Where to Find Good Stock Birds

Where to Find Good Stock Birds

Most new fanciers breed from their race team. It is an economical approach and reduces the number of birds one must own in order to race pigeons. Eventually, either an excellent pigeon distinguished himself and the fancier no longer wishes to risk him on the races but wants to exclusively breed from the bird in the hopes of producing another one or twelve exactly like the bird. Now you have crossed into the realm of the stock loft. The stock loft is the gene pool from which your future race birds will come. Winning usually starts in the stock loft. If you plant inferior seeds you will get an inferior plant. Start with inferior breeders you will usually get inferior racing pigeons. If you are going to invest in a stock loft, do your home work, do your research, search your various sources and get birds that have the potential to do well on the system you fly, the type of course you compete and at the distances you wish to concentrate on. You may even decide to keep two or three different families in the stock loft.

Sources

Auctions — You will find auctions at the conclusion of futurities, after the death of fanciers who don’t have descendants that wish to continue their hobby, on-line auctions almost daily and at shows. The birds will vary from young birds to older breeding pairs.

Commercial Breeders — These are the breeders that commercially breed and purchase stock solely for the purpose of selling children and grand children. You will often be able to visit them year round and find a supply of birds available for purchase. You will also be able to purchase entire young bird kits.

Friends — Trusted friends often give “gift” birds or breeders of excellent quality. On honest man/woman will take pride in the achievements of others from birds that came from them. When I use the term “friend” I am not throwing it around loosely.

Associates — These may be people you already know or just met from a pigeon club. In some clubs, members often volunteer to breed some young birds to get a fancier started in pigeons.

Established Fanciers — These are fanciers that have been competing for a number of years, with a proven family. You can usually get birds that are related and have a proven record or are out of proven performers.

Your race team — If a bird had proven themselves to score and compete on your own race team, it’s an excellent candidate for the stock loft, regardless of pedigree. It may prove to be an excellent breeder and if not, you have lost no investment.

Suggestions

1. Do your research. Select a strain or family that conforms to the way you want to fly pigeons and the goals you strive to achieve.

2. If you have decided on a family or strain, know the ancestors that were either champion performers or producers of champion performers within that strain.

3. Set a budget and buy the best quality within your budget and not the most quantity. One single superior breeder is far more valuable than a group of lesser value though excellent breeders. It’s much harder to breed “up” from a lower quality than to use breeding strategies to reproduce an already existing specimen

4. If you are going to spend money on young birds, buy a kit our group and fly them. There are traits a specimen may possess that only the basket and races can eliminate. They may look great in the hand but be worthless in traits necessary for racing. It’s far better to lose them before you invest time, money and talent on them in the stock loft.

5. Try to purchase related pigeons, rather than pigeons that are labeled as the same strain. Your chances of producing birds that are homozygous for the same traits increase dramatically and you should be able to attain a standard in the breeding loft more quickly.

6. Test Breed. If you already have proven breeders and are attempting to improve your stock, breed a new purchase to proven birds. If they do not produce your standard with proven birds, then you can discard them.

Where to Find Good Stock Birds By Domanski Family Loft

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7 thoughts on “Where to Find Good Stock Birds

  1. I have stopped racing ,as I have other business interests that need urgent attention.I have 3 pairs of top class stock birds for sale here in South Africa.They have bred me too many winners to mention and have helped me win club and classic averages as well as big money races.They breed all weather birds and fly up to 800km .These pairs have bred me numerous 3 time and 2 time winners and these winners have also produced winners for me.They are 2007 bred birds ,and have been well looked after and appear in excellent health.They are all cousins and second cousins,so they are one family made up of a few world class blood lines.They breed very hardy offspring that came handle our extreme climat here in SA.
    Will ship anywhere in the world.

    1. hi Andre,
      i am living in South Africa and also a pigeon fancier in the Westen Cape. Your birds seems to what every fancier can only dream of. i woul like to know where and which racing union you participated prior to stopping so that i can check your records before purching your proven birds.
      Best Regards
      S G Ryland.

  2. You know, that was a good article! When I still lived in NJ\NYC metro area it was fairly easy to find all breeds of pigeons. Since moving to central Pa. about 16 yrs. ago I was out of the sport for 13 of those years!! Other than “livestock auctions”, and a guy who sells pigeons to the gun clubs I couldn’t find any!!! Finally hooked up with a multiple breed club, The Reading Pigeon Club which is 15 mi. away. Actually bought my stock from the pigeon broker who sells to the gun clubs!! Hope Easter was great!

  3. Very good artical!! I will be handling midwest convention birds next year. So I will have all my young birds for sale. I have many club wins, also I have wone the midwest with my birds two times and once as a handler

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