stevebelbin

Would love to have hens going, but havent commited enough time to them really, they havent been raced since they were babies and they are mainly 2year old, so feel to jump them into 86miles then to 300miles would be asking a bit much. But I suppose there better off down the road than sat about in the loft, so I may try two hens this week and give a few chucks next week and then send them to Lille, or maybe stick to my plan of giving them a few inland races this year and send them channel racing next year, as theres two hens that are bred from proven channel pigeons. Its mainly cocks I was concerned about this week and next as they have all been over the water b4.

Thats a funny one, chicken egg lol!! Any further info for future reference etc :-/

Anyone got any little tricks for natural pigeons, mine are sitting approx. 5-7 days now, this week they are going 90miles and next week approx. 300 odd miles. I will be sending cocks only and was thinking of taking there hens off them tonight and making them sit the eggs tonight and till basketing tmrw. Would this work and make them kean or would it just whind them up??!!

Aye, no probs Paul, ill keep you update on lib times etc ;D

Use some probiotics in the water and put them on a light diet for a few days. Then put them Cider Vinegar after that. If you can get Harkers Adenosan, that seems to work. Hope you get them sorted, as its a horrible thing to have.

Hiya Carl, so far ive only sent to Huntingdon and Ravens Hill (think thats what the race point was called). Not sure how the birds came from Huntingdon as I was at the footy, and I was 5th from Ravens hill. From the 2 races im 3birds down, the cocks in pictures 1, 3 & 4. The cock in picture 3 was a 5year cock thats won twice and got loads of cards, so im assuming he's dead!! And the red cock in picture was reported dead :-/. Thats good news about ETS, I will have to look into which system would suit me and try to get a few club members to get the same one ;D Didnt send to the national as it looked bad weather, but it sounds like you all had a goog race!! Got them flying well this week so will use this weeks race as a chuck for lille Hows your racing going so far??

A few year back I was the same, these days its up at 530, birds flagged till 615 then trap open and I go off to the gym. Then on a night cocks out at 515 flagged till six and then doors opened and then the Ybs are let out with them until I get bored and shout them all in lol - Normally all done by 630 lol. Im sure once the YBs are up flying they will have me waiting for hours (hate young-uns lol)

Full respect to anyone who wins any either system though, as when I think back to times ive won, its only when ive been motivated myself to put the effort in the system that I was using at the time. Hard work = results I think. Im just a bit lazy lately ;D ;D ;D. Infact a club member came to my loft a few weeks back and said what were my birds doing on the roof, and ive got to admit, I hadnt even noticed :B.

When I visted a local loft recently, they were racing their hens in the main widowhood section with the hens locked in the boxes and the cocks in a seperate loft on perches, which seemed a good system. The hens were as kean as hell ;D. Im seriously thinking of trying that next year, so i can keep the hens fit for channel racing. I still think a good widowhood cock will win from any distance if motivated right and in the right condition. But they are too temprementle, and its hard to get them to relax, especially in a garden like mine, where the young bird loft is directly opposite them, so the cocks know when the YBs are out!!

The problem im finding with having mine on natural, is 'time', and not having enough of it. I work 9-5 and cant get my hens out, because when I open the loft in the morning the hens are on the nest, so the cocks are flagged for an hour, then when I get in from work its the same, hens on the nest, so the cocks are flagged for an hour. Should really train the hens on a morning, but have other commitments on a morning and on an evening if I were to train the hens, it would mean cocks out for an hour, then YBs out for an hour, and then training the hens This would mean I wouldnt get finished till after 8 every day. F--k that for laugh!!!! So as it goes im flying natural and still only managing to race the cocks, which is a waste as ive got some fantastic looking hens.

I would try to have your widowers seperate from the hens and YBs or they wont rest!! My widowers are opposite the YBs loft and they wouldnt relax, so ive given up and race them paired up now lol

Have they had any peanuts as these sometime make them spew up if they swell up in there crop?? Or have they been pecking about in the garden as they sometimes pick stones up and spew them back out??

My lofts are in the garden and ive never had any complaints as of yet :-). You could do it one of two ways, Option 1: - Just put them up and hope for the best. Option 2: - You could ask yours neighbours how they feel. I opted for option 1 as I thought if I asked them, I would putting doubt in there mind straight away. It all depends on how pedantic your neighbours are I think. Also in a garden you need to keep everything clean and tidy, so they have nothing to use as ammunition if they reported you to the council.

I read the details on the easitox and it didnt say whether it would harm the ybs!! Ive looked on the net and theres not much abt it. Its a permethrim based product if that helps!!

Yep I think so, ill read the packet tonight and let you know!

Easitox - If you look at the back of the BHW for the pigeon pharmacy

Theres a bloke in my club who has one 17foot loft and he keeps his OBs and YBs in the one section and doesnt have any trouble with the OBs picking on the YBs

For now then the simplest way to look at it is: - you will start with young birds, so you need to find corn shop in your local area. They will sell a whole range of corns, but to keep it simple, get a bag of young bird corn (Verselle Laga do a good one). So you will need a trough and a drinker which the corn shop will also sell. You will need to get some grit and minerals and these need to be put down in pots for the birds at all times. I use a drinker to put mine in (minus the water lol), as that way they are covered and no droppings can contaminate them. Multi-vitamins are a good thing to have a hand and should be given once a week to the YBs. Also CiderVinegar is a good cheep product you should purchase. The list is endless of things you could purchase for them, but for now its best to keep it simple and re-learn about the birds, as the health of pigeons has moved on and better understood these days. A good book would be your best purchase. I recently got a book called 'The Flying Vet', but it may be scare you a bit so would recomment a book by Colin Osman called 'The Racing Pigeon' which describes everything you need to know for now.

Excellent - where did you order your loft from, how big etc ?? You wont go far wrong with busshearts, they have stood the test of time and look good too. Have you ordered the YBs from louella already aswell lol - you are mad kean ;D ;D

Have you got a loft ordered already lol??

I would go with a minimum of 12ft x 6ft in two sections. Then in winter you can split the sexes off. Make sure you make a good base for the loft, and have a minimum of 600mm off the floor or the floor will get damp. A damp proof membrane between the floor timber and the supports is also a good idea to stop rising damp. And start with YBs as you will be able to let them out straight away. Louella pigeon world are a good place to buy from. They buy top birds from around the world and sell the YBs of them. You can get some grandchildren of winners for £99 for six or pay extra and get direct children, which are more expensive.

Cloudy down here in smogville - bloody east winds lol

www.gemsupplements.com not .co.uk - Sorry lol

www.gemsupplements.co.uk should help

Nice one Paul, look forward to seeing it ;D. You will have to hire a wagon and take my lofts away lol lol lol