allenyeates

Most effective poison in rat earths(holes) is contact dust which I belive was mentioned earlier and is put down with bellows. You would need to be friendly with a pest controller to get it and avoid paying full price. We keep 8 ferrets all workers and still get rats in winter(live next to fields). I prefer fenn traps and cage traps used all winter . My usuall bait is peanut butter or bacon skin. For hard to trap rats , kipper or smoked mackerel skin is irresistable. Rat glue is also very good to have handy.

There are many tricks to assist succesfull removal

"Sparrowhawk" The clue should be in the name. Sparrow being old English for small bird. For these birds to have hardly any fear of man and take quarry way above thier normal prey size tells us that something is going against nature. This is obviously that because of protection the species has reached plague proportions. Once you have one visiting you there is only one cure. Happily raptors sit on the very bottom step of the avian intellegence ladder(corvids---crow family-- the brightest) and this can help in thier removal. Removal and not prevention is the only way with a persistant visitor. We are all well aware of the rapid decline in the songbird population and most of the blame is these airiel murderers. It,s way time(I belive) that a trust was set up to lobby for removal or part removal of thier protection before (if not allready) it,s too late. They catch thier prey (our pigeons) by supprise and many is the supprise that can be thier undoing. Greed is a wonderfull thing( for the hunter/trapper). Attacks are worst around June/July when the hen(bigger of pair) is helping to feed large chicks.

Seaweed is used for many birds and animals especially pigs. Collect it from clean beaches or rocks(winter is safest option as less bacteria in water) hang in bunches to dry and it will store for ages if kept dry. Apart from a high iodine content it is packed with minerals and natural sugars. I put it straight into the birds in small bunches or crumble and mix with grit. Best of all it costs nothing and is totally natural(Nature knows best).

Best bait for mouse is chocolate(Topic because of nuts which is also brilliant in squirrel cage traps) or peanut butter. For rats a crispy fried sausage or bacon skin off boiling bacon (left out of thier reach for a couple of days to mature)is irresistable. Always remember these rodents are mainly grain feeders so if all else fails go back to these.

Anyone got any info on the old Sheperd strain(not Southwells) ? Belive mine decended from the Will,s of Camberley/Frimley area. All chq. or dk. chq. some pied small lovely hens and longer cock birds with shortish beaks. Out and out distance birds of supreme quality. Maybe some older fanciers could help?

Sleet in Hampshire for last hour

Fish pond liner(from garden centre) under roofing felt. Looks neat and bone dry.

White grizzle hen GB O7 B 91778. She has been hanging around for 2 or 3 days but came in just now(2pm 21/10/08)Does she belong to anyone on pigeon basics before I report her to RPRA? Thanks for looking Allen

Working kerry blue comes a very close second to a pitt

Hello mate welcome to the site. I,ve not been a member too long myself but it is a cracking site with A1 members full of advice etc. As for Blakes lofts....... I have had one for 8 years and allthough I erected it myself I can not fault it. Very solid build and good workmanship. When you get started I may be able to help you with a pair or 2 of good stock birds or y.b. s. (just pay carridge or collect)my strains are Eagleson(Northern Ireland)Busschaerts or extreme distance off my French rung pedigree stock

What ever we feed our birds we must not forget to give them plenty of grit and minerals. I find Kilpatricks great as it has a bag of black minerals inside. Plenty of FRESH green food and good seaweed. The latter and an elderberry concentrate help with respiritory infections.

Breeding mix is fine for a bit of distance but I personally feel abest all round mix (versal laga etc) would be better for shorter races when watered down

Regular garlic in water and CIDER VINIGAR (5ml to2.5 litres) and you,ll see no fungal infections in pigeons /dogs/ ferrets or pheasants come to that. Down here its Scats but any area agricultural traders is the cheapest place to get it.(look in equestrian isle). As for the garlic.... stamp on a whole BULB put this in a PLASTIC (not metal) bucket and fill to the top with water and leave overnight. Use next day to fill your drinkers( Lidel is cheapest for garlic). you,ll be supprised by the results to droppings or down fall if used 2or 3 days per week.

Test it out and see. I and my mate does very similar . Just make sure the mix is lite early in the week and then add to it Thurs/Fri or Wednes/Thurs depending on distance/basketing etc

Too many y.b.s. bred and we should be ltd. to the number of rings we can have. 3years should do it and watch the number of losses drop. Best across the best and nothing else.....Same as dogs/ferrets etc. and I have both all my life and would not breed from anything ifffy(too many ferrets to feeed0

Does anybody have any spare Dutch rings ? Either HOLL. or N.L. that I could purchase or swap . Thanks for looking Allen

I am interested in purchasing a good Busschaert stock hen to go with a good pencil pied superman Busschaert cock I own. If anyone has the right one I can do cash, young bird share or swop. Genuine request and thanks for looking Allen

I to have used Vic. The way I used it was to smear it in the roof of the box perches in the evening. 3 days and all was well.

I have been a countryman/hunter all my life and my forefathers before me in this country and home in Ireland. But this year (perhaps the wet summer and late harvest) has been the worst for rat/mice activity I have ever known. Yes I know I live in the country but town/city dwellers will see this Jan/Feb time. Please be aware and take precausions now as these will affect the moult or early breeders. As well as drinker or corn contamination. My son is a full time pest controller and his work with rats quadrupled this autumn. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. Please be aware that where you live in this country extra rats/mice may attract mink/stoats foxes etc..... None of which are welcome around our birds

I have been a countryman/hunter all my life and my forefathers before me in this country and home in Ireland. But this year (perhaps the wet summer and late harvest) has been the worst for rat/mice activity

Hi Jack best get a vet to check wether you kill them or not . Hope you have seperated them from the rest and keep a close eye on others. Symptoms are also similar to some rodent poisoning(rats or mice using drinkers or contaminating corn). BEST OF LUCK . Hope it is something easily treatable

I am looking for info on Middleton bros. from Iver,Inparticular a pigeon called Busters Pride. I belive that Kieth Mott has done a loft visit article on them but I am unable to find it. Any help much appreciated.

The Pope that lived in Basingstoke was I belive Baden Pope who lived at the bottom of Western Way. I,m pretty sure he wrote a book about racing

The best lurcher you will get will be trained by yourself from a pup unless you are very lucky. You idealy should know the parents if possible or have them recomended. Trend down here is for smaller whippet crosses either Laguna or Silver Bullet lines. If you want an adult insist on a trial and not just 1 or 2 runs. That way you can test more than catching ability(staying power recovery time from a hard run feet stoppers etc). No tial no sale!