selecting your pairs

[john robo]

what would be your most important point when selecting your pairs for breeding

[MsPigeon]

Well that is a loaded question John. I think there is almost as many ways of doing that as there are strains of pigeons. I have always used race records as the most important factor and of course health. But this year I am trying Jack Barkels eye sign method. What do you think is most important?

Carol

[john robo]

being a new starter to the sport am not quite sure what to look for in a racing pigeon. before i had pigeons i have always kept lots of other cage birds when pairing them, it was just the way the looked to me or if i wanted certain colour birds. this year i paired the pigeons similar way by strain and how they looked. not sure how they will do as i never raced them but will do next year :X. so not sure how ive done. this year ive listen to what ive been told by other flyers in my club. good luck with the eye sign method. well beyond me. but thats what it all about for me loads to learn. 'love the challange'

[Wiley]

if you can breed result pigeons or winners to result pigeons or winners

[Beanz]

racers best to best, stock son of best to daughter of next best or vice versa,

[jimmy white]

ive quite often in the past let them pair up as they like , ive found they flew better like that , and done well with their off spring

[BLONDIE]

ive quite often in the past let them pair up as they like , ive found they flew better like that , and done well with their off spring

 

I let all my racing pigeons pair up like this, that is anyway they want, and i have found myself that they seem more content this way without trying to force them in to a kind of arranged marriage, i do also keep a few stock pairs that have been together for a while so i have no bother with them either.

[Guest shadow]

best to best

[sapper756]

WINNER TO WINNER OR PROVEN BREEDER TO PROVEN BREEDER.  SIMPLE. ;D

[birdman55678]

First thing would be sure the birds are fertile, I would never just let the birds mate up how they like for the simple reason IF you do happen to get a good one there is no way to insure you can raise another from the same parents.  Winners to winners seems to be the best but not everyone has winners.  

[Guest]

don't agree with you there on winner to Winner Ed, not very often you get a bird that has been an excellent flyer breed consistantly good pigeons for you.  We only have 2 in our loft that have been winners in their time and are also excellent breeders, MAXWELL and MOTOWN MISSILE

[birdman55678]

Well Linda I do agree with you but by his own words he is a new flyer and undoubtedly doesn't have any proven breeders because he hasn't flown that long, when I said winners to winners I meant from his own birds, he has no other choice that I can see anyway.  Isn't it wonderful to agree and disagree with no harsh words exchanged.  Huggers gal.  Ed

[PIGEON_MAN]

don't agree with you there on winner to Winner Ed, not very often you get a bird that has been an excellent flyer breed consistantly good pigeons for you.  We only have 2 in our loft that have been winners in their time and are also excellent breeders, MAXWELL and MOTOWN MISSILE

Linda,What a excellent answear,i thought i was the only one who thought that way,if it was that easy to breed winners there would be no problems.

[collect500]

male to female  ;D ;D ;D failing thaty best to best

       keith

[fireangel]

I have had no luck with racer to racer... BUT good racer to good breeder usually supplies me with the best youngsters. Basically you have to put the opposites together. The big strong bodies have to even out with the skinnier ones. Also, if you notice, a lot (NOT ALL) hit pairs people show in magazines are Pearl eye X colored eye.

[Ronnie]

Mine are all paired by the pedigree .being my first season of breeding my own i only had stock birds and a few racers that raced the last youngbird season.

ive tried to keep family's together so i can start my own inbred family but until i can get a good old bird team i feel i am pairing blind.I reckon it will take me another 3 years to see the results of this years pairing's.I keep all records of what went with what so next year i can inbreed the family.

Going on the young birds upto now it looks like i may have lost my best pair of breeders during the old bird season.

[Fair Play]

Jimmy White & Blondie may have something as in the wild the strongest always get first choice and pigeons are no different the best should always come to the top -that is if you start off with good stock 8)

[jimmy white]

Jimmy White & Blondie may have something as in the wild the strongest always get first choice and pigeons are no different the best should always come to the top -that is if you start off with good stock 8)

 

thats excactly what i mean ,,",if youve good stock,"  love matches tend to race better and for some unknown reason breed better yb,s  in my opinion  

[symbro]

ofcourse what birds look for in eachother may not be what we look for in a good racer...  

[Guest]

what i look for in a good hen is nice long legs ample body and every thing else in the right place   ;) any more than a hand full is a waste

[korhil]

def agree with ferry!

[symbro]

yep... the hen does not care if the cock can fly 400miles the fastest.  she will look for the aggressive cock that will protect her and her next box.  The cock that struts his stuff the best.  Personally, i think sometimes giving mother nature a nudge in the right direction is needed.

 

of course if you have a loft full of 1st placer... then hell ya... let them pick eachother...

 

best example... dang rollers mate like crazy in our old bird loft.  finially had get rid of them.

 

symbro

[Guest Greig the doo Drysdale]

think if left to their own choices racing pigeons would make the wrong ones ? its easy to see what happens to the ferels  in the towns they dont realy evolve for the better ! racing pigeons were engineered by man ,there is no wild or natural selection for them  ! , so i feel its up to us to maintain the products we have created ......ray

 

I have to disagre with you i fly natural and let my pigeons pair up to who they want and nest were they want and I won all bar 3 races last year with the yearlings and the year before i won all the young bird races bar 1 with the same birds

[Guest Silverwings]

well done with those results greig , there are exeptions to every rule i am very pleased that system works for you ! and hope it continues to do so , as for my own birds i work exactly the opposite, i study every detail and all pairings are made in respect to making individual improvements to my pigeons .... i try not to leave anything to chance ! this may or may not work out in the long run but i enjoy doing it this way just the same  ........ray

[Guest Greig the doo Drysdale]

well done with those results greig , there are exeptions to every rule i am very pleased that system works for you ! and hope it continues to do so , as for my own birds i work exactly the opposite, i study every detail and all pairings are made in respect to making individual improvements to my pigeons .... i try not to leave anything to chance ! this may or may not work out in the long run but i enjoy doing it this way just the same  ........ray

 

thanks ray wasnt ment in a checky way when i said I disagree