# Pigeon Swap!



## Kal-El (Oct 10, 2008)

Who would be interested in doing a pigeon(s) swap? Same lines as wife swap but not exactly. Swap pigeons with another member from this forum, race the bird(s), and post up the results!

This would be a great way to test out birds in different parts of the country.


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## FT33 (Jan 27, 2005)

I think this is a great idea. I would be interested in doing this.


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## warpaint (Dec 10, 2008)

Idea sounds good but I would prefer trading with someone I trust or know. Sometimes people just want to acquire good birds from other individuals. Also information of birds swapping must not be told what they are to ensure that the bird makes it through the young bird season and not kept in the loft for breeding.
I have friends who traded birds with other individuals before and were told the birds were lost during training but to find out it was loft flown and kept for breeding. Some of the birds did make it to the race but only 3 out of 9 which 6 were tucked away.

Another note is why swap same blood lines? Unless your original purpose is to take the bird and breed it back to your family? Swap should be swap regardless of strain, after all the point is to see how birds perform in different areas.

More importantly, I all depends on how the handler takes care of the birds and trains it. The system one uses as well as flying experiences is the key to success. If birds were put in a loft that year after year have had ok returns versus another loft which has been consistant yr after yr. It may be the handler and not the pigeons, so how would one determine if the bird is bad or not? 

There's alot to it but these are my two cents and thoughts about it.


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## Kal-El (Oct 10, 2008)

Warpaint, that would be up to both parties to agree to go through with the process. Trust has to come from both parties. And the communication between the breeder/handler has to be clear and both parties have to agree on everything before the birds are shipped. There could be arrangements for the breeder to get his bird(s) back. Or if the handler could keep the birds. This is an idea for flyers to test out their birds in other parts of the country.


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## whitesnmore (Sep 9, 2004)

warpaint said:


> Idea sounds good but I would prefer trading with someone I trust or know. Sometimes people just want to acquire good birds from other individuals. Also information of birds swapping must not be told what they are to ensure that the bird makes it through the young bird season and not kept in the loft for breeding.
> I have friends who traded birds with other individuals before and were told the birds were lost during training but to find out it was loft flown and kept for breeding. Some of the birds did make it to the race but only 3 out of 9 which 6 were tucked away.
> 
> Another note is why swap same blood lines? Unless your original purpose is to take the bird and breed it back to your family? Swap should be swap regardless of strain, after all the point is to see how birds perform in different areas.
> ...


I think you misunderstood his sentence. He said along the same line as "Wife Swap". I agree wholeheartedly with eveything you said. I would not have a problem doing the swap thing but I dont think swapping 2 birds would prove much of anything. If you were to do this I feel that a minimum of 4 or 6 would have to be swapped out to get a fair opportunity to see their worth. We have sent birds to people to fly for us and not given any pedigree info until they proved race results on the specific birds. Why keep pedigrees on 80 youngsters you raised when only 10-15 are really worthy of the next years perch? Just MHO


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## Kal-El (Oct 10, 2008)

The breeder and handler can agree to how many birds would be included in the swap. And it can go both ways. Two flyers can swap four to six birds and see how the birds did in another flyer's loft. 

For example, I would send the nestmate of one promising pair to a handler and race the other just to see how the different handling did to the performance.


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## g0ldenb0y55 (Dec 23, 2008)

This sounds like a great idea but I can see potential road bumps along they way. I would love to participate but the other party would have to go through a great amount of screening before I ship my birds out to him/her...


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## warpaint (Dec 10, 2008)

yes I misundestood a little, I read through it a little fast. I still think there will be road bumps along the way. Thats why many fanciers send birds to friends to test out who lives all around. Swapping birds to random forum members are a little risky. 

If I were to do it, I would have to base it on how good of a flyer or handler the person who I will be swapping birds with. I would have to see his race results for maybe a 2yr period. As stated in earlier post, A consistant flyer will probably bring out the birds potential compared to an average joe who hasn't got a system down or someone with poor results year after year.


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## 1981 (Aug 9, 2006)

warpaint said:


> yes I misundestood a little, I read through it a little fast. I still think there will be road bumps along the way. Thats why many fanciers send birds to friends to test out who lives all around. Swapping birds to random forum members are a little risky. If I were to do it, I would have to base it on how good of a flyer or handler the person who I will be swapping birds with. I would have to see his race results for maybe a 2yr period. As stated in earlier post, A consistant flyer will probably bring out the birds potential compared to an average joe who hasn't got a system down or someone with poor results year after year.


This swapping thing would be a great idea. I agree with you. I wouldn't want to swap birds with someone who does it just to bring in good birds for them. Even if you have an understanding and trust of each other, what are the chances that both of you will send your best youngs?


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## [MN]eXist^_^ (Feb 13, 2009)

Whom ever sends there weak one are just sorry lol.


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## warpaint (Dec 10, 2008)

That's exactly right. Both parties may think that they are getting good birds but one or the others conscience will come into play and one or maybe both will not send the best they both have but maybe offsprings off the race team to try. 

When I send birds to friends to fly I will send the grandkids and keep the directs for myself to fly or send them to the loft races. Swapping a direct offspring is sometimes precious to fanciers as it is coming from their best presumely. 

I'd say swapping birds are always good but it has to be to someone you would trust and someone who is reliable. Sending birds to random people is like the saying, " buy at your own risk" or "no refund"


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

I would sorta kinda be interested  The shipping cost is just what gets me.


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## Kal-El (Oct 10, 2008)

I think the bumps in the road could be lessened with the first phone call and many more to get to know and trust the handler who you're sending birds to. 

I can say that there are some guys on here who I would ship a couple birds to for this idea.


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

I really don't see this working out to good. Sure, some here could "make it work", but on the surface. It just seems a lot to do about little.

Isn't this type of thing done in the clubs and combines all of the time anyway? Am I going to get some of your best sutff for some of my best stuff? And it being equal?

I doubt it in most cases. Friends could do this without a coordinated effort here on PT.

Having said all of that. I am ready to send some birds to SFL, ProPigeon, IrishSydicate, HFL, George Simon, R.Lee or any of a dozen other guys and gals here, if they want my drek in exchange for their birds.  (see what I mean)


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## ace geon (Feb 7, 2010)

I would agree with you. I would not want to send my birds to someone who is not a good handler. Always have to look to their race result 2yrs+.


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## 1981 (Aug 9, 2006)

Adding to that, if The swap goes well, the other person may not like the way your birds handle and may cull it just because of that. The bird may never get to see it's first training toss or race.


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