mghodowlaPigeon inbreeding: how to check relatedness
In short: Inbreeding in racing pigeons: what it is, how to check a pair's relatedness in their pedigrees and how to plan pairings deliberately.
Inbreeding means pairing related birds. Breeders use it deliberately to fix a line's traits, but very close pairings more often produce weaker youngsters.
Close and distant relatedness
- Very close: parent and offspring, full siblings.
- Close: half-siblings, uncle and niece.
- Distant: a shared ancestor in the third or fourth generation.
How to check it in pedigrees
Put the cock's and the hen's pedigrees side by side and look for the same ring numbers. Every shared number is a shared ancestor. The closer to the pair it appears, the closer the relationship. On paper, four generations means comparing 30 ring numbers; in software with linked pedigrees, shared ancestors show at once.
Deliberate pairings
Record which pairs were related and how their youngsters flew. After a few seasons your own data shows which pairings pay off.
Stop retyping pedigrees. Pigeclub imports them from a photo or a PDF. See Pigeclub.
Questions and answers
How do I know if two pigeons are related?
Compare their pedigrees and look for identical ring numbers. Each shared number is a shared ancestor.