Life in Bendigo.

[Trev]

Quite agree, Trev.
I have told the story before about the time I was on the beach one morning in New Zealand.
There was a liberation a few miles south of me, and I saw them heading along the plantation behind the sand dunes.
After just a few miles, there was a small bunch heading north at high speed. They had obviously cleared straight from the liberation. The winners would have been among them. A quarter of a mile behind was the main drag, several hundred pigeons in a bunch.
Then there were ones and twos dropping off for another half a mile. Those pigeons were obviously unwell or totally unprepared. The chances of them flying across the water between the two islands would have been nil. The chance of them flying 150 miles to the strait were nil.
That was an image that has stuck with me.
Within a couple of minutes the race had taken shape. The leaders were leading, the followers were following, the ones that would be lost, were already lost.
Interesting.

Great story as always Muzza, sadly I think far too many pigeons are sent to races who really shouldn't be either because they are unfit and unprepared or just aren't up to the task. This is cruel and to me goes to show that some fanciers really don't care about their birds, I have to say I'm surprised each week at our club how many birds are put in the baskets who have obviously had injuries, now these birds could well be fit enough in the body but what about the mind !!!

[Murray]

It's winter time and I shouldn't be raising youngsters, but the mate of one of the red Thone' boys laid and I didn't have the heart to throw them away.
They have been going out for a week or so, and dropping in the sputnik, so I moved them into the loft this morning.
Really great babies too,

[Murray]

It turned out a beautiful day for winter time. About 15c and partly cloudy.
Might be a good day to take the younger ones to the football fields for a bit of hamper practice.

[Buster121]

They are picture perfect Murray a credit to you

[Andy]

Lovely couple of youngsters there Murray.

[Trev]

It's winter time and I shouldn't be raising youngsters, but the mate of one of the red Thone' boys laid and I didn't have the heart to throw them away.
They have been going out for a week or so, and dropping in the sputnik, so I moved them into the loft this morning.
Really great babies too,
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Very nice Muzza, good decision not to throw them eggs away
I hope they do well for you mate.

[Trev]

008.JPG

It turned out a beautiful day for winter time. About 15c and partly cloudy.
Might be a good day to take the younger ones to the football fields for a bit of hamper practice.

Looks ideal Muzza, I hope you managed to get them down the football fields

[Murray]

Yep, about 2.30 I took two hampers full to the football fields two miles away. Mostly late breds, with a few of the older young cocks.
Good education for the wee ones.
By the time I had put the boxes back in the car, they were gone!

[Murray]

It's winter time and I shouldn't be raising youngsters, but the mate of one of the red Thone' boys laid and I didn't have the heart to throw them away.
They have been going out for a week or so, and dropping in the sputnik, so I moved them into the loft this morning.
Really great babies too,
005.JPG

Very nice Muzza, good decision not to throw them eggs away
I hope they do well for you mate.

Thanks Trev,
They are little crackers, the photo does not do then justice. The dark blue bar is a wee champion, today he flew straight in through the door on to a top perch and was prepared to defend it!
Problem is, they are going to be difficult to place. The racing will be well finished before they can be trained. I will just have to carry them forward into the early training with the spring babies. Of course, late bred / early bred youngsters, whatever you want to call them, tend not to make the grade, for some reason.
They do make terrific stock pigeons, if they are children of top class racers. Not the parents of the top birds, the top birds themselves.
However, I have a small loft, and plenty of stock pigeons.
They will just have to take their chances.

[Murray]

I was talking to a fancier today.
I asked him what was the latest news. He was reticent, then told me the latest news. Many hundreds of young birds have been lost in Victoria in the winter training and racing. One bloke lost 70 in a toss, another, 50. Lots of others are in the same situation.
"They are all getting smashed", he said.
I went home and told my spoilt bunch that they don't know how lucky they are!
Mine are in a warm loft, safe in their boxes or on their perches. It's the middle of winter in a few days, and the days will start getting longer. It won't be long before they start responding.
I can't wait!