Pigeonfit for racing

[Rentenier]

:-/ :-/What do you look for on basket day. Blood spot, pienk mouth, what else???

[jimmy white]

i wouldnt look for that much on basketing day, but would be eyeing them up all week, and would hope to have picked my poolers, by friday,simply by observing every pigeon, every day. [mind you i wasnt allways right ;D ;D ;D]

[GREENGRASS]

I would be looking at the droppings as they can tell you a lot also looking for a few down feathers to be stuck to the droppings. I was once told that if you were racing widowhood cocks look for the cock has left some grains in his pot but looks to have the most energy around the loft as this is a sign that he is in form. Also i look for my widowers to get down very low in their nest bowl`s and call loudly for the hen. but as jimmy said you must be very observent during the week and watch for them to scream out of the loft and dissapear for 45mins and then come home and scream down low over the loft on return and away again. these are some of the indications that i like to see.

[TheSaddler]

For cocks -

 

You can see when they are exercising - They fly in straight lines and then split into all different directions - For me this lets me know the team is ready.

 

Individually - Each pigeon has its own charecteristics - My best hen hovers forwards and backwards between perches - This lets me know shes keyed up.

 

The comment about the droppings is also critical - they must be perfect.

 

I use the colour of the skin as my main guide - but as you can see from other threads this is just a personal opinion and not all agree.

 

Handling the bird they should feel hard/corky and the feathers should be silky.

[jimmy white]

:) I AGREE WITH ALL THE ABOVE :)

[Rentenier]

Saddler, what do you mean by feeling hard. I thought the muscles must feel soft but pump-up

[TheSaddler]

Its hard to explain - Corky is probably the best term - The muscles need to be supple but hard - You have to handle a winning pigeon and then one thats out of condition to see what I mean. It only comes with experience.

 

I spent ten years verifying winning pigeons as a young lad to understand why my pigeons where being beaten. The winning pigeons had this feeling - There's no excess fat and they just bulge in the hand. The muscle just pushes each side of the keel....

 

I cant put it in words, you just know when you pick the bird up... Can anyone explain how a fit pigeon handles - I always find it easier to pass someone a pigeon and say it should be like this....

 

This is the drawback of the internet..

 

 

[Rentenier]

:)Thank you The Saddler, I appreciate your input.

[jimmy white]

;D ;D i agree with all posts, and for saddler to explain , hes done quite well as it is very difficult to explain, all i can say is its like a jigsaw puzzle, the more peices you get fitted together, the better it looks :)

[Tony C]

:-/ :-/What do you look for on basket day.

 

 

I look for the wifes purse ;D ;D

 

 

[jimmy white]

;D ;D ;D best one of the lot tony ;D ;D ;D

[Guest speckled]

:-/ :-/ What do ya look for on basketing night lol. ;D ;D ;D" Pigeons,"  ;D ;D ;D opps sorry could not resist.Speck ;D :X :X

[Diamond dave]

Most of the above but also warm feet

I have three things that I go by to tell me whether its worth even basketing the bird.

1. Is the warm feet (cold feet - I wont even basket the bird).

2. Is the droppings/down feathers

3. The last one is what will tell me is the pooler and that is the way the bird blinks.

    the speed of the blinking is what tells me is the fittest bird.

 

- just my way.