# Re-homing racing pigeons



## TwinTurboPigeon (Jan 22, 2013)

Hello. I am new to this forum, I joined on 1-22-12. I have a question, I just moved to a new house and I just bought new racing homers at a bird swap/show, the catch is that they were born in 2008 (As said on the bands) and I read that older racing homers WILL NOT remember new locations, is that true? I been raising pigeons for 6 years now too....


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## derek (Nov 24, 2009)

It is not easy to rehome homers, ... it's hard to say whether it will actually stay or not.
08 band.. tuff to saY... just breed them ... safe way to go.... good luck....


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## ThePigeonShack (Jun 14, 2012)

I picked up a bunch from a buddy who left the sport some YB and some OBs, I kept them caged up for 2 months and then released them I did lose a few but most birds came back to my house. I took the chance only because i did have a bunch of birds and new i would lose some and didn't need that many birds. I called my buddy and he said the many birds did go back to him. about 200 miles away.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

TwinTurboPigeon said:


> Hello. I am new to this forum, I joined on 1-22-12. I have a question, I just moved to a new house and I just bought new racing homers at a bird swap/show, the catch is that they were born in 2008 (As said on the bands) and I read that older racing homers WILL NOT remember new locations, is that true? I been raising pigeons for 6 years now too....


they may remember you're location, but most likely if let out will fly back to their old home, so the answer is yes they will most likely fly back home.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

What you were told is untrue, To be told they WILL NOT remember a new home is completely false, I have rehomed many good racer stock birds of late, 6 by accident a week ago, I had them around a year and they were on young at the time, 

So, to answer your question, it is possible but you will most likely loose some if not all of them back to the old place.


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

Best thing to do would be to not release them all at the same time. If the flock gets up in the air, theres a good chance they'll leave towards home. Maybe release a pair at a time with birds that are already trained to your house. Or release them when they're on eggs and are mated. I've had birds that accidentally got out (prisoners) but they came back because they were on eggs. 

I think it all depends on the specific bird. I had a 1999 hen get out the 3rd day after getting her. I thought she was gone, but the next day (4th day on my property) she was sitting on the loft and I trapped her easily. So you never know what might happen, unless you try. If the birds aren't of exceptional quality, you can give it a go and see if they stay. If you spent big money then I wouldn't recommend it. 

Keep them locked up minimum 4-5 months due to their age.


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## TwinTurboPigeon (Jan 22, 2013)

Thank you all for the advice! I believe I will release 2 at a time, the "better" 2. I'll post up some pictures tomorrow and can you guys give me your opinion on them if they look good?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

TwinTurboPigeon said:


> Thank you all for the advice! I believe I will release 2 at a time, the "better" 2. I'll post up some pictures tomorrow and can you guys give me your opinion on them if they look good?


look good for what? I would want to keep and breed from homers that fly home like they are supposed to. you can breed from the adult birds and fly their offspring . the adults would be kept locked in the loft.


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## TwinTurboPigeon (Jan 22, 2013)

My pigeons, its a bit dirty but I will clean it soon.... I dont race them either, just to have for fun....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CmBDueAZFA


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

Spirit wings, Its easy to select for type aswell as ability, I assume thats what they are wanting to do. One doesn't have to put such tight restrictions on the pigeon hobby, They are an extremely selectable beast therefore almost anything can be achieved, It goes back to the same old thing though, Some poeple like a challenge, Some people like to buy already established birds.

Op'er. I too like to keep birds that look good and home, My racers are a bit different but as far as my coloured homers go, I keep the good looking ones, if they cannot home, they get lost and I then breed more good looking birds to play with.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

NZ Pigeon said:


> Spirit wings, Its easy to select for type aswell as ability, I assume thats what they are wanting to do. One doesn't have to put such tight restrictions on the pigeon hobby, They are an extremely selectable beast therefore almost anything can be achieved, It goes back to the same old thing though, Some poeple like a challenge, Some people like to buy already established birds.
> 
> Op'er. I too like to keep birds that look good and home, My racers are a bit different but as far as my coloured homers go, I keep the good looking ones, if they cannot home, they get lost and I then breed more good looking birds to play with.


I did not realize it was that easy. I like a good looking homer also, but really was wondering what the question meant," look good? " It may look pretty?, or was he asking good as in healthy? Or a correct looking standard for a homer ? I was not sure, that is why I asked. A bird may look in appearance good to one person but not to another, so it is in the eye of the beholder...so I can say if it looks healthy, but what I think looks good pretty wise may not be what you or him thinks looks good, I like small tight feathered grizzles, so looking good is to each their own, so that is only for him to say, if appearance was what he meant by "look good"...there is no answer . If just asking health wise we can all say what we can guess with a picture....I was not saying anything about restrictions , that would be "UnAmerican"... And not what I was thinking at all...


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## TwinTurboPigeon (Jan 22, 2013)

Sorry. I meant like quality; does it look like a homer, best eye color(s), ideal body mass, good wing patterns, best feather colors, etc.... I don't race them but I just want some opinion on what would be the best ideal traits for a racing homers.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

TwinTurboPigeon said:


> Sorry. I meant like quality; does it look like a homer, best eye color(s), ideal body mass, good wing patterns, best feather colors, etc.... I don't race them but I just want some opinion on what would be the best ideal traits for a racing homers.


ok, post pictures of the ones you want looked at, bright clear ones if possible.


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## TwinTurboPigeon (Jan 22, 2013)

Sorry. I tried 2 cameras and a iPhone, but it isnt the best....

Top one is my personal favorite (female), bottom one (75% sure its a male, body mass is big)

More pictures of them on my profile....

Thanks for any inputs


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

are you wondering about eyesign?.. what is with the large eye shots. can not tell much from them.. seem to be healthy though from just seeing the huge eye shots. but then again Im sure I will be corrected for saying so.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

spirit wings said:


> I did not realize it was that easy. I like a good looking homer also, but really was wondering what the question meant," look good? " It may look pretty?, or was he asking good as in healthy? Or a correct looking standard for a homer ? I was not sure, that is why I asked. A bird may look in appearance good to one person but not to another, so it is in the eye of the beholder...so I can say if it looks healthy, but what I think looks good pretty wise may not be what you or him thinks looks good, I like small tight feathered grizzles, so looking good is to each their own, so that is only for him to say, if appearance was what he meant by "look good"...there is no answer . If just asking health wise we can all say what we can guess with a picture....I was not saying anything about restrictions , that would be "UnAmerican"... And not what I was thinking at all...


Yup, Its simple, You set your selection criteria and stick to it, People make pigeon breeding and racing so complicated, Look after your birds, Select for what you want to select and the rest should follow. Time is the big factor with projects like this.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

NZ Pigeon said:


> Yup, Its simple, You set your selection criteria and stick to it, People make pigeon breeding and racing so complicated, Look after your birds, Select for what you want to select and the rest should follow. Time is the big factor with projects like this.


I do not have anything going on, but the thread maker may be interested in you're opinion. ?


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## meatcutterss1 (Oct 17, 2011)

I have no expierence in racing pigeons. But after reading these posts, how does one get a bird that was shipped across country to be entered in a race, come back to the loft from they were all released for the race ? I undertand that once a bird is released from his home he will always try to go back there. So how do these birds compete when they are no where close to their home?


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

meatcutterss1 said:


> I have no expierence in racing pigeons. But after reading these posts, how does one get a bird that was shipped across country to be entered in a race, come back to the loft from they were all released for the race ? I undertand that once a bird is released from his home he will always try to go back there. So how do these birds compete when they are no where close to their home?


Short answer - pigeons are not robots, They have minds of their own, Therefore can be rehomed to a new loft and raced to a new loft, They are birds that can find home, That does not mean they cannot find new homes on occasion, Not the norm but possible.

Spirit wings, I dont really care if you are interested but you said you didn't realise it was that easy so just pointing out its as simple as setting your selection criteria(s) and sticking to them.


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## meatcutterss1 (Oct 17, 2011)

You have to excuse me, I didn't explain myself properly. 
Let say I live on the east coast, & I ship my birds to the west coast for a race. How are the birds prepared for the race on arrival to the west coast ? Than on race day they are released, okay. But how are they trapped & where ? Since they only know their loft back in the east coast ? Just like the birds that were used during war time & a mobile pigeon loft.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

meatcutterss1 said:


> You have to excuse me, I didn't explain myself properly.
> Let say I live on the east coast, & I ship my birds to the west coast for a race. How are the birds prepared for the race on arrival to the west coast ? Than on race day they are released, okay. But how are they trapped & where ? Since they only know their loft back in the east coast ? Just like the birds that were used during war time & a mobile pigeon loft.


The bird you send is USUALLY a young bird and the loft it is sent to trains it..that is how that works and the bird is settled easier to that loft where it was sent because it was young..USUALLY 30 to 40 days of age. I wont comment on older racers being sent.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

NZ Pigeon said:


> Short answer - pigeons are not robots, They have minds of their own, Therefore can be rehomed to a new loft and raced to a new loft, They are birds that can find home, That does not mean they cannot find new homes on occasion, Not the norm but possible.
> 
> Spirit wings, I dont really care if you are interested but you said you didn't realise it was that easy so just pointing out its as simple as setting your selection criteria(s) and sticking to them.


I never asked for an opinion on it.. but perhaps the thread maker may be interested. ?


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

spirit wings said:


> I never asked for an opinion on it.. but perhaps the thread maker may be interested. ?


Spirit wings, When you are posting and reading threads you need to be prepared to hear others opinions, If you are not interested in them, Don't discuss them.

If you enter into a discussion be prepared for future posts to be directed at you. If you can't handle that you could stick to PMing people.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

NZ Pigeon said:


> Spirit wings, When you are posting and reading threads you need to be prepared to hear others opinions, If you are not interested in them, Don't discuss them.
> 
> If you enter into a discussion be prepared for future posts to be directed at you. If you can't handle that you could stick to PMing people.


I don't mind. Im not doing any of what you say is easy at the moment, but others may find you're opinion interesting I assume..esp the thread starter...which Im not sure where he/she went..


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## meatcutterss1 (Oct 17, 2011)

spirit wings 
Matriarch: Thanks for the info on how the races are done.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

spirit wings said:


> The bird you send is a young bird and the loft it is sent to trains it..that is how that works and the bird is settled to that loft where it was sent because it was young..usually 30 to 40 days of age.


Some guys train their birds out to 60 miles or so before sending them to the OLR, at that time they are resettled and raced from that loft, Resettling is a lot more common than some think


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## TwinTurboPigeon (Jan 22, 2013)

Never mind the pictures now.... How do you guys release your pigeons just to fly around the loft? (EX: Open door and if they want to fly, throw them in the air, force them out of loft) I just open the door and keep some inside a small cage. How can you call them back into the loft? I know to use food but mine wont fly at all if they dont eat (They walk out of the loft and then eat dirt, rocks, and then they go back into the loft to wait for food)

I plan to release some at a time with most in the small cage, the blue bar in the back escaped out of my hand on accident, but she came back in the loft, the blue bar has been in this loft for only 1 WEEK and she RETURNED!!!! NZ Pigeon was right too about rehoming homers!! I'm super pleased with this blue bar!!!!


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

NZ Pigeon said:


> Some guys train their birds out to 60 miles or so before sending them to the OLR, at that time they are resettled and raced from that loft, Resettling is a lot more common than some think


Not Many or any would train the birds out before they send them to a one loft race loft. As the birds would be 2 to 3 months old at that time. Wing strong and harder to settle. YES old birds can be resettled. BUT many can NOT. And Even some old birds resettled will WIN races. I have done it and won races with them. IT is a gamble I do not recommend it. And the person may or may not settle them. It is better to raise young And settle the young BUT a person will do what a person will do.


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## meatcutterss1 (Oct 17, 2011)

Thank You guys so much, now I understand the racing part now. Ed


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

re lee said:


> *Not Many or any *would train the birds out before they send them to a one loft race loft. As the birds would be 2 to 3 months old at that time. Wing strong and harder to settle. YES old birds can be resettled. BUT many can NOT. And Even some old birds resettled will WIN races. I have done it and won races with them. IT is a gamble I do not recommend it. And the person may or may not settle them. It is better to raise young And settle the young BUT a person will do what a person will do.


You say not many or any, I stated in my previous post that SOME DO, SO to state NOT ANY do it is a bit weird. It's not unheard of in South Africa, One of my friends over there does it and he has won some OL events in the last few years.

I agree with your points though, just pointing out to spirit wings that not ALL birds are sent at a young age to OLR's.

I cannot see why one would want to train a bird to a different loft as I see it as a disadvantage but its been done, I've seen people that swear by it on youtube clips. They believe their birds become the leaders at the one loft which inturn helps them to want to be first home.

I think one thing we have established here which I have been trying to get across for months is that a homer that is resettled cannot be judged based on that, I have resettled some of ChCh's best racers that I got off an old guy getting out of racing, Also, You have won races with resettled birds, Not common but it happens so I think the old saying "A GOOD HOMER WILL ALWAYS RETURN HOME" Is false.


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## lawman (Jul 19, 2005)

NZ Pigeon said:


> You say not many or any, I stated in my previous post that SOME DO, SO to state NOT ANY do it is a bit weird. It's not unheard of in South Africa, One of my friends over there does it and he has won some OL events in the last few years.
> 
> I agree with your points though, just pointing out to spirit wings that not ALL birds are sent at a young age to OLR's.
> 
> ...


NZ you need to do some research my friend. I explain why I believe this....

The first year the Team from Germany took the South Africa race, how do you think they did it? No one gave them or anyone else a chance in hell of beating the South African Birds, but they did big time! They collected huge across the board on bets as well as from the race itself. 

Again can you tell me how the German Team did this? As most people cannot! NO so let me explain…..

You have to look back a few years prior to this race and what do you think they were up to. A Group of fliers formed a syndicate with each of them placing their best youngsters off of their best birds into a single loft. They trained these birds out in one direction to (if memory serves me correct) 300 miles. 

They took the best birds from this loft and moved them into another loft and resettled them. Then they trained them out to three hundred miles in a different direction. Now you have to know they lost some good birds from resettling and then sending them in a different direction. 

Man what were they thinking, Crazy HUH! So what do you think those crazy guys did next? Well they were on a mission to create a better homing pigeon and at the same time weed out all but the fastest and most consistent fliers. 

So they moved the fast of the birds they had left to yet again another loft and again for the third time resettled them. Then they trained them out to three hundred miles in another totally different direction than they trained the first two times. Yet again they trained their birds out to three hundred miles. 

When they were done they took the handful of top racers from the third loft. By top racers I mean they had to be consistent and on top of the return sheets every time they were tossed. These hand full of birds were then imported to a loft in South Africa and they were used to raise the babies that would be raced by the German Team. 

Like I said everyone counted the Germans out as no one from Germany had ever since the Beginning of the Million Dollar race even made it into the money.

Those babies from the German team sweep the Race! And the Germans have been top competitors every race since then.

So I ask you NZ is there any benefit to retraining a pigeon and flying it from a second or even a third location? 

I think the Germans proved the benefit that day.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

Why are you telling me to do some research? I have been saying from word dot that a good racing pigeon cannot be measured on whether it can or cannot be resettled,What matters is how fast it wants to get home, It can choose and change homes as can most animal species. Including us. I also am the one that bought up the above method as being a viable one, Thank you for bringing to my attention another example of it happening, I think R Lee Doubted it had ever been done, Or atleast his post implied he did not believe my claim that some fliers do resettle birds to one loft races after flying and training them at their own. I now see how it could be beneficial.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

NZ Pigeon said:


> Why are you telling me to do some research? I have been saying from word dot that a good racing pigeon cannot be measured on whether it can or cannot be resettled,What matters is how fast it wants to get home, It can choose and change homes as can most animal species. Including us. I also am the one that bought up the above method as being a viable one, Thank you for bringing to my attention another example of it happening, I think R Lee Doubted it had ever been done, Or atleast his post implied he did not believe my claim that some fliers do resettle birds to one loft races after flying and training them at their own. I now see how it could be beneficial.


With what LAwman stated. It shows the birds being resettled. FOR selection. But not Used in the 1 loft race it self.. And one thing Where a person moves not only the birds. But the entire loft It makes it easyer to resettle the birds. With very few lost birds. Not saying this was done But I had done that 2 times. . But I do Doupt on the training the birds out 60 mile befor sending them to a one loft race. As the loft manager would not hold them and train them special to resettle them. BUT I guess it could be done. Just not smart.


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## lawman (Jul 19, 2005)

re lee said:


> With what LAwman stated. It shows the birds being resettled. FOR selection. But not Used in the 1 loft race it self.. And one thing Where a person moves not only the birds. But the entire loft It makes it easyer to resettle the birds. With very few lost birds. Not saying this was done But I had done that 2 times. . But I do Doupt on the training the birds out 60 mile befor sending them to a one loft race. As the loft manager would not hold them and train them special to resettle them. BUT I guess it could be done. Just not smart.


Hi re lee,

Like I've stated in other posts my best breeding cock bird "The Plum" is half Grondeleer and half Staf Van Reet. His sire "Odin" was Grondeleer and originally bred for the "City of Hope Race", The owner whom I later received the bird from as a gift. Resettled him after the race and flew him out to the 600 at least 3 to four consecutive years that I'm aware of. His Dam "Storm" was flown all the way to the 500 and then sold to the guy I bought her from. 

I can tell you I wish I had obtained them both at a much younger age because I have the Plum and his sister "The Velvet" out of them and I wish I could have obtained 10 more just like them. 


I believe two factors (not all, but two of many) passed on by his parents and make him the top cock bird in my loft. 

1) The ability to navigate home from the distance, and
2) The ability (smarts) to be resettled and flown from a different location.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

Lawman, I totally agree with you that a good bird can be resettled by a GOOD handler and go on to win races, I am not sure how anyone can possibly try dispute that fact

R Lee - Lawman has above shown a benefit of retraining birds from a new location, This same theory could be applied to young birds prior to sending them to a one loft race, The guys in South Africa do it and they are some of the best in the world, My friend does it and wins races so I ask you, Have you tried it? Have you taken on the SA competition? If not I would think their ideas are more appropriate to that style of racing.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

lawman said:


> Hi re lee,
> 
> Like I've stated in other posts my best breeding cock bird "The Plum" is half Grondeleer and half Staf Van Reet. His sire "Odin" was Grondeleer and originally bred for the "City of Hope Race", The owner whom I later received the bird from as a gift. Resettled him after the race and flew him out to the 600 at least 3 to four consecutive years that I'm aware of. His Dam "Storm" was flown all the way to the 500 and then sold to the guy I bought her from.
> 
> ...


I have stated I have resettled birds before AND raced them And won races with them. It can be done But as you know there is a chance to lose them.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

NZ Pigeon said:


> Lawman, I totally agree with you that a good bird can be resettled by a GOOD handler and go on to win races, I am not sure how anyone can possibly try dispute that fact
> 
> R Lee - Lawman has above shown a benefit of retraining birds from a new location, This same theory could be applied to young birds prior to sending them to a one loft race, The guys in South Africa do it and they are some of the best in the world, My friend does it and wins races so I ask you, Have you tried it? Have you taken on the SA competition? If not I would think their ideas are more appropriate to that style of racing.


That is retraining BUT not sending trained birds to a one loft race. And You have read and posted THAT I did say I have resettled birds And raced them and won. But as said it is not the best idea. I have had birds come home THREE years after I sold of gave them away.. Any time is a gamble. But sending trained birds to a one loft race INCREASES there chance of being LOST. Because as I said The handler/loft manager does not have the time to baby them to resettle them As they will be WING STRONG at the begining. Any wing strong youngbird evewn you raise can and does often get lost At there BIRTH loft happens every year. And some do not but many do. AND one loft races Are far from the BEST in the world. Best races Are club combine and federation races. THOSE birds are tested, and selected for the races. But TO compete with race people world wide one loft races are the only way.


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## TwinTurboPigeon (Jan 22, 2013)

In conclusion, the best way to settle older birds (2008 band) is to ____________?


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

Make sure they have had a round of young and are on the second, Make sure they have had access to an outdoor run or avairy, Make sure they are happy and like you, Make sure they are not to well fed at the time. 

As for the other discussion, I am not disputing the risks, I am also not saying the best birds are ones trained from more than one location but I have seen on here many people state that a homer that can be resettled is not worth breeding off, This claim is completely false and displays a huge amount of ignorance.


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## TwinTurboPigeon (Jan 22, 2013)

Great tips, Ill try them. I have one 2008 band homer and she always fly onto me because I like to hand feed them. I worry about breeding, I have 7 homers, I'm pretty sure that 6 of them are females.... Never the less, Ill try my best to keep them happy as possible. 

SIDE NOTE: I have a AUG 2012 homer and two homers that settle easy, received by my uncle, I could always get the two back if they shall fly back to their original home....


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## lawman (Jul 19, 2005)

Hey Guys and Gals:

The remarks I made in regards to the German team sending birds to the millon dollar race was maybe misunderstood. They retrained a set of birds to three different lofts in three different directions, each time trained out to 300 miles. They they selected the best of the birds that were left. Did they end up with the fastest birds, dont know that wans't the criteria they were selecting for. What they were looking for were birds that had the smarts to be able to be relocated and come home fast to a new loft. I think they went in different directions each time so that the birds would not be as tempted to go to their former home.

Then they selected a handful of birds that were sent to South Africa and used as breeders to produce the birds that were ultimately sent to the race. They did not retrain youngbirds three times to different loft then race those birds, as they were used as breeders only.

What they did was to select out the birds with the best ability to home into their lofts and still be fast and do it from different directions. They selected primarily (in my belief) for homing ability, then for speed as the second criteria.

Basically you could do the same thing if your a member of a club that flies, lets say east for the sake of arguement, as youngbirds. Then as old birds you turn these same birds and fly them north or south or west any other direction but east. Your smartest birds will be able to recalibrate their internal compasses and come home. Same Idea just done from a single loft. 

You then take your top cock bird and top hen (based on whatever criteria your setting) and breed them together. Now you should have babies able to be sent to one loft races and be competative. remember each generation you do this, you should have fewer and fewer losses as their parents before them were able to change directions as well. Now your not only breeding for speed but intelligence and homing ability to boot!


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

Lawman, Makes sense, IMO any fancier should train their young birds in all directions and then from different release points on the line of flight to ensure their birds are flying looking for home, rather than following the group. The weather can take them any which way on race day so surely this training method would be an advantage.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

lawman said:


> Hey Guys and Gals:
> 
> The remarks I made in regards to the German team sending birds to the millon dollar race was maybe misunderstood. They retrained a set of birds to three different lofts in three different directions, each time trained out to 300 miles. They they selected the best of the birds that were left. Did they end up with the fastest birds, dont know that wans't the criteria they were selecting for. What they were looking for were birds that had the smarts to be able to be relocated and come home fast to a new loft. I think they went in different directions each time so that the birds would not be as tempted to go to their former home.
> 
> ...


The AU recommends racing around the clock/the four directions. And this too changes loft positions Each year. NOW if one looks at most Eruopen races. They fly the same race line each and every year. Makes it easyer to selcet there birds. Then We the Americans run like crazy and BUY the new fad of the day. And if looked at We the Americans Race and test the Birds out Further Then most everyone There does. Our young bird races alone are Often more then some of there old bird flyers. Our 500 and 600 mile races Are more. OUR race speeds yards per minute Are Equalto and better then Many of theres. So where are American birds rated Not as well. Because we race in less numbers. All one would Need say for the South African race Is look at the region The temps of the region. And selct birds that have been trained for that need. Fly the Young birds on the HOTTEST days. Here temps can get from 100 to 110 degrees in the summer. Most fly in the early mornings. BUT flying in the heat the birds get in shape for that. Where to over seas Birds are not flown when temps are over what about 85 degrees. That is spring time temps here And If each great race person over seas raced here They would do NO better then the people here. Just the peopole here believe they have to buy over seas for the so called TOP birds. And one can not just breed Speed birds As most speed birds get tired under pressure And slow down. And old line distance birds Were slower to Mature. But look agin. Even the best race birds Are not pushed over seas until they are full 3 year old birds. And the short races are not much more then a good training toss for us.


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Can a racing homer be settled at a new loft?

Some.

Can a racing homer be settled and raced to a new loft?

A few.

Can a racing homer be settled, raced and win to a new loft?

A very few.

Would this be my plan to win races?

Hell no. There are much better ways to win than re-homing racing pigeons.



EDIT: I typed more here, but I see it becoming a meaningless argument and I just ain't in the mood to argue or debate this subject. So, do what you want with your birds. And good luck on those races.


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

conditionfreak said:


> Can a racing homer be settled at a new loft?
> 
> Some.
> 
> ...


 A long time ago we had these two wars called WWI & WWII. Back in those days they used homing pigeons to send messages. I am pretty sure the pigeons were being "re-homed" all the time as they were in lofts with wheels and they tended to move from time to time. So I am pretty sure homing pigeons can be re-homed. The point I am not sure about, is why re-homing a pigeon is a tool to develop or discover OLR winners ? Anyway, maybe because it is late and I am tired, but now that the "secret" is out, I suppose everyone will be shipping birds back and forth between their friends as they re-home each other's birds for a week, and then it's on to the next loft I suppose. 

Just trying to figure out what those fanciers are going to do, the ones that complain every year about YB losses, if they can't get their birds to return home when they only live at one place, what they gonna do when the loft location keeps changing ?


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## lawman (Jul 19, 2005)

NZ Pigeon said:


> Lawman, Makes sense, IMO any fancier should train their young birds in all directions and then from different release points on the line of flight to ensure their birds are flying looking for home, rather than following the group. The weather can take them any which way on race day so surely this training method would be an advantage.


I agree that many fliers do in fact train to the four points of the compass prior training in a direct line of fight towards the race stations. Question is How far do they train, 1 mile, 5 miles, 10 miles is usually the max. (Now forget about what the Germans did, like Warren I can only shake my head)

My point is if we trained our birds out in three different directions to at least the three hundred mile point. Well now that bird(s) should be better than average in homing ability in order to complete the circuit and still be in the loft, Right?. 

For those guys wanting to compete in one loft races: If your birds can orient themselves faster than the norm and break away from the circling pack headed straight for home is that not a plus? I think this was realy what the Germans were trying to do.

This gives you the ability to concentrate on the middle distance birds in your loft and when you’re done, I think help strengthen their homing abilities. Doing so without the need to cross in the long distance fliers and potentially slowing down their speeds. 

In my area in Southern California unless I want to send them 250 miles out into the Pacific and release, Flying any further than 50 miles westward is out of the question so where can I go. I run into the same problem if I go south, 50 miles and I hit Mexico and I’m pretty sure thet security on both sides would not want us training birds south of the border. So where to go and be able to fly the compass?

Well at least a portion of it anyway, Due east approx. 300 miles is PHX. Arizona, Due North up the HWY 395 is Wellington Nevada. So there are two of the three points I mentioned. Now we turn N/E up HWY 15 and were looking somewhere near Cedar City, Utah. So there you go three points and anything that returns from the test group (in race time) from all three locations should be a keeper. 

The real question is how many people are going to be willing to train to at least three points of the compass to 300 miles? I recon not many!

So Warren I think the secret is safe for now, even with the knowledge of what the Germans did Simplified down to one loft , three directions. Just how many people will be willing to take their birds and turn them and then turn them again. How many would be willing to do it to a winning race team?

Yes I know re lee it is a recommendation by the AU, but with that said there are only a few area’s in the USA that I’m aware of that actually follow the recommendation. It was as you stated put in place so that no one person would ever be in the front on all of the races all of the time. Problem is the AU did not make it mandatory! 

I fear until they do so, on this issue and many others, nothing will change until some of the Old Die Hards do in fact die off. Perhaps then MAYBE things will change. And we can get back to breeding not just fast pigeons but smarter more intelligent ones as well.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

Hey, Your preaching to the chior, I am new to this all but I am trying to not ever let my birds go from the same release point, I have only gone 40 miles in each direction so far and done around 10 tosses from the line of flight region but even those have been swapped from on the coast, near the highway or inland slightly, the highway runs parrallel to the coast about 2 miles inland and then I go around 3 - 4 inland from the highway, I live near the a hill range and at the moment all the tosses have been from the Canterbury plains so they can see the hill range from any release point, Once I get over the alps it will be a different story but what I am trying to achieve is getting the birds so familiar with all angles and views of that final part of a race that the go the most direct line to the loft, I am at a major disadvantage if my birds follow the rest of the guys birds up the coast so I want them to learn to fly over the land as much as possible


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

Not to digress off topic, but my old mentor the WWII pigeon corps guy, he always claimed that homing ability was already bred into the bird, and it was not necessary to "teach" a pigeon how to find home. The training around the compass is one of those things where I can't see how it would do any real harm, neither do I see it as a panacea for getting birds to speed home. But, these things are what makes pigeon racing interesting. One guy thinks that 4 pounds of antibiotics gives him the edge, some it's a training routine, for others it might be training a certain way, to each his own. Give me a good bird, in super health, who is motivated, and most likely he will fly circles around those birds trained like a compass, but hey....that is me. As I am more interested in breeding a good bird, then developing training methods. If certain kinds of training will give my competitors the edge, I will just have to breed a bird all that much better I guess. Besides, if they go to a OLR most likely won't get trained 300 miles in all directions.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

I think TEN MILE to the four directions is plenty. Then train the line. Now BACK in the DAY/ years ago. Many just trained to the FIFTY mile mark. And birds were ready to race. Even over seas Several will just train to what 35 miles. As Most young bird races start at the 100mile here And less over seas. the four directions helps weed out the follwers early Just doing the TEN mile. PLENTY of loft flying should be 2 times daily And road training gets them in shape And helps build there return speeds As for breaking. Well THAT is a IF. as most all start out wth the flock and Move ahead in groups as the flight goes. Depending on number of birds in the race. And distance. Then you get the ones that sat down for a drink ECT. they have to get back up and pull forward to ever win. WHICH they do. Fars as the four directions One would build a stronger bird Over a FOUR year period. OLR birds are like LOFT birds raced to the same station. And only compete with those birds


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

SmithFamilyLoft said:


> I forget who it is, but he loft flies the birds first, then they are sent through quarantine, and then eventually they end up in the famous South African one loft race. I would therefore suspect the bird is several months old before arriving.
> 
> Most One loft events that I am aware of, do not have any rules regarding the age of any bird sent. The risk is born by the breeder, as one would think the older the bird is, the more likely the bird could get lost on settling.


I was reading through the 2013 PT classic thread, It seems Warren also knows someone that uses this method, Wonder if its the same guy I talk too, He may be the only one doing it.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

USUALLY on this site the question is asked, and giving a new person to pigeons an answer that will make it less possible to loose his birds is the one Iam going to give him, lost birds can also die trying to get back home if it is too far.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

That's all well and good if thats your opinion but some people want to fly their birds and if they are specifically asking for ways to help keep the birds round I would prefer to give info that would actually help them in doing that, than try and put them off to have them go ahead and do it anyway without any tools or tricks, Just my opinion.


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## TwinTurboPigeon (Jan 22, 2013)

Would it be wrong to purposely scare your pigeons so they can fly more or longer (By waving a flag quick)? I have never tried this before, I am scared to scare them enough to fly away.


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## Jasmeet Singh (Aug 13, 2012)

turbo, It is not wrong people do it all the time to make their birds fly longer just a way of training other people may have other opinions but in my opinion it is not really wrong it just helps the bird fly longer


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

TwinTurboPigeon said:


> Would it be wrong to purposely scare your pigeons so they can fly more or longer (By waving a flag quick)? I have never tried this before, I am scared to scare them enough to fly away.


yes, it is called flagging, most racing stock homing pigeons do not need this, they route on their own. so there may be other reasons they are not flying like worm load or disease or molting, mine do not fly much when it is real hot.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

NZ Pigeon said:


> That's all well and good if thats your opinion but some people want to fly their birds and if they are specifically asking for ways to help keep the birds round I would prefer to give info that would actually help them in doing that, than try and put them off to have them go ahead and do it anyway without any tools or tricks, Just my opinion.


I know it is well, AND good advice...saves situations from people loosing their birds, and perhaps one less short lived feral out there starving. I think people need to keep in mind what possible things that can happen to the bird if he trys for a home too far off, just because someone wants to see what happens. if the x home loft is not far (with in racing miles), I don't have an issue with letting out "rehomed" racing pigeons(haha). But if I bought a bird shipped to me from CA and I live in a Va, I would think of the bird first and keep him in, just in case. makes sense to me.


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