Will you be ready
Various Mike
I put a few hens in at a time
So some pretty much full duration some 10 days 4 just 2/3 days
2 cocks not at all but have claimed a box one lays in his bowl most of the day like he’s a yb
I was two hens short , I was a bit quick on selection in July without thinking
Gee that's stressful at this time of year.
Hopefully everything is settled for now and you can concentrate on the year ahead.
Greetings from the land down under. 
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Yes not ideal Murray
The lofts on area of ground at my late mothers
So nothing was agreed to late in January
All I can do is look at how I have paired as a opportunity to try a new thing
My plan one day maybe next year to sprint with cocks fly hens 250-450/500
I would think the losses will be higher with hens so I am trying to mix up the pairing sp these yearlings concentrate on the box more than a single hen so that becomes the norm for them from the yearling stage
I will swop hens about in training for them in return . If it it flops I will go back to my other plan of double the hens to cocks
A chap who was a loft manager to a very good fancier in the uk told me it’s the box that counts and they would go weeks without the cock seeing a hen once the bond to the box is made but I am not confident to do that they just let them sit 10 days
So I am just trying this although yearling having a yb in the box is the sensible thing I couldn’t as i didn’t want them
Pumping yb two week before racing late March
What with the hawks about having pigeons in natural would create sitting ducks
As some of you know my system is very natural and generally chaotic 
Mostly due to having too many birds my birds don't get split up and are allowed to fly both sections in my loft. Apart from the odd random pair, most stop laying or showing any interest in doing so from late October/early November onwards, and depending on what kind of winter we have, don't usually start looking interested again until early to Mid February. It does get very hectic around now, especially on a nice sunny day, as the spare cock birds try to find partners and nest boxes. I have a couple of babies that hatched early February but most are just starting to hatch now or are just going down on eggs, I always have those birds that I definitely want youngsters from, the others I just decide as I go, depending on the pairing and what the eggs look like, I won't keep odd shaped or dirty eggs. Apart from a couple of odd days the birds haven't been out for a fly since October due to the Sparrow hawk, now the mornings and evenings are getting a little lighter I will start letting them fly for a short while over the nest week or two but won't risk an open loft yet.
Our first Race is also the 19th April, I don't expect the birds to be fit by then, those early races will form part of my training for the longer Federation races and the BICC.
Although I will never knowingly send a pigeon to any race if I have any doubts over its ability to get home, and certainly don't send just to lose them, I am hoping that by flying more distance races this year, both North and South, that I will reduce my numbers somewhat this season, although I do hate losing any of my birds
I'm also planning on not breeding so many, but then I say that every year
Mostly due to having too many birds my birds don't get split up and are allowed to fly both sections in my loft. Apart from the odd random pair, most stop laying or showing any interest in doing so from late October/early November onwards, and depending on what kind of winter we have, don't usually start looking interested again until early to Mid February. It does get very hectic around now, especially on a nice sunny day, as the spare cock birds try to find partners and nest boxes. I have a couple of babies that hatched early February but most are just starting to hatch now or are just going down on eggs, I always have those birds that I definitely want youngsters from, the others I just decide as I go, depending on the pairing and what the eggs look like, I won't keep odd shaped or dirty eggs. Apart from a couple of odd days the birds haven't been out for a fly since October due to the Sparrow hawk, now the mornings and evenings are getting a little lighter I will start letting them fly for a short while over the nest week or two but won't risk an open loft yet.
Our first Race is also the 19th April, I don't expect the birds to be fit by then, those early races will form part of my training for the longer Federation races and the BICC.
Although I will never knowingly send a pigeon to any race if I have any doubts over its ability to get home, and certainly don't send just to lose them, I am hoping that by flying more distance races this year, both North and South, that I will reduce my numbers somewhat this season, although I do hate losing any of my birds
I'm also planning on not breeding so many, but then I say that every year
Got home early today at 5.15
Took the eggs away the cocks left closed down the bowl area
Covered the 3 bowls in my territory boxes
We look a bit more like a team
Be a 5 day canker course starting Friday then after a week break 6 day respo treatment then 3 days of fungus treatment
Hopefully then we will have sorted the basics
Took the eggs away the cocks left closed down the bowl area
Covered the 3 bowls in my territory boxes
We look a bit more like a team
Be a 5 day canker course starting Friday then after a week break 6 day respo treatment then 3 days of fungus treatment
Hopefully then we will have sorted the basics
When I saw you were about to embark on a medication program my teeth gritted, but then I remembered you are not in a warm, dry sunny place like I am. After a long cold wet winter like you are having, I bow to your knowledge of what you need to do.
I only use medication if I really need to. But I seldom need to. The dry is beneficial.
I only use medication if I really need to. But I seldom need to. The dry is beneficial.
Greetings from the land down under.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
I said I was going to stop breeding at Christmas time. I lied.
Iv'e got a big single baby grizzle, and two pairs of babies under the Heremans x Jannsen type pigeons. And the old pied Jos Thone' hen, who I thought was really finished after the red pied youngster she raised is on eggs, and I'm pretty sure they are fertile! Bonus if they are. I don't know why but she looks terrific for an old pigeon. Really doing well all of a sudden. And she's laid two eggs and they are nice and smooth and shiny.
After this lot I am definitely, certainly, absolutely going to stop for the year
I haven't separated any but a couple of pairs have stopped with the days drawing in.
Iv'e got a big single baby grizzle, and two pairs of babies under the Heremans x Jannsen type pigeons. And the old pied Jos Thone' hen, who I thought was really finished after the red pied youngster she raised is on eggs, and I'm pretty sure they are fertile!
Bonus if they are. I don't know why but she looks terrific for an old pigeon. Really doing well all of a sudden. And she's laid two eggs and they are nice and smooth and shiny. After this lot I am definitely, certainly, absolutely going to stop for the year
I haven't separated any but a couple of pairs have stopped with the days drawing in.
Greetings from the land down under.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.