The Losses And Returns Debate

[peter pandy]

Race 1.. 85 Mls sent 25 Hens All home.

 

Race 2.. 112 Mls Sent 26 Cocks Lost 5.

[robbiedoo.]

I've been on this forum for 5 years I think...and to be honest I don't know how some fanciers dont have ten thousand doos because the never seem to lose any and they breed plenty lol unless they select heavily

 

I agree we you George they never seam to loss a doo but still need to rear a team o latebreds something amiss somewhere. Me I intend to race my doos hard this year after taking a back seat for the last couple of years and I fully expect to lose atleast half o them by the time the seasons finished.

[geordie1234]

I agree we you George they never seam to loss a doo but still need to rear a team o latebreds something amiss somewhere. Me I intend to race my doos hard this year after taking a back seat for the last couple of years and I fully expect to lose atleast half o them by the time the seasons finished.

Crazy eh

 

I'll be honest for the last 3 seasons I've started with 30ish old birds including yearlings and I've finished the season the last 3 times with 7 old birds to carry over...thats yearlings going to the coast and sometimes the channel (sent 7 to Carentan last season) and 2 year old plus go to the gold cup or another channel race

 

For some weird reason i have ended up with 7 each time lol

 

I've no time for hunners eh doos so the race most weeks and whats left is left... Id rather send my last doos to a race than hold unraced or unproven yearlings or old birds over the winter.

[Dmurray]

Kelso 1 Sent 21 got 19

Kelso 2 sent 31 got 30

Otterburn sent 29 got 26

[REDCHEQHEN]

You would be surprised at my loft. Down 2 cocks these have been replaced with an 11 year old and one out of the stock loft who is settled. The 11 year old has not raced for 7 years - he did an hour and 20 minutes this morning - half an hour more than the race cocks. Best position so far this season was a 6 year old hen in the first race - and she was pooled up! We don't lose many old birds in inland races, it's the channel races and in particular in North East winds where we have suffered the majority of our losses in the past. If it was up to me I would just race hens....

[GRAHAM MITCHELL]

1st race Sobs Camp 4/5

2nd race Otterburn 6/7

[Bobby4]

1st race Kelso 27/29 2nd race Kelso 32/32 3rd race otter burn 29/29 one Monday an one tuesday

[Paul Mac 31]

kelso 1 sent 30.. 29 home (Yearling cock)

Kelso 2 sent 40.. 38 home (Yearling cock and Hen)

otterburn sent 45.. 43 home ( 2 Late bred first timers)

 

in the last 16 years its very rare for us not to lose a min of a bird per race.

[Delboy]

I agree we you George they never seam to loss a doo but still need to rear a team o latebreds something amiss somewhere. Me I intend to race my doos hard this year after taking a back seat for the last couple of years and I fully expect to lose atleast half o them by the time the seasons finished.

 

HAHAHAHA Your spot on Robbie

[Rooster J. Cogburn]

One thing that isnae mentioned a lot regarding losses, is low flying pigeons colliding with vehicles.

 

A friend of mines has been working through in Edinburgh for the last week or so and tells me the city bypass is littered with pigeon carcasses. Could be a lot of racers meeting their end this way.

[robbiedoo.]

One thing that isnae mentioned a lot regarding losses, is low flying pigeons colliding with vehicles.

 

A friend of mines has been working through in Edinburgh for the last week or so and tells me the city bypass is littered with pigeon carcasses. Could be a lot of racers meeting their end this way.

 

 

I came home from my work last Saturday to time in my doos then back to work again on my way home I noticed 3 blue bar doos hedge hoping in the field next to where I was driving they could Nae of been more the 6 feet off the ground it was a North wind in their nose I would say a lot o them get done with fences and wires whilst flying low down.

[sarg]

I've been helping a fancier down here in Devon and we're getting slaughtered every training toss and race. All but 1 training toss we've lost at least one,sometimes 2 with others smashed or tails missing, racing so far sent 17, 10 back with 2 injured, second race sent 11, 8 back.

Even in training we have had them 10 miles in 15-20 minutes, the next toss taking them 3-4 hours. Been the same for the last 5 years apparently.

[tommy bhoys]

I've been on this forum for 5 years I think...and to be honest I don't know how some fanciers dont have ten thousand doos because the never seem to lose any and they breed plenty lol unless they select heavily

george this is only based on this years losses not the last five years as for lanarkshire the returns have been great the last few races this i believe is down to being back to kelso for two short races before we hit dodgy otterburn have sent 277 birds and dropped 6 over 3 races

[Guest bigda]

Seen doos today get blown in to turbines just of the m74. Look like one got hit with the. Blade

[Rooster J. Cogburn]

I came home from my work last Saturday to time in my doos then back to work again on my way home I noticed 3 blue bar doos hedge hoping in the field next to where I was driving they could Nae of been more the 6 feet off the ground it was a North wind in their nose I would say a lot o them get done with fences and wires whilst flying low down.

 

Aye there will have been a few banjoed flying low into the winds this season. Back out of the Northeast for the weekend too,looking at the forecast just now anyway.

[eastcoaster]

Have lost 12 ,I think so far 3 at Otterburn the rest training 3 missing today from training but hey ho they have to go .

[airdrie2]

have lost a lot more training than racing since starting in 2009

[Kyleakin Lofts]

have lost a lot more training than racing since starting in 2009

 

So have I, but I think that is the way with pigeons. Lose them training and the better ones go on to race, where less are lost. Being racing pigeons they will all be lost eventually unless they reach retirement.

[paddymac]

have lost a lot more training than racing since starting in 2009

Seems to be a big problem here in the N/west of Ireland, a lot of good birds going missing before they even get to the race hamper.

[greenlands]

I'll start with round the loft,lost what I considered my most promising blue cock and a yearling cheq (Peregrine)

Training lost one yearling hen again flock hit by peregrine.

Racing

1st race 23/24 yearling mealy cock.

2nd race 16/16 one on Sunday hawked.

3rd race 22/22.

4th race 23/23.one Sunday.

This morning hens chased by peregrine at loft.All safe in the loft. :emoticon-0127-lipssealed:

[Walter swanston]

Birdage Lockerbie.

Shap 16 April 204

Charnock Richard 23 April 267

Charnock Richard 30 April 195

Seems to be going down a bit I don't know if these figures are directly connected to pigeon losses but I think it's too early to tell.Interesting all the same.

[yeboah]

Birdage Lockerbie.

Shap 16 April 204

Charnock Richard 23 April 267

Charnock Richard 30 April 195

Seems to be going down a bit I don't know if these figures are directly connected to pigeon losses but I think it's too early to tell.Interesting all the same.

Returns have been very good in club walter

Numbers only down last week as I only sent six instead of fifty and other club members only half their teams away

Basket space is our problem yet fed result first three weeks all clubs sitting with four spare baskets ?

[andy Burgess]

lets have this out in the open and put some facts down . most are 3rd or 4th race into the Oldbird programme by now. please state how many you sent and how many returned from each of your races so far. i am not looking at any big stories just the facts . we can look back at the end of Old bird racing and see if we can come to any ideas as to why (and dont put it all down to the hawk,s) .

would also like to add , weve had our fair share of losses @ Team Burgess lofts. look back at some of my old posts (keep a tissue to hand).

 

for us - race 1 , 24 sent = 24 home.

and - race 2 , 30 sent = 29 home.

lastly - race 3 , 31 sent = 31 home . (last was 24 hours late, 2nd day) .

 

thought i would do an up-date on this thread.

 

race 4 - , sent 31 = 30 home . (a latebred on his 2nd race)

race 5 - , sent 19 = 18 home . (another latebred)

race 6 - , sent 18 = 18 home .

 

i am coming to the conclusion , having to breed a few latebreds because you gifted the first 2 nest to charity sales isnt working for me. ive done the same again this year , regarding gifting them out .maybe look at a cash donation next time

[Guest TAMMY_1]

thought i would do an up-date on this thread.

 

race 4 - , sent 31 = 30 home . (a latebred on his 2nd race)

race 5 - , sent 19 = 18 home . (another latebred)

race 6 - , sent 18 = 18 home .

 

i am coming to the conclusion , having to breed a few latebreds because you gifted the first 2 nest to charity sales isnt working for me. ive done the same again this year , regarding gifting them out .maybe look at a cash donation next time

was always told to breed what you need for yourself before thinking of giving any away [and we have given quite a lot away over the years ]

[REDCHEQHEN]

Race 1 sent 16 cocks and 18 hens - 1 3 year old cock missing presumed dead

Race 2 sent 15 cocks and 18 hens all home

Race 3 as above

Race 4 sent 15 cocks and 16 hens (1 hen broke 2 flights in one wing and is out for the rest of the season another hen got out and didn't come back in time for basketing!

All hens home, 1x 2 year old cock missing (again presumed dead)

 

Apart from the missing ones - all the birds were home by the time I'd returned from reading clocks. Next race is from 202 miles

The next race at 202 miles was a "smash" according to some. I had to wait 5 days to get the last one back - but got all home in the end 17/17 . 5 days later basket for Eastbourne (273 miles) sent 10 8/10 on the day one in the stray centre. Race 7 was Sunday gone - sent 22 to Oakham - 132 miles approx - 21/22 on the day. Sent 3 latebred hens for their first race. One late bred back following morning.(22/22) Current losses - 2 cocks and one hen. Next race is race 8 - over the channel -320 miles.