as someone fairly new to pigeons
as a novice my birds were twice victims of youngbird sickness some falling off the perches dead as a beginner you have birds from all over
now these boys who never treat have the same family of hardened birds only used to there methods of husbandry and can spot a sick bird a mile away
novice don't have that knowledge treat canker,cocci,worms is a must for a novice in my opinion