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Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2024 4:39 pm
by Diamond Dave
MIL wrote: ↑Mon Nov 18, 2024 9:57 am
Diamond Dave wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2024 10:18 pm
OMG and WoW, I didnt realise I was in the presence of pigeon ROYALTY.
Very nice to meet you Mike. I will be hanging on to your evrry post from here on in.
I’m not sure about that Dave, but thank you
Just read the article Mike, - your own pedigree is one of the best I have ever seen. No need for any 'enhancement' there. Looks like you have left a legacy behind you with Pale Rider. Cant imagine what it must be like to create a dynasty such as yours.
ATB your highness.

lol.
Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2024 6:46 pm
by NeilA
Dave you should se his VDB pigeons that he had before the Gaby’s on you tube there pigeons to make your eyes pop out against massive birdage
Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2024 5:53 pm
by Diamond Dave
Well Andy, I looked into the eyes of my own birds today and tbh I was a little disappointed with what I saw.
It was a lovely sunny day and I looked with a 15X jewellers loupe and I think I made a reasonable assessment based on your basic guidelines.
For most of them, in particular the stock birds, the iris was completely full and there was "no more room in the iris for breeding". Nor was there much in the way of inner circles, let alone any wide ones, and most had quite a lot of shading. There is one or two that could be ok but I only have one hen with an eye that looks anything like the one that was posted which you said is ideal. Is there anything I can do to correct that without buying in new birds.?
Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2024 8:00 pm
by Murray
Dave, I will make a suggestion.
By all means get interested in the eye sign if you want to. But remember that you are fairly new to the sport. Andy has looked at thousands of eyes over the years and has a deep understanding of it. With respect, don't be judging and making decisions based on a a rough idea of what you are looking for.
I have no knowledge of eye sign and cannot say whether it's any good or not. I'll tell you one thing though, the Dutch don't even have a term for it in their language.
Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2024 8:20 pm
by Andy
Diamond Dave wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 5:53 pm
Well Andy, I looked into the eyes of my own birds today and tbh I was a little disappointed with what I saw.
It was a lovely sunny day and I looked with a 15X jewellers loupe and I think I made a reasonable assessment based on your basic guidelines.
For most of them, in particular the stock birds, the iris was completely full and there was "no more room in the iris for breeding". Nor was there much in the way of inner circles, let alone any wide ones, and most had quite a lot of shading. There is one or two that could be ok but I only have one hen with an eye that looks anything like the one that was posted which you said is ideal. Is there anything I can do to correct that without buying in new birds.?
See if you can get a few photos Dave.
It’s difficult to judge without seeing them. If you have a hen that you say has a good eye I would pair that one to the cock with one that is a bit on the fuller side in the iris but with a decent inner circle if you have one. Don’t worry too much about the dark shading at present. Were the stock birds brought as stock birds or old racers Dave?
Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2024 9:02 pm
by NeilA
Diamond Dave wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 5:53 pm
Well Andy, I looked into the eyes of my own birds today and tbh I was a little disappointed with what I saw.
It was a lovely sunny day and I looked with a 15X jewellers loupe and I think I made a reasonable assessment based on your basic guidelines.
For most of them, in particular the stock birds, the iris was completely full and there was "no more room in the iris for breeding". Nor was there much in the way of inner circles, let alone any wide ones, and most had quite a lot of shading. There is one or two that could be ok but I only have one hen with an eye that looks anything like the one that was posted which you said is ideal. Is there anything I can do to correct that without buying in new birds.?
Dave I was confused with shade and breeding lines could it be the breeding lines look like shade in the inner circle
Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2024 10:16 pm
by Diamond Dave
Thanks everyone, I'm not put off at all. I'm not that new to the sport Murray, I've been flying for a good few years now but nothing compared to you guys and I've only really treated it as a hobby up until recently. Most of my birds over the years have been gift birds and I haven't been able to do them justice. I realised about 8 years ago that I want to focus on distance racing after getting a bird home from Barcelona after 7 days (I was like a little kid jumping up and down)and I have spent my time since then trying to "prove" my stock birds.
Over the last couple of years I feel as though I have just got a reliable team together for the task and thats the reason I said I was disappointed with what I saw in the eyes as I felt they would be better than that.
Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2024 10:22 pm
by Diamond Dave
NeilA wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 9:02 pm
Diamond Dave wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 5:53 pm
Well Andy, I looked into the eyes of my own birds today and tbh I was a little disappointed with what I saw.
It was a lovely sunny day and I looked with a 15X jewellers loupe and I think I made a reasonable assessment based on your basic guidelines.
For most of them, in particular the stock birds, the iris was completely full and there was "no more room in the iris for breeding". Nor was there much in the way of inner circles, let alone any wide ones, and most had quite a lot of shading. There is one or two that could be ok but I only have one hen with an eye that looks anything like the one that was posted which you said is ideal. Is there anything I can do to correct that without buying in new birds.?
Dave I was confused with shade and breeding lines could it be the breeding lines look like shade in the inner circle
Definately shading Neil - not all of them but most of them had elements that contradicted other elements so nothing really that Andy would suggest for breeding.
Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2024 10:33 pm
by Diamond Dave
See if you can get a few photos Dave.
It’s difficult to judge without seeing them. If you have a hen that you say has a good eye I would pair that one to the cock with one that is a bit on the fuller side in the iris but with a decent inner circle if you have one. Don’t worry too much about the dark shading at present. Were the stock birds brought as stock birds or old racers Dave?
[/quote]
Thanks Andy, I wouldn't ask you to go through all my birds eyes. My initial analysis was based on all my birds and those that have some good attributes are in the race shed while the others are in the stock shed so would be difficult to pair them.
Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2024 10:37 pm
by NeilA
Diamond Dave wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 10:22 pm
NeilA wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 9:02 pm
Diamond Dave wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 5:53 pm
Well Andy, I looked into the eyes of my own birds today and tbh I was a little disappointed with what I saw.
It was a lovely sunny day and I looked with a 15X jewellers loupe and I think I made a reasonable assessment based on your basic guidelines.
For most of them, in particular the stock birds, the iris was completely full and there was "no more room in the iris for breeding". Nor was there much in the way of inner circles, let alone any wide ones, and most had quite a lot of shading. There is one or two that could be ok but I only have one hen with an eye that looks anything like the one that was posted which you said is ideal. Is there anything I can do to correct that without buying in new birds.?
Dave I was confused with shade and breeding lines could it be the breeding lines look like shade in the inner circle
Definately shading Neil - not all of them but most of them had elements that contradicted other elements so nothing really that Andy would suggest for breeding.
Bugger