Life in St Arnaud

[Trev]

None.
I have almost a 50/50 ratio of homed in pigeons and those that haven't been out.
I had a bad period where I lost too many. I had pigeons that were happy here, then boom, gone. There are about one million hawks per hectare around here, so maybe they got chased and got lost?
So, nothing is flying out just now. I need to get a colony of pigeons bred here. At present I am breeding youngsters for other people. I have orders to fill and then I want to breed a bunch of youngsters for me, to hopefully train and race next year.
I feel terrible when I have pigeons who don't understand why they are not allowed out.
The B$B's daughter, paired to the big Heremans cock, was flying soon after we got here. She stares at me in the sputnik.
I hate it. It really hate it.

It is a shame when you have to keep them shut for so long, but I think you are right to try and get as much out of them as you can before trying them again. I'm sure they are happy enough for now, and certainly happier than being chased around by hawks !!
Mine are shut up now until next February/March, they will go out at weekends while I clean them out but I know I'll still lose some as the hawk is never far away, I had a hit two weeks ago and lost a youngster that had flown every race
Mine miss the bath, they try and bath in the drinkers when they are shut in

[Buster121]

None.
I have almost a 50/50 ratio of homed in pigeons and those that haven't been out.
I had a bad period where I lost too many. I had pigeons that were happy here, then boom, gone. There are about one million hawks per hectare around here, so maybe they got chased and got lost?
So, nothing is flying out just now. I need to get a colony of pigeons bred here. At present I am breeding youngsters for other people. I have orders to fill and then I want to breed a bunch of youngsters for me, to hopefully train and race next year.
I feel terrible when I have pigeons who don't understand why they are not allowed out.
The B$B's daughter, paired to the big Heremans cock, was flying soon after we got here. She stares at me in the sputnik.
I hate it. It really hate it.

It is a shame when you have to keep them shut for so long, but I think you are right to try and get as much out of them as you can before trying them again. I'm sure they are happy enough for now, and certainly happier than being chased around by hawks !!
Mine are shut up now until next February/March, they will go out at weekends while I clean them out but I know I'll still lose some as the hawk is never far away, I had a hit two weeks ago and lost a youngster that had flown every race
Mine miss the bath, they try and bath in the drinkers when they are shut in

Shame on the loss mate

[Murray]

On a better note, I have 8 babies which all hatched in the couple of days from 24th to 27th October.
The first two were singles, the other three pairs have two. I had to put rings on the first two this afternoon, one was suddenly very big!
I'm so pleased that the pigeons are really knuckling down and raising these babies now.
Six of these are off to the Horsham money race, and I am very pleased with them.

[Murray]

They should be doing a good job with those babies too! Here's the Slatey cock and 666 in their spacious box. They have regular mix, fresh grit and peas.
It's like a buffet

As I said the other day, in my opinion what you are feeding is less important than what you are feeding it to.
The first babies I bred here in St Arnaud were not as good as I would have liked, being honest.
Now, the weather has warmed up, the pigeons are settled and happy and are flat out raising those babies. They are very enthusiastic. When I put the ring on the B$B's youngster, I had both her and the grizzle hanging off the skin on the inside of my arm. That bloody hurt, I tell you!
The babies are being raised on grain out a bin, and some grit and a few veggies. What I'm feeding them is not the important bit. The pigeons are the important bit.

[Buster121]

On a better note, I have 8 babies which all hatched in the couple of days from 24th to 27th October.
The first two were singles, the other three pairs have two. I had to put rings on the first two this afternoon, one was suddenly very big!
I'm so pleased that the pigeons are really knuckling down and raising these babies now.
Six of these are off to the Horsham money race, and I am very pleased with them.

I hope they do well for you mate

[Devo1956]

On a better note, I have 8 babies which all hatched in the couple of days from 24th to 27th October.
The first two were singles, the other three pairs have two. I had to put rings on the first two this afternoon, one was suddenly very big!
I'm so pleased that the pigeons are really knuckling down and raising these babies now.
Six of these are off to the Horsham money race, and I am very pleased with them.

I hope they do well for you mate

What is the Horsham money race Murray? tell us more please.

[Murray]

It's a breeder's plate race, where club members pay a premium, in this case Au$30.00, on each ring to pay an entry for the Breeder/ Buyer race.
Then you can breed your own or more often find a fancier who is breeding winners at present and give the rings to him.
When David and I went to Horsham last month we were given 12 Breeders plate rings. We have 6 each.
The races vary in prize money but I believe this one usually creates a big prize pool. The prizes are split between the breeder of the pigeon and the trainer. So there's some money to be won.

[Devo1956]

It's a breeder's plate race, where club members pay a premium, in this case Au$30.00, on each ring to pay an entry for the Breeder/ Buyer race.
Then you can breed your own or more often find a fancier who is breeding winners at present and give the rings to him.
When David and I went to Horsham last month we were given 12 Breeders plate rings. We have 6 each.
The races vary in prize money but I believe this one usually creates a big prize pool. The prizes are split between the breeder of the pigeon and the trainer. So there's some money to be won.

The best of luck to you and David, you never know Murray a good win can pay for your season or two of racing. Bring home the money mate.

[Buster121]

Good luck to you all

[Trev]

Good to see that all is going well Muzza, and that the birds have settled well. Good luck with all your ventures mate.