bullcock

The average must have been approx. £55 - £60, some respectable prices and some great bargains.

We are delighted with our team strengthening exercise Well done to Terry and all the people involved, and your right about the venue a cracking hall in a central location.

If it was only that simple Del,lol

If your sitting all winter matching your pairs for next year, here is my advice. You are always trying to improve your odds of breeding a champion and this is the system we adopt (remember the 98% rule) Stock Pairs, On paper divide your stock pairs into 3 groups, Group one are your best pairs. Group two are the pairs that have potential but not breeding the goods. Group three are the worst in the loft. Keep Group one together for another year. Swap all the birds in Group two. Get rid of or replace Group three. Race Birds, List all your cocks in order of the best to worst and do the same for the hens, now only breed from the top half pairing the top half cocks to the top half hens, use the bottom half as feeders for the stock birds or single rear for the racers.

Sorry to read this Gareth, no fancier should have to see this, a cat jumped four feet up and squeezed its paw through a 1" gap and grabbed one of my stock hens and pulled it part through and eat half its rear end, we found it's anal duct stuck to blooded feathers on the ground, we had to put her away.

Many roads lead to Rome, I personally like a high protein and fat mix (peas, beans and trapping oily seeds) plenty of grit and minerals, give a variety with different nutrients giving the birds all the ingredients' to grow the best possible feathers. Once the moult is finished then I like a lot of barley throughout the winter months.

Your right Del, more and more are coming back, Hotrod started this thread, and he is a founding member of the SNRPC, fair play to him, as human beings time is a healer and this might be the time.

To pull everyone back to one National, one National would have to fold, and all members would need to be a member of the same governing body IE, SHU or RPRA, I can't see that happening through negotiations, the only way this could happen is if members of one moves to the other forcing the issue. If we did pull together what National would survive? For me it would have to be the SNFC JMO I hope this thread starts a constructive debate, and maybe a joint liberation would be a good start, if anything else it would make good racing and financial sense.

Hi Stuart and John whoever, I have to agree with you Stuart on this one I'm pleased and flattered that some people are noticing our results flying into a hard location, but we have a long way to go to be on this top list, we need more consistency in timing into the big races, hopefully one day.

Great Performance Derek, getting the early one and to continue to get birds working in this weather is fantastic, a great end to a great season for you, well done.

Well done mate great bird in this weather.

With a late liberation, does anybody know if the marking station at newhouse (west) is still open tonight for checking or will it be tomorrow for everyone? This will let us know if we can have a wee drink waiting for the birds.

As we all know cocks are very territorial and if you keep the cocks away from there boxes they won't fly when let out as they will be too focused on getting back into their box.JMO

Hi, when we first started widowhood we fed all cocks together on the floor, Pro's this is a simpler method to apply and less time consuming. Con's you don't know how much each cock is eating and of what grains, also we found that a dominant cock starts to control the floor area, he exhaust's himself protecting his area and the others can't get a proper feed creating a stressful environment for all the cock. Feeding in the box. Pro's, you can see what and how much each cock is eating, you create a competitive edge giving them a good reason for a fast trap to get to there food before someone else does, you can observe them individually and watch for signs of form etc.. Con's it takes a bit longer to do as part of the daily routine. This is our observations and experience of both methods, one of the key fundamentals of successful widowhood racing is ROUTINE, so what ever methods you adopt sick to the system and times and form and success will follow. Good luck for next season.

Hi Derek, We didn't reply to the sale because we weren't sure if we would have one ready, as we wouldn't want to promise a bird then let them down, as some have said, we would only give a bird from my winning pigeon and her young birds are not long rung so they are about a week late for the sale, but if they turn out ok, I will ask Andrew to auction one and buyer can pick there own if they want. Morris Bros

All right Derek, good questions, this gets everyone thinking before the AGM. 1. I think the security is as good as it can be, nothing is bullet proof, maybe you can elaborate on what concerns you with the security? 2. Personally I put my trust in the Committee on this and the annual balance sheet is available is it not? 3. Totally agree, the web site is so dated and needs to be revamped and regularly updated throughout the season with more lib info, loft reports, performance reports etc... Also instead of phoning in early arrivals, the web site should have it's own facility for posting birds and times, this will save members phone bills and save someone updating the site as it could be real time like this forum. 4.Their are pros and cons to this, but in section F for instance we wouldn't get half the birds if it was central marking. 5. Your right about the Tekky side of this, but would it really be fairer? IMO in a west wind the birds come up the East and in an East wind I think most birds still come up the East JMO. 6. Not sure this will make a big difference, and would be a major cost. 7. This is not as cut and dry as this as any Employee has rights, this could only happen if the current Secretary volunteered or resigned and the successor given a new part time contract. 8. This was successful in the past and any member should be honoured to be asked to do this, but as is clearly evident it is hard to get volunteer's these days. Program, Off the bat, move the whole program back two weeks, this will allow the feds to do the same, avoiding the poor weather at the start of the season, but that's not going to happen so I propose, to go to Huntingdon for the first inland or remove it all together and have the Maidstone one week earlier than currently, keep the rest the same. These are my views and hope they stir more constructive ideas and opinions.

Great Consistency, Derek, all the best and may the best man win.

I have lost count of the birds this year returning with wing and tail flights missing, not to mention the ones that get injured also, and most fanciers have the same story to tell, it is getting tougher out there for the birds and it's no pleasure cruise for us either, I don't know the answer, but for years we have been going on about Raptor attacks, but now I think it is genuinely having a major affect on the racing and the returns. Unfortunately the count down is on for our sport I think.

1/3, we got our fancied one the next morning, but all 3 were 2 year olds that had made mistakes this year and had to earn a perch, still ? over the one we got.

the way yours flew last year, it would be a doddle lol

Good returns Stuart, home to fight another day.

well done Derek, consistent as ever.

Congratulation John, You won't need your wallet at the dance, I will be first in the queue to buy you a Pint, well done.

Decided to go to Ypres with three 2 year olds, we were going to keep them for Claremont, but this might be a better option for them and maybe France the following year, fingers crossed. Good luck to all.

Well done Davie, consistent as ever, great performance.