Diamond dave

Ben, Was the "peoples race" named after a newspaper? - I thought it meant for the people!!!!

Swilcox, I appreciate what you are saying mate and I think it would be truly a great National race. But lets be realistic - the logistics of it would be impossible through an independant organisation. The only way it could happen is for ALL the classic clubs to come together and that aint gonna happen when one of these "semi -national clubs" wont even recognise another!!

Hi Pecked Hen, what sort of trapping arrangement have you got?

I agree with the Saddler - whats in a name? A friend of mine (sadly now past away) used to talk to me about something called the "PEOPLES RACE" or something similar. He told me it was from Perth and anyone in the country could enter it. On Liberation birds would be going in all directions. This to me would be more of a "national" race. Does anyone remember anything about it?

My young birds are on a mix of mostly Tic beans with 25% Liege - and as Mike says they will fly all afternoon. My theory is that if they do range and get themselves lost, they will have the "substance" to get themselves back. Just my way. Good luck Westy.

Yep 100%, 6out of 6. So much for the weather forecast!!!!!

Northampton - All things Bright and Beautiful. Weather forecast says it should be raining!!!!!!!

Northants Fed bought back to Basingstoke?????? Up at 8.00am - No wind.

It would seem that the third band has quite a significance as the word "Driebander" is in the pedigree of several different strains. I know it in the Spence and Nicholls birds being Van den Bosche. Does any body know any more? Perhaps this years driebanders will prove to be successfull for you Hyacinth - keep us informed wont you.

More like animals themselves Jordan.

The winning pigeons in our club in the first two weeks were visibly ounces lighter than my own birds ( I marked them and made a mental note). Sounds to me like there aint nothing wrong Keano. 4 minutes behind isnt so bad that the conditions may not be to blame or just not quite in form. We're still at the shorter distances yet, In my opinion too much protein will slow the birds even more at the moment.

Two/three bird limits are fine and shows that a club is both progressive and forward thinking. But where is the accolade in taking a card for 5th/6th knowing that there are possibly 12 other birds that have beaten you? If there are kids in the club then I think that exceptions should be made but nine times out of ten these kids will be flying from grandads loft with some of grandads finest. I think some sort of handicap system would be more productive. Just my thoughts

I fly against some Ace flyers in my club who are proffessional flyers. Quite honestly I cannot put as much into my birds as these fanciers do and at the moment I am happy to be tugging on thier shirt tails. I have had several wins against them on the right day with the right pigeon with one or two exceptional performances. I have been flying for eight years and still consider myself a novice up against these fanciers. You have to be realistic, you are an amateur in a world of proffessionals. Enjoy your pigeons first and foremost, learn the trade. Dont slate these guys because they are beating you week in week out. It is after all the reward for the effort, time and money they put into their hobby that allows them to do that. ( I do agree, however, that putting six in the clock is OTT especially at club level)

My best stock cock is van den bosche from Spence and Nicholls out of the driebander lines. I dont think they are so much of a mixture of strains as Andrew has suggested but are Jansen based. The only thing I can tell you about these birds is that they are big bold pigeons that need alot of road work to get the best from them.

Most of the above but also warm feet I have three things that I go by to tell me whether its worth even basketing the bird. 1. Is the warm feet (cold feet - I wont even basket the bird). 2. Is the droppings/down feathers 3. The last one is what will tell me is the pooler and that is the way the bird blinks. the speed of the blinking is what tells me is the fittest bird. - just my way.

Bren, When I started I got birds from here there and everywhere, gift birds and bought birds cos I liked them. It has taken me about 8 years to weed out the good and bad strains and bad crosses. I think you have done the RIGHT thing as you can establish a family of pigeons in a relatively short space of time (Louella have done it for you). By the same token you can just as easy dismiss these families if they do not suit your methods. Good luck mate!!!

Hiya Saddler, You say that you race roundabout - Is it your hens that you have a problem with or the cocks? Just another option is that they might be seeing too much of each other and they dont have that "desire" when returning from a race.

Bob, I think you can spot this "trait" in young birds. I often spot it when weaning babies. They seem to be that bit more alert to there surroundings or perhaps more inquisitive to whats going on or perhaps its that they are more confident. There is definately something about them which makes me take more of a liking to them, though I have never measured this against results later in life other than to say I ahve a liking for all the adult birds that I keep

Hiya Sbelbin. Interesting post re bathing with malt vinegar - just interested to know why malt vinegar, does it have any properties that benefit the feather quality or is it used to keep the mites and lice away?

Hi ya Jordan I dont know much about rollers but I suspect that the breeding cycle will be the same as pigeons. The cock bird will mate with the hen. then eggs will come in about ten days. It can sometimes be longer if the hen is not settled to the loft. They will sit the eggs for about 19 - 21 days when the youngsters will hatch. Hope this helps mate.

Hyacinth did you get my ring numbers?

You'll have a job to shoot them - have you seen how quick they are? I've even seen them fly through thick leaved trees. I think it is true that pigeons become "streetwise" where the sparrow hawk is concerned. In my experience a sparrow hawk tries to surprise the birds. I'm not sure if they will take a bird from the air unless a bird is just taking off. ( someone will correct me) In early summer I could have four or five visits in one day - I've even confronted one eye to eye about three feet from my face - and it scared the sh** out of me!!!!! I have always encouraged loads of wild birds into my garden and found them to extra eyes for the pigeons - Havent lost one yet (tempting fate).

I've always found those problems in a "variable"wind. Mike - do you send your yearlings in these early races?

Well said Swilcox

Just wondered what everyone thought is the trickiest conditions for racing.