Diamond dave

These are 2 yearlings which I wanted to pair to other birds but they werepaired as youngbirds and have gone together again. They are both out of agood stock pair. I didn't know whether to underlay them or take a pair of youngsters off them. This is family I want to build my loft around so I might take a pair off of them and see what happens. Will let you all know when they win a NationAL....... Thanks all for your replies. D.D.

Can anyone tell me if a Brother to sister pairing is too close (they are not out of the same nest). Has anyone had a successful pairing from a mating as close as this or am I asking for trouble? D.D.

WHICH AREA IS THAT IN DIAMOND DAVE Milton Keynes - fellow by the name of Mark Henry.

Another blast from the past, or does anyone still have them?

There's a guy in our club races Vandies - some of them are 7-8 years old and he still sends them over 500. Always there or there abouts. Big, Bold chequers with stunning eyes.

Would have been all of 40 years ago - crikey, I didn't realise I was so old!!! D.D.

While we are on the old strains - when I was a lad I remember having a couple of Smiths Grizzle or were they Swiss Grizzles? - Does anyone know what strain these pigeons were - does any one still fly them?

ive some vanhees dixon of york lines also a motta cock What is a "Motta"

Where do the Imbrechts come from?

Following the last post about strains going out of fashion - does anyone still have the Van Hees or Imbrechts.......

O wen, I can appreciate that the body moult will carry on but you surely can't expect to get all of the primaries out without the light.............??? D.D

Had a couple of Ko Nipius cocks off of the Merrick lines through Phil and Carol Cooke. I tried many hens with them but couldn't get anything from them so I went to the Old Comrades show to purchase some from the Bob McDonald sale a few years ago now. I paid a lot of money for the birds and still didn't get anything from them. They bred fantastic looking birds but I couldn't keep them beyond the yearling stage. This was so frustrating and cost me about 4/5 seasons keep trying them - I have now ousted all of them. I remember talking to a couple of other fancirs who had similar problems. I am not saying for one minute this was due to Bobs birds but it would seem that the Ko nips didn't suit my methods. D.D.

How about Ron Williamsons "Champion HeartBreaker" or "Champion Millenium Superstar" - Top class Buschaertts D.D.

Thanks DWH but the light for my racers would only be on for about 4-5 weeks, do you think that this would make that much difference to the racers. Then when I re-pair just before racing would this stop the advance of any moult?? D.D.

I have been experimenting with the light system for the last couple of year with the sole purpose of getting the young birds through the moult prior to YB racing. I have not perfected it yet but many have and if you can get it right your birds will compete and beat darkness youngsters. To date I have found a couple of advantages 1 it is easier than darkness because the lighting should be automatic and 2 it allows you to get much more training into the birds prior to racing at a time when not many other birds are being trained thus reducing losses. It also has several disadvantages the main one being you have the added costs of feeding young birds for an extra couple of months and one other being that you may have to pull flights (which I refuse to do). The timing is all important and the amount of light that you have to give them each day is important. I am only a comparitive novice myself but I realised very quickly that if I am going to beat ace flyers on darkness I would need to do something different which is why I have been experimenting with the light. I'm sure that there are fanciers around that have perfected this system who can help you more but if you have any questions PM me and I will be happy to answer any questions based on my experiments - it may save you some time. Can I ask J Bamling why he wouldn't do this wth his race birds? as I intended to underlay my stock eggs under my race birds so I would have to pair them up too.

Anyone seen this video clip yet - funny as you like - check it out on www.pigeonimpossible.com - This bird must be of the James Bond lines. D.D

Havent seen a feather (Northamptonshire). Should have been in about 12.30 but its difficult to know whats going on without the leaderboard. NFC birds were in around our way at about 2.30 but the mnfc should be an hour and a quarter in front of those birds. WOW - your'e brave sending young birds all that way - bloody good luck Dazza - fortune favours the brave!!!!!!! D.D.

Dazza, Have you any birds in yet. Where are you?

Anyone know whats wrong with the mnfc website - I've been trying to get on it all morning for news of the Falaise race. Liberation news was posted but no leaderboard????? D.D.

Thanks guys, The problem is, I tried my hand at the Light system but my timing hasn't been very good and I am not going to "pull flights" as is suggested under this system. Several of my younguns are on their last two flights but they are flying really well, so I dont see why I shouldn't send them but I have heard so many times that people wont send them when they are down to the last two flights but what is the reasoning behind this? D.D.

At what point do you guys stop sending your young birds - when they are down to the 2nd last flight or the last flight. I know you dont have to worry about birds that are on the dark but what about all the others? D.D.

Harrowden Fed up from Basingstoke at 8.00am - Good luck to everyone. D.D.

Can anyone give me an e.mail address of the Belgium Union where I can report a stray. I have tried the RPRA but the bird isn't registered in this country. Their link to the Belgium Union does not work so I wondered if anyone else would have it. Thanks in advance, D.D.

Can anyone give me an e.mail address where to report a belgian young bird pls. D.D.

Well, thank you red chequer for your reply, looks like all the experienced distance flyers are "keeping it to themselves". I know that the people on this site are more helpful than that. I know I'm not a novice but I am only a small back garden fancier who is relatively inexperienced. I don't keep enough birds to make mistakes. So would be really grateful for any advice from you experienced distance fanciers. Red Chequer, Alencon was last week and the "big ones" are in 3/4 weeks. Thanks in anticipation D.D