How can we cut costs in pigeon racing?

How can we cut costs in pigeon racing?

cutting pigeon racing costsAs you may know pigeon racing costs seem to keep rising and according to a poll I did here with Pigeon Insider members rising costs is one of the main reasons for declining memberships, participation and in the future will be a huge factor for the death of the sport and hobby all together. I think with all of our minds combined we can figure out a way to help lower costs and help make pigeon racing and pigeon keeping in general more enjoyable for everyone, and in the long term help this sport and hobby thrive for the next generation.

So my question for you is…

What are your ideas for cutting costs and lowering expenses in our sport?

Click here to post your thoughts, comments and ideas and together I think we can make a difference. Look forward to reading your comments!

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46 thoughts on “How can we cut costs in pigeon racing?

  1. The way the club I’m in cut cost is by every one going in and buy feed by the ton and by doing that we don’t have to pay retail and save about $10 per bag and to me that’s a big saving.

  2. In our area on the coast, there are numerous flyers from Florida to Texas. There are only a couple of times in the off seasons that the flyers ever get together. Each club could have a pigeon meeting and raise money to off-set flying fees as well as buying feed from a good feed supplier in bulk and get it for a lot cheaper price. In Mobile I made the suggestion of the two clubs joining forces a couple years ago and it has worked out great. BUT, you don’t need problems with differences, its about flying and the love of this great sport and not about members pulling the sport apart.

  3. Hey there its lots of expenses:
    $700 annual racing fees, $165 for the club and assoc dues, bands and echips $300+, so at least a $1000 a year and thats just to race.
    Also account for the cost to feed, gas to train, cost of a clock,
    also assume your not spending a lot on the meds, or $ to enter the big money races, or buy any of those fancy pedigree’s at the various auctions.
    It certainly does addup quickly and like with most hobbies you should expect little or no return for your annual outlay.
    So when I ask a beginner and ts $2000 – $3000 a year, or mabye pinching the pennies a little less to stay in the game, there is not a lot of interest just for bragging rights, along with the daily chores.

  4. I’m a young fancier 13 years of age and I had pigeons for 3 years first 2 years were tumblers now I have 2 tumblers 18 racers I would love to race but the cost of training them and the clock are way too much so I need to wait a while to start racing good luck everyone

  5. Birdage transport costs are rising due to rising costs of fuel plus the reduced number of birdage, To be more econimical, In the UK most Clubs/Feds fly North / South Why not fly the South route on a Saturday and the North route on a Sunday & combine the transport reducing fuel costs

    1. Hi Garry that would work but would fliers go for that.I also made a suggestion that they make
      the clubs and Feds bigger that were going in the same direction it would save on cost and
      hopefully help but it was shot down because i don’t fly in the Uk.Regards Brad.

  6. 1. Have a Limited number of proven stock birds
    2. Have a small racing team (make sure these birds are from proven family, so that u can avoid loses)
    3. No one can stop spending you during the racing season, but u can find some cheapest transport. (We will prefer for trains, where birds are very safely travel and expense is also less). 3 or 4 members can join and do personal trainings for less expense.
    4. Remove the unwanted birds from your loft
    5. Don’t spend much money on buying lot of multivitamins
    6. Try to give medicines came from home remedies (Ginger, Garlic and etc)

  7. HI there.. her are a few suggestions from me to cut some costs..

    1. Many fanciers buy a lotta medicines and then throw a major portion away.. like Tylan for example..a small group pf 2-3 people could join together and share it among themsleves. Ive notice most ppl would use only about 25-30% of the contents.

    2. fanciers could car pool while training tosses esp if they are all going the same direction.

    3. Again a group of fanciers could buy largers packages of grain like a whole sack of about 100 Kgs at a time and go back and split it amongst themselves. There is about 40-50% difference while buyng wholesale quantitys against retail.

    there must be some many more things which one could do. these are just a few immediate thoughts which came to my mind.

    Arun Anand from
    KRPC Bangalore

  8. Cut costs
    #1 get rid of electronic clocks (saving $500-$1000)
    #2 reduce AU dues to $10 (saving $15)
    #3 reduce club dues to $5 (saving $15)
    #4 eliminate shipping/trucker expense (saving $150-$300 per season)
    #5 charge entry $1 per bird no other fees
    #6 calculate prizes on 10-1 (not 4-1) which is the norm (shortens time waiting for birds)
    #7 Most Important increase prize money (thereby if you win, you reduce expenses)
    #8 Solution to increasing prize money is : Sponsors donations (just like all the other sports, tennis, golf, nascar, etc.)

    1. Erik trust me Im all about saving some money. Married, 6 kids, bills, job and of course my birds. Im the 2nd cheapest man on earth, I learned from the best. I do however, have a few concerns with your post.
      1. Anyone trying to get rid of an e-clock to save some cash can send it my way cause I’m looking for one! And anyone that wants to get rid of theirs is either an old timer used to old type clocks or someone who has LOTS of free time to hand clock birds upon return from a race. Stick with the e-clock, saving time IS SAVING MONEY!
      2 and 3. I’m all for reducing dues but dont forget dues pay for STUFF that we cheap bastards dont want to come out of pocket for including PRIZE MONEIES!! and AU legal fees and services when we have “run ins” with local code enforcement. I do inspections and investigations(gives me a little first hand knowledge) Roger Mortvedt left Torrance CA for a little more open space because if this type of issue.
      4. If we eliminate shippers to save cash than we have to find someone else we TRUST to do it and pay them! increase dues to cover shipping or deliver our birds to the release point ourselves,and I AINT DRIVING NO WHERE I DONT HAVE TO!! I’m in California where fuel prices are the 2nd highest in the country.
      5. Entry fees like dues cover a variety of things, certificates, diplomas, trophies, plaques not ot mention judges, specialists, guest speakers. All of whom usually DONT WORK FOR FREE! And also the pay for the help at events and shows(people who often work for pizza and pepsi).
      6. Calculating prize money I feel is an individual club issue to be presented by and voted upon by the clubs members democraticaly. As long as its fair its not my business.
      7.Increasing prize payouts means simply we cheapscates have to pay premium entry fees. Face it. The less we pay into the pool, THE LESS WERE GONNA GET OUT OF IT!
      8. SPONSORS?! I’m 35. As a junior member of a local club, life member of 4-H, member of Jr. Grange and FFA I’m fairly familiar with fund raising. We solicited gifts and donations frequently for just about everything we did. Its not hard buts its not easy either. Takes man power and time. And again time is money. Most other sports like tennis golf and Nascar dont involve disease carrying pooping flying rats. Which is how most of the world views our beloved sport. I cant get a school or educational grant for 3 graduating kids. Sponsors to fund my “HABIT” to “PLAY WITH MY BIRDS” PROBIBLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. But lets give this a try we’ll never know if we dont!

      You want to save some money in this sport?
      TREAT IT LIKE SUCH, A S P O R T ! And nothing more. Not for a monitary prize. Not as a business. Just a sport. Just for fun.

      I get together with a few of the guys and we fly. No money except for gas and lunch. No dues. We rotate driving for releases. If someone has to work that day they still fly cause we take out their birds too. F U N !!
      And some personal bragging rights. F U N !!

      PS I dont have an e-clock just an old STB given to me by the same person I got my stock fom Mr. Kurt Alwelt in Los Angeles when he retired at 95 yrs of age!! Great guy, great birds and although it was his original clock, GREAT CLOCK, STILL WORKS!!

      I’m cheap but realistic. Sometimes we just have to bite it and keep going.
      Hard times in LA, hard times everywhere!!!!!!

  9. Half the transporters are going to the race destination half full or less why don’t federations share each others transporters if they are going to the same destination and use half the fuel ?

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