Secret #5: Let the Basket and 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.
In my opinion, 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 it’s eyes. Don’t waste your time or money! You already have the best graders in the world, “The Basket” and “Long Races”.
Over the past years, I have had several famous fanciers and graders visit my loft. Their differences of opinion were so great that what one called a champion, the other called a cull. This only strengthened our opinion that no one human being can evaluate nor grade your pigeons. Those that profess this ability have done more harm than good to our sport over the years.
Secret #5: Let the basket and races cull for you By Bob Prisco
The Leading Online Pigeon Racing and Racing Pigeons Magazine – The Pigeon Insider
my biggest fear is loosing my few birds to hawks i already lost two in my loft . there is nothing i can do i guess just take them out and let them go and prey that the hawks don’t get them
JASON IF YOU CAN GET YOUR BIRDS UP AS EARLY IN THE MORNING AS POSSIBLE THIS SHOULD ELIMINATE THE BIRD OF PREY FACTOR .
If you can see by the early light of dawn then the hawks can see also. Of course we all know they see even better than we do and they wake up early as well. Many pigeon fanciers know from experience that there is no safe time to loft fly if hawks are a problem.
Hi Dave when they are feeding young tuts does not matter i five years ago now i got hit like crazy i live in town so i can’t shoot them i had to change my times that islet my bird
out from two to four hours and if they make a kill the fun begins Brad.
Completely agree, as long as the birds are in top shape. What we must remember is pigeon health is a 24/7 respondsibility. If we do not keep them housed/fed and trained properly we are only doing an injustice to our birds, and will never climb to the top of the race sheets. Even a unhealthy champion will be beat by a so so bird in form, so stick to health and the rest will follow……….Keepem flying.
i have raced one year, the basket did my culling for me. i raised 50 young birds last year, i only had 26 at the end of the race season. but my birds where all given to me. but i will try again. hay billy karapiperis of florida call me 270-233-5848, your phone is not working.
Yes I Agree,Thats the best way.Keep the Idears Coming
yes i agree the basket should and will cull your birds, but not all go flyers will breed good birds why ?
Simple Genetics , My belief is that 2 poor birds could possibly breed You some good birds but will take longer and when You breed 2 good birds Your chances increase alot and Your chances for better birds is up , however it’s never a guarantee either – 2 birds that were good in the air have also been known to be poor parents and to have Youngsters not as good as they are ……… it’s all part of the game !!
One of the caveats of the basket cull is that the predatory birds will randomly get some of your best, and then you make decisions in the breeding loft based upon some false information that a bird was not good because he was “lost” training or in a race.
NOT if you keep good records, and remember the reason for the lost or hawk caught bird.
Why would that information be False ? I hear this often “that a bird was not good because he was “lost” training or in a race. …….. Mike
This is a great post!
Race results, race results, race results.
Okay and the training tosses
Yes I agree thats very true but I think we are missing a point here. The basket can reveal which birds have pontential or are already champion racers but only of your own stock. Although one can be very surprised by a not so good looking birds at time, some qualities have been evident to the eye of an experiences fancier and they are guidelines for when you are aquiring stock. Saving for buying birds with a track record what else is there to go by in such cases?
Regards Tony
I AGREE . VERY WELL SAID KEEP THE IDEARS COMING.
Letting the basket do the culling for you is the only sure test that can provide the right results. Judging birds by by feel and appearance only satisfies your personel preference for what a champion should look and feel like. The basket over time never lies. Training tosses and the actual races will show you who’s who. If all your race birds follow the same training schedule,and are fed and medicated the same,the basket will eliminate those who are their just for the free ride. It makes perfect sense to use the basket for choosing those who deserve the limited amount of real estate in your loft.
Thanks for reading, Nick Demas
It is always a pleasure to read from the greats! Consensus is breed from your first birds back and don’t get led astray by unproven theories and fancy myths. Have you read Mortvedt’s comment on eyesign? Check it out…
http://www.pigeonsport.net/eyesign/response_09112000.htm