[adamant]

well after 47 birds i am down to 7. i was talking to a member and he was down to 1..

 

[Guest]

well after 47 birds i am down to 7. i was talking to a member and he was down to 1..

heard it was a bad year for racing all over the country this year

 

[Lovelace]

I started the races with 31 down to 28

 

[Guest]

Lovelace did you do open loft again this year ? just curious?

 

[ohiogsp]

Started 46 down to 10.

 

[A_Smith]

I started with 53 have 14 in the combine truck(s) today. 1 yb still at home.

 

[whitesnmore]

Started with 48 for week 1 and ended on week 11 with 33. Better than most years!! I too have heard of alot of losses.

 

[Skyeking]

I really appreciate you all being honest here. I am in shock at some of the staggering numbers. Is it weather, other phenomina?

What could be the reason why so many birds have been lost-any idea what happened to them, and has there been any account of the lost birds by rehabbers??

I sure hope for the sake of these little lives that these numbers decrease in the future by whatever can or needs to be done.

I just had to ask....thanks for your response.

 

[rackerman]

Just wondering why so many loses? I only have eight, so I am worried for when I start racing!

 

[Lovelace]

Yes, I sure did do open again. I love the birds having their freedom

 

[[MN]eXist^_^]

24 to 12. 2many birds 2much work. Not enough attention.

 

[ohiogsp]

Up one to 11.

 

[ohiogsp]

12 birds.

 

[adamant]

one more just came home after 2 weeks out.. i am up to 8 now.. i think some get hung up with other birds at the combine release and never split off and they fly to other lofts and hang out before the loft owner realizes that they are not his and tosses them out.....

 

[Alamo]

Started with 26......Lost 6.....Gave 1 to a buddy,for his stock loft..Have 19 in the loft....Have my last race this Saturday.....300M + Bond Race...Weather forcast is rain for Saturday...So I guess Sunday will be the day....12 Cocks going to the race!! Alamo

 

[SmithFamilyLoft]

well after 47 birds i am down to 7. i was talking to a member and he was down to 1..

I am too embarrassed to be really honest here....many of you did better then me.....this year has caused me to rethink some of my ideas as to most losses being caused by less then perfect management or training mistakes. I'm ready to buy into the idea that something in the enviorment is causing a large percentage of homing pigeons to no longer find home.

Which could be a bit scary if you think about it.

 

[hillfamilyloft]

I am too embarrassed to be really honest here....many of you did better then me.....this year has caused me to rethink some of my ideas as to most losses being caused by less then perfect management or training mistakes. I'm ready to buy into the idea that something in the enviorment is causing a large percentage of homing pigeons to no longer find home.

Which could be a bit scary if you think about it.

We are down about 50% of our birds on our ABQ team for the first 4 races. Funny how all of my birds left are from the same family that always does well for me. We are not having as good as results as last year.

Now Warren I did not think you were a K factor kind of guy. You are the same guy that told me you can breed a family of birds that do not hit wires. Just razzing you. One environmental factor that we might want to consider is the overpopulation of predator birds. If you think of the area we fly over, canyon lands, pine forests, cliffs, river valleys, dessert etc and factor in the population over a 300 mile race. Our birds are out numbered by predators 10:1. Numerous times this year the birds have been coming in with hawks on their tail. Just an idea.

Randy

 

[SmithFamilyLoft]

We are down about 50% of our birds on our ABQ team for the first 4 races....

Now Warren I did not think you were a K factor kind of guy. You are the same guy that told me you can breed a family of birds that do not hit wires. Just razzing you.....

Randy

Naw....if I am going to blame lost birds on something, then it's going to have to be a lot more exotic then something as mundane as K Factor....I am thinking that those new high tech military communication links are the cause...or something like that....but you are correct, in that some birds did find home and have turned in three 1st Place wins so far....and so they will contribute to next generation. That way I can breed around that military high frequency signal stuff.....

 

[re lee]

I mentoined a year or 2 back on a thread just as this about possible military radar or such. as in global losses that year many birds were plain lost in very large numbers. BUT as you rethink For here in the U S the hawk population has soared in recent years THE old cooper is here to stay and getting larger in numbers. PIGEON main fear is hawks And a hawk will scatter birds and cause panic. Chasing birds on there way home from the race off course in a panic. SO this very well can be a problem. What can be done NOTHING hawks are protected. Perhaps its going back to the early race years . BUT if it is really military related Race birds may become doomed. AND large teams also have larger losses because they will be loosing the lesser birds. Still think the hawks now play a role on race day more so then they have in 50 to 75 years.

 

[Alamo]

I usally raise between 25 to 32 YB`s each year,since I have returned to racing after an 11 year layoff....Pigeon guys here said my birds would not be any good,since I did not race them in 11 years,and I was going to lose most of them...My breeding would not be any good because I only bred yb`s in one year out of the 11 years...Well folks,here`s my total yb`s I have lost in the last 6 years since I have returned....
2004.......lost 8
2005.......lost 12
2006.......lost 8
2007.......lost 4
2008.......lost 6
2009.......lost 6....... 1 more race to go.....
My average is 7.5 birds per year.....I do have an opinion on this matter...I beleive alot of lofts here have better RACING pigeons then I do....I have good racing pigeons,but I have better HOMING pigeons then alot of people here have...I think your birds have to be both great HOMERS and GREAT RACERS at the same time...I also beleive too many lofts breed MORE pigeons then they really need,and can keep 110% healthy,all of the time....There`s an old proverb...Sometimes LESS is MORE !!!.....Try breeding LESS YB`s from your BEST pairs....Switch your eggs to foster parents...Breed 40 Yb`s,and give them the best care,and clean loft etc...And maybe you will not lose so many...Maybe your just losing all the DUD`s,that you should have not have bred, to begin with....Alamo