UkPigeonRacing

I reckon that you guys would know if the bird was half decent whether in a sale, in an auction or if it came in as a stray!
I dont have that skill to know what I'm looking for yet.

Diamond Dave wrote: ↑Sat Mar 15, 2025 1:55 pm I reckon that you guys would know if the bird was half decent whether in a sale, in an auction or if it came in as a stray!
I dont have that skill to know what I'm looking for yet.

I wouldn’t have a clue Dave
I thought I had a idea and they are things I like mostly the obvious things
Balance , a tail not like a windmill etc
My best cock won the fed 3 times and lots of fed cards he was awful in the hand
All a big front no back no rump I use to pass him at marking to blokes that new wouldn’t make a comment on his type
So now all that matters is racing records and what I like to look at each morning . In my view if you don’t open the shed and feel good and happy it rubs off on them
A lot of what people say are good are just picking what they like in there hands there are very very few experts

NeilA wrote: ↑Sat Mar 15, 2025 1:40 pm

king wrote: ↑Sat Mar 15, 2025 1:31 pm

NeilA wrote: ↑Sat Mar 15, 2025 9:21 am I couldn’t do that Trev sorry Bowbroom but strays are not for me
Reporting them yes then dealing with them after but strays are not joining my team

Once many years ago in the early 80s, (1981 I think) sending to GNEFC Clermont 352 miles. At the time a well supported club, if I recall over 160 members sent. I had the first to birds into York finishing 15th & 31st open and won a watch BOTH birds I clocked were STRAYS, one was an escaped stock bird, that went on to card a few times over the channel including Poitiers 514 miles, the other a sprint bird a Karl Herman which was actually a stray for a club member who give her to me. She went on to win some 15 club cards, and bred Winners for me. This hens nestmate, a cock won 30 x 1sts for the original owner.

For every good one there are a 1000 plus crap ones King
Nothing will change my mind on that
If it’s your thing good luck to you all but it’s not for me I move every pigeon on here that hasn’t scored in the fed 2 times min as a yearling so they thought of keeping a stray isn’t in my management
I gave 2 fed winners away this year a cock last year with 5 fed cards so allowing a box for a stray isn’t in my thinking I just can’t consider it as a positive move forward
Like Trev said we are all different and if racing a stray is what you like to do who am I to say it’s wrong for your system

I agree Neil.

One thing that cannot be argued with is that a stray is a pigeon that has failed to have the mental capacity to return to its natural home

Now if that’s the foundation you want to build your loft around then I wish that person all the very best of luck - he’ll need it

The two most important things about a performance pigeon will never be discovered by handling it or looking in its eyes, throat or at its wings and that is what it has in its head and heart.
Talking of strays, wasn’t one of the parents of Ron Greens Champion Breakaway a stray?

I think so yes

Like we say for every rule there’s an exception

Ron used to come to our house on many occasions but I’ll be buggered if I can totally remember the breeding

There was a time I knew the breeding well

Just looked it up, he was bred by Stan Walker for Ron from a Gorin Cock and a stray Dutch hen picked up at Arthur Beardsmores factory, this pair apparently bred several good birds

Yea that sounds about right

I knew Stan and King Arthur were involved

MIL wrote: ↑Sat Mar 15, 2025 2:16 pm

NeilA wrote: ↑Sat Mar 15, 2025 1:40 pm

king wrote: ↑Sat Mar 15, 2025 1:31 pm

Once many years ago in the early 80s, (1981 I think) sending to GNEFC Clermont 352 miles. At the time a well supported club, if I recall over 160 members sent. I had the first to birds into York finishing 15th & 31st open and won a watch BOTH birds I clocked were STRAYS, one was an escaped stock bird, that went on to card a few times over the channel including Poitiers 514 miles, the other a sprint bird a Karl Herman which was actually a stray for a club member who give her to me. She went on to win some 15 club cards, and bred Winners for me. This hens nestmate, a cock won 30 x 1sts for the original owner.

For every good one there are a 1000 plus crap ones King
Nothing will change my mind on that
If it’s your thing good luck to you all but it’s not for me I move every pigeon on here that hasn’t scored in the fed 2 times min as a yearling so they thought of keeping a stray isn’t in my management
I gave 2 fed winners away this year a cock last year with 5 fed cards so allowing a box for a stray isn’t in my thinking I just can’t consider it as a positive move forward
Like Trev said we are all different and if racing a stray is what you like to do who am I to say it’s wrong for your system

I agree Neil.

One thing that cannot be argued with is that a stray is a pigeon that has failed to have the mental capacity to return to its natural home

Now if that’s the foundation you want to build your loft around then I wish that person all the very best of luck - he’ll need it

I believe strays fall into 2 categories, those as you say that don't have the mental capacity to return home & and those that don't have the physical condition to return home. The 2 are totally different.

But the physical ones are blatantly obvious

MIL wrote: ↑Sat Mar 15, 2025 8:11 pm But the physical ones are blatantly obvious

To be honest not knocking the lads that keep strays but we only hear of the good ones there are 1000’s of shit that stay shit and putting them in your loft is just looking for a needle in a haystack n the hope you find a ace
Not you Trev as I know you are not always race focused and you like you distance stuff and having the birds how you want them
But If flying to 350 miles which most in the country do in feds now Just move on every pigeon at the end of the yearling stage that hasn’t met your grading system
Next year make your grading system harder to meet
It’s a lot easier and quicker to find the good ones than keeping strays