Packing In

[b.massey]

Well woke up this morning and went out to loft and let my 40 yb out... Got a strike from percy AGAIN. So thats me finished am afraid. Thanks for all advice to help problem but I aint enjoying it any more. I am unsure about racing yb's out then quitting or just giving up now. But loft will be sold and all stock thats there thats helped my father and myself win multiple races 50-380 miles and many many Federation tickets

 

Sad day but when its time its time.

 

I also have a load of birds I only keep for showing that will be going. They have won many 1st prizes at open level including best in shows. Most of them are Delbar or Dordins unflown and some young birds that are in race team

[blackdog]

what you going to do when you pack in mate, think about it, ive been packing in the last 3 years but i know i would be bored without them, don't let the bas,,,,s beat you

[b.massey]

what you going to do when you pack in mate, think about it, ive been packing in the last 3 years but i know i would be bored without them, don't let the bas,,,,s beat you

 

I have enough to keep me occupied mate. Told myself if I ever loose the enjoyment of it then its time to leave. The enjoyment left weeks ago now

[blackdog]

I have enough to keep me occupied mate. Told myself if I ever loose the enjoyment of it then its time to leave. The enjoyment left weeks ago now

 

ok mate, sorry to see you giving up, all the best, keith

[b.massey]

Thanks keith

[greenlands]

Sorry to hear your packing in Brian,I've been down that road for at least ten year,must have said it to myself twenty times this season,has you say the enjoyment has gone mate.

BOP being the biggest problem.

Wish you well in whatever you decide.

 

Lindsay

[Guest eddieg46]

Sorry to hear this Brian,having met and spoke to before and seen you at the Rosewell Show the passion you had for your pigeons was obvious to everyone.Also it was clear on the TV program on Sunday the hurt cause by the constant attacks you birds have had to suffer. I know you will not have taken this decision lightly but the pigeon game can not afford to lose passionate people like you so good luck for the future whatever it may bring.

 

Eddie Girdwood.

[andy Burgess]

i think you should crack on Brian, if you throw the towel in now,and get a feeling you want them back in a year or 2 it will be too late .you should bite the bullet and carry on ,have been fed up with them a few times myself this season ,but wouldnt get shut ,would be at a loose end ., and besides youre breeding me a youngster next year (got that in black and white) and will hold you to it. whatever you decide it,s up to you,but thats my opinion.

[frank-123]

Sorry to hear that Brian like me you have had enough most guys understand your frustration. There will be a lot more following us in the next few years.

The sport is dead because everyone is waiting on someone else to deal with the problem of Peregrine's

[Delboy]

Sorry to hear that Brian like me you have had enough most guys understand your frustration. There will be a lot more following us in the next few years.

The sport is dead because everyone is waiting on someone else to deal with the problem of Peregrine's

 

 

Very true post,imo, we as pigeon keepers are pathetic not looking after our stock.The games finished, not because of BOP,its because of pigeonmen not caring enough to take action.

[frank-123]

Very true post,imo, we as pigeon keepers are pathetic not looking after our stock.The games finished, not because of BOP,its because of pigeonmen not caring enough to take action.

 

 

sh** happen's attitude is what is finishing the doo game. Lose one breed two more.

[scottym7]

Sorry to read u r thinking of packing in Brian i hope u have a change of mind, only met u once and it was a pleasure.

Scotty m

[trevor9]

BRIAN, SORRY TO HEAR YOU ARE THINKING OF PACKING IN , DON'T MAKE ANY DECISIONS YET UNTIL THE SEASON ENDS,

FORGET THE BOP, JUST REMEMBER THE THRILL OF CLOCKING FROM THE DISTANCE RACES, THE EXCITMENT OF THAT LITTLE BIRD

FLYING HOME TO SOME ONE THAT HAS FED AND CARED FOR IT AND PREPARED IT FOR AN IMPORTANT RACE, I GET THE SAME PROBLEMS

HERE IN CORNWALL,WITH BIRDS OF PREY, BUT WOULD'T KNOW WHAT TO DO IF I EVER GOT RID OF MY FEATHERED FRIENDS, THE SPORT CAN'T AFFORD TO LOOSE

PEOPLE WITH YOUR PASSION, SO PLEASE THINK AGAIN,

ALL THE BEST MATE TREVOR, PENZANCE. CORNWALL.

[maverick]

Sad to here this Brian Iknow what you aregoing through mate terrible when you cant let the birds out whitout them being preyed on by B.O.P I am going to try again next year of the 36 youngbirds i had this year i have 11 left all down to a sparrow hawk hen its not just the ones i takes its the others that get so affraid they just keep flying and you never see again I am going ahead and breeding a team of latebreds to train so if anyone has latebreds they dont want i will take them Brian you and your father deserve better mate good luck with what you deside

[THE FIFER]

that would be sad m8 after your good work so hope you re consider, i know its not easy m8, but have a think about it , i was sitting in my back yard with birds out saw a fellow members breaking up and all over the place next thing percy just flew over my head with a bird in its claws I couldnt believe it.looked like a hen sparrow hawk

[Guest stb-]

that would be sad m8 after your good work so hope you re consider, i know its not easy m8, but have a think about it , i was sitting in my back yard with birds out saw a fellow members breaking up and all over the place next thing percy just flew over my head with a bird in its claws I couldnt believe it.looked like a hen sparrow hawk

yes Archie they seem to do low level attaks now and just pick a bird from the batch and carry on in there stride , not so good your packing in Brian but what your getting now we have had here since the 80s this year ive lost around 18 birds to bop at home , 2011 36 birds gone 2010 oveer 40 birds killed or awol at loft , its heart breaking though when your best uns are killed

Edited July 3, 2012 by stb-

[Guest Owen]

I good friend packed in due to the problems with the Raptors. He had chickens. That was last year but he wants to have the pigeons back now. When he told me I suggested that he waited either until the Autumn sales or until next Spring to obtain birds. He is so frustrated that he can't wait. Being without pigeons is more than he can handle.

I hope that you can cope with being without pigeons but I wish you the very best of luck at what ever you decide to do.

If you want a really class pair of sprint youngsters for next Spring get in touch and I will fix you up.

[Guest stb-]

I good friend packed in due to the problems with the Raptors. He had chickens. That was last year but he wants to have the pigeons back now. When he told me I suggested that he waited either until the Autumn sales or until next Spring to obtain birds. He is so frustrated that he can't wait. Being without pigeons is more than he can handle.

I hope that you can cope with being without pigeons but I wish you the very best of luck at what ever you decide to do.

If you want a really class pair of sprint youngsters for next Spring get in touch and I will fix you up.

is the BOP sittuation still the same with you owen

[tiger]

take ur time race the ybs out them make up ur mind ,theres worse than bops in this came , watch this space

[Guest Owen]

stb

yes the bird of prey situation is really bad now. I do not know of anyone in this area that have not lost youngsters to the Falcon and now the Goshawk numbers have increased and they are now hunting in the built up area for the first time. Every time I go to the Club House there will be someone complaining about their losses to one or other of the raptors.

A lot of the local people are getting upset at the sight of hawks eating their prey alive in gardens.

I have not been able to let my youngsters out at normal times of the day. I let them out at 6 to 6.30 because I find I get less strikes then.

[billt]

Owen, I'm further West than you and as you say it's getting worse every year, The Peregrine and hen Sparrow Hawk have always been a problem here but the last 5 or so years the Gos has become a complete nightmare, they can hunt in different ways, like the hen Spar. and also chase in the air, they are fast over short distances and are big enough to snatch and go, I have miles of coniferous forestry around me, perfect habitat for them

[boxer]

down here in wales that is all you see in the sky PERCY,S if there not taking them the GOSS HAWK is then you have the SPARROW HAWK around the lofts its a nightmare our youngbird team is in bits Broken Wings,Broken Legs etc etc its shocking!!

[Guest Owen]

The last thing I want to do is pack up the birds but if I am honest I may have to. This could be because everybody else leaves the sport and there would no-one to fly against or else my nerves will just not stand up to the pressure of watching the carnage. I have used rockets and varied the exercise times and even let my birds out at the same time as others to improve the odds against my birds being taken but in the end it could turn out to be a lost cause. The one thing that keeps me going is the fact that I have some lovely pigeons and they are good at their job which makes me very proud of them.

[billt]

Why do fanciers get rid of all their pigeons when they decide to call it a day? I've not raced for 26yrs. but never been without my birds about 80ish now, in two lots, 40 on permanent open loft and my others regulated by me, guess which lot sustain the greater losses, I think the breeding of more and more youngsters is playing into natures hands

[yeboah]

Sorry to read this Brian but can understand where your coming from,I have lived with this problem since moving to the outskirts of Moffat in 1990,stated all those years ago to Doug Mc Clarey who i think has now moved to Australia that what was my problem would soon become everyone's problem how right i was,have tried all solutions believe me everything and only one thing works Got my yb team split cocks and hens so that they exercise properly and they are doing just that ,I know that each time they are in the sky and ranging that there odds of not encountering a peregrine strike lessens so i just put them up and get on with the loft work until they return if you stand and watch them being attacked all the time it defo gets to you,just tonight they the hens disappeared as they have been doing for an hour and racing the sky's but as i worked in the loft they hit the roof within 5min I new what the problem was straight away when i put them in a red hen was missing it has since turned up minus part of her wing,put the cocks out and they flew for an hour without attack,started this year with 26 yearling and old hens at present i have 5 left ,started with 19 cocks left with 4 yearling and 1 3yo who is going to ypres,No point in planning a pigeons future nowadays as it aint going to happen you either breed plenty if you live in area's like this and get on with it or pack in and walk away thats the options,Good Luck in whatever you decide Brian atb Mick