steve d

i did forget to add these pigeons are never put across channel they race from 85 miles to 180 miles ;)

overfeeding/underfeeding in a lot of cases. i know of a few fanciers who stick to a feed system regardless of wind direction. if weekend races are approaching with fast tail winds they feed an ounce and half a day and when its hitting them hard on the nose its the same amount again. when you ask them why it is because that is what there system says. My system is simple there is an hopper of widowhood corn in front of them and they take what they please, they will only take what they need and because of this they are fed for the job. ;)

Well done Tariq I am so happy for you.

I clocked birds in the past to be lucky enough to take the first 6 in club, being secretary at the time when I went home to do the sheets I deleted 4 of my birds many times, never was I thanked for doing this............... the same people I gave prizes to all showed there true colours a few years later when I applied for membership to another club ...they voted against me, I would never give away prizes again. My advice is simple if your birds aint good enough then get better and put as much time and effort into them as you possibly can, your results will improve, ;) ;)

What would I do??????????????????????????????? Simple I would walk of the marking table when he brings his birds, If there is know one willing to mark them then how can he send. You cant force any fancier to mark another fanciers birds. I would say a big well done to the lads who have carried this through in trying to catch him out .

Without using names will someone please explain what has happened : : :

One of these featured a bloke that lives not to far from me Dave Bates, a couple of seasons later he finished with the birds, he has since started back up and is already winning once again in large competition, a fantastic fancier ;)

My 4 year old has a 4ft square loft with a pair of West England Tumblers in, whilst i am seeing to the race birds he is in there feeding them and talking to them, encourage your son as much as you can my dad did with me it brought us closer than ever and he remained by best mate until his untimely death 3 years ago aged just 49.

Not finishing are you wayne, I hope them 2 cocks have bred some good ones for you.

What are your feelings about PM bids when birds are being auctioned on this site. I ask because a bit of confusion as taken place today with a bird being auctioned. The auction was due to end at 4.00pm and I put a bid in at 3.56pm the next thread was at 4.01pm. In between these times a member of the site sent a PM to the guy selling the bird which obviously was higher than my bid, however I did not have a chance to increase my bid due to me not knowing about the PM. I have no axe to grind with anyone but feel that that unless we all know were we stand then problems will obviously arise. Good luck to the fancier who made the bid by PM I hope you get what should rightfully be yours if PM bid are to be allowed. ;)

I brought 18 dutch jansens last season at the end of may, they took to the skies more or less straight away, I had them coming from 6 miles 5 weeks later and I got them to our first young bird race at 85 miles. I only finished with 3 of them probably might fault for rushing them but 2 out the 3 won, they have moulted out into nice birds.

I had the last bid on thread at 3.56pm, I didnt know that Billymac had sent Mr Wilcox a PM so assumed at 4pm as no more posts were on that the bird would be mine however if Billymac as stated bid in between the times above then the bird should be his, not Tillo's whose bid was after 4.00pm. A lesson should be learnt from this that no PM bids should be allowed in future at least we will all know the current bid, good luck Billymac no hard feelings from myself ;)

More or less the same as what I do Karl, but mine can only get into the aviary through one hole with the bob wires up, i leave the other bob wires down so when they want to re-enter the loft 9 times out of 10 they enter by pushing the bobs, gets them used to it and I very rarely get bad young bird traps. ;)

They look well Karl, credit to you. I use metal grills myself in the young bird pen they do seem better, i like to keep a lot of mouse poison under mine mate. Is the aviary on the front of your trap mate?

£110 Stuart

£100 from me Stuart

I do believe most of the commercial products are rubbish but one that i will not speak bad of is carrs adherb, If I could only use one product this would be it, the feathering becomes softer and brighter, the droppings are firmer and drier and if used correctly a bottle will last the season. I have not had young bird sickness for last 3 years since using this, it could just be coincidence. We are lucky in the West Midlands that Cosworth Stud and Feeds use adherb on the mixes they mix themselves so I dont even have to buy it in the bottle anymore :D :D

I like gemthepax, but would have to say Carrs Adherb, put one section on it and leave the other without then compare in a few weeks, you will notice a difference.

My opinion on young bird losses is they are lost because they are ill and it has gone un-noticed. We have all been to the club and a couple of fanciers have had very poor returns had the rest of us have had 100 % returns. In the 2005 season my youngsters were roaming for 2 sometimes 3 hours, i had give them several 16 mile training tosses with excellent returns in half decent time. I took 46 of them for their 9th toss from the usual point with a perfect sunny day and a light north west wind, they refused to clear the site I left them after watching them fly around for above 20 minutes. I had 12 back on the day and only ever had another 4 since, the 12 I had back were vomiting their corn next day and took me another 3 weeks to get them right. I had raced back from work to basket these birds so did not really look at them but im sure that I took them when they were ill.

As Fair Play states birds being overweight, lack of grit or could it simply be there are to many birds in the loft. I would seperate and get the hens out for a fly if possible, then smash up some cuttlefish into powder and add it to the corn using cod liver oil for a week then try and repair again, good luck ;)

Just got back I will echo everything that has been said rudeness, bad language, pushing/shoving etc especially at ten o clock this morning but towards mid afternoon it eased off a bit. I took my young child last year and vowed he would not go again. It is always nice meeting up with old friends but why they have to stop talking in the middle of were people are walking is beyond me. I have allowed at least 13 different fanciers with limps/sticks etc to pass in front of me today with no thank yous in return, manners cost nothing. Did not see any real offers on stand but to be fair I could not get near to look :(

Did you ever kill a robin and throw it through a mirror, I aint never heard of anyone so unlucky, someone out there must have one of them voodoo dolls were they just keep shoving pins in to damage you. Do us a favour when something good happens to you be sure to tell us we may be able to organize street parties throughout the country in celebration ;)

When I had tipplers when I was younger I had a pair of 5 year olds return to their old loft 53 miles away, even though they were sitting eggs. They are very nervous birds to try and settle take Sammys advice breed out them first ;)

I know its too late now but invest about twenty pound for a cheap pair of baby monitors (the ones that you have when the baby is born and you plug it in by the cot and you can here whats happening in your own room). I have them installed you could hear anyone lurking about by your lofts. You can determine your own type of punishment then, hope this helps mate and i do hope you get the birds back.

break up some cuttlefish (the stuff they put in a budgie cage) into powder add it on to corn using cod liver oil. the best form of calcium available ;) ;)