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Monday, July 6, 2009

Best Kept Rules and Secrets

Secret #1: CULL HEAVY
CULL means regardless of bloodlines, strains, cost or origin, you must eliminate all birds from the race team or breeding loft that are giving you bad result and preventing you from improving. Only birds that have shown potential should be kept for future racing or breeding. This means pigeons that are consistently racing or producing birds in the top 10% of your race schedule. Secret number one "Cull Them."
1.Cull birds that are not of superior health
2.Cull breeders that do not produce strong, healthy young.
3.Cull birds that are hard to settle and manage.
4.Cull birds that do not loft fly and train easily.
5.Cull birds that can’t keep up with the rest of the team.
6.Cull pair which you have heavy losses each year or poor homing ability.
7.Cull flyers that have not finished consistently in the top 10% of their races.
8.Cull pair that has not produced good racers even though their young are not lost.
9.Cull birds that cannot handle the tough races, regardless of the distance.
10.Cull birds with poor recovery periods that can’t race over 50% of the race schedule.
As you cull and eliminate birds, you look to keep and breed from the best. Three or four pair of proven stock birds can take a fancier a long way in a race season and many through years to come. Sometimes even with the best intention we make mistake.
Secret #2: QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
Quantity offers only cost and wasted time. Quality is profitable and rewarding. Once you learn the advantage of quality above quantity, put it into practice. Those fanciers who raise and train 100-200 squeakers every year with the hope of getting one or two good pigeons in their lofts take the longest and most costly road to success. A large flying team is never necessary to win or compete successfully. A few good pigeons are better than a large number of inferior ones. Go slow and be patient. Go slow and be patient
1.DO NOT OVER CROWD YOUR LOFT (Racing or Breeding). Keep only a few pigeons, but keep the best you can get
2.Start with 3 to 5 pairs of breeders and build a nucleus from them. Once the proponent sire or dam is actually discovered—usually by accident—or uncovered, then you must at all costs develop a line around this specific bird. You must not dilute him because you will eventually lose the quality that makes him great. You must perpetuate as many offspring in as many combinations as possible
3.Purchase only one superior pair at a reasonably more expensive price. Your second choice should be the offspring off the top birds that have proved themselves both as breeders and racers.
4.Purchase from a reputable and honest, successful fancier who has put years into creating a winning family.
5.Buy on information and results, not emotion and fancy advertisements, names or pedigrees. Do your research and homework before you invest your money and your investment will be rewarding and pay dividends.
6.Ignore elaborate pedigrees where reference is made to great winners in the second, third and fourth generations. Do not worry about strains, famous names, or a certain family of birds at this time.
7.The birds must come from very healthy and successful lofts.

Secret #3: GOOD HEALTH
When selecting quality pigeons, always select "Good Health." There can be no sound foundation without it. Healthy pigeons produce healthy young that will race well. This is an undisputable fact. Good health is 75% of the secret to successful pigeon racing. It start with good health and the fancier's willingness to accept that an excellent diet, hygiene and medication program is necessary to keep the birds healthy and competitive.
1.Birds must have a proper diet (metabolism) to compete at their highest levels. Breeders and race birds should never miss a meal or be kept hungry or thirsty. Keep breeders on a regular schedule for feed time, and feed at least two times a day
2.Clean Drinking water. A true test of a clean drinking water is that even you yourself can drink from it.
3.Bath your bird. Healthy birds will like to take a bath 1 or 2 times a week. Place a bath pan in the loft on a nice sunny day with 2 tablespoons of bleach or a hand full of epsom salts in the water.
4.Bio-security is a Must! Keep visitors out of you lofts. Who knows where they have been and what they will expose your birds to?
5.Clean your loft. Dry & Clean - Bleach loft and water & feed containers regularly. Make your loft as pleasant as possible for you and the birds.
6.Keep Canker and Cocci Under Control. The point is not to eradicate but only to keep at a manageable level that does not adversely affect performance. Remember neither of these drugs are antibiotics.
7.Please do not accept birds no matter how noble their intentions are. Bringing in a lot of birds from various lofts creates a stress situation for the newcomers as well as the familiar settled birds. It also brings out various dormant ailments that may take years to isolate or eradicate. A quarantine of 3-4 weeks period and the administration for the pigeon is highly recommended.
8.Stop Exchanging Birds. Health cannot be achieved if you are constantly exchanging pigeons with all and sundry. Once you have a colony of birds, work with them and avoid the temptation of always bringing in other birds. The constant exchange of birds is a sure-fire way to insure disaster
Secret #4: HOMING & NAVIGATION QUALITIES
Breed from birds that have the "Compass" or "Homing Instinct." If a pigeon can't home, how can you expect it to win? There is still no consensus on how a bird homes and navigates. It is a matter upon which we can only speculate. It is important to recognize that a racing pigeon must and does navigate. The bird must have the ability to orient itself and to maintain its course. The intelligent pigeons apparently have no trouble finding the most direct route home, and they are able to adjust to different types of conditions (weather).
1.Place high value on a bird that has come home time after time after hard races. Intelligent pigeons have no trouble finding home and are able to adjust to different types of conditions.
2.Look for evidence of "Homing Instinct" over a long period of time. You cannot measure this quality by a few races or tosses, and it cannot be found by fliers who constantly hold birds out of races for minor reasons. You cannot evaluate a bird's intelligence in the short, fast races. You must go the distance.
Secret #5: LET THE BASKET & RACES CULL FOR YOU
The only fair and impartial methods of selecting intelligence that gives true satisfaction and results are the training basket and long races. No individual can measure mentality and the degree of homing instinct of a bird from looking at it, feeling or handling it, or looking into its eyes. Don't waste your time or money! You already have the best graders in the world, "The Basket" and "Long Races".
Secret #6: BREED FOR INTERNAL QUALITIES, NOT EXTERNAL APPEARANCE
Outwardly many pigeons seem to look good, but it is what is on the inside that counts on race day: intelligence, orientation and navigating ability, motivation, determination, desire, heart and health. Appearance, fancy pedigrees, and popular names are all equal, until the basket or race day arrives.
Consistently breed generation after generation from pigeons which possess these internal qualities. I intensify and fix these characteristics in my birds so they will reproduce themselves in my youngsters year after year.
Now in each pigeon there are actually two pigeons: the one physically that you see, and the hidden bird that you have no way of seeing, and therefore no way of judging. When you evaluate a bird, you must of necessity evaluate both what you see in front of you and what is in the bird and you cannot see. In horses this is often called heart. If you misjudge this you lose your chance to own the champion.

Secret #7: BELIEVE IN HEREDITY
The laws of genetics apply to all species with amazing consistency. Learn them and use them to your advantage. The pigeon is not an exception. Genetic change occurs in the time frame of generations. This requires that your breeding program be focused for a prolonged period (years!) on a consistent set of goals. Body, attitude, fitness, fuel, and luck collectively contribute to winning a race. All but luck are influenced by both genetics and environment. Genes determine the maximum potential of the bird, while the environment determines how much of that potential is actually realized.
Believe in the simple principle of genetics, "Heredity is handed down from one generation to the next." No one can start with mediocre pigeons and castoffs from several different fanciers, and hope to come up with anything that is close to an established family of pigeons that will pass on the needed quality genes and traits.
1.Select from a family of pigeons that has bred continuous winners over a long period of time, at least 10 years in tough competition. If you are not breeding from winners or children of winners, you are in trouble! This is where it all starts.
2.Pairing the best with the best does not necessarily guarantee success, but it definitely increases the chances of it.
In both the racing and breeding lofts, the true value of a pigeon will be found only by actual tests, either by flying or by the quality of young it produces. The true tests of a quality breeder are the performance and breeding success of its offspring, not its own race record. If a bird cannot reproduce itself or better, it is no good as a breeder and should be culled. Remember results will not be seen in one year. It will take 2 years to see any real evidence.
Secret #8: LOFTS SHOULD BE COMFORTABLE AND SECURE
Pigeons have no sense of luxury, but they do have a sense of comfort and security. Therefore, a luxurious loft is not essential to success, but a loft must provide comfort and security from all outside dangers:
1.Dry & Clean - Bleach loft and water & feed containers regularly.
2.Make your loft as pleasant as possible for you and the birds
3.Adequate Ventilation - Provide plenty of fresh air. Plenty of Natural Sunlight.
4.Vermin Proof .
5.Not Overcrowded - Comfort and sleep is important.
6.Trapping & Clocking - Give it plenty of thought and
Make your loft as pleasant as possible for you and the birds. Spend quality time with your birds, and you will improve your record. Give the birds kind, gentle and regular attention so they will trust you. This should make them contented and unafraid.

SECRET#9 Educate Young Bird Early
As parents, we want the best for our children. We send them to the best schools to have the best teachers. We buy them the best equipment to learn and study to provide our children with the best education we can afford to give them. We want to help them achieve their goals and be successful in life by giving them every opportunity possible to succeed. The same must be done for our young birds in training help them have the best chance to succeed and to win the large prizes.
Feeding Training and medication
From the first day, the fancier must provide the best feed, vitamins, minerals and electrolytes: a regular grain diet of 15-17% protein, plus raw Spanish peanuts, safflower, poultry pellets 21-28% protein, fresh grit each day, Liquid vitamins, minerals and electrolytes in water 2-3 times a week.. This education starts at an early age because we do not want any setbacks in growth, development of muscles, bone structure or feather quality when we wean the young from their parents at 26-30 days old.
1.Before placing young birds (26-30 days old) in the flying section, it should be completely sanitized with loft disinfectant, along with all feeders and water containers at least 2 times, before you place the birds into the section.
2.Keep the section free of all birds until the young birds are ready to move into the sanitized section. You should sanitize the Loft at least once a week until the race series is over.
Weaning Period
1.Removed Young birds 26-30 days old are removed from the breeding section and placed in the flying section with birds of all the same age. Feed and water should be placed in the loft at all times for the first 5 days.
2.Place small grains in the nest bowl during each feeding when young are 14 days old. They learn to eat at an early age.
3.Dip their heads into water at 21 days old once or twice a day to encourage them to drink
FEED: 15-17% protein mixture (several different grains) at least 12-18 different types of seed. Fresh grit. Pigeon pellets 21-28% protein.
WATER: Contains vitamins, minerals and electrolytes with medication of Aureomycin, Sulmet and Ridzol.
1.1 gallon of water with the following:
2.1 teaspoon of vitamins
3.1 teaspoon of minerals / electrolytes
4.1 teaspoon of liquid Sulmet
5.1/2 teaspoon of aureomycin concentrate
6.1/2 teaspoon of Ridzol
If out of area birds are placed in the loft (birds bred at other lofts and shipped to your loft) they must be placed on the above schedule before being introduced to your birds. Give extra special attention to these new birds to see if they are adjusting to their new surroundings and are 100% healthy
Never limit or ration feed for young birds in training! This means that the birds get all they want to eat of quality grain from birth until the last day of a race series. When we wean the young birds at 26-30 days of age, it is another learning experience. There should be feed and water in front of them at all times during this weaning period, about 4-6 days.
On 6th-10th days of weaning give the birds fresh water with 1 tablespoon of bleach or NOLVASAN in 1 gallon of water. Pellets and fresh grit at all times. Birds are feed 2 OR 3 TIMES a day with the same feed mixture, add extra safflower and few RAW SPANISH PEANUTS to each feeding and allow the birds to eat all they want at each feeding. Young birds in training should never miss a meal or be kept hungry or thirsty for any reason. There should be no stress placed on the birds because of food, drink or lodging. They will have enough stress during the race series. We need to provide a stress free environment in the loft at all times.
Safe Trap Training.
1.Show them where to enter or trap safely.
2.Place them through the trap a few times by hand, GENTLY. This gives them the experience to go through the trap. A few peanuts waiting for them after they trap will encourage them to trap quickly. This routine should never change: Always the same - loft fly or exercise, land, trap, peanuts , food and water (plus medication) are now waiting for them.
SETTLING and LOFT FLY: 35-40 DAY OLD BIRDS should be settled to the loft and know the trapping procedures. As birds start flying freely around the loft (2-3 times a day), the following should be applied until road training starts.
WATER
2 days a week with vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and fresh squeezed lemon
2 days a week multi-mixture #2 A OR B medication
1 day a week onion, fresh garlic, apple cider vinegar
2 days a week fresh water with bleach or NOLVASAN
FEED: 2 TIMES A DAY MORNING AND EVENING:
80% mixture various seeds(15-17%)
10% safflower
10% raw Spanish peanuts (#1 grade) fresh grit and pellets free choice
MEDICATION: #2A MULTI-MIXTURE MEDICATION 1 GALLON WATER
1 teaspoon Ridzol
1 teaspoon Sulmet or amprol
1 teaspoon concentrated aureomycin
1 teaspoon TELMINTIC (WORMER)
#2B MULTI-MIXTURE MEDICATION
1 teaspoon emtryl
1 teaspoon tylan
1 teaspoon vetisulid
1 teaspoon aureomycin
One week use mixture #2A, the next week #2B . Prior to road training all birds should be vaccinated for PMV and POX.
Routing in Aviary. After the young birds start to loft fly for about 3-4 weeks, they will become stronger and more curious. They will start to leave the area of the loft and spend time routing (checking out surroundings away from the loft). They sometimes will spend 20-30 minutes flying out of the sight of the trainer and the loft. At this point, the birds show the trainer that they are ready for road training tosses. Road training tosses should not begin until the birds start routing.
Basket Training.
1.Purchase or make two for this purpose. One for cocks and one for hens and the size big enough to accommodate comfortably the number you anticipate to race.
2.Each pigeon entrant should have its own compartment, to avoid any unnecessary injury due to pecking before race basketting.
3.Baskets must be easy to carry when loaded and not too cumbersome to load into your car or vehicle, must be strong, light, clean and secure.
4.Training baskets must have attached to one of the longer side panels a release flap or door, which should be at least 80% of the length of the longer side. This ensures that birds do not creep away in one of the corners at release times.
5.Place pigeon in the basket a few at a time in front of the loft. Let them stay in the basket for about 10-15 minutes and open basket for them to fly to the loft safely. Repeat this experience 3-4 times, a few birds at a time, before we start road training. This will enable the birds to feel safe in the basket and not confused.
Baskets are to be kept clean, painted every season and stored in a cool dry vermin free environment, during the off season. During the training and racing period they should be aerated and supplied with dressing material regularly. Try to avoid dust build up of any nature. Birds tend to stick their heads through the tops of baskets in attempting escape, should baskets have very open tops. This is not acceptable, because they will become wild and susceptible to injury.

Pre Road Training
1.Get a your vicinity map a draw a straight line on your projected pigeon flight path for every mile/miles.
2.The birds are always sent to training tosses with a full tank of gas, fully fed and watered at all times.
3.Look for locations to release your birds, always try to find large land marks that the birds can remember and see at great distances.
ROAD TRAINING/RACE SERIES:
FEED - 3 times a day: Once in morning 2 hours before road training, Once mid-day; Once evening. Feed the birds all they want to eat at each feeding. The birds are always sent to road training with plenty of fuel or gas in their tank. NEVER HUNGRY OR THIRSTY!
70% mixture various grains(15-17%)
15% safflower
15% Spanish peanuts Fresh grit and pellets free choice
WATER:In loft at all times:
2 days vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, lemon
2 days multi-mixture medication #3
1 day onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar
2 days teas, every other week 1 day substitute WORMER for tea.
MEDICATION: #3 MULTI-MIXTURE
1 TABLESPOON Ridzol
1 TABLESPOON Sulmet-aureomycin
1 teaspoon tylan
1 teaspoon vetisulid
1 tablespoon vitamins
Two weeks before the race series starts, put the birds on 5-7 days of 3000-3500 mg AMOXYCILLIN per gallon of water. You can still train the birds while on AMOXYCILLIN with no problem.
One week before the race series starts, until series is over, feed 3 times a day on a regular routine: 60% mixture, 20% safflower, 20% peanuts, grit, pellets. ALL THE BIRDS WANT TO EAT!


WATER:7 DAY PROGRAM AT THE START OF THE SERIES.
DAY OF SHIPPING- vitamins, minerals, electrolytes
DAY BIRDS RETURN (24 HOURS) vitamins, minerals,
electrolytes, lemon.
next 48 hours - multi-mixture #3
next 48 hours - fresh water with bleach or NO LVASAN
next 48 hours or shipping day - vitamins, minerals,
electrolytes.
The week between races, the birds should receive plenty of rest in loft.
1.WARM BATH WITH EPSOM SALTS THE FIRST NICE DAY AFTER RACE.
2.Loft fly once a day. Light training 20-30 miles in the middle of week.
3.Loft fly during the last days before shipping the next race.
4. KEEP THE LOFT QUIET AND LET BIRDS REST FOR NEXT RACE. DO NOT OVER TRAIN THE BIRDS BETWEEN RACES. THE BIRDS NEED TIME TO RECOVER PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY BETWEEN RACES.
Start of road training.
4.Start about 1/2 mile away from the loft, releasing the birds at this point 2-3 times, the routine is the same training, land, trap and peanuts.
5.Gradually increase the distance of our training tosses to 1, 5, 10, 20 miles. We stay at each location 3 times. It is better to have 2 ten mile tosses than 1 twenty mile toss for the birds to gain experience
6.On the third time at each location we are going to single toss each bird! Single tossing helps to educate the bird, and build its confidence to fly alone. These single tosses force the bird to think on its own and not to rely on other birds to follow home. This is the first step in teaching the bird to be independent, and to build confidence in its own ability to navigate.
7.Release each bird separately, about 10 minutes apart, and it must rely on its own homing skills. These single tosses are only made after a bird has been to the location at least 2 times with the group.
8.Remember, feed and water is always available to the birds, and the routine is the same - train, land, trap, peanuts. If they know that the peanuts are waiting for them, you will have no problem with trapping.
After we reach the 40 mile toss location or the water, whichever comes first, all training tosses are single bird tosses. The birds must learn to fly independently from this point.

Rules for Success
Rule 1: Make your own mistakes! Birdkeeping of any kind is by definition a hands-on activity. Do not be afraid to make errors. It's O.K.! You only really learn by doing. However, you must learn to recognize your errors, learn from them, and do not repeat them.
Rule 2: Read everything, study everything, but do so critically! Learn the anatomy of the racing pigeon. Any good racing pigeon book should be informative or choose the physiology links on this website. Learn the signs of illness for canker, coccidiosis, mycoplasmosis, round and tapeworm infestation, flying pigeon louse, pigeon pox, paramyxovirus, ornithosis, feather mite or lice and red mite, etc. You do not want these detrimental critters near your lofts. They can ruin a loft and the whole breeding and racing season.
Rule 3: Learn and apply knowledge of genetics! The laws of genetics apply to all species with amazing consistency. Learn them and use them to your advantage. The pigeon is not an exception. Genetic change occurs in the time frame of generations. This requires that your breeding program be focused for a prolonged period (years!) on a consistent set of goals. Body, attitude, fitness, fuel, and luck collectively contribute to winning a race. All but luck are influenced by both genetics and environment. Genes determine the maximum potential of the bird, while the environment determines how much of that potential is actually realized.
Rule 4: Stock sense is essential! This gift of recognizing quality in animals is called stock sense. This usually cannot be taught; you usually have an aptitude for it or not. No matter what you breed, the principles are and always remain the same.
Rule 5: Two pigeons in one! Now in each pigeon there are actually two pigeons: the one physically that you see, and the hidden bird that you have no way of seeing, and therefore no way of judging. When you evaluate a bird, you must of necessity evaluate both what you see in front of you and what is in the bird and you cannot see. In horses this is often called heart. If you misjudge this you lose your chance to own the champion.
Rule 6: Nature is not on your side! Nature abhors order. Nature is the great equalizer; Nature does not willingly admit of extremes. Left to herself, Nature reverts to the common form. Nature never progresses from less order to greater order, but always from order to disorder if left to her designs.
What does this mean? This means that once the propotent sire or dam is actually discovered—usually by accident—or uncovered, then you must at all costs develop a line around this specific bird. You must not dilute him because you will eventually lose the quality that makes him great. You must perpetuate as many offspring in as many combinations as possible. Inbreeding is your tool! If your sire or dam doesn't put up with it, then he or she is not the prepotent specimen you believe him or her to be! If this is the case, you must look to uncover another! You can learn much of breeding by studying the theories of Chaos and Relativity!
Rule 7: Truly prepotent sires or dams are the rarest of the rare! They are to be cherished, and unlike diamonds, they will not last forever. Use them wisely! To find one is truly like panning for gold. You go through tons and tons of rock and dirt to find only a grain—a nugget—of real gold. That is why it has value, because it is rare! Yet once found they are never appreciated nor properly used. This is because people ignorantly believe, "Oh, well, I'll find or breed another." Well, good luck because the reality is you rarely will.
Rule 8: Cross inbred lines! Inbreeding increases predictability by narrowing the gene pool. (This also means that it decreases the variability that will be seen in the offspring and can actually set limits on progress that can be made). A true master breeder is never satisfied with such limits and uses both inbreeding and outcrossing to achieve consistent results that steadily improve over the years. If the genes you need are not in the gene pool, no amount of selection will put them there. Inbreeding should only be done with world class animals. Inbreeding decreases the effect of heterosis (or hybrid vigor). This will require that you distinguish between your breeding and racing programs.

What we seek is always to improve! We wish to objectively improve our stock while maintaining longevity. Always look, never be content! Always seek to modify and manipulate Nature's odds in your favor.
When two or more inbred lines of pigeons, or livestock of any kind, are crossed, and we then breed the crossbred females back to either side, we should immediately see very big improvements in everything from fertility to livability.
Rule 9: Introduce only what you absolutely know to be fact! Never use a pigeon in your program, no matter how good or how great a performance, unless you know exactly his genetic origin. You could destroy twenty years work in just a few years. If your family means anything to you, never risk it!

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