Michael J Burden

thank you MJB MJB

so what time is the night time ie close of race due to darkness?

come on spill the beans mjb

Well Stoke on Trent all day has been ok. A little little bit of rain on the cold site but OK for pigeons. I think the birds missed the early part of the rain and should be ok. Good luck all who sent, MJB

cloudy with very light rain here Stoke on Trent 0800hrs MJB

Thank for your answers and questions. He is 2 year old flew Chanel x4 times as yearling including 500 miles where he finished 23rd fed next day hard race. Flew cholet NFC two weeks ago 411 miles 1st bird. Today has gone back to messac 330 odd miles. I know he has got return yet. But he is on fire and very keen. His grand father won the MNFC Bordeaux race for Armstrong and Wheatley a few years ago 549 miles. Mjb

Good luck today looks like he knows his way home. Mjb

Rollers much more colourful and have personality in abundance. Omo mjb

I have a good widowhood cock who is destined to go to Bordeaux 570 miles 26/07/2014. Two weeks before that date we have Saintes in our fed at 503 miles. I know the wind is crucial to my decision but what are your thoughts on sending him to both races?

Good luck everyone. Mjb

Cloudy but sun trying to break through. Warm too. Burton on Trent 08.30 mjb

They are or were magestic creatures. At least other birds will get a break for a while. Mjb

13 to Fougeres 322 miles north staffs fed. Mostly yearlings and late breds. One two year old late bred two yearlings which flew 411 miles last Saturday NFC. Hoping a good race. Mjb

Do as above don't worry if looks like they cannot stand they heal very easily and after about one week he will be using them again. But be careful not to push him out too quick he needs to recover. Mjb

Very good

I think racing is tough as training can be on birds not suited to it. You loose them soon enough. If they are lost only concentrate on what you have home forget the rest because they are gone. I know they look pretty but pretty birds come in many guises good bad and useless. Having said this I hope you get them back. Mjb

A great fancier of yesteryear used to pair his best birds and keep the ybs for stock only. This was because he continued racing the best birds but had a pigeon or two off them in the stock shed in case he lost them. He bred many good birds from these untried pigeons but I am sure he also bred also rans. His name was the late great Eric Fox of Bakewell. Mjb

Well done I have struggled at 300 miles today MJB

I sent 6 cocks 4 hens across the water about 300 miles then the rest going 125 miles inland. Should be a good type of race day not a blow home if the wind forecast is right. Atb mjb

Well I am 9 miles from Uttoxeter no clouds in the sky and very little wind. atb MJB

I have broken out ybs who had stopped squeaking but had never been out at their original loft. I opened their wing and cut down the next to moult feathers. So they could only flip around. You got to judge this yourself. Then half an hour after a feed they we're let out or pushed out with birds who had flown there period that day and only wanted to peck around. They followed them pecking about happily. Once they are confident around the outside of the loft you can take it easy with them getting them out even getting a broom under them to get then say onto the house. They fly back down to the loft and you know you have cracked it. As they moult the cut feathers they get more mobile and fly as normal. You can do this with prisoner stock too but with the amount of hawks about I would say forget it Mjb

I am tempted with the Donaldson hen. But have a lot of stock birds now. Good luck with the sale cannot believe she is not going back north of the border! Mjb

Creosote is easy to buy. The real stuff. Mjb

I would say food not enough being given. I never show hens or bowl before a Channel race. Maybe where I am going wrong! Mjb

I think the forecast is terribleness wrong. I am supposed to in lots of rain all afternoon here but am chucking my birds up in broken cloud no rain. Mjb I think the forecast will be wrong omo Saturday mjb