Mike Chadwick Pigeons

Mike Chadwick Interview

Mirko — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 15:11:26 +0000

Knowing what you are doing with your birds and why sounds simple, and to enjoy your birds it should be simple.

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Mike strives for complete openness regarding his racing

Mirko — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 15:24:53 +0000

As such all the races he has entered feature his name and not a team sub-name. Mike has many followers who understand his loft well and by flying in his name there can be no hiding from the poorer results. Yes, poorer results do exsist, although you would be forgiven for thinking they don’t after hearing from many “top” OLR fanciers.

While many “Top” fanciers appear in the top 100 result listings, rarely do people look back at the number of birds entered to get the odd one or two in the results. Mike often sends between 5-10 birds per race. Occasionally into 10-15 birds. NEVER has he sent the 100-200 birds often entered by other lofts. Indeed, some lofts enter more birds to a race than Mike breeds in a season!!

Mike says “There is no point in having a massive breeding program to race 100s of birds in one race. Selection and knowing your stock and what/why you are managing the loft the way you do is more important. Many lofts are driven by sales, and this demands that a name is up there in the top 100 for a final. Mike breeds, selects, and retains many of his breeders to make the loft even stronger rejecting the option of cashing in. The hobby of pigeon racing is how Mike sees his involvement with the international pigeon community and there is no chance of the hobby changing into a business.

Mike will continue with his modest stock loft of around 30 pairs. Happy, knowing each bird personally.
One final point Mike makes is that you should not have a favourite in the stock loft because it won a race or cost a lot of money. If any bird in Mike’s loft is not “Showing promise” within 2 -3 years, it’s out.

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Mike’s moto

Mirko — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:33:41 +0000

Selection by pedigree and handling is the way forward to achieve a good stock loft is Mike’s moto.
“If you don’t like a bird when you handle it, then do not buy it” . Do not have a bird in the loft only on breeding or results. This is a sport that can be very demanding but also very relaxing and calming. “I want to go in to my loft and not see “ugly ducklings” but to see pigeons that make me smile.

A super example is the G Sire to Mike’s 1st OLR first final winner “Hope”. She was the G Daughter of FROST bred by JOS THONE. Purchased at auction he was selected on breeding – being a brother to Avril, and also handling. Frost was a dark grizzle when all other Avril related birds were white grizzles, like Avril. “Frost was outstanding to handle and had everything I was looking for including a personality. Other fanciers paid double the amount Mike paid for Frost which Mike puts down to him not being white grizzle.

Even today, 20 years after Frost hatched, his name is in 100’S of top pedigrees around the world including 2nd FINAL PATTAYA INTERNATIONAL 2024.

For me, pigeons are a hobby not a business. I spend ages studying pedigrees to find multiple top prize winners for a bird I like. Of the birds I add each year (2 or 3) I will look for OLR auction birds or Brothers – sisters- children from TOP prizewinners in OLR’s.

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