peter pandy

It was my experience with De Weerdt youngsters that they were very slow maturing to the point where many were lost training and racing. As Bernard De Weerdt was a regular visitor I asked if this was the case to which Bernard replied that all his early bred young birds were put on the darkness system and raced. With the exception of winners all were sold at the end of the season as a new team was bred in June for future racing as yearlings. To all who have the De Weerdt strain is to know they are late developers.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

I have given Cheddar Cheese to the birds for 50 years and they love it.

If you click on kits they give options. The energiser is what makes it tick and I went for the mains Copel M4. The reason being if the second bottom wire is lying on the ground it is earthing but still kicks out about 10,000 volts. The cheaper energisers drop quite considerably to perhaps 1,000 volts. Touched it this morning and my muscles are still twitching. By the way I had to purchase the 50 metre net but if you can get away with 25 metres then go for the cheaper energiser. P.S. Their are never enough posts in the kits and its wise to include an extra 10. P.P.S. If you have a pace maker its wise to also include the fence tester as you dont want to be touching it to feel if its working.

Just purchased and erected an electric fence from Agrisellex with top of the range mains energiser 14,000 volts ensures cats foxes badgers humans dont return.

Sir, It is or was by any stretch of the imagination not to denegrate your post however if you spent 44 years in the chemical industry then I am afraid you are still not qualified to suggest that vinegar is a glacial acid whether dilute or not. For the unininsuated acid is determined by P.H. to quantify an acid measure on the P.H. scale from 0-7 zero being the strongest. Alkali on the P.H.scale is determined as 7-14 on the P.H. scale with 14 being the strongest. I was a Pharmaceutical expermintal operator in the chemical industry and to be perfectly honest take umbridge at the above. If you are to suggest that Acid and Acetic has no revelance you have without doubt wasted 44 years. It is an impossibility to process drugs without firstly manufacturing the initial crude stages by acidic or alkali methods with the end product having a P.H. range between 6-8 on the P.H. scale which would detemine whether the end product was in crystaline form or liquid. I am experienced in all forms of procedours in many drug manufacturing products whether crude or finished. I would suggest without rancour that you establish your facts. I have to assume that having spent 44 years in the chemical industry which I assume would be the oil - gas industry and not the pharmaceutical side of it you will have massive experience of crackers, contacters etc. I have to concede that pure glacial acid is alkali that I nor you have any experience of working with therefore it is an irrevellence.

Apple Cider Vinegar = Ascetic Acid = Alkali. Where the confusion arises regarding Acid and Alkali is determined on the packaging of vinegar " all types " is represented as 5% acid however they are all Ascetic Acid. Is their a possibility that presenting Calcium in the form of Grits + A.C.Vinegar could contribute quite a considerable amount of Alkalinity equalling irritable bowel syndrum in the birds.

A bloody return ticket !! I never bought them a ticket but what bugs me is their wiz nae Big Man tae throw them aff. LOL.

As a full time loft manager I was at the loft all day and my observations were Sparrowhawk 10.30 - 11.30 They are hunting at that particular time due to the position of the sun. You will see her fly over about 150 ft as if they did not care about your birds but within 10 minutes it will attack out of the sun. In the afternoon 3 till 4.30 same mode of attack. They allways return for a second feed within two hours as they cannot eat the whole pigeon in one go as long as the carcass has not been moved. Regarding headless pigeons the Goshawk takes the head off and leaves it with some feathers as its large enough to carry the carcass away. I am of the opinion that these times are inbuilt as the wild birds are just of the nest in the morning and thinking about going back to nest in the afternoon feeding without paying attention to predation. I was always ready for them with my "ahem" camera.

Once upon a time the house I bought was a superb location for Doos with a lovely large garden and no neighbours on all sides however at the back of the loft was a railway shunting line used mainly by the wagons loaded with coal which had to be brought up the hill from Kinniel Pit down in Boness where they sat untill a powerful diesel took them god knows where. In 1974 I reared a beautiful team of 60 youngsters of which were going to win all before them however on their first time on top of the loft one or two went and sat on top of the coal wagons and after a little while the 60 were all sitting with some picking about the coal. Aye they must have thought this is good fun when a large deisel coupled up to the wagons about 100 yards up the line and off they all went on a mystery tour. The only thing missing was the bloody bunting and I never saw hide or feather from any of them again.

B*g*red if I know how Alf Baker won a race feeding 60% Maples 40% Maize.

Without scientific evidence of Sparrowhawk predation we would be wasting our time and effort as the very first argument put up by the RSPB et-al would be that subject. Photographic evidence should suffice those we would have to persuade to lift over protection and to that end we should congratulate Garry aka Preston Powerblast. We have to bear in mind that the last raptor study was taken over 10 years by the British Trust for Ornithology and 3 University Rectors sitting in defence of them being few and far between and requiring extra protection.

Google = Goshawk trap

The Mrs and I have been on 8 Caribean cruises but always on Sea Princess due to port side being the smoking side. We have seen all the Royal Caribean ships and you wont be dissapointed.

When I designed my present loft I had decided after using ATX heaters for many years to incorporate into the design continuous ventilation. I succeeded in doing so by reverting back to a verandah with 3ins holes on the floor ensuring a continuous flow of air when installing polycarbonate on the front to stop rain penetration, The polycarbonate is hinged to the front of the verandah and allows fresh air to enter via 2ft at the front when I can assure myself no rain is likely. The heaters dry damp air entering without exciting the birds into moulting although I have never experienced any such problem. Heaters if used properly cannot institute the moult and I would look for some other excuse.

Many years ago I read of an International Barcelona winner's methods which was. In January I take everything out of the lofts that birds can eat or drink, Lock the loft up and dont go near for 7 days. After the 7 day period of abstinance re-enter the loft and dispose all the inmates which have lost much weight. If you have a decent team you will not dispose of many and for the record I have carried this programme out for 30 years starting the Monday before Blackpool and finishing the Monday after.

If you can get hold of FUCITHALMIC viscous eye drops from a friendly Doctor as its prescription only or failing that OPTREX infected eye drops "chloramphenical" from any chemist will clear it jig time.

I thought the reds looked more Carmichael as the Osmons were more blood red !. Perhaps we will be enlightened ?.

Whit a bunch oh geriatrics !!. Get well soon the lot oh yiz.

Nothing, send 2 rings. She is paired to a Dark Cheq Hanseene Cock whose dam won 3 times in the first ten from 500 + miles Welsh National.

EM, Its a pure Aarden. Sire Blue - Dam Dark Cheq. Will post photo's now I know how to convert picture setting image quality on my Olympus camera. At Blackpool Louella had something similar in Aarden pens in fact Louella had an advert recently and a similar coloured cock was a National winner.

The Pink Lady, eventually.

Tried Unsuccessful. Gave up the ghost..

Gave a new start 10 young straight from from the nest by my stock birds. 1 returned first time out, "aye thats right". Trained 9 lost 1. Sent 8 racing out to 150 miles dropped 2. Left with 6 which which can't be to bad for a new start.

The reason in asking is that all the top national Welsh fanciers went to Court Farm Feeds about 1 mile north of Hereford. The Beans.Peas, Tares, Maize, Wheat etc was of the best quality I have ever seen. clean with no weevel. Swail,Preece,Ford,Strawbridge in fact all the guys in the Gwent Greater Distance Club.