Like father like son?

[Murray]

I have noticed something interesting lately. The youngsters take after the old birds that raise them. That well known pied superstar Gordon is half human, and he and Mrs Gordon do a great job foster raising babies. Not only are they fed and cared for 24/7, every youngster they raise comes out of the box very quiet and tame.
My good old race bird, The Diver, fostered the first round off the grizzle Thone' after they abandoned them. They were on the floor and I think they were annoyed by the other yearlings. The Diver is a very intelligent pigeon and very quiet. The grizzly youngsters are very quiet too, in fact the cock youngster is unusually tame.
In contrast, the grizzle cock and his mate raised the second round, and they are fiery! Like their father. He's not wild, if I put my hand in his nest box, he sits on my shoulder growling in my ear. but he's not friendly and nor are the babies. I can't touch them.
Some strains have a reputation for being quiet, some for being wild. I think the first few weeks of their lives is where they develop their personalities. Like everything, they learn by watching.

[Andy]

You’re right Murray. I have pigeons that certainly seem to have traits from their parents.

[Murray]

Aah, but my point is, many of these are not raised by their parents. They were raised by foster parents, and take on their character. I reckon if someone has wild young birds, the parents were wild too.
Never built a relationship with the fancier.

[Andy]

I suppose that if a youngster in the nest saw its parents, true or foster, showing fear when approached would get the same, and the other way round if the parents are very calm.

[Trev]

I think you are right Muzza and I think this is true of most species, DNA will obviously give genetic traits but other traits like temperament can certainly be socially influenced and will be picked up from parents and siblings.

[Murray]

I saw another example of imprinting on youngsters a couple of days ago.
I foster raised a pair of Jansen x Heremans/Van den Bulck youngsters for my mate David. One turned out to be a slate cock. Since he prefers hens, and the slatey colour is a sign of a good stock pigeon, he left him for me.
Now, they were raised in a nest box right opposite the sputnik. Since he opened his eyes he has seen them dropping in the trap when called in for the feed.
A couple of days ago he flapped out of the trap for the first time, and had a poke around the garden. When feed time came, I called them in, "Come on come on come on, Tucky tucky tuck!". In they came, and so did he!
Straight in the front of the sputnik!
Good boy!

[Buster121]

Well done him, why do you say a slatey makes a good stock bird

[Andy]

I’m sure the youngsters learn a lot while still in the nest simply by watching what’s going on around them. If the old birds are always called when fed while youngsters are in the nest the youngsters very quickly learn the call for food.

[Trev]

Great little story well told again Muzza
As you say it just shows how these birds (as with all creatures of course) are learning from their peers as soon as they are born.
Interesting to hear your mate prefers hens in these days of the widowhood !!! I have to say from the distance especially I have always said that a good hen in the right condition will beat most widowhood cocks.

[Murray]

Well done him, why do you say a slatey makes a good stock bird

It's a common belief here, that a cock bird that's a slate colour seldom makes a racing pigeon, but often turns out to be a producer.
It could be that there is a bias against cocks, many blokes prefer hens in Australia, as they are less work. Some people are ruthless with the cocks, training them very hard to sort them out.
Since it is a young bird sport here, pretty much, and hens are often better young birds, there aren't very many 2 year old cocks racing.