Castleview

I haven't noticed much watery droppings today since I put some salt in the water. So it could have been a salt imbalance

The droppings do not smell and it's not cocci so I've ruled that out. As for canker, that could be possible but there's no slime and no smell. As shadow said it's easier for them to pump them of water. As for Vitamins, they have maize every evening which has most vitamins in, they have sand now and a regular supply of bird grit, which they didn't have before. There droppings have improved alot, but now and again I get the odd watered down one. I helped them feed the youngsters by giving the babies some peas and maize to help their growth, I left a little of the crops empty and allowed the parents to feed them the water. Within a few days the youngsters droppings improved 80% with them being more tough than watery. I'll see how they handle their second round because it was their first ever youngsters.

Got food all the time. They're on the second round of eggs now. Droppings did toughen up, but become watery again. This time I have sand on the floor so that soaks up the water. Their youngsters have come on well and there droppings are ace. It's only these pair so I'm guessing it's just stress.

I had a similar problem, but I found that the oldest of the two was 'picking' up so I fed a small amount of hemp (about the size of a 10p) to each youngster. Within a couple of days they were eating from the pot because at the bottom I put a small amount of hemp in so they were tucking in to find the hemp. I had a spare box for my weaning though, and both parents and a spare hen fed them through the bars. A blue cock has begun bullying them, but he bullies everyone, now they just fly to the perches. They are about 30 days old.

After a week on sitting youngsters, a pair of my pigeons have begun showing watery/slimey droppings. I think it could be stress because they are yearlings and this is their first round of youngsters. Rearing them has drained them alot, they've lost alot of weight but the yougsters are looking great. I did notice that they were rummaging through soil in the aviary, which I have sorted now, and since then they've had this diarrhea. I've been treating them with Coxiod, since none of the pigeons have been done anyway, and now they are showing signs of improving. I think it's mainly stress related but I also think I've had a bout of cocci with them as there were droppings near the soil they were rumaging through. BackYard Fancier did say that it's expected with youngsters.

Lost - White Cock - WHU 07 T 10159 - Dudley Area Lost him around 11:30am Sunday 11th May. Attempted to break him, but his attraction to his hen was not as strong as I thought. Flew around the loft for a couple of minutes but went across the house and dissappeared. If found by anyone on Pigeon Basics, or a friend of yours please contact me on 07816015007.

Can't believe no one has answered you question Blackswan. I thought Jack Barkel would have popped by and answered you question, but you made the classic mistake. You started a topic on eyes and everyone on here has posted other eyes and not answered your question...NO OFFENCE LADS. WE ALL KNOW WHAT EYE TOPICS ARE LIKE I enjoy reading them myself because some crackers pop up. Okay Blackswan, I myself have a couple of bull eyes. I asked Jack about them and he told me that you have a 50/50 chance of being a pearl or and orange. As for the effect on breeding well I would suggest to find out what colour bull eye you have, first pair it to an orange and then a pearl. If I remember correctly (although I will be quoted on it) the offspring of an orange and orange will produce orange and vice versa for pearl eyes. Bull eyes can be strange because they will pop up often in birds with a lot of white, say a gay pied. Anyway if you put your bull eye to an orange and the offspring are pearl and orange then you can safely say the bull eye is a pearl. As for its value of breeding look into the eye of with a loupe. My bull eyes have complete circles, yet one has a flat iris and the other has a raised iris. They may do good a breeding then again maybe not. It's what they produce for you that will tell you it's value at breeding.

I've used sputniks before and thought they were rather good. Stall traps on the other hand are ideal for someone who's not used to catching pigeons, for example my fiance. If I were racing and had to work then I would use a stall trap so she could clock the bird, but we're planning on getting her used to the birds. If you get the birds used to you enough you can remove the sputnik and go for the fastest clocking ever...open door. The birds, if trained correctly, should never drop on the shed but go straight through the door and into the box. My granddad mastered well, but her put his stock section on the wrong side of his shed and lost valuable time because of them having to land on it to enter the door. He installed it on the east side of his loft when the best place would have been the west (he was a south road flyer)

At least you are left with the best!

I totally agree with Les. Adam has some fantastic pigeons, I bought two myself from him and I give him credit where it's due. There are so many pigeons sales today that you don't know whether you are buying good quality stuff or stuff that been bred of strays. I'm a new starter myself and I have purchased some pigeons. None have any true pedigrees, although Adam did send me his base strain pedigree sheets for his Camiel's and I've got to agree that they are quality birds. The others I bought of Vallance and I know that if he had the pedigree's he would supply them, but the bird I purchased from him was from Geoff Clare (A Janssen Cheq) and after doing some research I can see that Mr Clare is an excellent flyer with many wins in the North Road CC over the last couple of years.

Mmmm....Kiddiminister is not that far, 10 mile or so. I'll look into that, thanks

What a shed! Very nice, something i would like if I had the space

Considering the NFC is supposed to be National, there's not many race points in the UK, they all seem to be 'International' being that the 2008 race programme is mainly all France. Shouldn't it be called the International Flying Club. I'd love to have a go at National but unfortunately we cannot drive all the way to Sheffield to mark (talking in the future here) Why don't they open more marking stations? Perhaps when a National race is due a club offers to mark for them - if there are national members of course.

Hi Dave, I'm from Walsall, well was live in Dudley now. First thing you have to find out is whether you can have racing pigeons on your property. If you live in a council house you might have to ask the council for permission. If you own the house you should be okay and nothing to worry about. Choose your birds wisely too and be prepared to pay a little for you stock. There's a few on here who have good quality birds and are willing to breed or part with some towards the end of the year. I've had some ace birds from Vallance Lofts, although the one will have to go back because of her being loaned. Just ask and we'll all help.

I used to clip my back in 96. I used to do both wings except the last two flights on the wing. My grandfather always said if you cut the last two flights you'll but the quills blood vessels. How true it was I do not know, but it stopped the birds flying. They were like chickens fly three feet up and drop.