tubbles

I have an aviary with a concrete floor, If i had the cash i would get grills for it and have them 6" off the floor. If it rains, there are slugs and slug trails all over the place, they seem to love concrete floors. I was told that slugs carry tapeworm. Not had the problem but it is a warning. Good luck

I was lucky enough to have got one of Terry's gift birds A Vandenabeel winner (for Terry) The pigeon is an absolute beauty. Terry has stated loads of times that he can't get in clubs local to him. I also would be thinking of selling them if i couldn't race in clubs, it is ok you club men saying join the nationals but if you can't race in clubs what is there to look forward to in just national racing. Birds are prepared for nationals by racing in clubs, clubs are the back bone of the sport not nationals. Phil Brown

Mackems, you put 2birds in that list of races as if they didn't matter. 2bird races are the most equal races in my opinion as everyone sends their best two birds whereas in clubs they send birds that have never won anything and can win by sheer weight of numbers. Strange the way some people think of pigeon racing. :-/ of course maybe it is me with the wrong outlook.

I have sent you a PM jack.

Carl must have had some strange wedding with your pigeons being in the same folder ;D ;D

We just put 10p above the federation charge for birdage and that goes to prizemoney and this is what makes the highest prizewinner at end of season. usually only adds up to around £320 so nobody gets rich cos it is five prizes per race.

Very good performances however many are sent. I know people who send more than 50 and do not put up performances as these even at club level never mind Federation. well done

you need to put the GB......... part of the ring on as all sorts of people use marker rings. Otherwise everyone with GB rings will be calling you.

I think it goes on yearly cycle but my old memory aint what it used to be. if anyone can think back through the years you will see the cycle. Of course i could be wrong and i am talking about RPRA rings.

I didn't know that there were rules about that geordie. If you let birds out i don't think it can be said that you are transporting or having a gathering as such. If you mean in the exclusion zone then perhaps you have to keep indoors not too sure on that.

Ahhhaaaa victory Roland I thought so matey nice to be corroborated though. Nothing nasty meant roland. I understood it to be like Bruno said.

Going by your way of thinking then, why were there no birds apart from auctions at telford. If it was as simple as getting a certificate from Defra i can't believe it was not looked into. Especially by the ones trying to sell birds. Never mind it is over now and like i said i am prepared to take any flack for being wrong. It was my opinion and as usual i am wrong .... again lol :B

Roland, as far as i know there are NO legit shows while defra has a "no gatherings" notice out. They said no racing so i think that this would also mean no shows. I may be wrong and will take the flack if i am but that is my reading on it. I feel for the show men among us and the shows are good for sociable days or nights but I thought that this is a racing site. If DEFRA make an example of pigeon men it will make an example of ALL pigeon men even the ones not attending these shows. sorry and ladies of course.

Ronnie i think that may have gone on at telford and don't think it is illegal as all the birds in the van belong to the stud. When we race we are allowed to take our own birds but not our mates. If you take someone elses birds it is a gathering however petty it is. Roland ALL shows should be cancelled as these are gatherings according to DEFRA. Is it worth risking the wrath of defra just for the shows. they could just blanket ban in future if pigeon shows go on without licence. Then not even the cries from the RPRA will be listened to and that will mean no racing.

I couldn't fault the birds myself but our sport in this country should look after itself first and foremost. Dunno what the score is abroad but in this country I, and many others pay RPRA Fees and yet i was not allowed to take pigeons to Telford not that i'm a seller, (still a learner). Again i should state that this is not against the birds because they were a credit to the man.

Went to Telford today, didn't seem fair that the sale went ahead really. He had birds on show and the stalls couldn't. Dunno how much he made but i hear lot 1 went really high. All other sellers could do was to hang pedigrees on the walls, a real shame that. Dunno if Jos is Belgian or dutch but i feel it should have been british that were allowed to sell. I hope that doesn't sound racist but we have top fliers in this country and i'm sure their sales perished with the bird flu outbreak and yet this sale went ahead. It really annoys me that someone decided that THIS sale could be done and no others. That now said, the store holders kept a smile on their faces hope sales pick up for the others. Just my opinion

I do not have the ets system as yet, but i am getting more and more into the swing about it after watching the clips on youtube. As for the officials of the clubs, well thats another matter. you have to take into account the feelings of the membership. I am 45 years old and there are only 2 or three members younger than me. The majority of members are in their.... lets say 50's to 70's. I can understand them not wanting to pay out for a whole new clocking system but if it speeds up the clocking in time for elderly/disabled people it should be available to them. If you feel that it is going to finish off your club maybe you should try another way of catching your birds on race days. If you are too ill elderly or whatever to run in the loft after them then you could put a speedtrap or timefactor trap on the loft ( wow timefactor where did i remember that one from) I have mine on an aviary the full length of the loft, just one six trap setup on front, that way you do not need the mask and allsorts on because you are outside.

wow that really is a long time, if the birds were sick, it would really take a hold by then. would be hard waiting that long if the birds didn't look right.

Please just ignore my post about the ip address as it is pointed out in another thread, people use dynamic ip's sry. :B

I may be wrong but on another site that i go to about greyhounds, I'm sure the Admins can get the IP address somehow. if that is possible perhaps that is the way to ban people for good. I know if they access the internet from different places it is difficult but this is why i hate people giving in hotmail addies. Good luck to all concerned.

If you are not happy with the fanciers reply to you, ask a non fancier relative to report it to the union as then the flyer (RPRA anyway) has to arrange for something in two days. You could mind the bird until such time that he is coming for it or Amtrak turn up. I am sort of middle of UK, Merseyside area and our federation have had a lot of birds go missing some reported south by racepoints and others in North East. Everyone knows that Amtrak is £30 a go, so, many fanciers would just have to call it a day if they had lots of the missing birds reported. This is supposed to be a working mans sport but a lot around by me are unemployed or retired. even working people would find it hard to get 3 or 4 birds delivered home by amtrak prices. I would offer to dispose of or keep unless he wants it back. The sport in general can't afford to lose members for just not claiming a bird back. Of course this is just my opinion.

North Wirral Federation and West Lancs Amal birds up at Frome in no wind, 9:45. Good luck to all of us.

North Wirral and West Lancs. Amal are at Frome in Somerset. Lets hope all the bad races are behind us now. :

I sent 41 to Windrush, Race liberated in a south west wind (blowhome to us) winners in 1600's. Race was Saturday, on the night i was 21 out and this is from just 120 miles seems to be all over these days no matter what the weather. I did not send two weeks ago, the club were just 70 miles away and had another disaster race winners doing 880's. lots of birds missing, reports of a few still homing in this week. it is now 9.42pm sunday and i am still 15 missing Hope mine come home and everyone else that lost them on both these terrible races.

Sorry Rose and thanks for the fast reply,I have never seen it myself.