You'll find racing pigeons for sale in your club, at shows, in online classifieds and at online auctions. Wherever you buy, the pedigree sets the price. Here's how to buy well and how to sell so the buyer has no doubts.
Where to buy racing pigeons
- Fanciers in your club. The safest source: you see the loft, the results and the health of the team.
- Online auctions. A big choice and pigeons from all over Europe, including Belgian and Dutch lines. The pedigree usually comes as a PDF.
- Classifieds. Lots of listings of very mixed quality. Buy only with a pedigree and a photo of the ring.
- Shows and sales. You see the pigeon up close before you pay.
- One loft races. After the finals, pigeons with results that are easy to compare are sold.
What to check before buying
- The pedigree. The ring number in the pedigree must match the ring on the leg. See how to read a racing pigeon pedigree.
- The parents' and grandparents' results. Race, distance, position and the number of birds.
- Health. Clear eyes and nostrils, smooth feathers, an active pigeon that feels heavy in the hand.
- Vaccination. Ask about vaccination against paramyxovirus.
- Photos. The pigeon side on, the wing spread, the ring close up.
A famous line in a pedigree, such as Porsche 911, means nothing without ring numbers and results.
How to sell a racing pigeon
Buyers look at the pedigree first and the price second. A good pedigree sells the pigeon for you.
- Make a clear pedigree. Four generations, ring numbers, the best results and your details. In Pigeclub you make and print it in minutes; for a one-off, a blank pedigree to download is enough.
- Add the pedigree as PDF or JPG to the listing. Post the pedigree image as one of the photos. Buyers can read it on their phone.
- Show one loft race results. A one loft race result is the best advert. Pigeclub imports Polish one loft race results and adds them to the pedigree.
- Take good photos. Daylight, a light background, the pigeon side on and the wing spread.
- Describe it honestly. Year, sex, colour, origin and the key results. No exaggeration – the buyer will check the pedigree anyway.
A listing that works
A good listing title says it all in one line, for example: "2025 cock, blue bar, son of a 1st prize 512 km winner, pedigree". In the description give the ring number, the parents' results and say you'll send the pedigree as a PDF.
A bought pigeon's pedigree in Pigeclub
Bought a pigeon? Import the seller's pedigree from a photo or PDF into Pigeclub, without retyping. The pigeon joins your records with its ancestors, and its youngsters' pedigrees build themselves.