walterboswell59

a big thankyou to andy burgess for sorting it out for me and to pigeon basics for giving me the chance to tell my story i enjoyed ever minute of it and a thankyou to joe murphy for his information and highlighting my national birds in the British homing world thanks joe and keep up the good work on Scotlands long distance birds and the jokes are great to

thats good to hear scott thankyou

well done guys

enjoy your pigeons colin plenty time to work your way up the sheet m8 atb

and i hope there blood line is as good for you as it has been for me scott up to this week yours is the only one to leave my loft

your wellcome archie i enjoyed doing it if it helps anyone good and well if not its a wee read

Anything for pigeon Basics andy its been good to me besides its great fun remembering stuff when you do well

The first pigeon in Scottish National Flying Club History to win in 3 cross channel races in 21 days all on the day. Now thats a statement but it has been checked out and its true. A couple of good birds have scored in 4 weeks, and 5 weeks, but lady Helen is the only bird that has done this in 21 days . What a pigeon how it was achieved will surprise some, and shock others! Have i got your attention lol. Well here we go, as i had said in my previous post. I could see there was something about this hen when getting her ready for the gold cup. With jenna she was the best conditioned pigeon i had ever seen. Her body supple, but tight, light as a feather. Her plumage bright and gleaming and she was keen. She was set to go 3 days overdue with same routine as jenna. Her cock , a son of jamie boy, all three were super but she was just the best ive seen. As a 2 year old and her first time over the water an unknown! All i had to go on was her breeding. Being a daughter of jenna ,when paired to her uncle, who had sired 8th 16th section clermont 14th section alencon and 3 birds to score in maidstone inland national. So with that bloodline and her fantastic condition i just had to gamble her. I filled out the pool sheet on saturday night while flagging them. On the sunday morning when letting them out for there last flagging in noticed her and her cock disappeared? Only wee jenna was flying around, s**t i thought. The cocks clicked these eggs are not going to hatch, and is trying to get her pair up and desert the nest! I remembered that one of the stock pairs was sitting a 4 or 5 day yb . I ran to the stock loft ,got the youngster ,and put it in her nest. When the pair came back the cock went into the loft and into a new box calling on the hen. I watched as she dropped in flew up to where the cock was then back down to the floor. As she was nesting behind a board saw the youngster and straight on it. Thank goodness i thought, or something like that lol. So thats how she scored in the gold cup 3rd section 10th open but it was when i picked up this hen to removed her rubber as a back up incase my ets failed. I could not believe it? It was as if she had just flown a training toss. There was nothing out of her at all. There and then i decided if i can keep you sitting your going back now. By this time her youngster was 8 or 9 days old to big to sit on and would take to much out of her. So i switched it for another 4 or 5 day old youngster. When i opened the loft the next morning and she went for a fly the switch was done. Again she went straight on to it, that will do me i thought. Plenty peanuts ,gerryplus ,and hempseed were left in the tray so she could take what she wanted. They know better than us what they need. The next night her cock that had been at the race with her turned up 3 out of 3. Good i thought he will feed the youngster to. He was in a bad way, well down and did not go near the nest. It was not until the next morning, i was sitting watching the birds, with the lofts opened that i saw him fly up to the drinker and take a drink . The water poured out from a hole in his crop, poor thing. No wonder he is not interested in his hen or the youngster. When the hen went out each morning i would get the youngster chew up some peanuts and fill its crop i did this every day till basketing for ypres. The hen just got better and better. I might never have a pigeon in this condition again? Shes got to go! This pigeon is something else. I had ten birds going to ypres. Started to basket them about 5 oclock, leaving Helen to last.As i put my hand into lift her my blood ran cold, there was an egg beside the youngster. Disaster i thought i can,t send her now? She will lay the second egg on friday, on the way home. No no no i thought the sheet was made out. The pools paid into the bank what the f k do i do ?? I had hens before that had came home from short races straight into the box and layed. This was a national, across the channel. I sat down with the hen still in my hand. She was outstanding, i let her go and she flew straight up to the loft paused and looked at me. She was shining, your going i said. Even if you dont score with the condition your in you will get home. So thats how she went to ypres. My hens lay there 2nd egg around 7 at night. If the race is fast, she could do it? I told myself and theres always a chance. They could be held over? Which would let her lay in the basket and give her time to recover. The day of the race came and the birds were up at 6 45. Damn i thought an hour earlier would have helped her. It was done, if i lost her i had only myself to blame. Why did i even take the chance? If this hens alive she will get home. Thats why.At 6 05 bang, a bird hits the loft, but its not her its her big sister.Then 6 55 another one, a mealy cock half brother of jenna. My pal charlie muir had came over to watch the birds come home. Is that her? he said ,no says i but she will come. I would not have sent her charlie said! At 7 o5 bang, she hit the loft. Thank expletive removed* i said ill never do that again. I went into the loft and brought her outside. Her feet were covered in black mud she had stopped and layed her egg. Still 49th west section what a bird, what guts? How long was she down i did not care. She was home and right back onto the youngster, and handled as if she had been libed round the corner. Ive got a machine here i thought? Pity the last national roye is a week early. That was the friday night, i timed her on saturday morning 6 oclock. I let my youngbirds out, and opened the old bird loft. The hen i had timed at 6 o5 was looking fresh to and had just hatched out. So it had crossed MY mind to send her. I would handle her on tuesday only four days away and make up my mind then. To my surprise helen came out and flew for almost an hour with the youngbirds. your going to i said i cant believe this pigeon. This time i took the cock out the loft and put him in the stock loft. Left the hen with the big yb,which i fed everyday. On the tuesday, basketing day, i handled both hens. They were still handling great, but would 7 days be enough time for them to recover? I did not know? I was sure if they did not score they would get home and he who dares wins as dell boy says. The birds were up on the friday, and ive never been so confident of timing in my life. I,ll get this hen i said to jim infact ill be sick if i dont get both. My guess was birds could get into the central belt between 7 and 8 but i was out from 6 watching just incase. iI,ll get this hen i thought to myself, shes a special pigeon ill get her, sitting waiting away in my own wee world. but I could get her big sister first? i thought My mind wandered, big sister? I had a big sister, but she died at 12 weeks old before i was born. How devastating that must have been for my mother and father to lose a child so young and there first child at that. Her name was mary, which was my mothers name, and my grandmothers. I,ll call her mary if i get her. I had moved my seat to the bottom of the garden which gave me a small view south between my house and my neighbours. It was blue sky as i looked towards hamilton county building 17 stories high i saw a speck in the blue sky. Thats a bird it was very high but was coming down fast thats a pigeon i said to myself as it dropped even closer. expletive removed* thats a pigeon and its coming here!! I watched it all the way down, wings shut dropping like a stone. Which one is it? She came round the house and hit the board. I almost fell off my seat. Its helen for expletive removed* sake its helen thats a f * k *g champion i said to myself. What a pigeon i ran to the house and put her on the lib line. Saw old pal john leggat had timed his great hen before me. But i was delighted to get her never mind to be well in. Helen my wife came down stairs and said whats wrong? I got her, i expletive removed* n got her lol. As you see i get a bit excited. I put out a cup of tea and went back outside.to Fill in my clock label, and phone an old friend to tell him i was in. When i looked at my ets clock there was a different ring no on the clock? Jesus i said , mary must have came when i was phoning the lib line ? 11 minutes between them I could not believe it? Two sisters away, two home ,to be 2nd and 3rd section and a silver award. Helen had flown 1488 miles in 21 days to get her award. Mary had flown 988 miles in 7 days. and Remember the egg that helen layed on ypres basketing night? I had put the egg in jar and forgot about it for about 10 or twelve days i stuck it under a pair of yearlings that had just layed. It hatched 5 days ago its a true saying if its for ye it will no go by ye . Can it get any better? I think maybe only winning the gold cup could top those three weeks for me. Hope you enjoy the read guys. I enjoyed recalling every minute of it take care and good luck.

happy birthday guys

I had 12 of my best birds, including jamie boy, and did not time in! I was as sick as a parrot. It was 3 days before i got my first bird and it was mary another daughter of jenna. This will set me back years i remember thinking. Over the next month another two or three birds got home. Jenna turned up with a hole in her side, scabbed over, but she was back. Through the winter last year i said to jim id have loved wee jenna to get her silver award before i stopped her. I think maybe she is going to ground now when birds of pray are around ? She wintered well and her whole demeanor was different! At the start of the season i said to jim wee jenna is shining really sticking out. If she looks like that at gold cup time i might try her one last time ? If i lose her, at least the loft is full of birds bred off her and around her. So same procedure 4 races to 250 miles, this time she got 10 hours on the wing. Perfect ill get her this time i told jim. Her 2 year old daughter is going to, and a son of jamie boy. Jenna was super, but her 2year old daughter (i now call helen) was even better! Jenna layed her third set 2 days early to be chipping. I took them away and put dummies under her for two days, then put her own eggs back under her. Perfect she went chipping and felt great in the hand for such a small hen. James must have been sick listening to me. I really fancy my three birds jenna looking great and shining, but her daughter is something else. The birds are up and the excitement grew as the day went on. I,ll get one theses birds i thought? In fact i could get all three i said to jim. I checked the laptop to see birds were getting into the borders ,and east. Could be birds up here between 7 and 8 i thought? I sat back in my chair. I cant really see my birds until they are on top of me as im surrounded by houses on three sides and forty foot trees at the back. Come on babies i thought. "whoosh, bang" and a bird hit the board. As i focused i could see it was jennas daughter the two year old ya f k g beauty i thought as i jumped off my seat. Ran to tell my wife, oops shes at bingo ! So i runs over to jims, who was sitting with his back to the window, and banged on the window frightening the s e out of him. Got one i said jumping around his garden he came bursting out the door. Wee jenna he said no her daughter i replied, but this is turning out a funny race ill get jenna in the morning. Shes a second morning pigeon and the way the race is going she will have plenty time. That night i could hardly sleep, i was chuffed at being in and it looked to be well in. Come on wee jenna get that silver i thought as i fell asleep. Up at 4 30 was a bit cold but the sun was starting to come up i looked at my watch 5 oclock this is when she came from clermont. Would be great if she was real early and well in either way this is her last race . Went into look at the laptop not many getting through over here? ill get this wee hen this is the race for her. I sat back down tea in hand i caught a movement in the corner of my eye, 7 05 bang ,there she was. I was elated and no one up yet to tell!! Get in wee jenna i shouted as she dropped in she was 10th section 32 open and her silver award tomorrow ill tell you about lady helen and mary hope you guys enjoy this wee story next one will not be as longwinded.

ok guys rather than go straight into a Q and A i would like to tell you the story about how these three birds were prepared to make it a more interesting read. Then if anyone wants to ask anything or to elaborate more feel free to ask. ok ill start with wee jenna named after one of my grandaughters , jenna showed her class as a yearling when she was 84th section snfc newbury and i have told you the story of how i had watched her fly to the woods behind my loft gathering twigs till her nest was massive and i had to keep taking over half away every day so it would not fall over and sent her to clermont . I could see she was so keen and though she was only a small yearling hen she had the 84th section newbury under her belt. I timed her at 5.01 in the morning to be 5th section 11 th open so i knew i had a good bird with great breeding. Jenna and jamie my silver award cock 3 years ago lady helen and mary are all bred from 4 different sons of my old De Barcelona vanderwegan cock purchased from louella at 11 years old and paired to the best hens i could get my hands on all very inbred to De Barcelona with the exception of one or two. Anyway when jenna scored in clermont i paired her to jamie the silver award cock and her cousin and switched away 4 eggs. I then paired her to her sire and switched away 4 eggs to have 8 cracking latebreds in my stock loft. The next year jenna was paired to her uncle her sires half brother a stock cock and set up for the gold cup. When she scored in clermont she was sent chipping so she was sent the same way to Alencon . She had 4 races to 250 miles, where she had 9 hours on the wing rested for a week, then flagged from 5 in the morning till 6 in, a wee half feed till 8 at night .Her and the birds going to 500 miles were flagged again from 8 till 9 every day. With an odd 25 mile toss with my old pal john kings van maybe once a week just to keep her head right. If i was training them that morning they only got the night flagging which i would gradually increase until the week before the race. They were trapping on the loft between 10 30 and 11 at night by this time ,they were not so afraid of the failing light which was the whole idea. My feeding is just a super widowhood mix that i get from my pal charlie muir from clarkston club. The 200 mile stage i add a little gerryplus for the high fat content and a little hemp seed for oil and a small handfull of peanuts for humane consumption. Nothing can knock your birds off form quicker than bad or damp peanuts. Jenna was 13th section 74th open Alencon as a 2 year old. After scoring in Alencon was then paired to her Grandsire the old De Barcelona cock who was now 18 and had never missed an egg. I switched the first pair under a pair of yearlings and let them rear the second pair. All four went to the stock loft. After the birds are through the moult i put them on barley with a wee pinch of conditioner and the birds are out every other day. Cocks one day hens the next after my latebreds have been flying an hour or two as they get priority in the winter months. Jenna was being set up for the gold cup again but something was not right? I could not get the same muscle on her, she felt thin ,and i could not get her the time on the wing! I thought she needed ,for different reasons bad forcast, tail wind eggy and the most she had was a 5 and half hour race.At the 180 mile mark i did everything as before but something was different and i just could not fathom what it was? I sent her, which i should not have done, the race turned out a disaster! I lost some of my best birds but timed jamie boy to be 9th section 48th open and a silver award. I was angry with myself for sending jenna when she was not 100 percent. Around 6 or 7 weeks later i had been across the road at jims after a youngbird race. I returned to the loft to see if i had anymore home? There she was wee jenna skin and bone and her 3rd 4th 5th and 6th flights had grown up about halfway. She must have been hit or dived for cover and ripped the flights? So glad to see her, so same procedure the next year. Gold cup time again she was back looking and handling the way she should. Birds for the nationals are paired around the 14th to the 21st of march each year after being treated for canker and cocci about 3 weeks before pairing. Having being vaccinated for para in november ,i let them rear the first pair and switch the second pair. Sending them on there third pair of eggs if hens planning to be chipping for basketing. Cocks 5 to 8 days on eggs or feeding a big yb and looking at the hen. Everything was going to plan and jenna had had two 20 mile tosses and sent to her first race appleby about 105 miles to me it was an eastwind and a weird race. All the races jenna had scored in till now were eastwinds. Sure enough bang she hits the board, to be 1st west section fed over 3000 birds. ill get her this year i thought shes almost back to her best. I lifted her second pair of eggs to get her down for the gold cup she had about 7 hours on the wing at 200 miles and was filling out fine. She normally takes about 9 or 10 days to lay after i lift her eggs. This time she layed early, 4 days early ? ok i thought the dutch guys send them on 3, 4 day youngsters that will be fine! Wrong, handled her when the eggs were chipping and she was great. When she broke the soft feeding the body just fell off her! Sent her thinking she will put it back on in the basket the race was another disaster.

happy birthday to you both

i know rules are rules dell but harsh to say the least m8

was going the to be smart and say no my bit on the side lol yes my wife is called helen andy and as i said in another post she has never once complained about the time or money i spend on pigeons and all the grandkids have a bird named after them so it was only fitting

well guys i now have it on good authority that louella lady Helen is the first pigeon in scottish national flying club history to win from 3 snfc cross channel races all on the day in a twenty day period winning a silver award now thats something to be proud of cant wait to tell louella in the morning thanks to all the guys that sent me info to fined out if it was correct sorry guys i keep thinking it was twenty days its 21 days of course

that was my thinking m8 so i might have a wee snfc history maker which would be great

cheers john

so he did not win a silver award then m8 also they were 4 to 5 weeks between the first and last race in those days but a great pigeon never the less so still looking for something to beat 20 days in modern times also three times on the day but would be happy if its not been done for 40 odd years as national and indeed pigeon racing was very different then

dont give them as much feed for a few days and they will eat it buff just eating what they are used to as steven says

l look forward to sharing this years national experience with my fellow pigeon basic members when ever andy or fifer decides as i get to remember it all again the ups and downs and pure joy and excitement when it comes off i hope you guys will be as lucky as i have been because even with hard work good pigeons and things going right you still need luck on your side because there is so so much that can go wrong

aye that was the way the old guys did it mick hardy birds dont think there has been a gold award won this year these birds are getting harder and harder to fined i gave two of my best friends a youngster each off wee jenna and the first thing they said was these birds are different how different i asked different shape different feathers but they were both delighted with them hope they breed them something good in the future still got one old pal to look after then it will be lock down and fill the lofts with them

was thinking about that henrik thankyou how do you apply for it

been doing that john not found anything yet thats why i asked and i could bet my life theres guys going through the records as we speak to be first to tell me someone else did it lol but i would like to know

thanks for that graham so been going at least ten years then i did not think it was as long as that m8