Diamond dave

Hi Mac, - no I didn't get in touch - could you make some enquiries for me - or give me an e.mail address for the NEHU. Thanks mate. D.D.

Looks like this may be somebodies "special" ring number. Contact Diamond Dave.

Thank you all for your comments - It doesn't really upset the tranquility of the loft because the "wimp" doesnt fight back - he just sits on the floor. For the same reason, I don't think I can use it as a motivation tool. I feed in thier boxes and he will go into other boxwes to eat but he won't fight for his box. I think I will try Rocky and Rambos idea to use him to motivate the dominant one but will close the wimps box the wek before racing and then re-introduce the wimp on Friday night. I will let you know how he goes. Thanks again and good luck to everyone for the coming season. D.D.

What would you guys do with a yearling widowhood cock who has lost his box to a more dominant cock that has taken over 2 boxes or what can I do to keep the dominant cock in his own box..........? D.D.

Great letter Katie, - very well thought out and addresses a point which will affect us all if nothing is done about it. I think you will get a reply. I don't think that the heirachy at the RPRA can be that naive to overlook such a potential problem. I believe the RPRA set up the "Future of the Sport" commitee so it has obviously been considered but this seems to have been anonomous lately. Your letter certainly deseves a reply and I hope you will keep us posted. Good Luck. D.D.

What temperature do members think is ideal for training/racing. Or rather what temperature would you consider too low for racing/training - especially for yearlings and young birds. D.D.

Hi all, I would like to run a couple of friendly competitions throughout the season for my club. Perhaps for a couple of quid but not serious money. The idea being to create a bit of healthy banter on a Friday and Saturday night. We don't have pools at our place. Has anyone got any ideas of what I can do...........?

Is this a wierd phenominum or is it normal. I have weaned my youngsters and one of the younger ones (only by 2 weeks) was squealing and beaking the slightly older ones and one of them actually fed it. I should say that I didnt take my youngsters away until they were pecking up in the nest box. D.D.

Every thing I read tells me how important routine is to the management of the birds. Can I ask how bad the weather should be before you keep the birds in and forego the routine. i.e. Fog - mist - drizzle - teeming rain - North Easterly - strong winds - or combinations of these. I am particular thinking of widowhood cocks which I want to condition for racing. D.D.

I have used lime before but it gets down me and affects my chest - if it does that to me just think what it does to the birds. D.D

Yeh Taylors choice are cheap but the postage puts it over the top - could I use ordinary flour with somne vim or something in it - after all I usually sweep it out so it dont leave it dusty. I've got perspex sheets on my roof and get a little condensation that drips down on the floor, specially when its foggy. Praps I could even nick a bit of her talc. - I could have the only gay widowhood cocks in the village..... D.D

hI ALL - Does anyone know if you can make loft white. - My local supplier hasn't had any for the last 3 weeks and I wondered if you could use anything out of the kitchen or something............? D.D.

Tony. Yes, I've got some that are only 10 days old. The question is do I take the more advanced hens away from the driving cocks or is it a better to let them lay again and take them away after 5 days............What do you think?

?Thanks for tht tony- The problem is that some of the young are not old enough to do that and some of the more advanced cocks have started driving again. These are the hens that I want to take away........../

.......what are you lot like - a sensible question and look what happens - In any case he has already trod the hen so the big scantily clad blonde bit aint whats keeping him driving. The reason for asking is that most of my widohood pairs have reared their youngsters and I want to take the hens away but some are a little more advanced and are driving again. I didn't know if would do any harm or should I let them go down again so he can finish his driving.

Can anyone tell me if it does any harm taking away the hen when the cock is driving her hard.......?

Top man is Jimmy - I've never had the pleasure of meeting him (my loss) but through basics I have found him to be one of the most genuine and sincere people in and out of the pigeon game. I avidly read and take on board anything and everything that Jimmy writes and look up to him as being a "mentor" for the entire Basics forum. D.D.

I have been told that young birds stop ranging when you start to train them. If this is the case wouldn't it be better to let them range on thier own rather than train them.........? D.D.

Washing up liquid on one wing.

Well done skull - that should set them up for the season. D.D.

Stunning phtography mate - especially when the bird is on the wing and it even films it blinking!!

1). ENJOY this great hobby of ours. 2). Make sure you have the support of those close to you because you will become Obsessed.

I think the birds can definately see colour - ask yourself why you have different coloured widowhood box fronts but whether they see colour the same as us, I dont know. Someone once said to me they wouldn't have reds in thier lofts because hawks see these as like a negative which stand out. Personally, I thought whites or gay pieds would have stood out more but thats because we see them as white. Take a peregrine for instance what does it see before it makes an attack - could you liken this to a fisherman spinning for pike with a flashy lure? is it the white flash (or red) that the peregrine homes in on..........?

Many of us have been at the height pigeons fly at i.e. just taking off in a plane or the top of some tower and when you look at the horizon it only seems a few mile away(say 10 mile) - does the bird see further than us ? If it can only see as far as us that means that every mile it travels it can only see 10 miles of land in which case that would dismiss the theory that they use landmarks to get them home.........

I think when they hit wires they are flying as a flock and it's the ones at the back of the flock that cop it.