Roland

Seems to me that Wiley is advocating that they are trained, about the same time / age as mine would. True, BUT I am saying that even if mine were there early bred, I wouldn't bother training till a week or so before the first race. Unless they were doing 20 miles every day and fed in etc.

Sorry Wiley disagree with at leaste 90% of your post, and further the very logic. Once a bird has finished 'Ranging / roaming' there is absolutely nothing more you can teach it ... out side of possibly 'Habits'. I don't normally put my birds together - as did most of the ole timers - till 1st even 2 week in April. I often, indeed the best race results ever for three seasons were a week to 10 days before just chuck them 30 - 40 miles in three different directions, and a 65 miler up the coast. They came well, indeed won well, and once sent 23, was 23 drop, clocked 5 took first 4 places, - one was a stray lol, and if clocked all - et especially - would have wipe the board clean easierly. RANGING, then loft contentment. You will by August have lost your nrm two or three of the top. land marks, etc. etc. are realistically for the 'Fanciers' benefit. Obviously one can't teach them breaking points! Training is for just that, getting miles under their wings. Only other method I believe that has merit is 20 miles every day, no more nor less, young birdsand old alike infact. This is Fitness true, but main benefit is 'Habit' out home and in feed.

Carriers can carry it, of course they can, that's why they are called carriers. may depend granted whether Live vacine or not.

Again I understand where your coming from. had it the irst season every I started. Peeved to say the least. Most went on and flew as normal. A couple were disposed off. I can't help but say that the 'Sight' of seeing them thus is terrible. But how will they ever build up a immunity until allowed. having said that, Polio is still rife here (Is the most sucessful vacinne of all fortunately) ... hardly ever seen till some thought it was no longer around. So they stopped vaccinating.... you beter believe it is still around. BUT it is like the Newcastle desiese is it not! Why is not 3 or 4 jabs say first year not enough? I believe it is personally, but our biggest fear is surely NOT letting any 'Body' be able to point the finger at our fancy if, and when another out break happens.

Yeah ... about time thay had some good ones lol ;D ;D. Most still flying Kirkpatricks on Tic Beans I hear lol ;D ;D

I agree with the whole shebuckum that you state / say. that doesn't for one moment lead me to believe that it WASN'T for the good of pigeons that this law was brought in. And it is a far far way off, as far as I and many others believe, including vets / Med scientist etc. In Belgium - where supposedly this ailment was rife originally - I believe that once is survice. Our DAFRA body, love them or not, have a duty to many other parties besides us, and obviously their' 'Stock' whatever it maybe, so they aren't apt to taken any chances.... Mostly like the Chicken / Turkey, poultry trade etc. These concerns also raise 'Livings' for some, and also serve a comodity to the public. This entails mega bucks obviously, and they as sure as hell wouldn't take a chance real or imaginary. Indeed in real terms they don't and NEEDN'T give a fickled rats *expletive removed* for us and our sport. But if ever a out break comes again no one can point the finger at us, NOR DAFRA, as they will be SEEN to be doing their' part and nothing could be laid at their door... That could even in some way mean compensation etc. Mind I personally also believe that when ever a 'Big Concern' gets hit... tax payers have to bail them out, so in any case WE pay. But DAFRA will always nigh be seen to be clear...

I have paper under mine, They reading Dickens at the moment before going onto shakspear lol) which are plastic, with a wooden block. Mate has just chicken wird on a wooden frame .... seems in reality the best of all. Droppings through easy, paper pemoved simply and easy...

Yhe arguemant against that , as relayed to me, was 'Yeah, but jabbed birds will still carry ... and that affects their performance race wise'! Go figure I guess

Remember having a Labradour dog once. Yes had all it;s jabs etc. Pava killed it. Vet said 'Mongrels have built up an immunity, and don't do them no harm... pedigrees , well thats another matter. Lad was always being took to the doctor, had every ailment going or so mum thought. Disenfected everything etc. etc. One day the doc say 'For G'''s sake let him eat some mud pies etc. build up an immunity....... Now often wonder when many fanciers wanted to do the same in the 80's with their pigeons, it was made compusory. often wonder just what was the real reason and what was they really protecting!

A good fanciers' birds were bred for stock etc. So they had their jabs as the law requires. Never jabbed again after the first year. 7 years later some were stopped from entering Australia becourse PMV still showed up in the Quarantine tests etc.

Doesn't stop birds being carriers for one iota. They can look good enough for the show pens. Hear tell though that it does bring down their racing performances. Some jab several times before they are even 4 months old. Believe Larry Lucus was involved in such a debate on the Alberta Classic site. Know also Gordon Chambers with Doc Karl etc. also debated the wisness of 3/4 jabs before ...

there's a lot of truth and realism being spoken here. Time and patience is a virtue... the hard part of course is understanding via many.

Legal, it is 'Within the confines...' and Doesn't mean WITHIN the confines of the loft.

Well simplely good feed, fresh air and water. THEN instill from young a sense of Safety and a love of their home. All aspects are rolled up into one nesat little ball for Form. That is Healthy, Condition and love of home. That means that any incentive / motivation is already within theses attributes. Two most important things to gain Health and condition is simple. Clear air ways and Clean Blood. All to do with oxygen. Fresh air and inners tubes etc. that is health sorted. Love of home, contentment, a sense of wanting to be back there when away. Simple tha... doing it, well ...

What's the rate for decent dry loads now up there. I get a Transit size pick up to the Rim, for £50.

Same as having them in a Fish tank then!

Simplely put, Investor / Money boys have over indulged with their greed. They took the course of deliberately letting 'Poor Investors' have money. Same a mortgage. knowing full well that sooner than later, a little bit down the line they would be evicted. Then they's have the property back and resell at a great profit. Thatcher springs to mind of course when she did the same. But even more evil than that was that she passed a law just prior, that meant that if you lost your house / home, had it reprocess etc. you WAS still libel for the interest. That was in fact a lot more than the house was wortyh or course. So 2/3 years down the line, evicted people, as soon as they got back on their' feet a little, just getting over the distressful, and traumatic time etc. were hammered for the interest still owing! Only way out is filing for bankcruptsy.

Are you currently shaking your head wondering what is going on in the US financial markets? Here is a story that illustrates it nicely. "Once upon a time, in a village, a man appeared and announced to the villagers that he would buy monkeys for £10 each. The villagers, seeing that there were many monkeys around, went out to the forest and started catching them. The man bought thousands at £10 and, as supply started to diminish, the villagers stopped their effort. He further announced that he would now buy at £20 for a monkey. This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching monkeys again. Soon the supply diminished even further and people started going back to their farms. The offer increased to £25 each, and the supply of monkeys became so small that it was an effort to even find a monkey, let alone catch it! The man now announced that he would buy monkeys at £50! However, since he had to go to the city on some business, his assistant would now buy on behalf of him. In the absence of the man, the assistant told the villagers. "Look at all these monkeys in the big cage that the man has collected. I will sell them to you at £35, and when the man returns from the city, you can sell them to him for £50 each." The villagers rounded up all their savings and bought all the monkeys. They never saw the man nor his assistant again, only monkeys everywhere! Now you have a better understanding of how the stock market works." Also remember that in them circles the man probably was in cahoots and just wanted away from the scam ... and took a holiday while he was at it ... no pun intended lol Have a lovely day

What a difference a day makes ... as I said before, good to see some good posts re couriers. lets hope it stays this way eh.

Which is the Larsen trap? Like the wire cage with the Bottle neck down in centre with false bottom. They can't fly out because they have to open their wings. Yes great climbers... but don't climb downwards when the come to the wire downwards in centre about 4/ 5 inches. Having said that A young hen did get out one this last year, and still around, but doesn't get near the cage now.

Looks like a Polecat ferret to me , great photo. Remember many years back, a nature program on BBC called 'Look'. It was by a fellow by the name of James Fisher. Shoed a polecat DISPOSING a Black RAT. He also show brown rats etc. These of course were all in the wilds of Scotland. But a remark he stated which I've never forgot was 'Black rats are no matcth at all for the polecate. BUT it is 50 - 50 when a polecat meets the brown rat'. Showed a couple fighting. Polecat won both them apparently, but nowI find that statement very hard to believe. Yes of course a cornered rat will fight, won't if more than one, but can't see it being a match for the polecat / ferret etc.

I believe this to be correct. Dean packed up racing for the second time when he moved to the west side.. Says you can't sale and race pigeons unless your birds are winning........ Was the first proper for SVR's of course. Dave Allen may have had a gift pair first like, but Dean was the first. He was also a Leon Boer man first off, where his birds flew outstandingly..

Yes and they perfer the Wall or what ever to their right. Niether Rats nor mice will give up the chance of going into a pipe. Sprinkle oats with Cement ot a little anti freeze and leave in a pipe ... keeps it ot of harms way. Like the man asked 'Is antifreeze any good for rats? 'No' I said 'It kills them'. It is sweet so most creatures like it. ' lol

Tho it was 7 actually... but too close whatever lol.ught