Roland

Question No 1. What are the four main things to take into consideration before looking into a pigeon’s eye. The light conditions at the time of your examination. The outward looking appearance or condition of the subject. The kind of equipment (eye-glass) being used for the purpose. The age of the subject. I don't feel the need to explain these simple and obvious things in detail at this point as they are basically self explanatory however, if you do have any questions, regardless of how silly you may feel about asking them or, about not understanding any part of the above, please ask me at this point and I shall give you the full and truthful answers as promised. I cannot read minds so please, take this opportunity to ask. This is your chance to get the REAL facts and the truth first hand. Question No 2. How old must a pigeon be before you can start looking into it's eye. With practice, an eye-sign exponent can look at the eye in birds as young as 5 day's old. This is because the eye is created during incubation and, all the features which will be most obvious later on in the bird’s life are there right from the word go. They only developed more and become more obvious with age. The kind of eye the bird is born with will be the same type of eye it dies with. They never change from what they were originally. I.E. Racing eye's do not developed into breeding eyes. Some people have difficulty seeing the eye features in young babies but, there is one way to observe these eyes which makes the various features more easy to see and that is to, let the light enter the eye from the side so that it glances across the whole image you are looking at. This will enhance the features which can be found in there as the birds get older. The need for this information in birds so young is to enable the selected young bird to receive all the extra attention it can get to ensure that it's upbringing was the best available as a single nester. These birds should be the ones you would enter in those hight $ paying out of town Classic races???? Question No 3. What is the very first and foremost thing you will learn by looking into a pigeon’s eye. The answer to this question is. The general health AND MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE BIRD. The very first thing to look at in the eye is the pupil. This is the large Black area right in the centre of the eye. It is the key to all that you will ever need to know about the bird’s present health and general medical history. The pupil should be as black as can be without any variation to the colour what so ever. The blacker the better. Any variation to this colour should be immediately investigated. There is a condition which occurs in pigeons called Cellerosis. This appears as a milky like substance found within the black pupil. It gives the eye an opaque or misty looking appearance. When this condition is found, you can stop looking further at the eye because the remaining eye features will be ruined as a consequence. There are several things which can bring about this condition the main one being OLD AGE but. Malnutrition can also be the cause of the same effect as can outright abuse and or neglect. Pigeons are not the only things that suffer from this complaint and it is very common in old canines (dogs) and cats and even some humans developed it during old age. The vision is very much impaired by it's presence so freedom to fly is out of the question and there is no cure or reversal for the condition. While on the subject of Pupils. I shall now dispel another fallacy which is being touted around incorrectly, and that is the belief that oval pupils denote the long distance pigeon. THIS IS INCORRECT. It is true that certain individual families do exist that have oval pupils which "in that particular family" do depict this ability but, GENERALLY speaking (and I as a teacher MUST talk in general terms) this is not the case. There are just as many Champion long distance winners out there with round pupils as there are with oval ones. If this feature is a part of the overall makeup of the eye's of your family of birds, then by all means observe it, note it and multiply the birds with them but, if not, do not be in the least bit concerned because, it is by no means a "pre requisite" of the long distance pigeon. The last thing you should do is to suggest that a friend should also regard the same feature if found in his birds as denoting that ability also, you will more often than not be wrong. Study your own birds to the full, and in a short while you will be the only person who will know what each and every feature, good and bad, means and denotes in them. If you learn to do this correctly. No one, regardless of who, should be able to tell you anything about your birds that you didn't already know.

Agree a lot with you ... mind I like the Latebreds to have a couple of tosses first year, then a couple when racing starts and a couple of short 100 - 150 milers first year. Next year they can and do go anywhere and take all the beating. If room, like I say, good to supplement your team with some August bred in the purple birds. Sure you have to wait awhile and be patient, but those that are with you 18 months down the line are right for Mating, prepare and doing the buisness I believe.

Was at an ole timer fancier's abode to - day working. Says he went to Melton Mowbrey Market-last Tuesday - or week ago Tuesday, and his daughter and him were looking at the pigeons being sold /Chops' and was saying what good nick they were in, when a Fanciers came up and said that they were his birds - still rung - and that they had been stolen the day before. Yes he had them back. Yes he police were called and are involved, so may be some justice dished out there.... or a wrist slapped. But at least he got them back, he was lucky there!

Me likewise Peter, Bigger babbies and driving her back to the nest me...

Would have the them ALL Both races, and warm the Pot eggs up for when they came home. Next week though IS 'Hens' day! 300 miles, a wing open this week, a couple of chucks, and I'd be pooling them!

No eye theory there Albear... Indeed the Belgiums haven't even got a name for it! They have 'Fixers' who will pair up for a fee, but no eye peeping. Now Busschearts were mate thus, because he could even read about pigeons and never knew the Fanciers, but got them to breed the good from mating them. Now STR for example stated that all he ever did was handle the birds to decide what to buy! Saw a great article in that regards in the BHW just before his last 'Final' sale. I believe that the best British 'Stockman' or in top three to be safe as I didn't know them all, was of course Masserella. I have some articles still I'll sort out for you Albear sometime shortly and Ibelieve your find them interesting reading.

So sorry to hear that ... I feel if they have their freedom they should / will home back ok. Problem being how to entice through traps. Of course all set ups are different, but the main thing is for them now to see their mates / other pigeons when on Landing board.. Could always turn baskest up side daown with a appriate stick holding the flap uo. tied to string and line of feed into it I suppose. But that is time consuming and patience of the utmost.

Yes, and I still get peeved of with many fanciers' total regard for us when we report their' birds, especially when a member of the public is involved. They make you feel like your a pest and want omething better to do. But I just feel that they are the down side of this hobby, which every other hobby must have.

It wouldn't. But of course it would in the show pen, especially the 'Handling ones.

Friday, 4th of May, passed away at 15h30 after 5 weeks of intensive care. This is a big loss for the world wide pigeon sport !

So sorry to hear that, hope he can get sorted.

Spot on m8

Or a few days in the basket!

www.pigeonsincombat.com this is self explanatary.

Well I believe that most that aren't going to make the grade, or have somethin not quie righ, then the parents take care of the problem. I also blieve that the hen is smaller - usually - and the best bird out is a little hen. JMO

That Ronnie is really the parts that MAKE up the condition. None works ithout the others, must be a whole I believe. Can't get fitness say without first having contentment (biggest factor) ... I.e Wieght and mental state must also balance. If not correct wieght it can't be mentally right either and visa versa.

That is why must WIDOWER'S don't fly hens... though it matters not a jot, any rank hen there will do great. After all it's the Perch, the nest box that is the real essiential reason when in 'Form' they home well I believe.

Ever ready to put plan b into place, and never plan in 'Concrete'. eh! Very very true.

Great reply, good of yer. I will say in my expierence that it IS THE very ones who love the sport, have not only their's but the clubs,fed, indeed every fanciers best interest at heart and go out painstakingly each week from Thursday monitoring to getting up 4 in morning lib day and work hard up and down the Flight way via Phone and also the side from where the weather is coming in. And get paid nowt! I praise and honour each and everyone of the! See some loverly fella's brought to tears and ill healthy through ignorant self cads that harp on at them with a few brain dead cells.

Paulo you deserve every ounce of sucess you get, you have earned it. Take my hat off to you, wish I was still as keen...

Very true, that is after all the very basics as to why, and what we aim, strve to acheive.

So they don't hatch and keep the parents quiet and settled.

Seems to be the story that has gathered pace over the last few years ... 6 years ago I was atounded when I had a game keeper friend tell me fetch a injured bird. Was a cracker with wing Damage from up north. The Fancier told me that up there there were being roasted by the natural system flyers even on the short so called sprints. Our fed is dominated mostly by Natural, and as for distance, wel just look at the Nationals, especially the Hens! N4ed one look further?

Realistic and sensible matey. Glad to see it. I have silent 7 inch fans that extract and blow through. Haven't ever had to use them as of now. But as I have a false roof, with a wire roof on actual loft, that would be idea in warm breezeless days. I also saturate sacks and left them on lofts tops. These are great for keeping the loft cool.... just run a hose upon them on scorching days.

Does that apply still this season?