybs  worked their way home, which is a bit unusual at this time of the year ,with all the grain in the feilds etc anyone else found this?

[Guest]

;DI have a young cock return after 7 weeks away (somebody had him , looks picture perfect) and a hen still race rubbered  ( rough as a bears backpocket) away for 4 weeks . Currently training them along with another yb  before closing down for season end . ;)

[andyb]

far too many yb's bred. breed only as many as you have the time to look after PROPERLY. twenty years ago it was unheard of to breed above 30 young birds but they were well trained and the fancier could look after them

[Pompey Mick]

The modern day pigeon is a much fitter, faster creature than 30yrs ago, We now look for 40mph with a headwind and 45mph plus in a no-wind situation. These speeds were 35mph for headwinds and 40mph for a no-wind situation 30yr ago. Unfortunately the homing ability doesn't seem to have improved at all, in fact some people would say that we have sacrificed brain for speed. Another factor is the demise of the good old club race, nowadays we go straight into Federation races with YBs, being liberated with thousands of other pigeons flying to spread out locations, no wonder the yb's panic and end up going nowhere. Before Road transport we always had several club races which did the birds a power of good and built their confidence before facing Federation racing. Also  early morning libs, these may be OK for the short races but for the longer distances the birds are liberated before they have had a chance to fighy their way to the drinker(if they ever do) and dehydration will then have a big effect on 80% of the convoy resulting in excessive losses.

[peterpau]

Widowhood and paper pedigree's would be my thought. Too many unraced parents about. Can't agree with your thoughts on lib's Mick but you're dead on with regards speed versus homing ability.

[Roland]

Simply too much inbreeding and line breeding without crosses.

I realise that many don't even know the concept, or the proper way that Inbreeding or line breeding works... indeed unfortunately many don't even know the difference between the two.

That is one reasons our losses clutter up our towns and buildings....

[billy_g]

in my case lost lost 13 the last race birds well trained and fit for the job but when let go with rain in front off them stopped the birds had them repported in the n/e of england 15/20 miles from liberation point , as for breeding to many y/birds  and y/bird sickness not had that problem until they go in the racing basket

[Guest Gareth Rankin]

As with previous posts i would agree that it is more than one thing that the losses are so bad.

But one thing i would like to add to this is that because the returns have been so bad over the last 10 years or so with young bird racing their are more and more  pigeon men giving there young birds 2-3 races out to 60 -70 miles and then they stop them, this is fine as long as when you come to breeding young birds the following year, the owner's breed of these pigeons that have only flown 60-70 miles and when the fancier's do this generation after generation all they are doing is breeding birds that can fly no more than 100 miles.

[jimmy white]

;D ;D still have my first trophy ,r,u.yb ave 1958  millerhill club , j,white and son

still have the loft book ,, started wth 9 ybs b4 training had about 20 tosses to 50 miles [dad was a goods gaurd on railway ;D] raced every yb out to last club race , sent two to yb national which was cheltenham then 300 miles ,got the two home , no where on result , but finished up with 7 out the 9 ,,,,these birds raced to a small chicken hut, bred off r cock surp 51 ca 4406 a stray paired to a bird bought out the petshop 2 shillings [ 10p] the other pair that bred was a pair from a mr mkay of moredun who moved to wigan , these were 10 shillings each [50 p each] now these birds were no champions , but they got home, like most other fanciers at the time,,,,,,now then,, there were less birds in the sky,, then there were less hawks in the sky,,,, then there were less chance of birds being injured in great big batches,,and then there was no foreign birds , and then they went by rail and laid out in the platform with the air blowing round them ,,,where they could see the sun and their suroundings, and then as i beleive, there was,less pollution  in the air and possibly less other "things" in the air , i know one thing it wouldnt be possible now for SOME reason, so i wonder what the differance to the ybs then and the ybs now are.

[Roland]

Many Gareth, don't even race y/b's... I seldom ever both to either. 4/5 races in nine years. Was speaking to a very knowleageable and good flyer just at seasons start... he was surprised that his yearlings that had never been tossed came as quick as any on the first chuck of just over 60 miles.... I'd been surprised if they didn't lol

[jimmy white]

in more recent years than last post ;D ;D have tried both ,i,e training ybs 3 races to 100 miles then stopped them let them moult .. natural ,,,then raced a team of darkness ybs right to the end ,,, as yearlings and older birds made no differance to either birds or results,,,,just that i found i had more ybs left this way

[Guest REDFOXKRAUTHS]

i had 15 lost one of the loft 2 training and 3 were old birds,so i had 9 y/bs i put them all on the first race i took 4th,9th,10thclub and 5th,10th,11th fed, and two others in the clock i only lost 2,i then had a second race put in 5 had 2 day hold over lost them all,then i had the hawk eat my best old bird,

ben

[Guest REDFOXKRAUTHS]

i had 15 lost one of the loft 2 training and 3 were old birds,so i had 9 y/bs i put them all on the first race i took 4th,9th,10thclub and 5th,10th,11th fed, and two others in the clock i only lost 2,i then had a second race put in 5 had 2 day hold over lost them all,then i had the hawk eat my best old bird,

ben

[schyphos]

I agree with you Bruno.It is very unlikely that there is one single cause.

Personally,And this is only my view.

I believe these loses are caused by some of the following reasons:

 

Initially, fanciers breeding inferior race birds.From mediocre stock.

Poor young bird management.I.e. inadequate feeding,watering and training systems.

No motivation for the birds to race.

Birds sent racing not fully fit.

Birds sent racing not 100% healthy.

There are also reasons not immediately related to the fancier,such as:

Dehydration during transit.

Injury picked up between basketing and home.

Hawk attacks,guns,Pylons,Cables etc.

Regarding overcrowding i personally don't think that is a major problem,as many of the Belgiums and Dutch fanciers have lots of y.b's in small sections with not a lot of ventilation.But ,and this is the important thing,The fanciers have a very special bond with the birds and all the birds are happy to be there.

 

There are probably more but i have highlighted a fair few.

Guess i am "very lucky".Suffered very few young bird losses.This year flew them all through the card.Started with 24 lost one on the first race and finished the season with 23.

Remember this is just a personal view and i could be "way off the mark."

 

Jim Newton