Racing pigeons

[usalofts]

Any questions or suggestions related to the racing pigeons are welcome here. In the sport of racing pigeons since 1971 and I'm still learning. I have had other races such as rollers, Iranian high flyers, giant homers, fantails, and trentons. In the end I foud out that I loved my homing pigeons and dedicated to strict racing pigeons. This is one area I can help answer some questions and maybe learn a few things.

[Badragoon]

I race my Rollers. Not that often, but I try to often. Someone that lives near doesn't believe that they are Rollers. He says "They can't do anything but roll for the owner's pleasure". Why does he not believe me, and why does he say that?

[Pigeonrh]

How can u race rollers...?



------------------
Ryan Harvey
~*~Crossbreed Lofts~*~
http://www.angelfire.com/or3/crossbreedloft

[indie backroll]

He doesnt beleive you because a roller in a race would waste so much energy on rolling that it would consistantly take last place if you were racing against true racers.

~Brian

[usalofts]

Racing rollers....Hmmmm. That's new. And how far can you race them? I had a few rollers once. Some rolled so much they hit the house, other got scared by the hawk, landed on a neighbor's house and never made it back.
Nice birds and cute, but homing ability? Maybe mixed with homers will do. I do not recommend it...

[usalofts]

Racing young birds start at 100 miles. Around 7am-8am they are released and expected by 9-10am. Ex: last year young bird races at 100miles were released at 7:45am. The first bird made it back in the clock (in the loft that is) at 09:34:55 followed by the second at 09:34:56 and third 09:35:08.
Old birds (1 Yr old) start racing at 250miles, next 300 2-3x, 400,250,500,300 and 600miles-2times . At 600 miles the bird released at 6:30 am made it home at 19:54:07 same day.
The old Trenton birds used to be raced up to 1000 miles.These were 2-3 day races.The longest distance record was established at 2500 miles and was 43 days 10 hrs on 04/18/1937 by RW Taubert from Highland Park Racing Pigeon Club.Most of the recent races are from 200-600.Homers that are strong built do good on long races, because they have more stamina and endurance, but they lack speed for short distances and usually come late from short distances. The small to medium built are better suited for short distances. They are sprinters good for speed up to 300-400 miles. They tend to get lost at 500-600miles or return late and exhausted. The trick is to be able to recognize the quality of each bird and category for which they could perform best. Just like people.We would not consider a lightweight boxer to fight with the heavyweights and succeed. Recognizing the bird's limitations will increase the winning chances in the races and proper breeding to obtain results.

[raynjudy]

Indy writes, in part, "because a roller in a race would waste so much energy on rolling that it would consistantly take last place if you were racing against true racers."

Ah yes, but it would consistently lose with "style".

--Ray

[usalofts]

Racing pigeons is not only fun, but could be a money making venture, and I don't mean selling birds either.Most combines (a group of clubs) have winning prizes up to a million dollars such as the SouthAfrican Million Dollar Race. Regional races such as the one won by the Oak Heaven Farms/Peeman&Sons loft in the San Diego Classic in 1994-1st place was $32,202. The birds can sell for as low as $1.00 and as high as $186,000 each."Normal" prices for a good proven strain is from $100 to $500 with some champion birds or imports going from $1000-$5000. Mike Ganus lowest priced bird is at $400 each for the grandchildren of proven blood lines and he is normally sold out this time of the year.

[usalofts]

Buying high price racing pigeons is not a guarantee to success. I know some people that have spent a lot, yet they still do not show at the top when racing time comes.A good blood line from a proven strain is essential if you do not want to spend years refining your own.I know other people that have an eye for good birds, train constantly and select only the best for breeding according to the bird's physical limitations.Year after year they are at the top winning big time.New members buy birds from them and lose them at 2miles. Why? It takes more than just a good blood line to succeed. It is a combination of good birds, health, diet, steady supply of grit, vitamins and minerals, training and most important a good eye for detail, to name just a few. The satisfaction is great. To see these birs come from 600 miles straight into your loft with 30-40miles headwind on constant basis makes one feel that the "bird brain" was changed from an insult into a compliment.Many will argue that is instinct not intellect.They will never convince me. I can look at my pigeons and I can tell when they are happy or sad, hostile or friendlly, playful or lazy and each one has a loving personallity. Once in a while I find a dumb one too. It is the one that is reckless, flyies on his own, sits in the trees or neighbor's house, does not trap well, does not come when called for feeding. That one normally gets lost on race day, or if it returns on time will stay outside and not trap, therfore not counted, or become a meal for the hawk.

[Psion]

Racing rollers?? Just what kind of rollers are these?

:S
Nick

[usalofts]

Tips for Starters
The Janssen Brothers advise the following things.
• A very dry loft with a lot of fresh air.
• A good family of pigeons
• Everything at a time schedule
• Patience
• Learn how to race pigeons
• Never force anything
• Watch your birds carefully
• Watch the balance, the wing, the head, and the feathers
There is no doubt that this is a great lifelong hobby for all the family.
Who are the Janssen brothers? The founders of the Janssen strain... still one of the best in the sport of racing pigeons.
For 75 years the Janssen Bothers have won top prizes in the races. They have never advertised. It's the race results that took care of the advertising.
• From 1935 to 1939 they won over 60 firsts, including: April 10, 1938 - 380 pigeons, shipped 17, they were 1-2-3-8-9-15-26-36-56-57-82-100; April 24, 1938 - 294 birds, shipped 12, they were 1-2-4-10-12-26-28
• From 1945 to 1951 they won 80 times first, including: May 5, 1945 - 682 birds, shipped 15, they were 1-2-4-5-6-7-18-25-30-42-92; August 29, 1949 - 526 pigeons, shipped 14, they were 1-2-3-4--5-6-7-13-17-28-31-65-96-174; May 28, 1951 - 700 pigeons, shipped 18, they were 1-2-3-4-9-12-23-35-38-39-62-85-142-170-185
• April 27, 1952 - 203 birds, shipped 12, they were 1-2-3-4-5-6-9-12-13-18-32-57
• 1953 - 28 times first
• 1954 - 30 times first
• 1955 - 32 times first
• 1956 - 30 times first
• 1957 - 17 times first
• 1958 - 15 times first

[usalofts]

The Feeding according to the Janssen method.
The feeding of the birds is by far the most important part. Most of the fanciers give their birds too much food. It is extremely important to feed the birds in a way that they always have their ideal weight. Their feeding-schedule for the short- and middle-distance races is as follows: On Monday and Tuesday, very light grains; after that, bit by bit, some more energy in the food; and on Saturday morning only small seeds. Charel gives an extra tip by telling that you must be sure birds, when shipped, do not have too much food, otherwise they get thirsty in the basket. The Janssen Brothers mix their own food; all kinds of grains stay separated in bags in the attic, and daily they turn it by mixing it with a stick. The feeding time is adapted to the season. According to the Janssens, it's not important if you feed them at daylight or with electric light, but for them, they stay with nature as long as they can. Important, however, is that the birds get fed always at the same time of the day.
The birds get in the winter: 31% corn, 38% barley, 15% wheat, and 15% beans. In the summer: 30% corn, 25% English peas, 27% wheat, 13% barley, and 5% beans.
In zones of the country where the summer heat is in the upper 90 degrees F corn is not recomended. Janssen bros. lived in Belgium where is not that hot. Corn releases heat and is helpful in the cold climates. In the summer time KayTee Bay-MoreWC 15 w/popcorn and high pea content or NC 15 containing esential sterilized hemp is good for nutrition of racing birds(kaytee.com)Red and Grey grits must always be available.Another good source of scientific nutrition for homing pigeons is Heritage Acres (www.heritageacres.on.ca)

[usalofts]

The Mating
What qualities to consider as important for a good pigeon to have. They say that the important things are:
• The balance of a bird
• A strong back
• Silky feathers
• Strong vents
• A strong eye
• A short backwing
• The primaries not too wide
• The last three primaries, if possible, the same length
• A small tail
• Extra important are the vitality and courage of the bird
Our next question: how can we increase the odds of breeding these types of birds? Janssens tell us:
"At first comes good performances and pedigree. We like to do some inbreeding—nephew to niece seems the best mating. That's how we got the best results. The following things we tried never to do: Never mate two big birds together, otherwise you get chickens. Never mate small pigeons together, or pigeons both of whom have deep keels. Also, never mate pigeons together with so called white eyes. As far as we are concerned, the vitality and the colour must stay in the eyes, especially with pearl-eyed pigeons, one must provide to breed the colour out of the eyes."

[Badragoon]

It took me a little while to get to this post again. I was reading the others. My Rollers are regular and Birmingham. As I wrote in the post "are helmets performing pigeons?" Mine Roll/Tumble on command. They seldemly do any other time. They are faster then any of my Racing/Show Homers. The only bad thing is that the homers can go further without getting tired as soon. They also don't need to drink as soon as my rollers. My Rollers are some of the fastest pigeons I've seen. I was just asking why the breeder I mentioned didn't believe that they were Rollers. I know for a fact that they are.

[indie backroll]

Great job USAlofts you are doing great with the racer info.

~Brian