Just got one back!

[Diamond Dave]

Morning all, Yesterday I got a y.bird back from last year. m:shock:
He never made racing as it was lost from a training chuck early doors.
Its in fine fettle and looks like someone has looked after him.
Took me a while to get him in cos he was trying to get in the old shed.
Will it be any good? It disrupts my plans a bit cos I dont have room for another cock or is there a way I can use him to some advantage?

[NeilA]

Morning all, Yesterday I got a y.bird back from last year. m:shock:
He never made racing as it was lost from a training chuck early doors.
Its in fine fettle and looks like someone has looked after him.
Took me a while to get him in cos he was trying to get in the old shed.
Will it be any good? It disrupts my plans a bit cos I dont have room for another cock or is there a way I can use him to some advantage?

When I started back I kept one that turned up Christmas Day that had been out and it unfortunately it was useless then I started to move on any that turned up
About 4 years ago I had a blue wf turn up in February so I put it in a separate section for 2 /3 weeks as I thought it was in great condition and possibly only just escaped from a loft itvwas lost as a baby on a difficult 155 mile race
The end of February I put him the race loft he never had a hen
He scored 2nd and 3rd fed that summer the following year he had another fed card then I gave him away as I thought he’s got worse that year not better
So after that I thought maybe birds that have been on the fields are not for me but ones that couldn’t get back are worth a go
Others have had great results from birds that have been in the fields

Overall I would think most that return will still be very average or below average but them most we all breed are anyway we tend to only get told about the good ones that return though not the many that fail
I don’t know if I would keep one now again I pretty much doubt it but understand why people do

[NeilA]

Morning all, Yesterday I got a y.bird back from last year. m:shock:
He never made racing as it was lost from a training chuck early doors.
Its in fine fettle and looks like someone has looked after him.
Took me a while to get him in cos he was trying to get in the old shed.
Will it be any good? It disrupts my plans a bit cos I dont have room for another cock or is there a way I can use him to some advantage?

Dave if you want him put a v perch up high up as you can in the loft even if it’s looking at your other boxes and let him take that

[Buster121]

Many a returnee have gone on to achieve great things not all do but still worth a go, maybe dropped when tired and got locked up and may have escaped which if it has shows it's love for home, give it a go and see

[Trev]

Hi Dave, I love it when birds return how ever long they've been missing. As Niel says most of the time they do unfortunately end up not being very reliable, especially if they've been in somewhere as if the going gets tough they are likely to do it again.
However, having said that I always give them a second chance, especially youngsters, as we never know what has happened to them. Over the years most have probably turned out to be no good, but others have gone on to score. The most recent example I have is a 22 Dave Bridger Cock bird, he went missing from a race as a youngster. Almost a year later he turned up, he'd clearly been roughing it as he hadn't finished his moult, he was so flown out that it took him several weeks before he could even get up off the floor. I did give him a chance, and eventually he did make it back to full health and last year he flew most of the old bird programme, including our longest race from Crieff, 404miles. He didn't do anything extraordinary but as I focus on the distance races I'm prepared to be patient with them. He may well still prove to be of no worth, but this year he'll be in my team of birds that will be going over the water so we'll see what happens. I've always been honest and am not purely driven by success, I am a pigeon fancier and I love my birds, if a bird has the courage to find it's way home eventually, it will have a place in my loft.
Of course we all have different goals and expectations, and obviously space restrictions, so have to do what works for us. If you really don't have space and it disrupts your plans then those are the birds that need moving on, but if you have somewhere for it, I'd get it trained and see what happens. You are almost certainly going to lose some of your team once they are on the road so he could fill a space at some point.
All the best.

[Murray]

I'm a softy and love seeing one back, I always wonder what has happened to it. I agree they are seldom any good, the good ones don't need excuses.
But I think the pigeon didn't ask to be sent to the race, we don't often know why it got lost, and it's only one more mouth to feed.

[Albert]

I have had a few returnees, that have gone on to score, especially in Races of 11Hrs plus.

[Bowbroom]

I used to subscribe to the view that late returners would never amount to anything until 1995 when we had a young cock that I fetched back from all over the shop that ent on to win several firsts and was winning into his sixth year, they’re all entitled to a second chance in my view

[Diamond Dave]

Thank you all for your replies and in particular to you Bowbroom who I am grateful for your comments aside of our differences.
Of course he will get a 2nd chance, especially due to the circumstances I lost him in. I just dont know what to do with him. He hasnt got a box nor do I have a hen for him. All the pairs in the race loft are on either chipping eggs or hatchlings and all is harmonious, so I dont want to risk any disruption or fighting in there.
At the mo I have him in the empty yb section and am treating him for the usual.

[MIL]

I’m afraid there was no room in my team for a bird like that