Back garden fancier

Forgot to say, My mate is nearly 90 and full of old tricks. He polishes corn by putting codliver oil on an old pillow case, then put a ew pound ofcorn in at a time and shake it all up. All the dus sticks to the pillow case, whcih ends up black ! Corn ends up shiney.

The reason for using 2 year old beans is they have lower moisture content.

If your at all handy, build your own. I've used plywood for the back and sides and boarded the front. Then cover the back and sides with felt to make it waterproof and it will last for years. If I knew how to attach a photo I'd send one of my loft.

Bought 12 Flor Engels 2 years ago and still have 6 in loft. Got 6 more this year but one died of canker after a few days. Others fine

Lost 5 yearlings at the weekend, none reported.

Sent 7, got one on the day and one this morning. Lesson learned !!

Very true, training is not to get the birds fit. They should do that around home. Training is to teach them to come straight home and give them the confidence to fly alone if necessary.

Chris Gordon, one of the great modern flyers feeds ONLY barley. He races up to 850 miles !

Been using G10's for 12 months, but found no difference. Won't be buying any more when my current bag runs out.

Club race from Derby, 56 miles

Thin cloud, SW wind and 8 degrees in Huddersfield

Brighouse West Yorks bright sun but cold North wind. Clear visibility, looks ok for race.

I have six pair of old birds and 12 youngsters. believe me you won't have any left to sell !!

I've had a loft the same size for the past thre years, only just extended it by 6 foot. I had it divided into two sections one with perches and one with nest boxes. No stock birds, with so few they all have to fly ! You can still compete, put the hens in with the young birds and race the cocks widowhood or fly ntural. Both ways work. Main thing is with a small set up, don't think you can enter every race. Plan your season and stick to your plan !

Had them of for first time today, 10 miles all back. Will just take it steady, been burnt before at this time of year. No point losing birds before we en start racing !

I use sand, but run it through a fine riddle once a week.

I'd go fishing with Vic, but I don't know him!!

What about those who are last all the time? I admit that most of the time I'm at the back of the bunch! I enjoy flying my pigeons and wait until the last one gets back before relaxing. I might get ETS, but I know it won't turn me into a winner so once most people have ETS then the results will be just the same as they are now.

12th of April, club / fed race. Not sure about any open races.

I read somewhere Chris Gordon feeds 100% barley all the time?

Louella have Kirkpatrick grizzles for sale.

I think it's the Doncaster dome? In April

I breed about 16 - 18 and lose a few of the top to hawks. 14 will be all I have this year. If you only lose 2 then why breed more?

Buy a plastic one, they never rot or go green and slimey.

I always lost 50 to 60% young birds, until last year when I started racing with 14 and ended with 12. The only difference was that for the first time ever I treated for Cocci and Canker every 2 weeks. Coincidence? Not sure, but I'll try it again.