How many years?

[Guest CS]

After your team of racers first season racing, be it yearlings or young birds. Do you evaluate and only keep the best? Or do you give them another chance at it as Old Birds before making up your mind whether the bird in question is good enough.

 

[Beanz]

All racers must win either as youngsters or yearlings or they don't stay any longer.

[birdman55678]

The distance birds need a little longer to mature, so I say at a min of 2 years.  Ed

[ACE LOFTS]

All racers must win either as youngsters or yearlings or they don't stay any longer.

 

same as

[Guest jason]

I've always given them 3 years, 1st year as young birds then yearlings, then 2 year olds.

And I'd like to add, I don't really mind them winning, I like reliable pigeons, them that you know are going to return home.

 

I had 2 cocks one year (2000 I think) and they returned from every race, maybe a little late, but always home on the day.

 

Jason

[gangster]

personally i think room dictates alot, as ive restarted it will take me 2 years at least to build a decent team to compete...so  after 2 years if they aint shown  anything..then change time i think then on ruthless i will be.........

[Guest WINGS 04]

what i have found out is that the one that are still there after 3 years are good pigeons so their is no need to do anything about it as the basket does my picking for me

[stevebelbin]

what i have found out is that the one that are still there after 3 years are good pigeons so their is no need to do anything about it as the basket does my picking for me

 

 

Agree 100%, if I still have a bird at 3 year old, they have had to have raced a few hard channel races, so if there good enough they will still be in the loft. I dont care if they are a strain that are supposed to be sprinters etc, my new system is to not over-race them as YBs, but get them to a minimum of 400miles as yearlings and then anywhere as 2 year olds. Not many birds will take this, but I feel you end up with only good pigeons, this way. Im not a massive fan of sprint races, but if I was I would expect a few decent results out of them by the time they had reached the 2 year old stage. Its because Im not a fan of culling that I dont like sprint races  ;D

 

[pigeonpete]

All racers must win either as youngsters or yearlings or they don't stay any longer.

 

id have none left lol!! ;D ;D havent won a bean yet :'(

got a third does that count?

[tubbles]

I like to have around 40 yb's at start of the season, I always stop the cocks early(may not this year). Race them as yearlings then sort out obvious time wasters then look for the ones that do silly things like fly insanely round the loft when i go in, look at box hoppers, the ones that fight on wrong boxes, really annoying when you put yearlings in  :-/  I have one that is nestmate to my only decent one, good as gold in the loft but so far useless. maybe i'm not ruthless enough cos its been a while since i won a race.

 

[gangster]

 

id have none left lol!! ;D ;D havent won a bean yet :'(

got a third does that count?

 

maybe its gonna change this year for you i hope it does......

[Guest shadow]

2 years if the birds have shown promis or scored

[Sally McQueen]

 

id have none left lol!! ;D ;D havent won a bean yet :'(

got a third does that count?

 

I agree Ganster could be Pigeonpete's  year, he has done nice things for others.  What goes around comes around  

 

All good things come to those that wait..

[pigeonpete]

 

I agree Ganster could be Pigeonpete's  year, he has done nice things for others.  What goes around comes around  

 

All good things come to those that wait..

 

like the sound of that clare!! lol ;D ;D

 

hope so!! not making excuses but you cant buy time

[pigeonpete]

 

maybe its gonna change this year for you i hope it does......

 

me too mick, will be trying a bit harder this year, have bought "good" birds so just need to put the effort in with them

[Guest slugmonkey]

I fly wings method I let the basket sort them if I still have them at 3 years its because they are good not because I culled their buddies and theyre  all thats left

Usally at 4 years I start to move them to stock loft or at least pair them with a breeder for a couple of sets of eggs

[jimmy white]

i wouldsay go by your own judgement ,,all birds are individuals , some take longer than others , but usually by 3 y old youve got their capabilities,[ i think theresa big differance to sprint or long distance races]

[Guest TAMMY_1]

 

id have none left lol!! ;D ;D havent won a bean yet :'(

got a third does that count?

 

   NAW

[pigeonpete]

 

   NAW

 

never mind!! keep on going ;D

[me]

All racers must win either as youngsters or yearlings or they don't stay any longer.

 

if your interested in winning short distance races this might be true long distance you would kill more decent doos than not.

 

 

[Guest CS]

True, "Me".