Like father like son?

[Buster121]

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.

Thanks for that

[Andy]

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.

Thanks for that

The slate colour not being so good with cocks would only be a family trait for a certain family and not make all slate cocks not very good racers. Slate cocks in other families could be very good. I know way back when dad had some of the first Busschearts to come into the country direct from George Busscheart they were mainly blues and pencil blues. These were good racers. When light chequers were bred, which was quite rare, they were invariably good producers.
The racing over there does seem quite harsh. It seems that birds aren’t allowed to mature. I for one don’t go much on young bird results. I have rarely found the best youngsters made the best old birds. Steady young birds and even those that make a mistake as a youngster but sort themselves out often make the best old birds.

[Murray]

Yep, Andy, the racing here is 'harsh'.
The climate, the winter racing and the infestation with raptors, it all adds up to pigeons being one season jobs, as a rule.
It's generally understood that there's a pair of falcons every 10 miles. Do the sums.
I remember a bloke proudly showing me a hen which had flown 400 miles. It had not won a prize, it had just managed to survive 400 miles.
That is why the little Melbourne hen I have, which flew 600 miles as a young bird, 600 again as a yearling and was clock bird, and flew over 500 miles from the same race as a two year old before straying in here , is such a jewel.