Kyleakin Lofts

Happy birthday.

Good morning all.

I paired up 39 years ago, glad I don't have to get a new one every year. :D

700Km is 420 miles, not distance doos as far as I'm concerned. At best middle distance.

Foreign blood is debatable! When did Bricoux die? There are no Bricoux available nowadays. Purity is a farce. I would think, from the very little knowledge of pigeon history that I have, that most of the best UK bloodlines originated from the continent and Belgium in particular, but years of breeding in the UK has nullified the continental origins. Whenever a pigeon entered Bussheart's loft it became a Bussheart. These UK pigeons became whatever loft they were in at the time. The war decimated the continental stock and some re-stocking occurred with pigeons from the UK. The continentals are expert at advertising their pigeons and promoting sales whereas the UK fanciers are more intent on talking down the achievements of their pigeons looking only at first past the post, unlike the continentals, instead of achievements of individual pigeons. We are also very adept at buying continental pigeons instead of pigeons from our own country or area. I am not disputing the continental influence within the UK, but I am agreeing, to some extent, with the principle of good Scottish doos.

Welcome to the site.

Welcome to the site.

It's pigeons, what's fair? If someone wants to keep and race a lot of pigeons then he or she will have to pay the costs to do that, alternatively keep less. We have to live within our means and if that means it costs x to run the club, Fed or whatever, then the members of the club, Fed or whatever have to cover that cost. If that cost is covered in some way by a birdage charge, then the person with a lot of pigeons will automatically pay more. Depending on the type of racing and Federation spread, weight of numbers could have an effect on the result, so a birdage charge would be fair, but a per loft charge is also fair. Both charges are completely different and fair in different ways, or unfair in different ways. As stated earlier, nothing is fair with pigeons and I very much doubt fairness will ever be achieved. The wrangling by everyone to have their own way is not good for the sport and compromise must be our watchword. If the guidelines are followed a fancier stands to state their case which should be listened to politely. The next fancier stated their case, again listened to politely and so on. Collectively, we should then look for the middle ground which would suit the overall position. Money is a problem and big up-front costs could force fanciers to give up. Most go for some form of up-front payment and top it up with birdage to allow a weekly payment and a spread for the costs. Very few think about the money they spend on drink and smokes, etc when it comes to the cost of keeping their pigeons. Seems there's nowt like pigeon fanciers.

My impression of pigeon fanciers from the late 60's and early 70's were that they were a good bunch of guys, into their pigeons and either mix of gardening, hunting, fishing, etc. All land, earthy type hobbies. I was only 16 myself, so didn't have muck knowledge of any other goings on. Nostalgia bringing me back into the hobby and I can say that everyone I have personal knowledge of are good guys, quite a few into the same type of hobbies, so nothing really changes. I have heard of a few of the other type, but luckily have never been subject of their wrongdoings.

Might split them around March, don't know whether I'll pair them till the end of season and take some late-bred youngsters.

Good morning all.

Happy birthday Jake. I see you've been warned off the green diesel. I never realised you had married Pat, thought it was a beautiful female you were with. No doubt she has warned you off it as well.

Frank, good post and more power to your fingers. I think we need to identify the reasons for the decline, categorise them and then start to deal with them. Without doubt, there will be some we are able to do little about, eg raptors. Others, eg personal fueds / gain, we are able to combat. Advertising the sport is a non starter until we deal with the last mentioned. Nobody who does not have a pigeon background would be interested in taking part in a sport full of bickering children, it would not seem attractive or enjoyable. Pigeon racing will never be fair!!! FACT. There is no point in bickering about numbers sent, race points, race routes, etc. We all race to different lofts from the same race-point. Two miles from my house there is an area where you are able to drive through a curtain of rain at times. I can be shrouded in cloud, whilst the people down the road have a smir of rain falling. There are so many variations to this, so this utopia will never be found. Fairness in racing does not exist!!! I enjoy learning about how to prepare my pigeons to return, breeding and rearing YB's and the enjoyment when I see them arrive and close their wings as they drop to the loft is massive. I imagine that one day the pigeon doing this and looking like a winner will be a winner. Who knows, the day may arrive when I am able to emulate your dad and win a National. This dream, this joy, and no doubt many more is the essence of pigeon racing. The thrill of the arrival, the highs of a win, the lows of a lost favourite, all combine to make this sport enthralling. There is our advertising points or at least a few of them. With the drop in numbers participating, the start-up cost doesn't have to be that great. T3's are becoming cheaper, lofts are becoming available, etc. Let's reverse that trend, stop bickering for personal, Club, Federation gains and work together to support our hobby. I am involved with the kids, helping at the athletics Club, but they are taught to try to beat their Personal Best. This is what we should be doing with the pigeons, attempting to beat our PB. The more often we improve our PB, the closer to winning we come. The more we practice, the luckier we will get.

The hen sits at night and the cock during the late morning / afternoon. Prior to this, the cock shows up to the hen in a different manner to the way she shows to him. He is usually more flamboyant than her when he struts his stuff. He is also is the one on top when mating, although two cocks will mate as will two hens, thus the need for the eggs which confirm that you have definitely got a hen. One hen usually two eggs, two hens, usually four eggs.

Welcome to the site.

Good morning all.

Welcome to the site.

George and Tommy, I do so hope you boys are not arguing like little girlies. This sounds like good banter, keep it going. :D

South club stays the same, north club looks like adding 1 or 2.

Happy birthday.

Good morning all.

Welcome to the site.

Welcome to the site.

Good morning all.

Happy birthday.