stevebelbin

Well done to you and your pigeon

I dont think they will ever crack how they home, only the pigeon knows at the end of the day LOL. And the likes of migrating birds such as blue tits and swallows etc, look at the amazing journeys they make, without any training or any idea of where there going - PURE INSTINCT I think

They soon get with the system, and if you fly widowhood you will find you have a massive advantage as they will tend to go to and throw from loft to loft. Mine did anyhow and they were as fit as a fiddlers elbow

2weeks prior to pairing for worms, then while their sitting for canker. And very rarely for cocci. Ive been advised to use parastop 4wks prior to pairing, but Im not too kean!!!

I used to play about with mine to find which were the most boxy pigeons - I used to put 1 too many cock into the loft and which ever one didnt find a box was removed. Then close two more boxes and whichever two cocks couldnt find a box and protect it were also removed, so I always had two spare boxes if required at the time of pairing up

Have you got lights fitted into yours craig?? That was the best thing about having the lofts in the garden - having lights in winter .

;D - No worries Paul, its just nice to see them go to some-one so kean - ;D. As you know Ive stopped racing now and they would be wasted sat in my loft as pets

I wish I knew, so I could go back and erase that day I got the bug LOL

The world of pigeon racing has gone mad!!! Wish I had M & D Evans bank account like LOL ;D

Im not an old fancier myself LOL, but an old fancier I know uses white nettles in the water, he boils them and adds it too the water, and I think he does it to purify the blood. His birds always have nice pink unscaly flesh so it does something for them

Just keep the loft bone dry and there should be no need to treat for cocci

Throw a bucket of water over it, they hate it and rarely come back . The best story ive heard was a lad who kept pigeons had a neighbour with a cat that kept going into the loft, so he caught it and released it 20miles away. Then the next day his neighbour knocked on his door and asked if he give him a lift as the cat had been reported LOL, so he had to go and pick it back up ;D

Tommy Napper of Hetton, hes never missed a season in abt 50 years and hes still as kean as a new starter and he has some cracking birds. He uses a walking stick to get to his loft but still manages to get there every day to do the usual chores . Cant beat hearing stories from someone whos had them that long, for me thats what pigeons are all about .

I have sputniks, but also made a bob trap that fits at the back so if a bird pees me about it has to jump in the sputnik and then through a bob, which seems to deter cats. Its hard to explain but it works and they trap spot on race days. A lad who had used open doors for ages came round and watched mine one day and was amazed how little time they lost. And there great if you have to get to work and one wont come in, as I hate locking widowhood cocks out!!! The thing I dont like about stalls is they dont get to see there surroundings like they can in sputniks, thats YBs not widowhoods.

Holland and Barratt do a good organic ACV

Morrisons do a bag of frozen garlic for about 50p which lasts a good month, mine get a teaspoon of this 3-4 days a week and cider vinegar the other days. The frozen garlic is great, as its chopped already. One thing I would say is garlic seems to attract scum around the edge of the drinker, so they need to be washed properly every day.

Meant to say my floor always has a covering of easi-bed or belgium chippings so they are never scraped. And my water fountains are placed on top of milk crates which are perfect for the job. Fully recommend insulation to prevent damp. And also recommend it in the roof to prevent heat loss :-).

My floors in my widowhood loft are made of 12.5mm internal grade plywood on 50mm insulation on a damp proof membrane on 12.5mm painted external grade plywood. If you dont fill the water fountain to the top you shouldnt get any water on the floor.

75% v-laga best all round 25 % barley once the moult is nearly complete

Ive just been chasing mine into the aviary and locking them in all day, to have a bath and relax and they love it, and look really well :-)

Hi les, Yeh its good to know people still recognise the old busshaerts as a leading strain. I wish I had a video clip of the lads pigeons I got mine through. They used to break the back of the loft one after the other when he had them on form. He has a stock loft full of the old darkuns that have won and bred winners. And really with him working shifts they dont get the attention they deserve. Has anyone got any pics of the old powderhall pigeon???

The damp in the air causes the ecoli level to raise in the birds body, put them on probiotics whenever its damp and the droppings will remain perfect

I had a yb this year that was the double of the dark pied above, and a bloody cat got it, i was gutted as it was turning out to be a cracker. Unfortunately the cat also got my foot in its face LOL. I had a rapido bushy, that won from bourges for me and when I starting training the next year it was hawked. It was a shame, as you could send him anywhere and he would come home as fresh as he went. Bloody hawks and cats LOL!!!

The lad I get mine off has a cock in his loft that is as tame as they come. When he walks in it stands proud and starts cooing and when he cleans out it follows him round the loft pecking his head. Its a direct son of the pigeon Northern Light that topped the combine out of Bourges, best looking busschaert ive ever seen

Hi paul, Some of my birds go back to the pigeon above "Little Black". I like the fact that they win from any distance and have done for years