DOVEScot

Decided it was over ventilated ;D ;D ;D

Aye what about the number of fanciers that have had their lifetimes work wiped away in one night by the thugs and the vindictive who slaughter their birds in many number of ways, from ripping the heads off their birds to burning their lofts to the ground destroying not only the birds, lofts and property but the fanciers life as they knew it :-/

Yes we have one called Crusty that is past his sell by date one of the first whites we ever got, so I can sympathise with you, how old was Old Faithful ?

I plan to build a new loft at Billy's new house, depeding on a number of factors, if he survives, he almost died last time, in fact he would have if I had not found him when I did. If his new house can take a loft, he may not have any garden being the main ones He had over 100 assorted pigeons, two loft and four aviaries when I first started looking after them, he now has just one loft and twelve racers he wants to keep. I have only had to cull six that were lame or infirm. The rest have been rehomed mostly to members on the site. Out of the twelve there are 8 cocks and 4 hens which he hopes to get four good pair for breeding next years young, either get get rid of the four cocks or buy four hens we will have to wait and see. I am only trying to accomodate these along with ours while we sort out Billy's housing, don't plan to keep them here as Billy wants the joy of watching them at his place on race days, they will never be raced only used as stock Personally I would get rid of them all and start again when he gets set up but Billy has his wishes and ideas at the moment that is paramount to his welbeing

Thanks, just looking for options Maybe I never made it clear why I am looking at this option or similar Due to his illness Billy will definately have to move house, while in hospital I am trying to get things arrange so he can move into suitable accomodation when he gets out, so in the meantime I have to clear up at his old house so they can pass it. Which means I may have to take his lofts down with no where else to put them so in the meantime I am housing his birds at my place till he gets settled and a loft built at his new place I don't want to break them to here, just keep them up here temporary along with the others, they are mostly cocks so I dont want them in the main lofts as they will cause havoc with the pairs, This is only a temporary measure till I can sort a loft out at Billy's new house when he gets one, he has decided to keep only his twelve best birds for breeding next year so they wont be raced this year due to his relapse and a possibly another month in hospital and further convalesance may see any race season pass him bye I am running out of ideas, time and room :'(

Valiant won 1st in club from Towlaw on Saturday, Edinburgh Premier I think

:'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

Greedy *expletive removed* or not, like it or not, it is the only way pigeon racing will become tv friendly which is how sports are going for the majority of the population Gone are the days sadly we might say are the community sports where we all join in and follow the popular sports held in your area. We now have mega bowls, mega cinemas, mega tvs, mega mortgages and now mega prices for feeding :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

I don't want to break them to here, just keep them up here temporary along with the others, they are mostly cocks so I dont want them in the main lofts as they will cause havoc with the pairs, This is only a temporary measure till I can sort a loft out at Billy's new house when he gets one, he has decided to keep only his twelve best birds for breeding next year so they wont be raced I am running out of ideas and room :'(

Glad to hear you are feeling better, as you say there are alot of people in the same boat as you and Billy, and yes there is always someone worse in the next bed. Where would we be without all the doctors and nurses with all the medication etc, don't get me wrong I have had run ins with idividuals while dealing with Billy. The classic was the emergency doctor that turned up at Billy's house without any money in her phone, she had to use mine to phone his sugery for his notes and also to book an ambulance :'( :'( :'( Good news is there is a big improvement today, I have a meeting with his consultant this week to see if he will sign a form to get him a low level house, as there is no way he can handle the stairs at his house. He is getting to the toilet himself and injecting his own insulin and is up to 5st 10lb Waiting on results of his level of pigeon lung to see what precautions he has to take when he gets out, going to race from my house if he can't keep them

Glad to hear you are felling better, I am going to post on the Billy thread rather than this one

Normally a homing box covers one hole, they are really easy to make, but there are various ways you can do it, this is how I done it with harris fencing and a net on the front cote And this is Chickadee at what she does best(with pigeons that is) after we took the net down

The main reason I asked was that Billy will be moving to a low door house when he gets out of hospital, so in the meantime I am cleaning up his area and bring his remaining pigeons up to my place. I don't want to home them to me then rehome them again if and when Billy gets settled, so just looking for alternative ideas to keeping them put in the meantime

Ventilation is the key factor ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D never took another pick since I finninsed it

We have quite a few buzzards in the area around us so they command the area regards the hawks, we do get them mostly young ones. I do not keep ones with big fantails in the cotes as they are easier to catch by the hawks and cats, prefer to keep ones with straight tails as they are as good as racers at taking off, although nothing is foolproof. Do not feed on the ground as this is where the hawks pick them off, we have a feeding station like a huge bird table where they all get fed and we are always around at feeding time

Does any member clip their new pigeons wings or one wing I have heard is best. If so what is the best way to do it

Anyone trim the one wing and if so what is the best way to do it

Definately

The ever changing society that we live in, gone are the days of community sports and pastimes. I grew up in a mining community and the the whole scheme of houses were miners and quite a few kept pigeons, but there was always infighting, break aways, moaners and groaners that could do it better if they had a job they never wanted in all sports, cats, jealousy, sabotage, cheating or some other excuse why they had trouble winning to argue about. End of the day majority of people want spectator sports that is why one loft races are taking off, do not need to keep pigeons to be a part of it. You only way you get media coverage is if it is TV friendly and they can get people to watch it. A camera in every loft no chance, a camera in one loft where the prize money is significant now that will get the public interested, especially if they can join in and side bet. How many race punters have dreamed about owning their own horse and winning the grand national ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D It will be the same with pigeons shortly :-/ Just enjoy your pigeons for what ever reason you have them and make the most of it

Some birds will never stay, depends on them I would say, We had one that that paired and raised young till about two weeks then returned to her old loft for no apparent reason, he even tried to starve her out but she still persisted, not untill the guy finished with birds did she stay :-/ Then as someone says you get a stray in, we returned one to shropshire three days after it landed in our loft, the next time he raced it it came back to us, so he told us to keep it

Sold the last one yesterday, traditionally they are white but most prefer them in natural colours, I prefer the white

Sods law, my daughter is just returning home to Bristol this morning, tried to phone her but she was just driving past Carlilse, she is not back up till June We are in Fife Scotland so a bit far away for a rabbit trip :-/

Thanks for all the comments it's appreciated This is one made from Mahogany and Cedar with a slate roof for 12 pair of birds, I made the same one except it was for eight pairs and sold for £350 All the internal are tanalised wood and 6mm external ply, you wont get that in the garden centres, sell them to order or just stick them on the front lawn. The only part I don't do is the slate roof, an old guy does them for me in half the time

Never mind the garden centre crap, get one made for you All mine house pigeons although some customers just want them as a feature, just made one for a large estate that houses 36 pairs, made in mahogany with a slate roof, I will post pics once the homing net is down

Another jar of £30 honey this week, Chickadee says you better get some for the ybs we are giving you, keep them in the lifestyle they are acustomed to