Mealy Cock

You get what you pay for, anything that has been re-cleaned I would not touch. Beyers have the best barley of which I used to do my 50/50 mix. Natural Granen, shop around, can get a good price, Mariman and Versele Laga those are the top three. Best of luck

What I saw was a lot of studs with birds in cages without any water; I only handled one bird off a top pairing They wanted £280, needless to say "not impressed" saying that, the bird was in good condition. The show was sadly lacking in ventilation, being a past sufferer of pigeon lung it did not go down well with me. I had not been to the Blackpool show for a good many years, I won't be going back in a hurry. For those fanciers who witnessed poorly treated birds I will say; please write to the RPRA with your concerns with the threat that if you witness such goings on agian the RSPCA will be Immediately be contacted This should have the desired affect

One

Or you could say! you have saved yourself some hard earned cash.

I am going to Blackpool Sunday just to look around, one thing for sure I am taking my eye glass.

Sorry totally disagree with your choices, the most important is the pigeon it's self, like breeds like! As for top fanciers to buy from, look to whether or not they are breeding good birds- winners for other fanciers Example; I have sent youngsters back because they have been absolute rubbish on arrival, this happened to be from one of the top fanciers with 3 first nationals under their belt. I have also sent birds back to studs as well. It all depends on what your expectations are. As for pedigree it's horses for courses, but make sure what they are advertising is what you are getting.

There is only one cure! WARE A MASK

I had some in the sixty's, hard as nails, but fashions comes and goes, you would be hard pushed to find any.

Ecco lofts' are better made than Blake’s. Look for yourself! Ecco use thicker wood all round than Blake’s. I have been looking round for a new loft, some are very expensive, Ecco seem to me to be the best bet

The best pigeons was the Janssen x vanden bosche cross, best with wind on shoulders

One of the biggest was the race from Rome in 1913. One pigeon made it back It was owened by Charles Hudson of Derby England Aptly named THE KING OF ROME.

Some of my best birds in the early seventies were Kenyon b/p best noted for hard day racing over 300 miles

Depends on your BP at the time, some tablet are Diuretics some beta blockers some help to get rid of water.

I think you will find not much as changed, however if you can post an up to date rule I am sure other fanciers will appreciate it.

ETS – Clarification on RPRA Rules 10/04/2008 15:36:05 - Peter Bryant Rule 230 is effectively in two parts: a) Clubs cannot refuse members members the use of ETS Clubs that do not have the facilities/equipment for ETS, or officials competent to use ETS would not then have the necessary provision to use ETS. It should be noted however that training may be available and some ETS manufacturers do supply the necessary club equipment. TIME PENALTIES Fanciers using ETS shall not have time penalties added to their clocking times. RUBBER RINGS Fanciers cannot be forced to fly a two tier system, ie ETS plus rubbers and conventional clocking. ETS PADS/ANTENNAE No restriction on the number of pads per loft and there is no requirement to seal the pads. The antennae must be fitted within the confines of the loft/trapping system. Club officials can make random checks at any time; members not complying can be dealt with under Rule 70A.

I was looking in to buying Roland Janssens for my return in to the sport, made a few enquires with fellow fanciers Was told not to buy as they were doing nothing. This can be also said for the for the Michael van Lint pigeons as up to now not heard of anyone winning with them, will stand corrected if fanciers have won with them.

I was looking in to buying Roland Janssens for my return in to the sport, made a few enquires with fellow fanciers Was told not to buy as they were doing nothing. This can be also said for the for the Michael van Lint pigeons as up to now not heard of anyone winning with them, will stand corrected if fanciers have won with them.

North West Homing Union, Terry Dawber, 279 Mossy Lea Rd., Wrightington, Nr. Wigan, Lancs., England WN6 9RN. Tel. 01257-421271 .

If my memory serves me right, King Pin was the Barcelona Int winner for Mons Delbar Any avid Delbar fan may still have this blood lines in their lofts, I will dig out my books at some stage for more info.

Question for none eye sign fans, what do you look at when you are purchasing a pigeon? Wing? balance? structure? Head? --- 99% will look at the eye! Now why would you do that? One more food for thought. I went to an auction and on looking at a certain strain of bird; all's that was on the info was winner and breeder of winners. No information to back it up except the pedigree. The bird was small and on the wild side and not my type at all however I got my eye glass out and what a cracking eye it had, Gold and the widest circle I had ever come across. At that moment an elderly fancier said to me look up its B-- side an un-called for comment I did not rise to the bait I purchased the bird for £40.00 and paired it to a Janssen hen of better construction, guess what? in its first year of breeding it bred 2 cocks, 1 topped the fed 2 years running the other cock could have won the club and 5th fed but I chose not to clock it in as I all ready had 4 back before it, a well invested £40.00 based on eye sign

The most famous Delbar was King Pin a lot of the old lines have this bird in them

More food for thought! Example, back in the sixties I purchased a red swing clear cock, beautiful handling balanced pigeon. It was always behind in the price list, now according to what has been written the bird was fit for the pan. This bird had one good this going for it, the bird had the most fantastic rare green eye sign you have ever seen. Guess what the cock bread winner’s year in year out with different hens one notable son was "roof man" multiple prize winner raced on the natural system. "The red hen" won the club by half an hour from Rennes 375 miles five birds made it home by night fall two was off the red cock. How do you explain this? For every argument, there is a counter argument.

Strange conclusion, How do you know which is the best? What assessment do you make to arrive at that conclusion! My example, I restarted back in the sport in the nineties. I first bought a red Janssen cock purely on eye sign and handing, the rest I bought the same applied My 1st season racing old birds†yearlingsâ€, 8 widowhood cocks, a son of the Janssen cock won 5 individual 1st prizes Plus a 1st 3rd 5th 12th fed, club sent 450 birds per week, fed 2.500. Total out of 8 inland races 6 firsts, 5 seconds, 3 thirds 2 fourths plus seven fed cards in the first 14. The following year the nest mate to the above cock and a nephew “ came together†won the club by 84yds per min 68 miles race and topped the fed by 25yds per min. Again two weeks later won 1st & 2nd club by 40yds per min and 1st & 2nd fed by 15yds per min, different pair, all achieved by paring by eye sign Food for thought Only good eye is 14 on photo value for breeding, not the best eye's I have seen as per photo

Strange conclusion, How do you know which is the best? What assessment do you make to arrive at that conclusion! My example, I restarted back in the sport in the nineties. I first bought a red Janssen cock purely on eye sign and handing, the rest I bought the same applied My 1st season racing old birds†yearlingsâ€, 8 widowhood cocks, a son of the Janssen cock won 5 individual 1st prizes Plus a 1st 3rd 5th 12th fed, club sent 450 birds per week, fed 2.500. Total out of 8 inland races 6 firsts, 5 seconds, 3 thirds 2 fourths plus seven fed cards in the first 14. The following year the nest mate to the above cock and a nephew “ came together†won the club by 84yds per min 68 miles race and topped the fed by 25yds per min. Again two weeks later won 1st & 2nd club by 40yds per min and 1st & 2nd fed by 15yds per min, different pair, all achieved by paring by eye sign Food for thought Only good eye is 14 on photo value for breeding, not the best eye's I have seen as per photo