T_T

Hi All, I have a cock that is 9yr old, not as frisky as he should be and seems too light in my opinion. He is quite healthy other than that. Has anyone any ideas on how to put some weight back on him ?

Hi Mobster, I have used several nest bowl " linings " but not sand I also was worried about the " damp " element. I think the Tobbacco stalks want some beating. Not only do the pigeons go crazy to pick them up and build but they are also good for the air flow and keeping nasties away, lice, redmite etc. If the stalks appear too long, cut them down to size. My opinion only.

I would love to meet you all but there are so many people who I am hoping to meet I think it would be almost impossible. I'm sure we will scrape against one another anyway. Perhaps we could wear some form of ID on our jacket/jumper/shirt/blouse ? Worth a gamble ? Make it 1pm Louella Stand and hope we can all make it. If not what ID should we wear when walking around.? Keep it clean.!!!

Siverwings, No ghost story as such but an evening out of curiosity I paid a visit to a " reading " with my wife. The medium picked on me almost immediately and said " your'e a dart player", and Charlie says " hello " now how did this guy know I play darts and that my darts partner was Charlie who I had played darts with in the mens pairs for 6yrs prior to his death. He also said, " Charlie salutes you " and it was a thing Charlie did whenever he saw me, him being an ex serviceman, always touched his forehead as in a salute. There is I'm sure, somewhere else.

Stuart, Youv'e had it easy then !!! LOL

Stuart, Those were the days.

How about a stroll down memory lane and things that happened to you as kids. For instance, coming for a family of 12 kids, first up best dressed. I can remember going to school with a hole in the sole of my shoe patched up with cardboard when it rained, my foot got soaking wet. My cousin who was better of than us, when he had a hole in his shoe, he patched it with Lino.

Hi swilcox, I have somewhere a black and white school photograph of a class of 30 children sat on benches in the playground all with their arms folded. It was a red hot summers day and my sister was sat on the front row smack in the middle. What did she have on her feet ? WELLINGTONS. How poor is that.

My Dad, I often sit and wish my dad was here right now. I remember very clearly, It was a summers day, Dad took me on a bus ride, Six miles to Sandwich Bay, On coming home he said to me, " Son we'll call in here " It was a friend who'd promised me, A fish tank and the gear, It was loaded in a barrow, For everyone to see, Those six miles my dad pushed it, Not for anyone but ME !!!

Bart, it's each to his own. One mans drink is another mans poison. I will only say that the best pigeons I own, have been GIVEN to me by friends. I have tried many families. You will always have different pigeons winning but for myself it has to be the Busschaerts. I think the best family ever. The Maurice Verheyes were another good all round family.

I know I'm late in replying but I saw the movie just after it came out. Did nothing for me. Good job were not all the same.

Sbelbin, Forgot to mention. Every year my wife and I go to Folkestone race course to watch the great UNC. Very emotional time watching our feathered friends go for home..

Thanks for the feed back all. It's tugging in my brain all the time that a bad pigeon could win in a good spot unless perhaps it's over say 200mls when a good pigeon, would I believe, take over. Imagine a full circle. At the bottom of that circle there are most of the lofts in my club. I am situated in the middle of the circle. The pigeons go either side of me, hit the lofts at the bottom of the circle and then come back and I'm giving them 2ml overfly so that's 4mls overfly In total. I've trained from all different breaking points. It's difficult to accept but I must so when I win, I know it's a good pigeon..

Hi Everybody, I have often wondered what other fanciers thought on whether it is a good loft position that wins most races or a good pigeon. Any comments ?

Hi aarden, Nice to have you back

For what it's worth, I feed all my stock birds, 2 parts Beans, 1 part Barley and 1 part chicken growers pellets. with Gemthepax in their water. I can truly say I've not had a bad youngster since feeding this way for three years.

Hi Silverwings, A very amusing subject, providing one dosn't get too uptight about it. After all we are here for the same purpose to learn and enjoy. regards, TT

Hi Mike, How then do we put in prospective a hen such as the Coppi hen that never raced and yet turned out winner after winner.? Has your No 1 stock hen raced. ? if not, surely that poo poos the idea of best to best. I am certainly on a learning curve here and any advice will be taken on board. Before I finish, I will tell you of a story that happened some years ago. We had a top eyesign man visit us and on passing the basket in which the pigeons were waiting to be seen and without touching any pigeon, he clearly stated that a particular cock would breed a Combine winner and another one would win the Combine. Little did he know, they already had. father and son. Incidents like that never fail to amaze and astound me. regards, TT

I remember in 1966 when I first bought my brand new Bungalow, I had to apply through the BUILDING COMPANY to keep pigeons. They then did a survey of the surrounding properties asking each owner what they thought about the prospect of me keeping pigeons. ONE of the people asked, objected and I was refused. I couldn't accept that so complained on the grounds of a majority decision, that one vote against me wasn't and shouldn't be enough to stop me pursuing my hobby. They came back to me about a month later giving me the go ahead. I think now more than ever before, we are up against it.

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE.

Hi Carter, All pigeon people when handling a pigeon, pick it up feel it's body and check it's eye. Now what they are looking for with the eye, I don't know but a very quick story. Busschaet enthusiasts would remember this pigeon. Some many years ago I had the delight of handling the very famous Coppi hen who was the best breeding hen in the country at that time. The thing that stuck out vividly in my mind was her eye. The eye colour was a Khaki colour and surrounding the pupil was a very heavy mountainous serration of black shading. I have forever since been searching for an eye of the same quality. Guess what ? Saturday 7th Jan a friend gave me a 9yr old Dark Cock through the lines of Coppi. Eureka !!! Miracles do happen.

Racers, ( well I think I do )

Hi Carl, I have been using Massarella's since the early60's and have nver had anything from them that has set the world alight although that could be down to me. My brother has had some good Verheyes from them so as with most things, I think it's down to pot luck. You would most certainly think they would sell some good pigeons with the amount that they do sell.

What do members think about the feeding of Widow cocks. Excuse my ignorance if this question has been asked before, I have only just joined.

I have a pitched roof on my loft to allow air flow. The loft is never closed down. more than enough ventilation. A top Vet once told me, plenty of fresh air and clean water. After all, ever seen a wood pigeon with scarf and gloves on.?