birdman55678

under 200miles = Sprint races. 200 - 400miles = Middle Distance 400 - 600miles = Long Distance These would be my defination of the distances. Ed

Ben, I agree with Jack your email was totally uncalled for, once you have given as much to the sport as Jack has then you will be intitled to speak from the same level as he. Good Day. Ed

I have tracked my birds this way for the last 3 years. I am going to discount this last year as with the move and all I can't trust my bad results in the new concourse. This year I will continue it. Not counting the last years my results have led me to believe the black feet are not to be counted on. Its not 100% though. Ed

The trick is crossing them crows on the racers and then racing them big black purebreds........... Ed ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Ronnie. No it shouldn't be terrifying for them at all. That is where the number 1 comes in. Training.. Before my ybs are ever released from the crate they have sat over night in the box. It my belief that they can't be panicked when released and although you do your best to prepare them the first release from the race truck with 100s or maybe 1000s of bird will almost always panick them for a while, trick is that they immediately calm and then head for home. ALL races are won at the release point, many racers also know this but just don't talk about it. Ed

Wiley I think you are right about your distance birds can win the short ones, I also believe that a true sprint bird can not win the long race, I base this on velocity only, a sprint bird will hit its top velocity and can not continue for 10 to 12 hours where as a distance bird will just continue along at its regular speed. Thats my take anyway. Ed

Before I stated using individual pens I found the easiest thing for me to do was to put the cock birds in the loft a week before so they could pick their own boxes. Then when all cocks have their own box I locked the hens in with the cock bird for 3 or 4 days and then as was said earlier I release the pairs at different times over the next couple days. Cocks will drive those hens to their boxes. Good luck. Ed

It took me a long time to figure out how to make a new thread. I finally asked Linda and she explained it to me in a PM. Once I saw the place to click it was easy. Ed

Sounds like you are planning on putting you fertile eggs on pumpers and then letting the pairs relay. Its what I do and its a very good system if you have the pumpers for it. I remove the fertile eggs after 7 days and place them under the pumper hen, once the eggs are removed from the pair it will take another 10 days at max before you have eggs again. Sometimes the hen will continue to sit the nest for a day or two before leaving it. Ed

I race mine, in fact probably to much.. ;D ;D Ed

Different times, different needs and different ways. Ed

Its been my thoughts that 45 mph is what the birds will average year end and year out, not much difference between mine and Darrens but now Jimmys are really slow.... Ed ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Ronnie, My birds are seperated by sexs until I mate them, after putting the pairs together I will usually have eggs by the 8th day. I will guarentee you that the pair that had eggs after 3 days will not be fertile from the cock bird you paired her with and if only in with hens the eggs will be infertile, 18 days from when the second egg is laid you will have babies. Good luck. Ed

HEIDELBERG. Hello my friend. Well you ask for honesty, unlike some of the answers above here is you honesty on winning the short races. TRAINING and more training is one of the most important things I can pass along to you. Everyone here will say ya I could have said that, like the flyers that say there are no secrets, well my friend there definately are secrets, now these secrets could be just something that an old flyer does that he has done for years and he just doesn't think about it anymore as being very important. But trust me it is. I will list all that I think to be important with ybs. 1. Training. 2. No feed on the day of basketing (short races only max of 225 miles) 3. Vitimins/electrolites 2 days prior to basketing. 4. 2 drops elderberry extract at basketing. (this calms the bird) I can already hear the fingers hitting the keyboards after I post this. But these are my thoughts and practices and if you don't agree then so be it. Good luck to you and if you try this and your birds are healthy I will guarentee you will be better than 30th with your young birds on the shorter distance races. Again good luck. Ed

Mine are out everyday if the weather permits. Ed

Albear, there is no doubt in my mind that your grading was genuine, I did not mean to imply otherwise. All I was saying and I believe you will agree is that it is very tough to give a genuine assessment from a picture. I am positive that if told you would recieve $1000 for a correct assessment or have to pay $1000 for an incorrect one then you would definately want to have the bird in hand, or so I believe anyway. I also don't think you assessment was pure luck, its plain to see you do have skill. Anyway thanks for the reply. As always. Ed

I never let my breeders choose their own mate. My pumpers choose their own but never get to raise any of their own babies. Ed

Thanks much for the clarification. They are also used here in the states but I haven't heard of anyone using them in the lofts, many use them for basements and cellars. I would think the fumes would be harmful to the birds if they are strong enough to kill the spiders and other bugs. I remember a friend of mine used one in his basement and there was an awful stench upstairs. My thoughts anyway. Ed

Jimmy exactly what I was getting to. You don't need good birds if all you race is the short stuff which many do now a days... Once you get out a ways the breeding always comes to the front. ;D ;D Ed

Now that was definately funny no matter who you are.. ;D ;D ;D Ed

Thank god mine is all done and now just awaiting the big day. Ed ;D

Just look for anything that wiggles.. LOL. Ed

My pigeons told me about it and I had some might good cool drinks with it.. LOL. Ed

Has anyone flown late hatchs that have not completed a full molt (wing) and if so what have the results been. Good or bad. Its my thoughts that they should have a complete molt before flying as obs. Any thoughts. Thanks. Ed

Does anyone remove a new egg from the nest and wait until the second one has been laid before putting back the first one in the nest. Seems like I have always done this because of the cold, but with the warmer temps here in Washington state not sure if I need to. If you do remove eggs why do you do it and if it because of the temp what do you believe the coolest is to insure the egg stays good. Thanks. Ed