Birds Condition

[knoxjn]

hi folks since calling it a day have had what birds are left have been on 24 hours a day open bowl except when its been hurricane winds the condition of the birds are unbelieveable they are on Gerry plus from the place at sedgefield left over from the season mixed with some beans gerdon I in the water and grit still call them in to feed and have them under control but they seem to be flourishing are we mollycoddling them too much in the winter months ?

[andy Burgess]

not me , most of mine look well too . generally they are just sitting about and eating , easy life

[knoxjn]

mines never seem to be in andy even flying around today in this sh** weather

[andy Burgess]

mines never seem to be in andy even flying around today in this sh** weather

 

ive a few latebreds going out , not today tho ,too windy .rest are on lock down.

[ally mac]

Have a go at the races with them, maybe get a nice surprise I had mine out today in the wind and , flew for an hour then it started pouring and wind got up even more, they flew for almost an hour more. Feathering is fantastic and seemed to cope with the rain with ease. They are on a mix of whats left from the season and are doing great on it.

[tiger]

hi folks since calling it a day have had what birds are left have been on 24 hours a day open bowl except when its been hurricane winds the condition of the birds are unbelieveable they are on Gerry plus from the place at sedgefield left over from the season mixed with some beans gerdon I in the water and grit still call them in to feed and have them under control but they seem to be flourishing are we mollycoddling them too much in the winter months ?

just wait till jan / fed and then watch the sparrowhawk take them

[MIK]

why do peeps call it open bowl...i always thought its open hole, as they fly in and out when they want. They will flourish ..keep fit and keep sharp..always looking for predators.

 

those who lock up, including myself, then let out unfit birds run the risk of the predators and high winds for the first few weeks.

 

If you live in the sticks and are able to give open hole ...then by all means do so.

 

i would love to do this.

 

regards

Mick

[Guest johnhunter]

why do peeps call it open bowl...i always thought its open hole, as they fly in and out when they want. They will flourish ..keep fit and keep sharp..always looking for predators.

 

those who lock up, including myself, then let out unfit birds run the risk of the predators and high winds for the first few weeks.

 

If you live in the sticks and are able to give open hole ...then by all means do so.

 

i would love to do this.

 

regards

Mick

I think if you lived in the sticks the problem would be worse imo

[MIK]

I think if you lived in the sticks the problem would be worse imo

 

possibly ...but the birds would soon learn how to survive

[Kyleakin Lofts]

Mik, bowly hole is a term I've heard before, so perhaps that is why it is open bowl, albeit I always refer to open hole.

I live in the sticks and I use open hole, but cautiously. Some years I can lose two or three a day easily, so lock them in and let them out on occasions. Other times I am able to be on open hole all year round.

Either the BOP are smarter some years or my pigeons are not as sharp, but I, as manager, must decide the tactics.

[paddymac]

why do peeps call it open bowl...i always thought its open hole, as they fly in and out when they want. They will flourish ..keep fit and keep sharp..always looking for predators.

 

those who lock up, including myself, then let out unfit birds run the risk of the predators and high winds for the first few weeks.

 

If you live in the sticks and are able to give open hole ...then by all means do so.

 

i would love to do this.

 

regards

Mick

Same here Mik, birds on open hole definatly become more street wise.

[eastcoaster]

Bowl is the name of the old fashioned trap that is on hinges to let birds in and hence open bowl(trap).

I had my natural team on open hole all last year and never lost a old bird but did lose ybs (2) your birds are fit and switched on and always up flying in all weather and the condition is fantastic , but never leave the bath out for them as they are sitting ducks for Sparra hen and she will be watching . I am surrounded by tree,s and the killer is here all the time .

[philg50]

My birds are out once a day for about 2hrs and then fed in ,they aren't split up and they are ripping up the sky so much so i am considering not breeding off the race team ,i will breed off the new stock doos and top up with bought in youngsters to race .

[walterboswell59]

i always thought the word bowl was derived from bolt hole which some old fanciers called there trap

[eastcoaster]

i always thought the word bowl was derived from bolt hole which some old fanciers called there trap

You may be correct Walter.

[Rooster J. Cogburn]

I've seen and heard enough to draw the conclusion it makes little to no difference come the race season.

 

I've spoken to top fliers who's bowl is never shut in the closed season.

 

I've spoken to top fliers who let them out ad lib, when the opportunity arises.

 

I've spoken to top fliers who keep them in until January,February,March or even April.

 

 

It's down to preference and as always it will be the good fanciers with good birds that win the most prizes regardless.

[philg50]

Aye what we are all looking for is the doos that win in spite of you ,nae because of you .

[MIK]

stil havnt had a good explanation as to why " open bowl" is regularly used. Walter has come up with open bolt ...credible but not defining with bowl and hole

[philg50]

stil havnt had a good explanation as to why " open bowl" is regularly used. Walter has come up with open bolt ...credible but not defining with bowl and hole

IMO i think its been miss quoted some time now fowk are not sure what it is i say open hole ,it makes more sense tae me.

[Kyleakin Lofts]

Mik, bowly hole is a term I've heard before, so perhaps that is why it is open bowl, albeit I always refer to open hole. I posted this #10

Bowl is the name of the old fashioned trap that is on hinges to let birds in and hence open bowl(trap). Eastcoaster posted this #12

i always thought the word bowl was derived from bolt hole which some old fanciers called there trap. Walter posted this #14

 

A bowly hole was a trap door in say a hay loft taking you down to a stable or in a grain store taking you down to the feed room. There was a hinged door at the top and a ladder or slide under it depending on its use. This ties in with Eastcoaster's bowl and Walter's bolt when taken together with the word hole; bowl hole, bolt hole.

[peter pandy]

Not wishing to be classed as an old fogey but one has to think in terms of days gone past when attempting to define certain definations of old words. My extremely old Oxford Dictionary defines BoltHole as "make violent dash"

and "open for safety". If we picture cloth capped fancier wanting to shorten his vocabulary he takes the first two letters BO and the last two letters LE gives us BOLE which is always OPEN.

[Mossgiel]

hi folks since calling it a day have had what birds are left have been on 24 hours a day open bowl except when its been hurricane winds the condition of the birds are unbelieveable they are on Gerry plus from the place at sedgefield left over from the season mixed with some beans gerdon I in the water and grit still call them in to feed and have them under control but they seem to be flourishing are we mollycoddling them too much in the winter months ?

 

Could the "unbelievable condition" be down to fewer pigeons in the loft ?

[easygaun]

stil havnt had a good explanation as to why " open bowl" is regularly used. Walter has come up with open bolt ...credible but not defining with bowl and hole

its only spelled wrongly it should be bole.when we had hens,i.e the poultry type they had a bole hole which they could enter an exit at will.when the weather was bad the main door of the house was kept closed.A bowl is what you put stuff in.Have a few in the house with all sorts in,all useful screws,plugs etc.

[MIK]

its only spelled wrongly it should be bole.when we had hens,i.e the poultry type they had a bole hole which they could enter an exit at will.when the weather was bad the main door of the house was kept closed.A bowl is what you put stuff in.Have a few in the house with all sorts in,all useful screws,plugs etc.

 

thanks

 

Not wishing to be classed as an old fogey but one has to think in terms of days gone past when attempting to define certain definations of old words. My extremely old Oxford Dictionary defines BoltHole as "make violent dash"

and "open for safety". If we picture cloth capped fancier wanting to shorten his vocabulary he takes the first two letters BO and the last two letters LE gives us BOLE which is always OPEN.

 

explains everything Peter ..thank you

[knoxjn]

have never carried big teams of birds have around twenty doing as they please never had them open like this and certainly never had them in such condition at this time of year obviously its easier as I am finished racing and don't have to worry about having a team to race