Roland

Agree there mucker .... I had to ask hios permission to post it in case he was offended lol

I use the right hand click a lot ... especially for 'Quotes'.

also, is that if you split in halves/thirds don't you risk leaving the winner at home? That is one of the biggest faults in todays racing... birds must be prepare and sent to races that they are up to. if its a big race you send you're best (all of them) JMO Yep, and after 5 years, trials and testing, ALL should be of the highest possible calibre. And again a flexible agenda means you may have to switch which ones goe, due to Nest Circle, Or birds of colour etc. etc. I never send to the first race, mostly not the 1st three or so. Because that means you may well be chasing #Averages, and I believe too many decent birds are lost through fanciers sending off coloured, ill, or over tired birds to win these. Hence is I win the Scottish averages I'm more than hapy. Likewise am out of the Combine averages etc. JMO.

Dwarfs

Greatest Living Scots Thinker. Billy Connolly His Statement of the Century 'If women are so bloody perfect at multitasking, how come they can't have a headache and sex at the same time?

Cards

Make an electric fence out of a battery charger, does the same job for a tenner (£10) Or buy one for about £60 that costs just £6 a year to run. Crikey the peace of mind is worth that ten times over alone. I mean, why spoddle about with all the other whims when one knows the Electric fence does the job

Further, I believe one shouldn't have a 1st team, let alone a second one! All birds should be equeal, just split into 1/2 or 1/3rd groups. If I have a 2nd, or third team it would be because they were inferior to the first team.... and there'd have to be a flipping good reason why i was feeding them. JMO.

Spin Cycle I know, and believe me appreciate, exactly what you are saying and where you’re coming from. This has bearings, of course it has. Yet I say, believe, this is the very root cause of so many inferior pigeons filling up our skies and churches and buildings. However if one is realistic and honest, took stock, and account of just how many birds one loses in 5 years, the other side of the coin stands out! Realistically speaking, if ones birds were tested, had the chance to prove them self 5 years ago, then the following yearlings would be breeding better birds. Next season likewise in year two, then year 3, 4 and so on and so forth. Now, the real facts are, as I see it, that one would have as many birds as now if wanted - probably a lot less in fact would be the order of the day - but a very much higher calibre of birds. Birds where you could send with confidence nigh every week. Indeed one would be able to get back to realism and basic. That being a team of 4 say, and each season birds having to prove their worth to get a perch, let alone a nest box. The sad part would be having to let go good birds go! Now this was the way years ago, when if not home on a hard day, they would be mostly likely on the loft first thing in the morning… and certainly nigh over the next few days. Now one would have to take into account and write it down the condition the bird was sent. The nest condition etc., W/H Hen – Cock bird etc. etc.. These would be a big factor come seasons end year in and year out, when one was having to make room, and hence cutting back on birds because you had too many. When quality was far, far more important than Quantity and being COST effective was a must! You know, outside of a smash or a fly away good fanciers have the same dilemma every season. Many good lofts never have a stock loft. The all-importance allowance of Mr. Basket being able and allowed to do his’ job. The race program, plus with birds given the chance to gain experience, face winds and cold, rain etc. and show that A. they want to be home, and B. have been built up to have the constition to do the job, and not be an also ran when weather suits.

ample

Chipshop

Wine

Just P.m Fifer or a Mod and you will be put straight pronto. Probably you have had them P.m. already. Good luck with the sale. Mind a Job lot is tough this time of year I reckon. Hopefully not. But A. many will now be looking for a 'Steal' whilst many have already well stocked their lofts. What area are you in incidently?

Well I hope I'm wrong, but I believe believe it may well be the case that many perches will be empty today. Let's hope all birds return safe and sound ... Culls and all!

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell became the first European to win the US Open since Tony Jacklin in 1970 with a one-shot victory at Pebble Beach. Now that warms the cockles of yer heart eh!

collar

486 miles is still a middle distance race for most. Now one may also have problems regards returns. No two ways about that. Seen beautiful clear skies with a gentle to no bleeze and returns being horrendous. See heavy rain and high winds from 400 miles and returns very good. And so have you all.

I think the general consensus of the Fancy is. 'I want the bird back’! This is strongly coupled with 'I don't care how good or bad it is ... If it is a cull, one that is blown home so be it. Then ‘………’ the price I paid for it, the stock it came, the person it came off means that it will, indeed should, breed winners. Realism says that winners are few and far between. I see these races with 3000 or more, or Nationals, the Up North Combine etc. with great numbers of birds. One only has to take the winners out of them, be it section or otherwise etc. Club and Fed winners etc. etc. to see what the percentage of also runs are! Then how many are winners 2 - 6/7/8 times etc. Now take mostly say the top 10% that one feels did well.... that still leaves a massive percentage that don't / didn't. Yet still because of whims, dreams and costs etc. or whatever, they don’t want, won’t accept a testing, a natural means of eliminations to be used. Other ‘Fields’ have a saying ‘others did… Yours weren’t good enough’ or words to that effect. Maybe some were hawked. Or whatever, but aren’t in the loft. Won’t breed fodder etc. Gosh the ‘Names’ that has stated, wrote about, when they changed their regime to ‘Natural’ sauces and of one having to earn it’s perch. Of making gifts of good looking favourites etc. Now I'm siding one way of another with any Liberation and the hassles these so called fancys have give to the convoyers. How they have contrved, and put preasure upon Secs, convoyers etc. etc. for them to fly their paper bags etc. But it is no more than an affront to those of us trying to cleanse and achieve a higher, more genuinse and better class of birds! Like the manipulating of allowing a decent 'Middle Bird' or limited stamina, endurance or will to get home. Birds of weaker, and substandard to win so - called 'Distance' races. Like a 'Noon liberation' etc. But that is another topic eh!

We -GB - have footballing academies all over the place. Tution in the school holidays etc. etc. Night schooling. Parents are warned constantly to button their' lips and stop trying to 'manage / Argue etc. Indeed I hear they will be getting red cards, or kids no longer being accepted. Seems that that is the first obstacle these shores have to take into hand and squash... Likewise the parents bad mouthing and threathening Refs. So twofold purposes are in hand to have the youngsters reaching a high standard. Yes a lot is being geared for the Olympics etc. too. No the europeans players aren't lacking compared to the South Americans / Africans etc. Just being spoilt from an early age via ignorant parents. Seems there are high hopes for our nations when they are curtailed from setting such bad quide lines on impressionable kids.

don'towe

come

Well, even if you seperate and keep droppings apart from each other. Even if you take the birds down - all at once - to an good Avian Vet- you have no, or very little chance to say the least of knowing. Personally, post mortem is the route I would advise. Taken to a Very good Avian Vet. Believe you, believe me, it takes some getting shot of. And as Greenlands says, the carriers are good enough to win in the show pens. Handled or through the wires. Maybe a good honest expierenced fancier in the club will take a deckers. After disenfecting his feet. So sorry to hear this. But to be honest, you know you have problems big time.... and there aren't no magic wands on any site.

The Navigator yep you do have to respect what the SNFC committee have done as fanciers put them in these positions. I do. Believe sadly that in too many cases the wise and knowledgeable, expierenced fanciers have to cow wow to the 'Joy Riders' whims. Too many say, as YOU have all heard, 'I stop my youngsters at 150 miles etc. - My birds won't do over 350 - 400 miles etc.' Of course not, they aren't sent. Too many would rather keep and feed culls, breed more culls from them than rather give them a chance. Too many believe what the bit of paper says and expect that is enough to win. Waste of time, effort and money as far as I'm concerned. Them bits of paper are only as good as the fancier writing them is honest. Only any good if tried and tested before being bred from. When in Canada I watch y/b's doing over 400 miles for 3 weeks back to back. Strangely bred from our, and Belguim imports! Remember Gary Edmunds saying, and I know he would have held his own anywhere in the world., no two ways about that, saying 'Roly you have a younster that has won two feds in current season. Comes to the longest race it looks, and acts superb. Do you send it, or keep it back for another day' etc. I said 'I'd send it'. 'Of course' was his answer 'You must only send the best to do the job. No good in loft when fit and able' Any way might breed duds, or get shot, or lost next week, season'! How true. But unless their constitution is challenged. The mettle and fibre show, and after a few enduring races are still in the loft.... Time to sort out which will be going and making room for the next lot! Simply my own thoughts granted, but to win a blow home, and because it looks nice, hold it back and breed from it, is to be blunt rather silly. Yep you get a loft load of culls breeding more culls and every season buy in more culls that you think will work wonders, because that 'Cull' untried, untested looks the part but is crap! We have all had the one that didn't take your eye.especially when first first seasons are full of hope and dreams. (Normally the wise ones realise that it is but a dream). when others are held back whilst that one goes every week, through thick and thin. Gosh it often turns out to be a 'Good un' suprise, suprise. Yes it suprises you because them starlets have been blown away, lost on a 30 miles toss etc. - Hawks blamed etc. - Maybe if them blown away had had a few more mettle races, trials and errors, tested they would still adorn the loft?!

You know, the thread regards Eastbourne hold over is so sad! It shows exactly why there is the decline in the ability of the birds, their constitution and all that makes / made this sport of ours so great. Too many want Sprints and blow homes, where paper bags can win. YET! Still the losses accumulate each year. Why? Only one answer to why and that's BECAUSE! Because of the simple reality of them molly cuddling birds! Not allowing the Good birds to show their’ worth and shine through! To let and allow the Basket and weather sort the wheat from the chaff. Because too many wish to house 'Paper Bags' and sprint birds and have a false notion of costs!! They’d rather house 3 times as many as needed and whinge about losses, giving allsorts of reasons for their’ losses etc. Your first loss is always your best loss! Simple fact that, and very cost effective! Hasn't they twigged that ALL good and decent birds derive from Distance birds of proven worth! That all good family descend from proven hard day and distance birds! fact! A bad bird cost more in fact to keep than a half decent one, let alone a good one! Fact! Hardly a breeze here! Would be a job to fly a kite here, so Eastbourne should have been up early. We must allow every bird a chance to home on day, granted! They would have easily if the lack of balls, and members back – lash wasn’t worrying the Conveyers and Secs of clubs. One thing for sure, if one keeps fodder that falls at the first breeze, hard day, they will never be a name to be reckoned with. Yep these sad lot are bringing down the calibre, constitution of our birds every season. And whinge more about losses because of it!

Hasbeen