Tony C

I'm with you on this, wood should be able to breath.

Still waiting for it to get light here

You've got to be so bloody careful what you say to people these days. A Muslim bloke I work with was bragging that he had the entire Koran on DVD. I only asked him to burn me a copy and the whole place kicked off!

Re subscriptions, not a real problem Tony. I sit on the region, its just a matter of putting a letter in.

Have you considered having your name added to that of your grandfathers and racing under a 'partnership'.

Get well soon RCH

R I P

When youngsters are trained unless you single them up they come in a group.......... when racing theres a good chance a pigeon will come on its own which is alien to them, this is when droppers can be the difference between winning and being an also ran. A youngster will more often than not be wary of entering an empty loft on its own, again this is where a dropper comes in handy. They get my vote! By the way I use a fantail cock.

RPRA London Region meeting to attend to today, midday kick-off.

Keep them on perches (slope back or V perches best). The only flat surface in the loft should be the floor (no ledges or traps where the hens can pair up on/in). Have just one nest bowl placed in the centre of the loft and pair up one aggressive hen to a cock and leave them paired (this pair will keep the other hens from pairing up on the loft floor). Race the hens celibate and you'll be surprised how well they come.

Harry Redknapp & Joe Jordan.

This may help. http://www.kastleloft.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Homing-Pigeon-Breeding-Cycle-and-Calendar1.pdf

Its often regarded that when adult pigeons sit their 2nd round of eggs (after rearing thier 1st nest) for around 10 days they will drop their 1st flight. This is the beginning of the moult. The earlier you pair them up in the year theoretically they'll finish the moult earlier than those say paired a month later.

I leave things as they are. I have noticed in previous years one or two pigeons droppings may be a bit on the loose side so I would say it does affect the odd one here and there.

I use malt.

A bit tongue in cheek billt, that was the handle they use to be known as. I noticed Tony Adams watching the game, lol I wonder what he thought of Arsenal shipping 5 goals.

He borrowed it of Fergie

Nice one:emoticon

Win 7-5 !!!!!!!

Night all

The great Raymondo

Vandenabeele's

Hope young Ellis plays a blinder, best wishes & good luck for tonight.

When I flew my youngsters on the so called natural system I found the 2nd & 3rd rounders made the better old birds. This could've been down to training the 1st rounders too late or they were bred whilst daylight hours was shorter than the 2nd & 3rd rounders, or a combination of both. My preference is racing up to 300 mile so not really qualified to answer your question on how to treat distance babies. What I would do though is race them on the natural system as youngsters as I see no point in putting them on the darkness, they'll not be able to compete with sprint based pigeons whatever system used. Re darkness, yes it does take a lot out of babies but if managed correctly they'll perform just as good as natural youngsters do as old birds.