# Bands



## Avion (May 28, 2007)

I just received some 08 bands from Foys and I noticed that on one end there is a nice smooth rim and on the other end, there is what appears/feels like a sharp edge. Has anyone done anything to smoothen the sharp edge or do you just leave it like it is. It appears that it would be uncomefortable for the bird to have that sharp edge rubbing against his leg.

George


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Avion said:


> I just received some 08 bands from Foys and I noticed that on one end there is a nice smooth rim and on the other end, there is what appears/feels like a sharp edge. Has anyone done anything to smoothen the sharp edge or do you just leave it like it is. It appears that it would be uncomefortable for the bird to have that sharp edge rubbing against his leg.
> 
> George


Band the bird so that the "rim" is what is resting on the foot. That will put the band on upside down I believe. I try to put them on that way, but sometimes get it backwards. They don't seem to bother the bird one way or the other.


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## Avion (May 28, 2007)

I think I read somewhere that it goes on upside down so when you have the bird in your hand, and the feet pointing toward the tail, the numbers are right side up.

George


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## Pigeon0446 (Apr 22, 2007)

The bands are made to sit on the leg so that you can read the writing when the bird is standing. I personally hate when the bands are upside down. In fact if I see a bird in an auction even if I like the bird I wouldn't buy it if the bands upside down but thats just me most guys could care less which way the band is. I put all my bands right side up on the left leg. One good thing about putting them all on the same leg is that you can pick out a stranger pretty easily if they have the band on the opposite leg even when you've got a 100 birds on the coop. Thats what my dad uses to pick out the stangers. I don't need to look at the bands as I know all my birds I can pick the strangers out just by looking at the birds faces.


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## learning (May 19, 2006)

Pigeon0446 said:


> The bands are made to sit on the leg so that you can read the writing when the bird is standing. I personally hate when the bands are upside down. In fact if I see a bird in an auction even if I like the bird I wouldn't buy it if the bands upside down but thats just me most guys could care less which way the band is. I put all my bands right side up on the left leg. One good thing about putting them all on the same leg is that you can pick out a stranger pretty easily if they have the band on the opposite leg even when you've got a 100 birds on the coop. Thats what my dad uses to pick out the stangers. I don't need to look at the bands as I know all my birds I can pick the strangers out just by looking at the birds faces.


I tell you one thing, it sure is a lot easier and faster on shipping night when you have the bird in hand and have 500 others waiting, to have that band so you can read it (upside down if the bird is standing). There are a lot of guys that will really give you a hare time if you put it so it is upside down when in hand.

Dan


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## Pigeon0446 (Apr 22, 2007)

learning said:


> I tell you one thing, it sure is a lot easier and faster on shipping night when you have the bird in hand and have 500 others waiting, to have that band so you can read it (upside down if the bird is standing). There are a lot of guys that will really give you a hare time if you put it so it is upside down when in hand.




My club ships out 450 to 600 birds each week and 90% of the the birds have the bands so that you can read them when they are standing not when your holding the bird. Is it really that hard to read an upside down number anyway. I also can't figure why sombody would give you a hard time for putting the band on the way it's ment to be put on. But if thats the way you do it down in Georgia I guess I'll never be flying down there with you because I truly can't stand an upside down band and it has nothing to do with reading the number. To me it would be like having the Ford emblem on your car upside down it just looks stupid to me.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Pigeon0446 said:


> The bands are made to sit on the leg so that you can read the writing when the bird is standing.



http://www.redroselofts.com/banding.htm  
Enough said. You can band your birds any way you want to. They're your birds. If you would pass up a good bird just because it's band is on upside down........well, then that's up to you.


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

*In The Olden Times*

In the old days before electronic clocks the bands were the old aluminum type,and all birds going to a race were required to be contermarked trying to read those aluminum bands was differcult,what with most of the guys were old and had a tough time reading that type band,and if they had a few to many beers most could see nothing. Thats also why they had 10 and15 bird SHIPPING limits. So I realy believe with this band we use to day it realy don't matter much. ...GEORGE


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## learning (May 19, 2006)

Pigeon0446 said:


> My club ships out 450 to 600 birds each week and 90% of the the birds have the bands so that you can read them when they are standing not when your holding the bird. Is it really that hard to read an upside down number anyway. I also can't figure why sombody would give you a hard time for putting the band on the way it's ment to be put on. But if thats the way you do it down in Georgia I guess I'll never be flying down there with you because I truly can't stand an upside down band and it has nothing to do with reading the number. To me it would be like having the Ford emblem on your car upside down it just looks stupid to me.


RELAX!!!

After all it is just a band. You do whatever makes you happy...and by the way, I would never buy a Ford anyway!

Dan


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

learning said:


> RELAX!!!
> 
> After all it is just a band. You do whatever makes you happy...and by the way, I would never buy a Ford anyway!
> 
> Dan


LOL........


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## Young Bird (May 2, 2007)

I band my birds both ways upsidedown and rightsideup but always on the right leg. but upsidedown is easier on shipping night.


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## samuri_spartan (Aug 26, 2007)

learning said:


> RELAX!!!
> 
> After all it is just a band. You do whatever makes you happy...and by the way, I would never buy a Ford anyway!
> 
> Dan



Rolling on the floor laughing


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

Ok my turn. The only one here I may offend is the southpaws. I would beg to differ with the opinion of putting the band on right side up. If you look at your band their is a rough end and a rolled end. The bands are manufactured in Belgium and made for the rolled end to rest on the birds leg. This would leave the band upside down on the bird. Most will put the band on the right leg of the birds upside down. This way when the bird is in hand (the right hand) the birds right leg is exposed for you to grab the band with your left hand. Now with bird to belly band in hand it is right side up for you to read. 

As for now I have never met a pigeon that can read. I did see on pigeon tv where Mr. Fraylee puts letters in his nest boxes so the pairs do not get confused. 

Now in saying this, I may anger some of those who are in the know, but If you really want to know how to band, I would ask the Belgium guys. 

I do know a guy who puts his first round on the right leg and his second on the left. 

Now if you go on Pigeonparadise you will see Belgium birds banded both ways. You will also see the majority banded upside down. 

I think it more a pain to read bands with tons of numbers on them. I like the three or four digit bands. I would also prefer the numbers be on both sides of the band so we do not have to wait until the birds turn around, for Murphys Law puts the birds facing the wrong way. 

My view is one to make the birds confortable, they are the ones wearing that thing the rest of their lives. Next I would make the club secretary happy or the guy on basketing night that handles the birds. If he is a lefty it may be time to band on the left leg. 

I do not claim to know it all, but I do know more than some. 

Randy


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

FORD "Found On the Road Dead"

Fiat "Fix it again Tony"

I am sure there are more.


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

This just in: "Ludo Claessens and Jos Thone are upsidedown right leg banders who like Farfignuget."

Randy


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

Hey Pigeon0446. I was reading about your Lindhurst Race and had a question. What is the "Fifth Tip Rule" in your auction race? Also how many birds are in that race?

Randy


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## Pigeon0446 (Apr 22, 2007)

hillfamilyloft said:


> Hey Pigeon0446. I was reading about your Lindhurst Race and had a question. What is the "Fifth Tip Rule" in your auction race? Also how many birds are in that race?
> Randy


The fifth tip rule is a rule that our combine came up with to deal with the darkening system. There was a few guys that had the system down packed and it was also thought that the system was used to covered up drug use. But these 2 guys would take the top 20 positons in the combine with over 120 members and over 2000 birds each week and we started losing members because the normal guy had no chance and they just would give up and leave the sport. Back in 2000 my club only had 3 shippers becasue of them guys all the other guys with the exception of me left the club and flew in another local club. So the higher ups had to find a way to control the darkening system/drugs and since a bird on the darkening system wouldn't be up to the 5th tip they made the rule that a bird has to on his 5th tip b4 it could race. But they found ways around it by plucking the bird and making it look like the bird molted even though they really haven't. But now the club is back up to over 40 members and we seam to add a member every meeting.

I'm not sure what race you are talking about but for the LBR auction race there was almost 300 birds sold between the 2 auctions with over 16000 brought in. For the Great South Bay Classic I'm not sure how many birds are in already. But at the club the guys in charge of it said they are well on thier way to reaching the target of 500 birds But we'll see what happens. I'm up to the 3rd rotation bird so that means there should be atleast 90 rotation birds given out and if there's 1 rotation bird for each 5 like there should be there could be 450 birds in already but don't quote me on that figure becasue I'm not sure.


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## Avion (May 28, 2007)

I am both handed. Some things I do with my right hand, (most things) and some I do with my left. I am really right handed except when it comes to hitting a baseball or chopping wood. I do both of them left handed. I will also hold a bird in my LEFT hand. So, in my situation, I will put the band on the birds left leg, upside down.HA. 

George


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## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

I have two different families of birds mixed. I band one strain on the right the other on the left.


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## David Ey (Dec 31, 2007)

I want to know where to get the Ford bands repaired.

As far as the original post.......DO NOT smooth out the rough edges on the one side of the band if you will be racing or selling the bird. They are made that way to keep someone from temporarily distorting the band to get it on a bird it should not be on.....ie a bird older than that year band.


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

Avion said:


> I just received some 08 bands from Foys and I noticed that on one end there is a nice smooth rim and on the other end, there is what appears/feels like a sharp edge. Has anyone done anything to smoothen the sharp edge or do you just leave it like it is. It appears that it would be uncomefortable for the bird to have that sharp edge rubbing against his leg.
> 
> George


I did a test with bands these are this years AU bands and as hard as i could i couldn't even scratch myself with either side so we can close this thread LOL! SHARP--PLEASE SPARE ME!


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## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

I inspected mine as well. I found no sharp end either


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## David Ey (Dec 31, 2007)

Send me your addresses and I'll send you each one I got from Foys. Mine are sharp...not like a knife but they certainly do not have a radius on one inside end. I sure would not want this end against my foot. Better to put it up toward the knee. If you remove the edge you will be subject to disqualification.


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

Ok David i sent you my information I'm very curious! 

If you didn't get it let me know and i can pm you instead of the e-mail i sent you!


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## David Ey (Dec 31, 2007)

Hi Dennis, I have sent you the legband as promised. David


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

Thank You David I'm curious for sure!


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

Thank You David, it appears that all bands are not created equal after all, the AU band I have can be placed either way rightside up or upside down with no problem at all, while the AU band David sent me really shows that it is intended to be placed only one way and that is upside down, the rolled edge resting on the foot! Also you can see the sort of jagged edge David was talking about!









Shot with DSC-W5 at 2008-05-02


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

This shows the rolled edge









Shot with DSC-W5 at 2008-05-02


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

David I will be sending you a replacement band ASAP Thank You very much for showing me exactly what you were talking about, I stand corrected with egg on my face and not afraid to admit it!


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

My IF bands look like the one on the right. Both of the ones in the pics are AU bands, right? Wonder why they are made different? I ASSumed the same manufacturer made them all.


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

Yep both bands are AU 2008 bands but made different?


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## David Ey (Dec 31, 2007)

DeeJay, that is very interesting. It looks like your band is all plastic while mine is aluminum inside. A friend told me mine are made to sort of crumple if they are distorted out of round in order to get it on a different bird. I got mine from Foy's. I think I like yours better. where did you get them?


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## Eriduardo (Aug 28, 2006)

I think those bands come from Siegel's pigeon supplies, because if I remember correctly their band letters are AA


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Eriduardo said:


> I think those bands come from Siegel's pigeon supplies, because if I remember correctly their band letters are AA


Siegels bands have a single A on them. According to the AU band list, that band belongs to a fancier in California. And the reason they are different is because individuals can order special plastic bands. 

http://www.pigeon.org/pdf/2008BANDORDERFORM.pdf


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

Yes that band I showed is a siegel's band they have two bands the A-bands they place on their birds and the AA bands they sell on their web site! This way they can keep track of their birds and the bands they sell to others!


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

David Ey said:


> DeeJay, that is very interesting. It looks like your band is all plastic while mine is aluminum inside. A friend told me mine are made to sort of crumple if they are distorted out of round in order to get it on a different bird. I got mine from Foy's. I think I like yours better. where did you get them?


David I wasn't going to say anything but I think your friend had one too many beers when he made that comment? just doesn't make any sense at all? Once on a bird it's locked forever or until the bird dies and if the bird died in the same year? it still could be used again on another youngster without distortion, I just have no idea what the heck he was talking about "distortion out of round" to get on another bird?


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

David Ey Hi did you ever receive the band I sent you?


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## David Ey (Dec 31, 2007)

No, not yet......my mail usually runs a bit slow.


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

Just checking David did you receive the band yet? Sure hope so!


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## ohiogsp (Feb 24, 2006)

DEEJAY7950 said:


> David I wasn't going to say anything but I think your friend had one too many beers when he made that comment? just doesn't make any sense at all? Once on a bird it's locked forever or until the bird dies and if the bird died in the same year? it still could be used again on another youngster without distortion, I just have no idea what the heck he was talking about "distortion out of round" to get on another bird?


I think he was talking about trying to slip it on a older bird (cheating). I can't believe these all plastic ones could be raced with it seems it would be easy for someone to band a older bird and cheat. I bet in our club they would look at that and say no way. A all plastic one could easily be made a little bigger and then smaller again. I build plastic injection molds for a living and these could be manupliated.


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

I don't think it would be possible without someone noticing it had been tampered with, even with your experience I really don't think it could be done, Do you want to try and see if it can be done ? without looking like all hell, cause I'll send you a "band" if your willing to try and place it on an old bird but it must be a racing homer not a skinny feral bird or the like and you must take pictures and post the results of the attempt, just start a new thread about "Altering BANDS"  if your willing that is!


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## ohiogsp (Feb 24, 2006)

Sure, I will pm you.


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## David Ey (Dec 31, 2007)

DEEJAY7950 said:


> Just checking David did you receive the band yet? Sure hope so!


YES, I got it several days ago. Sorry not ro reply sooner. I forgot.
Thanks. David


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

Glad to hear that David!


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

ohiogsp said:


> I think he was talking about trying to slip it on a older bird (cheating). I can't believe these all plastic ones could be raced with it seems it would be easy for someone to band a older bird and cheat. I bet in our club they would look at that and say no way. A all plastic one could easily be made a little bigger and then smaller again. I build plastic injection molds for a living and these could be manupliated.


Well tell us all how you made out? even if you couldn't do it, I think the plastic used to make the band is not of a type that can easily be stretched (even if heated) and then shrink back to size, so your club should have no fear in this matter, still waiting on your REPLY on the bands I sent you!


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## David Ey (Dec 31, 2007)

Oh, Sorry. I see no way the bands could be altered without it being obvious. It would probably be easier to amputate the foot, put on the false band and re-attach the foot.


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

LOL I agree LMAO!


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## ohiogsp (Feb 24, 2006)

I have not got them yet. When did you send them?


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

Gosh it was towards the end of may you should have received them?


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