Back garden fancier

West Yorks fed seems to have had a bad do, quite a few good fanciers not clocked and 50% seems to be average missing. I have 6 out of 8 so can't complain. Opinion seems to be we should have been uplater when skies are clear. I think it was just the first proper hard day they've had.

I've only had one pigeon reported in the past 2 years, and that was squashed on a road! Equally I've only had 1 stray in this time that had to be reported because it wouldn't leave under it's own steam. As has been posted before I think fanciers don't report because they know what the answer most of the time will be. " do you want it?" and "I can't afford to send for it"

I'm thinking of trying roundabout next year, I only have a small set up and can't afford to waste hens. I understand the principal and I can see that like widowhood putting the sexes before a race can provide motivation but...... Why do you have to let the hens run through to the cocks compartment whilst they are out flying? And then let the cocks into the hens compartment to be fed? Why can't you just let them in and out of their own section and feed them there as well? Like young bird sliding door system.

Thanks to everybody for ideas, I can't change loft or system this year but will have an extra compartment next year. I suppose we are never happy are we? I'm getting them all back from racing and training and they will be here for next year, but being bottom of the sheet or thereabouts just gets to you! Other members have won races and lost half their teams, but even to pull up to half way on the sheet would be nice! I won't be blind treating, but I've got garlic in the water for the first time to see if that changes anything. Thanks to all again

I wondered that, but I don't fly them on Fridays. Been Googlin Nystatin and yeast infections and found a site that says garlic is almost as effective as Nystatin, so will give that a go in the water.

Thanks will give it a go.

Never heard of those either! Sorry, who sells those? And is it ok to blind treat?

Cheers mate, been tested for canker and that's negative. Like you say they fly no trouble and I'm not losing them. Never heard of a yeast infection, what do you treat that with?

Thought we could do with a new thread. Does anyone have any ideas for motivating YB'S flying to the perch? Mine fly for 2 hours a day, I've only lost 2 in 4 races and their droppings have been tested and are clear. I'm 10 mins behind every race. Any tips?

Hi Jimmy, managed to work it out. Private Message! Think I've sent it OK. Thanks

Pigeons don't get "lost" they choose not to come home. ( unless they've been wired/hawked)

Thanks Jimmy, I would but I don't know what pm means!! Or how to do it?

Hi, can anyone help with advice re lottery funding for ETS. I have been "volunteered" to look into the possibility of our club getting it for all members for next year. Where do you apply, and what are the criteria? Thanks.

I asked the same question yesterday, and all the systems seem to be recommended! I'm going to see all in action at Blackpool then decide.

Cheeky sods, weather forecast is now a bit better than it was, there might be a window between 1000 and 1500 up the middle of the country! They are very good at forecasting cloud ( because they can see it from space ) but useless at forcasting if anything will drop out of it! Fingers crossed there could still be some racing.

Here's one to cause a discussion then, is it the pigeons or the man??? I think you could pick a top fancier ( Peter Hagland/kevin Lawson/Chris Gordon ) and give them the pick of the town hall pigeons, and within a year they would be winning just as before. On the other hand, give control of their loft and birds to a clampit ( we all know one ) and they wouldn't win a thing...............bet that opens a can of worms!

Thanks all. I'll have to see some demo's and then decide. I'll see what everone else at the club is getting. Sounds like they all work, it's just personal choice and cost.

We think that pigeons only remember the loft, but the truth is they can remember lots of locations. In the wild this would be used to go back to good food sources and watering holes. They can probably "remember" hundreds of locations. It still knows exactly where it can from, it just prefers your loft now. An old fancier used to tell me that the clever pigeons were the ones that took their time to home, only the thick ones raced home blindly week after week!

Does anyone notice how rubbish the BBC 5 day forcast is? They change it all the time, how can it be a 5 day forecast if they can change it the day before??? That means it's really a 1 day forecast and they havn'y got a clue!!! A few days ago they had Saturday down as 20 degrees and sunny, now look at it.

Cheers stevie-b, what made you choose that one?

Hi, can anyone recomend which ETS to buy? I know our fellow fanciers in Scotland have it in use, but which system are people settling on? I am thinking of getting it for next season but I think there are 4 different systems and don't know which to get. Are you using a system, and would you buy it again? Thanks.

Not looking good for weelend, think there might be a few hold overs up and down? Unless they've got it wrong.......Again!!!

Not read through all the posts, too many so sorry if it's been said. I had trouble with sparrowhawks around the loft until I noticed the local crows chasing them off. I started feeding the crows bread on the lawn every day and now they hang about in the nearby trees waiting to be fed. This year not had one sparrowhawk attack at the loft. Just a thought, might work for someone else. Good luck.

Same here, birds off on club trainer 40 odd miles. Weather sun one minute then rain the next! Forecast for Saturday not good

Chap at the club caught a stray which was eating scraps outside the local chip shop. He reported it and the owner said he would come for it. When asked if he knew the area, he said yes because he was a driver and delivered fish to ..........................you guessed it, the shop where the bird was picked up!!