Be carefull when buying fresh stockbirds

It is usually the custom to purchase a new bird or two before the breeding season starts. The question that arises is what to buy and are the seller selling you a good pigeon for breeding. Here are my thoughts.

  1. The most important fact is that you must be able to trust the seller.
  2. Online bidding is an easy way to get rid of bad pigeons by sellers – WHY?…. The websites selling these birds uses “fotoshop” to change the foto or the bird from bad to really outstanding.  You hardly ever see the real pigeon you buy. Heads, wings, eyes, feet and the position of the ring are even changed on some fotos. On the end foto the pigeon always have got this wonderfull shine to the feathering. The pigeon always stands in a beautifull upright position…. the one the same as the other????. All done with tamplets and technology.
    The question: Why not place a photo of the pigeon as it is?…..It’s all done for larger bids…..money!
    AND REMEMBER THE WEBSITE CAN BID AGAINST YOU. Here is a true incident…I once bidded on a youngbird donated by Pros Roosen. Towards the closing time of the sale the donater bidded against me..Or did the wedsite just use his name?
    Another incident…. I saw a very interesting Geerinckx cock on a website and first phoned them to give me an evaluation on the bird. They did and it all sounded great. I mentioned to the website owner that I had very good success with these birds and that I wanted to buy the bird. The price on the pigeon stood still for nearly a week on 110 euro. Five minutes before the close of the sale a submitted my bid of 120 euro.The website automatically declined my bid as to low…another bidder!!!….130euro…no… another bidder. BUT THERE WAS NO OTHER BIDDER REFLECTED ON THE WEDSITE’S BIDDING SHEET!!!! I wanted the pigeon and continued upwards up to 320 euro. Only then it accepted my bid. This was a super pigeon and they knew it and would not give it to me cheaply.
    I have purchased a few pigeons on these online auctions myself. Wonderfull pedigrees and fotos….thousands of rands…..and not worth a dime.
  3. Only about 7% of all pigeons are good pigeons and only 1% are really super pigeons (racers or breeders).
    So only 7% of any pigeons you buy will give you some joy. That is why so many fanciers sit with a loft full of breeders and only a few produces some good youngsters. The same with youngsters you breed for the race team. Out of 100 youngsters you will only get about 7 really smart racers. This is why i say that the trust factor is very important, as only the honest sellers will guide you to the better pigeon.
  4. All strains of pigeons are good to work with. You must just be sure what you want to buy. Short to middle distance birds OR middle to long distance birds. Don’t just buy pigeons. Success in the pigeons sport comes from making your mind up on what you want to achieve, setting up a plan, focus and executing it…It is the same formule you must use to be successful in life.
  5. Pigeon are not worth thousands of rands in most parts of the world. Maybe in some European countries, but surely not in South Africa. Young stockbirds are not worth more than R5000.00. So if you are offered a South African bred bird and the seller asks more than R5000.00 for it, it must be a very well tested pigeon in the breeding or racing loft. There are such pigeons in our country.
  6. Always try to buy young birds from well tested stock birds. To set your mind on old breeders is not the way to go, as you will breed far less good racers from old stock than from young breeders. Sellers will usually get rid of old birds that did not produce any good youngsters. Not may fanciers can kill their bad breeders. They rather keep them until you come along or they give them away for someone else to try (without success).
    Just remember that the 7% success rate is applicable on the young breeders/racers you buy. With some luck a little more.
  7. Buy your future stock from lofts that perform well in strong competition. Remember that you will only fly as well as the lofts where your stock birds come from. If they come from a weak loft flying against weak competition, you will fly bad. If they come from a strong loft that flies against strong opposition, you will race well.