The White Rapido Man

...Cheers....they were on Darkness, and flying to a stall trap, and half not been split, although I do have and adjoining empty YB section, with open doors to the front but no internal door. Ive only got a small team of 15, and probably half of those are paired up, with two sitting eggs for about a week. I just wondering what I can do to sort the remaining lazy unpaired cocks up that are clapping about like widowhood cocks and not interested in flying about the loft at all......If I put a couple of older hens in the YB section for them, would this gee them up do you think....Feeding is quite simple, just using an economy mixture with about a quarter of barley in it; half feed morning and evening, twice a week I have been putting multi vits in the water, and a splash of chillie olive oil on the seed once a week.....Im just worried that I'll not get the cocks into form before the week end, although I shall send them 30 miles evewryday this week.

My first yb race will be sat 4th august. In the week commencing are there are any tips the more experienced flyers could give please? Hens have been training well upto 30 miles, with cocks still quite slow although they have been coming.......eventually!!!

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wonder whats this is..... two birds in 2 days. One of this years first round, and one of the stock cocks. They appear to have a twisted neck, and have lost the sence or orientation, and just fumble about walking in circles.....I killed the cock as I knew it was not well at all, but the yb still looks ok and is feeding well....Any ideas please?? p.s ybs have already been innoculated. I have issolated it, but wonder whats wrong and what if anything can be done? Many thanks

lovely photo......very atmospheric

a range of complex carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins.....had a similar result in the past using cow and gate baby formula......I just find when pairing early in the dead of winter, if gives both parents and youngsters a good boost.

completely agree..................

Im not expert, but I give my breeders a good quality breeding mixture and several types of grit. for the first week after hatching I mix a complex carb / protein body builders powder in the seed and keep this in the nest box a all times....I also clean daily, as I cant stand piles of sh** around nest pans.....but thats just me. So far Ive had no problems and reared some good ybs.....did you treat on the run up to pairing????

15 at present batched up and flying / trapping well for about 30-40 minutes in the morning.... Also got another 10 I've put throught this week.....they go out at about 6.50am and back for circa 7.30 as I go set off for wrok. Some are starting to moult on their heads already as I put them on darkness from day one....not really sure if this a good thing or not though to ne honest?

thanks...the blue cocks a gaby vandabeele. I cants keep my hands off me birds....probably why they're so tame!....even as small sqeakers, im messing with them in the nest.

a few more photos of some of my favourite stock and 1st round of ybs that are flying out and trapping well

...... im really not too sure as to what the exact term for his colouration is to be honest. He's bred out of Frank Taskers piedy boy lines....but he certainly is an unusual colour and has a very deep orange eye. I have him paired to white hen with dark blue cheq saddle on the photo, so Im keen to see what colour they'l throw between them.....as their first round failed.

Thanks....those ones are, but I've also got some loguns, and pure white roland janssens. Going to put them on the race cuicuit this year, and see how they perform ;-)

as mentioned, I thought Id upload a few photos after testing out the new camera

thanks alot!....any more?

any useful tips please for a novice racer who's just put his first round of youngsters through......thanks

..........had a beautifull 10x5 on here for free some while ago and struggled to give it away!!!! sods law ay

thanks.... they look the piece....lovely looking grizzles and luckily I do have the papers. The older cock is very well bred infact its granny was white diamond. The others are out out of 'splash' and 'black eyes'.......but papers dont fly very far!...the proof will be in the season ahead!!!!

Ive got in to try 5 pairs direct roland jansens, 4 pairs of rapido bushaerts, 3 pairs of frank taskers birds out of his film star, and piedy boy lines, and one pair of old loguns - and looking forward to my first season racing with anticipation!!!!

.............we live and learn! many thanks

thanks alot...I didnt know that and it certainly sounds feasible as i do hammer the lime flour down keeping things bone dry and clean on a daily basis. furthermore the new loft was bought from a fancier who flew to an open door, and as of yet I have not as yet fitted an aviary, therefore allowing the stock to bath properly is difficult at present.....i will try very fine warm mist... many thanks

thanks for the reply. With regards to the chill factor, we have been very mild here as mentioned. all nest panels are tipple wrapped with newspaper, and have pan felts and loads of straw. breeding loft has an ambient temperature of about 10 degrees. Perhaps I'll just have to wait until the second round........very disappointed to say the least!

First Year with racers! All 12 pairs of stock paired middle of dec, and layed within a fortnight of each other....9 pairs have already hatched only 5 of those 9 have only hatched one of the eggs...most, upon inspection had fully formed embryos in, and a couple not filled. At present all of the chicks look really well. My question is....Is this normal? or have I done something wrong? Birds were treated for worms and cancer during the weeks before pairing? Im starting to wonder if the multi vits in the water on occasions and medication may have hardened the shells or something???? perhaps far fetched, but I am a novice! your views please

I put them in a spare section for a couple of days....not joy. All the other pairs had gone down in that time, and all nest boxes taken. In the end I put the cock on his own a section and the hen in another so they were separated and isolated..... after a couple of days I locked them back in the nest box together and that evening the hen was dipping her head nicely..........perhaps loneliness drew them?...who knows, but it worked!

anyone know heard of this pigeon. I understand he was out of Frank Taskers stuff..........any info appreciated.