Advice needed on stock birds for breeding.

[aussiegirl]

Hi there,
well im trying to get foundation stock for my wedding releases but it seems that i cannot obtain any squeakers. all the breeders here are breeding in spring ,now its autumn here. Spring will be too late for me.
I can buy stock birds and breed from them. I can pick them up tommorrow.
I can only afford 2 pairs a week.
Now ive got today to get out there and built a flight aviary for the stock birds. I know I have to lock them up so when they do eventually settle in here and breed, their offspring will be fine to release and train wont they?
Now if the stock birds do get out or when i release them later, will they take the younger ones back to their old home??
Sorry for the silly questions, ive got no one to ask here!!!
I do have some 1/2 fantails which fly ok but not as good as the racers.
So ive got my business name organised and im building the website however im stuck for now until i can organise my beautiful birds.
Thanks for any advice.

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by aussiegirl

Hi there,
well im trying to get foundation stock for my wedding releases but it seems that i cannot obtain any squeakers. all the breeders here are breeding in spring ,now its autumn here. Spring will be too late for me.
I can buy stock birds and breed from them. I can pick them up tommorrow.
I can only afford 2 pairs a week.
Now ive got today to get out there and built a flight aviary for the stock birds. I know I have to lock them up so when they do eventually settle in here and breed, their offspring will be fine to release and train wont they?
Now if the stock birds do get out or when i release them later, will they take the younger ones back to their old home??
Sorry for the silly questions, ive got no one to ask here!!!
I do have some 1/2 fantails which fly ok but not as good as the racers.
So ive got my business name organised and im building the website however im stuck for now until i can organise my beautiful birds.
Thanks for any advice.

You're best bet is to get your breeders, raise babies and fly the babies only. If you attempt to let the breeders fly, they may or may not stay. There's only one sure way to know and that's try it. If you try and they leave, then they are gone. THat's that. People DO settle older birds to their loft, but it's sure not a given and it's not easy to do. You risk putting the bird out there with either no where to go or it not knowing where to go. Then it starves to death.
OR..........wait until you can get the babies and start with them. That way you don't have any prisoners.

[aussiegirl]

Thankyou i though that may be the case.
Its just that most weddings are in spring here and its now autumn.
If i wait to buy squeakers and i may miss out there too, it will be too late.
What ill do is buy stock birds, they are $50 each and i dont work due to my MS, so its pricey but worth it, ill let the stockbirds fly home, its only 5 minutes away by air for them!! and write the Money off.
I tried to borrow the stock as he suggested but he changed his mind over the course of 2 weeks!!!
So ill buy them and release them later on and watch them or ill take them back to his house in the car so i know they are back safely!!!

[SmithFamilyLoft]

I don't think your question is one which can can be answered by a pigeon fancier. The problem is one which really needs to be answered by your banker. In the USA, one of the top three reasons why a small business fails, is "Undercapitalization". If you are not in a position to even purchase the pigeon stock needed to run your business, then you may want to rethink your whole venture, at least in terms of your time line.

I offer this bit of thinking, not as a pigeon fancier, but as someone who retired from the banking industry. One of the many banker hats I wore over the years, was that of a commercial loan officer. I would imagine, that the actual investment in the founding stock, would be a lot less expensive then many of the other items needed to start a sucessful business.

It comes from that old adage that "You can't sell apples from an empty cart".

[LokotaLoft]

I dont know why you would want to let your stock birds fly away at 50$ a piece ? why not sell them to someone that wants them and get your money back at least

[jbangelfish]

Homers are the only breed to fly to the place of their birth, that is when given substantial time to adjust to your place.
Subtantial time could be anywhere from one week to whenever it is that they have a nest or young at your place.
If you want to let your birds fly and are not concerned with what breed that you have, then crossbred birds or birds that are not homing pigeons would be the way to go.

Bill

[aussiegirl]

Originally Posted by SmithFamilyLoft

I don't think your question is one which can can be answered by a pigeon fancier. The problem is one which really needs to be answered by your banker. In the USA, one of the top three reasons why a small business fails, is "Undercapitalization". If you are not in a position to even purchase the pigeon stock needed to run your business, then you may want to rethink your whole venture, at least in terms of your time line.

I offer this bit of thinking, not as a pigeon fancier, but as someone who retired from the banking industry. One of the many banker hats I wore over the years, was that of a commercial loan officer. I would imagine, that the actual investment in the founding stock, would be a lot less expensive then many of the other items needed to start a sucessful business.

It comes from that old adage that "You can't sell apples from an empty cart".

I appreciate that advice, yes it does make sense.
Im planning to purchase 2 birds per week, surely that will build up over time when offspring do arrive.
I actually have everything else set up as in website hosting, flowers, release cages, business cards etc.
I feel that this is a business which requires Not a large amount of initial outlay compared to something like a cafe or shop.
I dont intend to apply for any loan to purchase foundation stock.
I have access to some beautiful homers which i borrowed to use at a wedding release a month ago and they were very impressed with lots of business cards handed out.
I have an arrangement with a gent who provides the birds and we share the profits 50% until I have my own birds ready.
I just wish to have my own birds!!!!
Thanks

[aussiegirl]

That is a great idea, I must say i had a migraine this morning and im really not thinking clearly but your suggestion makes much more sense.
Thanks