Rooster J. Cogburn

heard the Great John McNeill's hen that was 2nd SNFC Messac this year was named "Heather" as this is what she built her nest with.Anybody used heather before??

Aye its not for me but each to their own.It not really feasible nowadays think farming etc was different then,not as many chemicals used on fields and so on.Heard the fanciers who practised this viewed it as a form of selecting their doos "survival of the fittest"

Heard ae some top fliers back in the day who didnae feed their birds at all in the winter,they had to fend for themselves.That was one way to save money on feeding

Good photaes the rest of us can only hope its us one day

toe method only works when they're at ringing age

Or you could get an full length aviary along the loft front(mesh front and side) with an iron grid floor,sheeted roof and trap them to that.That'd be a lot dearer to assemble though but again ye could feed them without goin in the hut.You could even have a flap at floor level sit the basket on the outside of it and basket it them through that without having to catch them.

Yeh they struggled with them a bit this year I think.I got mines from Tam Laws this season

I've seen it a couple of times.If ye can get a kinnae waterproof long box with a lid on you could run it the length of the loft with a length of guttering split into sections.Obviously a bit of weatherboard near the floor would need to be cut out and replaced with the slats. You could give yer birds feed,water,grit,minerals etc. without needing to go in the loft.

Get feeding hoppers and drinkers on the front of the loft at floor level.put lids on them so no wild birds can get to your feeding and water.You can make them out of guttering and reed slats on the inside the same as in a basket.

They used to get Belgian barley in but not had it in months

Started adding more depurative to the feed the last week now the majority of them are on the last flight.Will gradually increase it til its over half of the feed.

Nice sales list.Some smashin pigeons to be had

http://www.pigeonclinics.com/default.asp?ContentId=1745&LanguageId=44&MainProductId=106&st=1&pt=Streptococ%2Dcoli%2Dcure These Van Der Sluis treatments have a really good name.Have a look on here,if you get the birds tested ask which of these products would be suitable to treat with. One of the downsides of starting to use these kinna antibiotic based products though is once you start you will probably have to continue. Hope you get it sorted though

Lookin well Is it mainly cocks yous are scoring wi Andy??

Some of his stuff has been proven to be wrong but its like any other doo books ye read.Theres good stuff in it and bad stuff,take what you want from it

If possible extend the daylight hours artificially for a couple of weeks before you intend to pair.Make sure the hens aren't too heavy and use wheatgerm oil on the feed. The youngsters will be on Natural darkness but I still think they would throw flights as normal

Maybe a bit dated but good reading and some interesting points to take from him.Some of the stories he tells are top class

Somebodys been reading the old hand

http://www.elimarpigeons.com/Article3/GeorgeGarethRankin.htm Found this Keith Mott article earlier today. Sad to hear of the passing of another one of the sports old legends.One things for sure his record at National level in partnership with Gareth will be talked about for years to come.

More sad news.RIP George,thoughts for all you've left behind

Classic !!! Quite fond ae this song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l-AxZIdq4E A cracker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRRvWBHtDdo Slightly different direction fi the Smiths,Penny Arcade

This reminds me ae Crocodile Dundee

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgtitHA22i0 Good wee tune from one of ma all time favourite bands