Natural

[William Reid]

Stock birds just eat and feed ybs......mine only do any work from January to March the rest of the time they are on perches taking the p*ss....

 

I don't give their condition a second thought outside the given months....

 

Sweating pigeons! That's what yer after

Your stock birds only eat and feed young birds . Well if they don't $hit regularly the must be some size . And I'm sweating buckets on your next post

[tommy bhoys]

Your stock birds only eat and feed young birds . Well if they don't $hit regularly the must be some size . And I'm sweating buckets on your next post

u got any sweat left after today slim

[William Reid]

u got any sweat left after today slim

Have a .*expletive removed* ya slave driver. Oh and Michael sent me a txt saying never mind Tony Hawks old guy that was helping you today with the skate board was amazing

[tommy bhoys]

Have a .*expletive removed* ya slave driver. Oh and Michael sent me a txt saying never mind Tony Hawks old guy that was helping you today with the skate board was amazing

the nest boxes where a better yin

[dal2]

Your stock birds only eat and feed young birds . Well if they don't $hit regularly the must be some size . And I'm sweating buckets on your next post

Sweating for wimps and out of condition old guys trying to patch a loft the gither!

[Rooster J. Cogburn]

How long have you and billy99' been flying stock birds oot ? Do you guys pair yer racers and take young from them?

 

don't know aboot billy99,but av got a few prisoner stock birds and a fairly warm loft that doesn't let in much wind,snow or rain. Basically I'm f #%ked

 

Was just asking Peter why he chose the baltic loft,but to keep the stock doos. We now know he isnae and i'm sure we look forward to hearing the result

Edited September 10, 2016 by Rooster J. Cogburn

[peter pandy]

Basically Lewis you will be F*$ked when you are no longer able to be supplied by the Up North Combine fancier who breeds your Young Birds which you bring in every year according to the A/V Fed race results.

[peter pandy]

Why is it that no one has replied to the findings in their own lofts regarding quality of feather covering the Keel ??.

3 Nights in the National transporter will see youngsters bereft of feathers, so I would imagine 60% losses although I hope I am wrong and it's a great success. GOOD LUCK to all competing..

[Rooster J. Cogburn]

Basically Lewis you will be F*$ked when you are no longer able to be supplied by the Up North Combine fancier who breeds your Young Birds which you bring in every year according to the A/V Fed race results.

 

No need to worry about that Peter, I've plenty of them prisoner in the warm loft :lol:

Edited September 11, 2016 by Rooster J. Cogburn

[ally mac]

Why is it that no one has replied to the findings in their own lofts regarding quality of feather covering the Keel ??.

3 Nights in the National transporter will see youngsters bereft of feathers, so I would imagine 60% losses although I hope I am wrong and it's a great success. GOOD LUCK to all competing..

 

I think Old hand new a thing or two about feathering on the keel, need to dig out the book for another wee read. I'm sure I remember reading about it in one of his books that they need good feathering on the keel which is difficult to part.

[Kyleakin Lofts]

I think Old hand new a thing or two about feathering on the keel, need to dig out the book for another wee read. I'm sure I remember reading about it in one of his books that they need good feathering on the keel which is difficult to part.

 

I would think there is a lot of merit in the old ways. The knack would be blending the old with the modern.

[William Reid]

Sweating for wimps and out of condition old guys trying to patch a loft the gither!

Nothing wrong with working up a sweat Steven . ( wimp old guy ) wouldn't like to go ten rounds . But would sign up for five and look to finish it in three . Oh and I've never won a silver . ( patch a loft the gither ) . The two lofts I bought are joiner built

[kingbilly 1]

Why is it that no one has replied to the findings in their own lofts regarding quality of feather covering the Keel ??.

3 Nights in the National transporter will see youngsters bereft of feathers, so I would imagine 60% losses although I hope I am wrong and it's a great success. GOOD LUCK to all competing..

You talk some. P I sh lol

[peter pandy]

With the "Slaughter of the Lambs" completed, the lofts are in the process of being gutted, starting with the deep litter which I had to put up with for two seasons, This year I tried Hemp bedding and really could not believe the amount of Moths it attracted, I reckon I was disposing 40 every day that could be seen on the walls, with the bedding just a breeding ground for them, I watched them coming up out of it and walking up the walls to be squashed.

On handling some of the Old Bird "racers" [note inverted comma's] they are a bit on the plump side so have introduced Barley into the Mix as the old saying "Fat birds dont Moult well" is a true one.

All should be completed to-morrow and the birds will be separated for the Winter with each sex going out on alternate days and the bath replenished daily.

As each section goes out, the Gas Burner will be in use to rid the loft of any unwanted immigrants lurking, and my trusty Industrial Hoover will keep the dust and bloom at bay from now on again. Fresh Air is the by-word from here on in, with plenty off it. With the saving in Electricity on the Heaters being made redundant, I will be switching the Mountain Breeze fans on in each Section so Wee Mary wont notice any Electricity Charge changes. :emoticon-0136-giggle:

My Athritis is starting to play up again with trimming the privot hedges but at least they are pleasant on the eye and passer's bye usually comment on the gardens so its worth the effort. As I was a professional Gardener its hard to see an untidy garden especially when each of my Agapanthas have given over 80 heads of a brilliant Blue.

Just wish I could sit down and appreciate it all..

[peter pandy]

This weeks R.P. and B.H.W. writers seem to be agreeing with me that Young Bird losses could be atributed to feeding to light "not enough Beans,Peas" etc.

I think we should explore the myth of Birds being faster now than in the past !! and I have a hunch they are'nt. But maybe I am writing P**H as Billy1 commented on LOL. I will continue with times from the past.. 65 miles was covered in 1 hour 20 minutes..75 miles took 1 hour 40 minutes.. 112 miles was 2 hours and 10 minutes.. and so on 300 miles 7 hours 15 minutes.. 515 miles into the Scottish Central Combine area was 13-14 Hours.. All those times were only beaten when there was South in the wind.

Their is no doubt the East had faster times, but they never had to face Westerlies at the home end. Ah well its all food for thought...

[peter pandy]

I suppose we are all in the same boat now with feathers flying about the loft like burst pillows and feeling peed of with them sticking everwhere.

Went shopping with Wee Mary and it was only when we returned home that she told me I had a couple of them in my hair !! Wondered why I was getting strange looks in Morrisons and at the time thought I was still a handsome b*gger "NOT".

3 cwt of Malting Barley delivered yesterday will keep me going till next harvest and last years leftovers will be humped over the road to the canal for the swans and coots to help themselves to the bounty.

Them doon the Street have went their separate ways and our club will have another member join for next year which means more competition for me to tank the *expletive removed* aff, Brother or no brother there's nae love lost when it comes to racing the burds LOL.

[Guest johnhunter]

I suppose we are all in the same boat now with feathers flying about the loft like burst pillows and feeling peed of with them sticking everwhere.

Went shopping with Wee Mary and it was only when we returned home that she told me I had a couple of them in my hair !! Wondered why I was getting strange looks in Morrisons and at the time thought I was still a handsome b*gger "NOT".

3 cwt of Malting Barley delivered yesterday will keep me going till next harvest and last years leftovers will be humped over the road to the canal for the swans and coots to help themselves to the bounty.

Them doon the Street have went their separate ways and our club will have another member join for next year which means more competition for me to tank the *expletive removed* aff, Brother or no brother there's nae love lost when it comes to racing the burds LOL.

a pity that pied cock next year

[peter pandy]

John, The Pied Cock is the most perfect specimen you could ever wish to hold in your hand and will be treated the same as all the other inmates in the loft with no favour.. Maybe.. <_<

[peter pandy]

No one has contradicted the feathered Keel post so I will give an instance..Eddy Newcombe had a Mealy Hen named "The Donaldson Hen" which was a consistent National winner and her Keel feathers were so thick it was unbelievable as was many if not all his birds..

My old team of birds were the same all those years ago.

As regards Birds being faster now than in the past.. The silence of replies is deafening..

I had it in my head that the Autumn Exuinox was last week but it is to-morrow "Thursday" and that is my day for separating the sexes, Please dont ask why but has always been so unless I have tried not splitting at all and leaving them to-gether all Winter. To be honest I don't really think it makes any differance. Perhaps it is a fallacy, after all the wild birds stay to-gether untill one passes on to wherever birds go.

[geordie1234]

In my loft Peter my pigeons keel feathers change all the time....What I have noticed is when one of mine is really in form and normally before a good win or top fed position etc(not that I have had many)...their keel feathers are parted showing the keel slightly....maybe because the way they have blew up by the end of the week who knows...But what I will say is all my best pigeons have good healthly feathers...

Edited September 21, 2016 by geordie1234

[peter pandy]

That is a really interesting reply George as I have noticed the same condition when they expand and lighten up, the keel feathers part slightly, especially when the muscles on either side of the Keel feel like thick fingers running its length.

[Wiley]

Peter if you believe in thick covering of down, why do most fanciers look for a good steady drop of down, and give products and natural remedies to make the down come away? I remember reading i think it was an old hand book that it is important for the birds to lose their winter down as it restricts them when flying?

[Guest johnhunter]

Peter if you believe in thick covering of down, why do most fanciers look for a good steady drop of down, and give products and natural remedies to make the down come away? I remember reading i think it was an old hand book that it is important for the birds to lose their winter down as it restricts them when flying?

winter down

[peter pandy]

Ah, Wiley, There is a massive differance in racing in Scotland and down South where you can run about in short sleeved shirts and shorts to match virtually all the year round. What I noticed when down South was that you could feed light which was all the bird required with the warmer climate whereas in Scotland we have a completely different climate and much colder therefore the heat loss is greater requiring a heavier feed to replace energy used for keeping the bird in condition and the greatest heat loss is the breast bereft of feathers hence the need to have a thick covering to maintain energy.

I thought I had explained it in post 600 quite well but perhaps not !!..

[Delboy]

In my loft Peter my pigeons keel feathers change all the time....What I have noticed is when one of mine is really in form and normally before a good win or top fed position etc(not that I have had many)...their keel feathers are parted showing the keel slightly....maybe because the way they have blew up by the end of the week who knows...But what I will say is all my best pigeons have good healthly feathers...

 

Geo, you are partly correct m8.The keel feathers are parted because of the fancier running their fingers up it several times and sometimes licking their fingers and spreading the feathers to view the colour of the breast. This is wrong in my opinion as most fanciers do not re-position the feathers as they were and this could be detrimental to the birds whilst in flight. Ive had many distance birds with lots of keel feather covering, some capable and some not . The bottom line with distance birds Peter is, they've either got it or they haven't, fk all to do with feathers on their keel imo.