I have always considered doing additional articles on the Development of a Family in your pigeon breeding, and this is meant to be a continuation of the first article I did back in the July/August 1997 issue of the Bulletin. Mike Jones sent me a follow up article on his experience with introducing birds from an established family of proven breeding quality birds into his birds. I have reviewed my breeding records - they are all on the computer - and have the following documented information to pass on.
If you remember the first article, I stated that after I had reviewed some past records of a hen that I knew was very influential in my stock, I found her genes to be running through most of the successful breeding stock I had and also most of the winning birds I have shown over the past 8 to 10 years.
I would like to take a moment to say that you also have to be careful that you do not keep breeding in one line. You must insert an outcross every now and then to dilute the blood. You will find that most of the time, the first outcross will be of very good quality, both for showing and breeding.
The blue check hen that I referred to in the first article bred both show and breeding quality birds. This may not be the rule for most birds that you consider the cornerstone to a good line of pigeons. If you get both qualities, count it a blessing. In today's pigeon breeding circles, most people can afford the money and the space to have lofts for show birds and breeding birds, so selection is the guide.
The hen referred to above raised show class winners, which included best of color classes, best old or young, show champion and reserve champion. Of the birds in my loft that I can trace, and some in other lofts, her young, grand young, and great grand young have also produced class winners, best of color classes, best old or young, show champion and reserve champion.
Following are a couple of examples ( I will refer to people by name as I have asked their permission to do so.) John Severson bought an Opal cock at the 1996 Futurity auction that is a grandson of the blue check hen and mated it to one of his blue bar hens. The Opal cock was one of four Opal cocks that I showed in that show out of the same pair. They placed 3rd, 4th, 7th and 9th. John bought the 9th place bird. At the 1997 Futurity John showed an Opal check cock. It won the class and was champion. It went on to win several more show champions. I also believe that at the 1997 Futurity John won 1st in the blue check hen class with a sister to the Opal Check cock.
Another one of the Opal check cocks was sold at the 1996 Futurity to Georgianne Lausen who bred a nice black check cock that has several classes. She also had at least one blue check hen that did some winning.
I was curious about the birds that Mike Jones showed at the Futurity, especially the blue check cock that was first in his class and also Grand Champion cock. I also asked him about the ash red check cock that was first in that class. As it turns out, the blue check cock is a great grandson of the old blue check hen that I wrote the original article about, and the ash red cock is also a great grandson of the blue check hen. The two birds are related but come from two different sons of the old blue check hen. One was a grizzle I gave Mike's dad, the other is related to the brother of that grizzle that I kept for breeding.
These are some of the results of just one hen and her offspring. I have several more out of the blue check hen that are also breeding winners and make good stock birds. I cannot emphasize strongly enough the importance of picking great breeders and using them to distribute their genes throughout your breeding stock.
A lot of breeders think they have to go out and buy the most expensive bird they can find in order to have the best breeders. You really just need to know what you want and keep aiming at that goal. It may take you one season, but I suggest you plan on a little more time.
I plan on writing at least one more article on this subject, and in that article I will make a statement and confession that many of you will find hard to believe, but that is for another time. Remember one thing, I can back up all my facts with records.
George Lechner