I decided not to train a 2 month old pigeon

5248 Views 31 Replies 12 Participants Last post by RodSD, May 6, 2009

de Vera Loft

Discussion Starter · Apr 27, 2009

A friend gave me a 2 month old pigeon and I decided not to train him or her.. This bird came from a winning line of my friend... It's just a gift though!!! Now, my plan is to keep the pigeon and breed him/her in the future to have another line of youngsters for the race next season.. Is this a good idea??? If not, what should I do with this pigeon??? Is it possible to produce competitive youngsters for the race or it will be just luck is ever.. Please help!!!

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learning

· #2 · Apr 27, 2009

de Vera Loft said:
A friend gave me a 2 month old pigeon and I decided not to train him or her.. This bird came from a winning line of my friend... It's just a gift though!!! Now, my plan is to keep the pigeon and breed him/her in the future to have another line of youngsters for the race next season.. Is this a good idea??? If not, what should I do with this pigeon??? Is it possible to produce competitive youngsters for the race or it will be just luck is ever.. Please help!!!

Sound like a sound plan to me. If you are wanting a new cross for the birds you already have then that is the route I would go.

Dan

g0ldenb0y55

· #3 · Apr 27, 2009

If you don't want to take the chance of loosing the bird from training then stick to your plan and keep him/her as just a prisoner. Personally, I would trap and loft train the youngster so that it's settled to your loft and that will eliminate any chance of loosing it. It's still young enough to resettle IMO.

Ed

· #4 · Apr 27, 2009

you got quite a choice to make lol
its kinda hard to know if the bird will produce winners if it hasnt been raced itself to prove how good it is.

ace in the hole

· #5 · Apr 27, 2009

When it comes to racing pigeons it is all a gamble. If you did fly, train and race this bird and it turned out to be a good racer. That still would not mean it would be a good breeder. If you train and race it you stand "at least" a 50% chance you will loose it. By not flying it, it will get that chance to breed and what it produces will tell you if she was worth keeping or not. At least this way you will get the chance to find out!! If you want this bloodline not flying it is the right choice.

Ace

g0ldenb0y55

· #6 · Apr 27, 2009

StoN3d said:
you got quite a choice to make lol
its kinda hard to know if the bird will produce winners if it hasnt been raced itself to prove how good it is.

It's hard to tell if any bird will produce winners in any case IMO. Some winners make horrible breeders and some non-winners only produce winners....I would say it's a toss up anyway you look at it. Even some of our experts in this forum can only assume.

Lovebirds

· #7 · Apr 27, 2009

g0ldenb0y55 said:
If you don't want to take the chance of loosing the bird from training then stick to your plan and keep him/her as just a prisoner. Personally, I would trap and loft train the youngster so that it's settled to your loft and that will eliminate any chance of loosing it. It's still young enough to resettle IMO.

I agree 100%......AT LEAST, break it to your loft.....you don't have to fly it all the time, or even let it out every time the other birds are out. Just teach it where HOME is and HOW to get back in that home..........

LUCKYT

· #8 · Apr 27, 2009

YES! Well put Henry. Dave

g0ldenb0y55

· #9 · Apr 27, 2009

LUCKYT said:
YES! Well put Henry. Dave

Thanks Dave. I finally got one right! lol.

LUCKYT

· #10 · Apr 27, 2009

Dude! you get a lot right, remember, there are Many ways to do most stages/management subjects! I just happen to be VERY opinionated about the care of my Birds! LOL! Dave

g0ldenb0y55

· #11 · Apr 27, 2009

LUCKYT said:
Dude! you get a lot right, remember, there are Many ways to do most stages/management subjects! I just happen to be VERY opinionated about the care of my Birds! LOL! Dave

Yes, and to have an opinion means that one truly knows and cares about their birds! Which is the case with you, Renee, Warren and a few others on this site.

RodSD

· #12 · Apr 28, 2009

Ouch! I prefer facts than opinions! That is why I test people's opinions and do "stupid" experiments. But if they turned out right, I have even more respect to that person. Because that person is wise!

I am 50/50 on what de Vera Loft is thinking of doing. In my "opinion" (LOL!) he/she will end up as pedigree breeder (please no offense--I am not saying that you are a pedigree breeder, but could end up with!). Statistically, if you believe in bell curve shape, most pigeons are average. I think only 10-20% are actually good birds.( I have decided in my loft that breeding birds should have earned that spot!) Now, even Jos Thone after breeding his champion birds ended up with only 1 good pigeon after breeding 10 youngsters.

In my "opinion" you most likely will breed "average" pigeons than "good" or "champion" ones.

Now if de Vera losses that bird and it happens to be a gift and breaks friendship, then he/she definitely has to keep the bird because something else is at stake! Perhaps to compromise just do what Henry, Dave and Renee say and perhaps loft fly that bird.

Opinions that turned out true are perhaps greater than facts because it shows wisdom which time and experience give.

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de Vera Loft

Discussion Starter · #13 · Apr 28, 2009

g0ldenb0y55 said:
If you don't want to take the chance of loosing the bird from training then stick to your plan and keep him/her as just a prisoner. Personally, I would trap and loft train the youngster so that it's settled to your loft and that will eliminate any chance of loosing it. It's still young enough to resettle IMO.

Thanks!!! I'll stick with your advise... Another thing, what is the advisable age for a pigeon to start breeding???

g0ldenb0y55

· #14 · Apr 28, 2009

I've been told to start them at exactly a year old before you let them have their first set of babies. You can if you want start as early 6-8 months depending on the maturity of your birds.

Big T

· #15 · Apr 29, 2009

g0ldenb0y55 said:
I've been told to start them at exactly a year old before you let them have their first set of babies. You can if you want start as early 6-8 months depending on the maturity of your birds.

One year is a good rule to follow. I let one young pair keep their first eggs and they were sorry parents. Lost one baby and fostered the other. Waited two more months letting them sit on dummy eggs before I let them try again, then they were mature enough to raise babies. If you let them mate, foster the eggs and give them dummies until they are a year old.

Just my opinion,
Tony

Crazy Pete

· #16 · Apr 29, 2009

I have a bird the same age, how long befor i can start it in the settling cage?
Dave

RodSD

· #17 · Apr 29, 2009

Crazy Pete (Dave),
Start a new thread and tell us about these birds that you are talking about.

Crazy Pete

· #18 · Apr 29, 2009

de Vera Loft decided not to train a 2 month old bird, and every body said to settle it. I would like to know how long to keep the bird befor i can settle them, i baught 2 Houbens the same age.
Dave

g0ldenb0y55

· #19 · Apr 29, 2009

Crazy Pete said:
de Vera Loft decided not to train a 2 month old bird, and every body said to settle it. I would like to know how long to keep the bird befor i can settle them, i baught 2 Houbens the same age.
Dave

You can start settling the birds right away if they are 2 months old. They are in no risk of getting lost during the trap training and settling cage phases. Just make sure the have plenty of time in the settling cage before you decide to let them completely out of the loft. I would recommend 3-4 weeks. This will give them ample time to get familiar with the loft and give you time to teach them to trap with your feed call.

Crazy Pete

· #20 · Apr 29, 2009

Thanks, I've ha them for 4 days i'll put them out to settle if it ever stops raining.
Dave

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