The Novice Asks Part 2

[THE FIFER]

• BY WALTER BOSWELL
• In part one, I had missed out that James had managed to buy an 18 foot by 6 foot loft from a guy that was packing up and it was this loft that the latebreds were flying from with the Louella birds in the end section and now breeding. Another thing I missed was medication as Jim had youngsters coming in from 6 or 8 different lofts. I had told him the danger of them bringing different bacteria into his loft and told him to keep my potassium mix in the water as it kills any bacteria they are spreading in the water and neutralises the bacteria in the droppings. This was also used everytime the birds were in the basket with other birds as in the training van or race basket. It’s the first drink they get and has worked well for me and others. Apart from that, three weeks before the first race they were given half a tablet of Flagyl for canker and were treated for Cocci. This was repeated every three to four weeks during racing. The only other thing they got was Optisana multi vits from Lidl (the orange tube) One tablet dissolved in 5 or 6 litres of water every other week and costs £1.20. This is what the latebreds and young birds were on during training and racing ok.
• I told Jim to get 50 rings and if he filled them, he would have a good yb team and be on a level footing with me and the rest of the club plus if you’re left with too many, you can sort that. If you lose a lot you’re back to square one and a year lost with no yearlings for next season. Between his Louella birds and his latebreds and a few fanciers that bred him some, his rings were all filled and he had a nice team of young birds which he had flying out in no time doing the same things he had learned with the latebreds. What with the national races on us and the amount of young birds I had been breeding for sales and good causes, I was way behind with my yb team. Something I’ll have to work out as breeding so many ybs for others just can’t be done. I was moving six here and six there at a time instead of getting my ybs all through within a week or two so as to be almost all the same age and no wee ones holding the older ones back as was happening. By now, Jim’s young birds were flying two and three hours a day and going great guns. I was still getting birds ready for Clermont our last national race. Jim had now learned how to control his young bird team the same way he controlled his latebreds and with one shout his team was down and in. That’s the way to do it I told him and you have the feeding just right. He was desperate to start them training but mine were nowhere near ready and I told him there was plenty of time and he could not get much better than what his birds were doing flying for hours everyday. It must have been a month or more before my team caught up with his and were ready to train as mine were now also flying for hours. We train tomorrow I told him and we can go straight to 20 miles as these birds are fit and have probably ranged that far already. Next morning we headed off, 20 miles, let them sit 15 mins then off they went. They flew around for five minutes, then headed home. The birds took about 45 mins and we did the same everyday for 8 tosses then moved them up to 25 miles as they were doing the 20 mile toss in 20 to 25 mins and had found their breaking point. Most times we could see them coming down the valley then cutting across to the topside on a line for home. A few times we saw Percy go into them but they were racing hard and on their way and if one went missing it would turn up a few hours later or that night. After a few tosses at 25 miles we stepped them up to 30 miles a few here then forty miles a few from there then we brought them back to 20 miles. By this time we had had about 20 tosses and we were halving the fuel between us but were glad when the training van started about ten days before the first race. This meant we could sit at home and wait for the birds and could now watch to see how they came when up with the batch as we were the only west section birds on the van. The birds came well and were holding their line. Nearly all birds home within 10 minutes every toss bar for the odd one or two that Percy had chased and they would turn up later. We were training over a hundred birds between us and it was a sight to see them breaking over the Hamilton racecourse for home. Nine tosses in the van and it was the Thursday before the race. No training today Jim I said, today they have a love in. Open the trap and let them do what they want. They are ready and you have done all you can for them. Let them play today and we basket tomorrow for the race. Give them half a feed at 11 o’clock and that will do them. Jim’s wife Netty said, I hope all this work and running about is worth it Walter. So do I Netty as for the first time in my life I felt pressure with pigeons. I’d stuck my neck out telling the man and his family he would win.
• Next night we headed for the club and as I put Jim’s birds through I could feel they were in better condition than my own and told him so on the way home. So do you think I have a chance Jim asked? As good a chance as anyone I said. Your ones were the best I put through I told him and it’s up to them now. You’ve done all you can do and if they don’t get in the shake up it’s because they are not good enough. That’s if we get a good race of course. See you in the morning I said. I can’t wait Jim said and I wont sleep tonight. I well remember just before I fell asleep that night thinking I hope this man gets a turn tomorrow or I am going to look a bloody fool! I thought this method works for me and I have confidence in what I've told him to do but are his birds good enough. That I had no control over and it was up to them. Next morning, birds are up 83 miles at Otterburn and what do you think Jim said around the 2 hour mark? I thought the problem will be birds thrown into the race with little or no training. They will hold up the whole convoy flying round and round giving Percy time to get to them. It happens every year in the first few races. Good luck pal, hope you get a good one I said as I walked back to my loft and I meant it. My first bird came and messed about a bit before going in but again I had not seen another bird in the sky and thought that it might not be a bad one only for Jim to tell he had four before mine! Well done I said, I think you will not be far away. We went to the clock checking with no one saying much other than it was a funny race. Then the sec read out the result, “McGuire, McGuire, McGuire, McGuire, Boswell”. I jumped off the chair “YES” I shouted and shook Jim by the hand. Well done pal that’s the way to do it. The club president said for expletive removed* sake Wattie what are you doing? Helping a novice I said as we walked out the door. Jim's face was white with the shock lol. We got in the car and Jim phoned home to the family. I done it, I f**kn done it! I felt the weight had just lifted off my shoulders as not only was I right but I had made a good friend's dream come true. Not only was he 1st 2nd 3rd 4th club but was 3rd 4th 5th and 6th open fed with 4200 birds. Fantastic flying for anyone, never mind a novice in his first year.
• That night Jim and I sat in his back garden and had a wee beer. He was on cloud nine until I said, right that was the easy bit now we have to keep it up lol. We both went to bed happy that night. After the first race, we went with the training van three days a week. The second race Jim was 1st club 1st west section fed 2nd club 7th sect fed 3rd club 12th sect fed 1555 birds. A 1st west section fed winner in his first season. He just did not know or understand how well he had done and he went on to win 3 first club 3 2nd club 4 3rd club 3 4th club 3 5th club taking a total of 16 cards, a shield for 1st Thirsk and the young bird ave cup. Not bad for a novice. We will have a good night at our presentation pal now you’re on your own lol. Only kidding, I'm here anytime you need me. It's been great fun seeing you learn and progress to be a good doo man. You’re a grand pupil and a good pal. Hope the guys enjoy your story.

• Ps everytime he won I made him stop the bird for next year we stopped every bird that won a ticket so he has a cracking start for next year and some good birds of his own to breed from. The end

[andy Burgess]

another great read Walter

[Kyleakin Lofts]

Great read Walter. I felt excited and happy for you both when I read it.

[buster151]

Great read Walter, well done on what you and Jim have achieved and good luck for the future, Walter I doff my cap for what you have done for Jim not many like yourself around, but always nice to see :emoticon-0137-clapping:

[lastdrop]

You are one in a million Mr. Boswell

[Rooster J. Cogburn]

great stuff Walter and Jim

[james mcguire]

Great read Walter. I felt excited and happy for you both when I read it.

Was engrossed myself and I was there.great read well done master

[paddymac]

Another great read Walter, well done

[dal2]

Great stuff. Mare trainers than sports direct lol

[walterboswell59]

another great read Walter

must say a big thankyou to mrs mckay for the punctuation and set out your a lady

[Guest johnhunter]

must be a great feeling teaching a guy some of what you know ,and then he goes on and does the business, as I say some of what you know , no doubt you will have kept something up your sleeve,good on you

[Ian McKay]

must say a big thankyou to mrs mckay for the punctuation and set out your a lady

 

 

Thank you Walter and once again I so enjoyed reading your journey with Jim and this time to such a wonderful conclusion. I must confess to hardly being able to read the last part as I was really emotional by then and just felt how kind and caring you are and you were over the moon at Jim's acievement. As you say, you have made a very good friend and Jim must have thought he had died and gone to heaven 😀 Netty will have felt it was all so very worth while and the whole family must be delighted that Jim has something to look forward to each and every day. You are indeed a true gentleman!

 

Marlene

[THE FIFER]

well done another great read

[Bryngwynt Lofts]

A great story once again this week.

[We man]

Good stuff again Walter,I think more fanciers than Jim have learned from your words of wisdom.

[Wiley]

real nice read

[alex young]

Good reading Walter,well done.

[peter dempsey]

hats off to you Walter you done a great job not many fanciers willing to share what they know to the Novice , also a big well done to Jim and his family for carrying out your instructions to the letter

regards peter

[William Reid]

• BY WALTER BOSWELL
• In part one, I had missed out that James had managed to buy an 18 foot by 6 foot loft from a guy that was packing up and it was this loft that the latebreds were flying from with the Louella birds in the end section and now breeding. Another thing I missed was medication as Jim had youngsters coming in from 6 or 8 different lofts. I had told him the danger of them bringing different bacteria into his loft and told him to keep my potassium mix in the water as it kills any bacteria they are spreading in the water and neutralises the bacteria in the droppings. This was also used everytime the birds were in the basket with other birds as in the training van or race basket. It’s the first drink they get and has worked well for me and others. Apart from that, three weeks before the first race they were given half a tablet of Flagyl for canker and were treated for Cocci. This was repeated every three to four weeks during racing. The only other thing they got was Optisana multi vits from Lidl (the orange tube) One tablet dissolved in 5 or 6 litres of water every other week and costs £1.20. This is what the latebreds and young birds were on during training and racing ok.
• I told Jim to get 50 rings and if he filled them, he would have a good yb team and be on a level footing with me and the rest of the club plus if you’re left with too many, you can sort that. If you lose a lot you’re back to square one and a year lost with no yearlings for next season. Between his Louella birds and his latebreds and a few fanciers that bred him some, his rings were all filled and he had a nice team of young birds which he had flying out in no time doing the same things he had learned with the latebreds. What with the national races on us and the amount of young birds I had been breeding for sales and good causes, I was way behind with my yb team. Something I’ll have to work out as breeding so many ybs for others just can’t be done. I was moving six here and six there at a time instead of getting my ybs all through within a week or two so as to be almost all the same age and no wee ones holding the older ones back as was happening. By now, Jim’s young birds were flying two and three hours a day and going great guns. I was still getting birds ready for Clermont our last national race. Jim had now learned how to control his young bird team the same way he controlled his latebreds and with one shout his team was down and in. That’s the way to do it I told him and you have the feeding just right. He was desperate to start them training but mine were nowhere near ready and I told him there was plenty of time and he could not get much better than what his birds were doing flying for hours everyday. It must have been a month or more before my team caught up with his and were ready to train as mine were now also flying for hours. We train tomorrow I told him and we can go straight to 20 miles as these birds are fit and have probably ranged that far already. Next morning we headed off, 20 miles, let them sit 15 mins then off they went. They flew around for five minutes, then headed home. The birds took about 45 mins and we did the same everyday for 8 tosses then moved them up to 25 miles as they were doing the 20 mile toss in 20 to 25 mins and had found their breaking point. Most times we could see them coming down the valley then cutting across to the topside on a line for home. A few times we saw Percy go into them but they were racing hard and on their way and if one went missing it would turn up a few hours later or that night. After a few tosses at 25 miles we stepped them up to 30 miles a few here then forty miles a few from there then we brought them back to 20 miles. By this time we had had about 20 tosses and we were halving the fuel between us but were glad when the training van started about ten days before the first race. This meant we could sit at home and wait for the birds and could now watch to see how they came when up with the batch as we were the only west section birds on the van. The birds came well and were holding their line. Nearly all birds home within 10 minutes every toss bar for the odd one or two that Percy had chased and they would turn up later. We were training over a hundred birds between us and it was a sight to see them breaking over the Hamilton racecourse for home. Nine tosses in the van and it was the Thursday before the race. No training today Jim I said, today they have a love in. Open the trap and let them do what they want. They are ready and you have done all you can for them. Let them play today and we basket tomorrow for the race. Give them half a feed at 11 o’clock and that will do them. Jim’s wife Netty said, I hope all this work and running about is worth it Walter. So do I Netty as for the first time in my life I felt pressure with pigeons. I’d stuck my neck out telling the man and his family he would win.
• Next night we headed for the club and as I put Jim’s birds through I could feel they were in better condition than my own and told him so on the way home. So do you think I have a chance Jim asked? As good a chance as anyone I said. Your ones were the best I put through I told him and it’s up to them now. You’ve done all you can do and if they don’t get in the shake up it’s because they are not good enough. That’s if we get a good race of course. See you in the morning I said. I can’t wait Jim said and I wont sleep tonight. I well remember just before I fell asleep that night thinking I hope this man gets a turn tomorrow or I am going to look a bloody fool! I thought this method works for me and I have confidence in what I've told him to do but are his birds good enough. That I had no control over and it was up to them. Next morning, birds are up 83 miles at Otterburn and what do you think Jim said around the 2 hour mark? I thought the problem will be birds thrown into the race with little or no training. They will hold up the whole convoy flying round and round giving Percy time to get to them. It happens every year in the first few races. Good luck pal, hope you get a good one I said as I walked back to my loft and I meant it. My first bird came and messed about a bit before going in but again I had not seen another bird in the sky and thought that it might not be a bad one only for Jim to tell he had four before mine! Well done I said, I think you will not be far away. We went to the clock checking with no one saying much other than it was a funny race. Then the sec read out the result, “McGuire, McGuire, McGuire, McGuire, Boswellâ€. I jumped off the chair “YES†I shouted and shook Jim by the hand. Well done pal that’s the way to do it. The club president said for expletive removed* sake Wattie what are you doing? Helping a novice I said as we walked out the door. Jim's face was white with the shock lol. We got in the car and Jim phoned home to the family. I done it, I f**kn done it! I felt the weight had just lifted off my shoulders as not only was I right but I had made a good friend's dream come true. Not only was he 1st 2nd 3rd 4th club but was 3rd 4th 5th and 6th open fed with 4200 birds. Fantastic flying for anyone, never mind a novice in his first year.
• That night Jim and I sat in his back garden and had a wee beer. He was on cloud nine until I said, right that was the easy bit now we have to keep it up lol. We both went to bed happy that night. After the first race, we went with the training van three days a week. The second race Jim was 1st club 1st west section fed 2nd club 7th sect fed 3rd club 12th sect fed 1555 birds. A 1st west section fed winner in his first season. He just did not know or understand how well he had done and he went on to win 3 first club 3 2nd club 4 3rd club 3 4th club 3 5th club taking a total of 16 cards, a shield for 1st Thirsk and the young bird ave cup. Not bad for a novice. We will have a good night at our presentation pal now you’re on your own lol. Only kidding, I'm here anytime you need me. It's been great fun seeing you learn and progress to be a good doo man. You’re a grand pupil and a good pal. Hope the guys enjoy your story.

• Ps everytime he won I made him stop the bird for next year we stopped every bird that won a ticket so he has a cracking start for next year and some good birds of his own to breed from. The end

Enjoyed reading your post Walter. Great advice to stop prize winners these birds will be the back bone of Jim,s loft next year.

[TheHigg]

Good read Walter well done are you taking on any apprentices next season I know someone who would be interested (maybe not as keen as big Jim though)

[walterboswell59]

Good read Walter well done are you taking on any apprentices next season I know someone who would be interested (maybe not as keen as big Jim though)

you know your wellcome here anytime joe but you only get out what you put in pal

[walterboswell59]

forgot to tell you guys jims family all pick and name a bird to pool each week six of them all put a fiver on there bird each week 1st bird home takes the 30 pounds and there all there on a saturday morning to see there bird coming home with shouts of its mine no its mine no its harvey no its blacky chan and netty chipping in no its my flash lol brilliant

[andy Burgess]

forgot to tell you guys jims family all pick and name a bird to pool each week six of them all put a fiver on there bird each week 1st bird home takes the 30 pounds and there all there on a saturday morning to see there bird coming home with shouts of its mine no its mine no its harvey no its blacky chan and netty chipping in no its my flash lol brilliant

 

brilliant , thats how it ought to be .

[TheHigg]

forgot to tell you guys jims family all pick and name a bird to pool each week six of them all put a fiver on there bird each week 1st bird home takes the 30 pounds and there all there on a saturday morning to see there bird coming home with shouts of its mine no its mine no its harvey no its blacky chan and netty chipping in no its my flash lol brilliant

I see not one of them have called their doo bozzie (now there's gratitude for you) :emoticon-0136-giggle:

[Guest johnhunter]

higg how did you do with walters pigeons ?