walterboswell59 Posted October 30, 2016 Report Share Posted October 30, 2016 (edited) A few years ago i told you guys a story about a red hen i had , and how she was the first bird i had ever timed across the water on the night and the thrill that i had from that. This story is about a white hen . Now first of all i,ll tell you how this hen came about. I had the distance bug and wanted to better myself at distance, and national racing . I knew i did not have the birds , or the money to get them . I was in my early twenties with two small kids so did not have much money to spend so was just plodding along with the birds i had from tom dick and harry. Anyway i was at a pigeon show in Hamilton and was just having a look round when a guy came over to me and asked if i wanted to buy a raffle ticket to help Low-waters pigeon club in buying a new club hut?. I said yes as took out my last ten shilling note. How much are they ten shillings a ticket was the reply. What the heck are you raffling a car i said as that was like saying ten pound a ticket today!. No the guy said we are raffling that pigeon over there in the pen on the stage. I looked over to see a red grizzle hen in the pen i was not to keen on grizzle,s but was to embarrassed to say no thanks .The guys i was with bought one, so i took one. The ticket no was 111, cant remember what happened this morning, but will never forget that no lol. Anyway i won the pigeon with the big pedigree it was bred down from eastrigg supreme the Rennes national winner and lady jean the Nantes national winner. The hen was small,to medium ,with a tight apple shape body and a great big pearl eye she fitted my small hands perfectly. It was not hard for even a novice like me to tell she was a class pigeon, but could not help wishing she was a blue or chequer. I had got myself a cracking hen steeped in good Scottish distance blood but did not have a cock worthy of her. I would try to save what little i could and buy a good distance cock to pair with her. A few months later i was reading a pigeon book at work during my tea break when one of my work mates said i did not know you were a doo man walter ?. Yes ,i said , but not a very good one!. If you like i,ll speak to my pal for you if you like?. He flies the doos in Eastkilbride .No thanks , i said , i,ve enough dumplings. Whats your pals name anyway i might know him ? Drew Mc Shane he said flies under Wilson and McShane .I nearly fell off my chair, this was a name i knew well, and were good national fliers. Would you introduce me to them?. No problem and i,ll see he does you a turn pal. The following Saturday i headed to ek to meet big jock, and drew .I,d saved 20 pounds by this time and told the guys i was looking for a good distance cock to go with a good hen. They took me into the loft and showed me the birds. My eyes were every where what a team of birds they had, Vandenbroucks and a few other dutch strains.All in outstanding condition i handled a few, and was tempted, but a big black pied kept taking my eye. Drew noticed i kept watching the black pied and said, i think you like the big guy eh ? He is a cracker i said ,how is he bred ? You know what you like kid. That pigeon is a grandson of the great "fechan lass". Big jock said he got on the Nantes result last year but was attacked by a sparrow hawk at the loft. His wing is damaged we are going to put him in the stock loft. Would you like to handle him? Yes thanks i said, "what a pigeon he was".Deep in the keel but, very broad in the chest. I could feel the pure power in this bird, and i wanted him. Is he for sale i said? He would be perfect for my hen. Big jock looked at Drew and said what do you think, we have plenty at stock the same way bred? OK he can go, looks like your hearts set on him anyway. They both laughed .How much i said? . Make me an offer big jock said. I,ve only got twenty pound just now. Jock said we have to get at least thirty for him? The blood drained from my face. I just did not have the money. My weeks wage was only 28 pounds at the time. Sorry guys i think he is worth every penny, but i dont have that kind of money! I let the bird go and walked to the door of the loft, sick as a parrot. We have other cocks there you can have for 20 pounds kid? Naw that was the one i wanted i replied. Bassa i thought to myself, its xmas in a few weeks so no chance of getting the money. As we walked to the gate Drew said you work with my pal Charlie, why dont you give Charlie what you can afford every week? Pay him up if your really set on him. I almost jumped for joy, well ive twenty with me ill give you that just now and thats just a tenner ive to give you? Thats fine kid you can just take him with you then. No i said he is not mine till your paid. The next week i gave Charlie my fiver pocket money. The following week i came home with the black pied cock paid in full. For the next two weeks i could not wait to get home from work, just to look at this pair of pigeons. At last i had something to work with. A pair of good old Scottish national blood pigeons that anyone would be proud of. Now its up to me i thought? Will they breed the goods for me? Will i know what to do with them? If they do ill pair them early, and breed as many as i can from them. Then ill have to get off my backside and work them to give them a chance to show what they can do. Or im wasting my time? Find out how i got on tomorrow night. Hope its of interest to you guys?? Edited November 3, 2016 by andy Burgess spacing , spelling ,grammar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Burgess Posted October 30, 2016 Report Share Posted October 30, 2016 8 minutes to go and it will be tommorow, cant wait on the next episode pal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyleakin Lofts Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Go on Walter. Love hearing all this lore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddymac Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Excellent Walter, looking forward to part 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buster151 Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Great read Walter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheHigg Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 I will be tuning in tonight keep them coming Walter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jast Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 A great wee read Walter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryngwynt Lofts Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Great read Walter,great story looking forward to the next episode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenbar Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Good stuff Walter well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aluvhibs Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Waiting patiently!!!! Walter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walterboswell59 Posted October 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 (edited) The year was 1979, or 1980, and we had a very close knit club and group of friends so much so that in the winter months we would take it in turns to have awee pigeon night in each others house . You would take your own carry out and who ever,s house it was would put on a wee buffet for about six or eight guys. We would have a wee drink and talk pigeons into the wee small hours. When it was your house you would bring in a basket of half a dozen birds and the guys would judge them then give there opinion on each bird . There were 6 or 8 friends in my house that night, but for the life of me i can only remember 4!! . Vince Hendry , Malcolm Welsh , Peter Montgomery , and Jock Stirling . All flew a good pigeon , Davie Hannah , Jims brother and John Mc Fall may have been there also ?? They were friends too . Anyway they handle a few of my yearlings which were not up to much , but were all I had . Then i brought out the black pied cock and the red grizzle hen . My pride and joy all of the guys in the house liked them. Jock Stirling a man i liked and had a lot of respect for and was a good distance man. He really raved about the pair, saying they "were one of the finest pair of birds he had seen in a long time" . Look after this pair Walter he said, they will breed you something good im sure . I would not a youngster off them when you have a few yourself i was pleased as punch at Jocks comments , and promised to breed him one . The reason im telling you this will become apparent later . So the pair were put together in January the first pair off them were a dark grizzle and a white grizzle with just a wee splash of red on her neck . They were crackers , strong like the sire but shaped like the dam .I had already switched the 2nd pair away and by the time the youngsters were ready to leave the nest the hen had just laid the third set of eggs . Being well in front i decided to give old Jock one of the first youngsters . I liked the man so off i went with the two youngsters down to jocks house . Pick one i said this is the youngsters off the pied cock and grizzle hen . I promised you one so take your pick Jock handled both birds . I hoped he would not take the dark one as i liked it best . Theyre both cracking birds said John , but think ill take the dark one basssa i thought me and my big mouth . As I said , I thought a lot of Jock .Okay , its yours and headed back home with the white one . Both these birds turned out to be hens i had 8or9 bred off them that year and all were two cocks in the nest or two hens never one each which i found strange ? . The hens were more my kind of pigeon , medium to small apple bodied birds . The cocks were big bold long cast pigeons, and to big for distance racing in my humble opinion ? At that time i got my self an old car and started to train my youngbirds .Firstly 20 mile , 25 mile , then 30mile .They had about 16 tosses by the time the first race came round . My pal Vince had talked me into joining Hamilton and district club . They were selling tote dbl tickets and had great prizes and prize money i sent 20 youngbirds to the first race annan 60 miles to me and my timer was the white hen think she was third club and won my then Wife a hairdo so the white hen got called the hairdo doo for a while lol . I was now a regular in the Hamiton railway club boozer . About a dozen fanciers would turn up most weekends , and talk pigeons . Around this time John Feenie was one of the circle of friends i had around me. Trying to get advice from John was like getting blood from a stone lol . Anyway i had filled out the pool sheet the following Friday making the white hen my pooler . Went to the loft to basket the birds i picked up the white hen first as she had won a prize and was now my fancy on handling her i noticed she had what looked like a pluke or lump on the bottom of her eyelid i thought she had been picked but there was no redness just a grey colour lump ? . I just left her in the loft and went off to the club with the rest of the birds . Sent them and all back to the railway club where i got the chance to tell John Feenie about the lump on the hens eye , "what do you think it could be john" i said ? .Its not been picked you say ? .I dont think so , there was no redness , just grey . Well it sounds like pigeon pox , oh no i said will i have to nut her because although i had never seen it i had read about and in those days thats what you did with birds that were not 100 percent . My heart sank for a moment till john said "no no , just isolate her for a few weeks and dab the lump with iodine every few days" She should be ok ,i had no iodine , but remembered an old romany trick my dad taught me for warts. Get a matchstick and wet the head till it starts to go soft then paint it on the wart and it kills it , by not allowing it to breath . So thats what i did , every second day for 10 days, I left her out in the aviary after two weeks she was cured . By that time the youngbird racing was at 180 miles. She had not been out the loft in two weeks . So i put her by till the next year . Mean while her big strong brothers were going down . In hindsight i might have been better to stop them and let there big frames mature ? However i kept them going till i lost them dumplings . I thought silly me still a novice and still thinking like one . The year went by and the white hen was a yearling but with only one race as a youngster .Id have to take it easy with her , ill set her up for the yearling derby 260 odd mile . I thought three races to 180 miles , then jump her in and have a wee punt on her . I was right into motivation by this time , and the plan was to send her on her first ever eggs . As i was short of cocks that year it would work out ok and put her and another two hens in the youngbird section till about 4 weeks before the derby . I had removed a stock hen and let her pair to the stock cock ,but she was slow to lay , and was only sitting 8 days on the day of basketing . She came well in a stiff northwest wind taking almost ten hours and 200 pounds out the fed . It was in my head to stop her then and keep her till the next year , but the club had put up a brand new benzing clock for the first yearling timed from the coast race . Lymington 360 or 380 miles or so . The plan was to get her back down and on chipping eggs for the race . She laid her first egg 18 days before the basketing date so was bang on the way i wanted her. A yearling hen on her first chipping eggs . She had two weeks rest and the week before the race , i singled her up from 30 miles . Four days open hole then into the race all pools .At that time we used to go to the pub on a Saturday morning till about an hour or two before the birds were due . Vince would work out when the birds were due , and phoned me to go for a quick pint. I relented and agreed the birds were up at six in a northwest wind by one oclock my ass was making buttons Yet Vince kept saying relax , northwest wind no be a doo before 4 oclock. Plenty time the pub shuts at half two . Im not staying to half two Vince i fancy that hen . Plenty time man dont worry ill get the bus up the road i said dont be daft ill finish this pint the run you up . Relax it was now two twenty and we were still in the pub im away Vince i said .Stop worrying lets go if ye must how many did you send ? Three i said , but i had that white hen jumping . Ive fourteen away he said as he pulled up at my door . Phone me when ye get wan . Okay i said good luck , you too , was his reply and drove off . The Wife and weans were away to there grans . I get my key out open the front door and walk through to the kitchen with the widow looking onto the back garden .To my horror there was the white hen running up and down the loft like a tiger trying to get in .Ya "bassa hendry" i shouted at the top of my voice . Picking up the clock and loft key i was shaking with pure anger as i opened the trap let her drop in and timed her . It was 2: 35 on the clock . I ran back to the house thinking im beat and its my fault !! I phoned vince where are you i said watching the telly best place for ye i said ye better check yer loft it will be covered in doos im in . Yer ass he said im looking out the window and theres nothing there well im in am telling ye you and yer nae doos before four must have hit south somewhere . He said on going to the checking i fine Robert Richardson is in at two twenty six , John Feenie is in at 2 30 and im 3rd ? I get three miles overfly from Robert, and a mile and a half from John Feenie . However , because its a fast race im 3rd but lucky for me my white hen is the first yearling timed so won the new benzing clock and i was never caught out again . Tomorrow ill tell you how i prepared the white hen for the gold cup , and the wee trick i used to set her up . Hope you guys find this interesting . When im bored i like to remenis . Jim must be sick of listening to me lol . Edited November 13, 2016 by andy Burgess spacing , spelling etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter dempsey Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 dreams do come true , cant wait for next issue well done Walter keeps us all on the edge of our seats lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonesyBhoy Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 brilliant read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Burgess Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 brilliant Walter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walterboswell59 Posted October 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 glad you like it guys thanks sorry i posted it before correcting my mistakes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walterboswell59 Posted October 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 dreams do come true , cant wait for next issue well done Walter keeps us all on the edge of our seats lollol your easy pleased peter take care pal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyleakin Lofts Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Great Walter. Keep them going. Your stories are always interesting and you seem to know when to leave us hanging, ready for the next episode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossgiel Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Enjoyed that Walter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billt Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Good read Walter, made me get my old books out when you mentioned Fechan Lass, I bought a lovely Dk. Pied cock from Louella son of Fechan Producer who was a full brother to Lass, this was 1974 or 75. The hen I bought at the same time was a g/daughter of Grizelda, the only grizzle I've ever bought in, I've lived here 30yrs and not club raced in that time, the 30 birds I brought with me, and decendents, have been on open loft the whole time, they now are 22 birds and 9 of them are grizzles so with the never ending hammering they take from BOP, when one moves on another quickly replaces it, the old Kirkpatricks seem tough birds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddymac Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Another great read Walter, thankyou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiger Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 :emoticon-0137-clapping: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheHigg Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 You've some memory Walter I can't remember watching still game on Friday night expletive remove keep them coming mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buff Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 Superb Walter , keep the story's coming , love it ðŸ‘👠Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliftonlad Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 Great read Walter :emoticon-0137-clapping: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiley Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 Nice story walter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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