Decision to make any advice?

[stantheman]

Can you folks out there help me out with a decision i need to make? once again i find myself laid up with my back problem and quite honestly i have had enough after not racing the old birds properly due to same problem then managing a few youngbird races managing to top fed which gave me a massive lift, i now find myself back to square one and relying on my teenage daughter to feed and water them if someone came along now i would let them take the lot. Has anyone out there got any suggestions to make life easier and more importantly to remain competetive when laid up? all advice welcome

cheers stan

[pigeonpete]

Hi Stan, sorry to hear of this, must be really frustrating for you, where are you from? is there anyone close who could help you mate, as would be a real shame for you to give up the sport you love, have you got ets? that would be a big help, Surely 1 of your mates/club members would help you catch the birds? The only other thig i can suggest is put a false floor in, i saw someone with this a few years ago, not sure how they did it, but all the birds were waist height when he went in as he could not bend down when he went in, Sorry i cant be of more assistance, i would help if you were near to me all i could :-)

[holmsidelofts]

Can you folks out there help me out with a decision i need to make? once again i find myself laid up with my back problem and quite honestly i have had enough after not racing the old birds properly due to same problem then managing a few youngbird races managing to top fed which gave me a massive lift, i now find myself back to square one and relying on my teenage daughter to feed and water them if someone came along now i would let them take the lot. Has anyone out there got any suggestions to make life easier and more importantly to remain competetive when laid up? all advice welcome

cheers stan

 

I would be looking for a partner, Im sure theses someone in your area that doesnt race anymore but would love to be involved again. I would be putting the word to see if anyones interested. Other than that i dont really know.

Jas.

 

[PIGEON_MAN]

Personally I think this is a decision you have to make yourself,people can give advise which may help to make your mind up but we really dont know how bad you really are and how difficult it is to get someone else to look after the birds if you were layed up for any length of time,I dont know if you use ETS but this would be a great help allthough costing a bit to start and then you might have to pack up after.I wish you all the best on whatever you choose to do.

[grizzal]

 

I would be looking for a partner, Im sure theses someone in your area that doesnt race anymore but would love to be involved again. I would be putting the word to see if anyones interested. Other than that i dont really know.

Jas.

 

yes thats what i would look for,or go for a big rabbit hutch loft so no bending and u can catch from out side and

all cleaning while standing.sorry about your back hope things improve

[Tony C]

I'm in the same position and do a couple of things that I've found useful. I used to clean out the lofts twice a day boxes and floors but then of course the back goes and they weren’t getting cleaned out at all, the environment within the loft changed dramatically which knocked the pigeons back. To sort of semi combat this I put Easibed down on the floors and just cleaned the boxes/perches once every two days, I found the transition wasn't as harsh as it became a more stable environment for the pigeons.

The other is to race the old birds on widowhood, much easier to bring these into condition than naturals after a spell of being laid up.

[stantheman]

Thanks for the advice folks, i have got ets and do use easibed on floors which does cut workload down, as regards a partner if anyone out there wants to join me thats fine i live just outside Atherstone in warwickshire, as regards a partnership no-one needs to worry about costs as i will pay for everything if it means the birds stay and we become competetive again

[BLACK W F]

sorry to here of your health probs  as has already been stated a partner  would be ideal  but  also is there any  youngsters that are keen  you could teach them the ropes  and do the supervising  winners all the way for yous both

[greenlands]

Same boat here Stan,smashed my back up some 30 odd years ago,3 month in hospital ,had a real crap time.Still get problems ,can be ok when I go to the loft,click, takes me half a hour to do 20 yards back to the house and thats it for a week.

I agree with pigeon-mans post,it's a hard one to make and only you truly know the answer,health comes first,If you family can help that's a great thing.Good luck whatever mate.

Lindsay

PS. I don't know what medication you take but the only thing that sorts me is Athrotec-75.

[stantheman]

Lindsay i am by sounds of it similar to you a few good weeks then bang for no reason it goes

and i get really bad muscle spasms and have to go on diazepam and tramadol which usually ease it after 3-5 days. I have got one younglad started this year who has offered to help out at weekends and its greatly appreciated but i live a bit away from him so its not ideal

[kirky]

same for me stan i have an illness thats affecting all my joints can only catch birds when on perches or in sputnic, i use easybed on floors, raised drinkers & feeders, fly just 12 wodowhood cocks & race only 15 to 20 ybs, have blocked off all low perches & nestboxes, winter is the worst time, stick in there mate summer soon comes round, all the best,

[Roland]

Bird wise Open loft and Hopper fed.

Back wise a hard matteress  for a few nights. Yes first night is uncomfortable .... like most of yours are any way.

In Thrapston, and this is very true, you have to be careful whom you tell lol.

The sure fire remedy for a back back is very often very quickly cured.

How? One might well ask.

As you are walk up the road, often just chopsing to mates, they just push you in front of a car.

Reaction is that you quickly jolt upright and scarper to safety. Back is put back into place just fine. This is true, and apparently it works just fine too. Know many times it has been done. Of course it has to be when least expected for it to work.

[Guest anto]

jesus lads were a load of criples on here i also sufer with my back i have disc trouble i think if it wasent for the birds

ide have gave up and laid down its them that gets me out of the bed in the mornings i know its hard at times but you

have to keep going i only clean out every second day now and i have some great mates that will always give me a

hand when iam really bad iam sure if you put the word out you will get a partner your makeing a great offer you

have good birds and it will cost them nothing keep your head up best of luck for the future

[OLDYELLOW]

think back problems are probably caused by years of scrapping same as kirky i blocked all bottom boxes off to save the back means a few less birds and makes you select alot more as most have said get a  partner could always do a talk at your local school and you never know might be one lad that wants to take racing up without the cost of everything hope you get sorted  

[wilkins]

make your loft mice proof , hopper feed barley to wednesday each week, , get dome drinkers

[chickadee]

I hope you find someone to help, there are good people out there, we helped out and became very good friends with Billy when he was ill and went on to him and ###### becoming best friends and race partners so good luck

[Guest bakes]

sorry to hear about this stan didnt no your back was that bad if i can help any way give me a bell mate

 

all the best.

[kev43]

Lindsay i am by sounds of it similar to you a few good weeks then bang for no reason it goes

and i get really bad muscle spasms and have to go on diazepam and tramadol which usually ease it after 3-5 days. I have got one younglad started this year who has offered to help out at weekends and its greatly appreciated but i live a bit away from him so its not ideal

 

get ur doctor 2 prescribe diclofenac m8 i have arthritis in the spine and winter times is really bad for me luckily unlike urself i got my son 2 help me out when am bed ridden but these tablets are the best taken wi 2 paracetamol every day i can go for weeks even mths but they work m8 hope u get sorted and decide for the best what u want 2 do  

[gorsy bank lofts]

Hi, stan anythinhg i can do let me know mate im not that far away,

failing finding a partner,you could just cut down racing every week and race the nationals

or send your youngsters to b/buyers, one loft races ect.

just a thought mate know how much hard work it can turn out to be.

i ll pm my mobile for you.

lyndon

[kev43]

Hi, stan anythinhg i can do let me know mate im not that far away,

failing finding a partner,you could just cut down racing every week and race the nationals

or send your youngsters to b/buyers, one loft races ect.

just a thought mate know how much hard work it can turn out to be.

i ll pm my mobile for you.

lyndon

 

well done lyndon good on ur m8

[Guest bakes]

Hi, stan anythinhg i can do let me know mate im not that far away,

failing finding a partner,you could just cut down racing every week and race the nationals

or send your youngsters to b/buyers, one loft races ect.

just a thought mate know how much hard work it can turn out to be.

i ll pm my mobile for you.

lyndon

 

well done lyndon good bloke stan is with cracking doo's always willing to help with tips and information cracking bloke hope someone can help him out people like stan we need in the sport

all the best.

[Guest Owen]

There are a lot of things that you can do to lighten your load.

Fly widowhood cocks. Lock them up in their boxes. Don't use bottem boxes. The cleaning is hardly anything. Don't catch the birds in the loft. Walk them into crates fixed to the outside of the loft accessed through a sliding flap. Trap through a widow.

Hens on poles and in an aviary. Also fit a mesh floor to avoid the temtation to pair up. No need to catch them because they will fly to the boxes when needed.

Youngsters on deep litter. Catch into crates as before. Fly the youngsters on the sliding door method to reduce the work.

Use a chair with casters fitted to push yourself about. Transport your birds on a trolley or do as I plan to do, get your self a cheap secondhand ATV to carry the baskets for you.

[stantheman]

Thanks for the replies and offers of help and advice, also thanks to those that have pmd me it gives me great  comfort that people out there are willing to go the extra mile to help people out, I am going to take a good hard look at things and then decide where to go, I wont rush into anything and do something i might regret

ONCE AGAIN THANKYOU