Les Parkinson - What’s going on this week.
I am down to one not wanting to go in through the new traps and no matter what I do I still have to let it in through the door. However, I don’t leave it at that because I catch it and put it through the trap by hand. I hear, if it’s hungry enough it will go in. Not the case it has had 3 days out and when I catch her, she is losing weight but still has no intention of going through the traps. What I am pleased about is how well the rest have settled and now enter the loft with no problem at all. The next trial will be when we start training, to see how fast they go through the traps. I am of course referring to the roundabout system that I use. When Steve takes them for their training toss, he gives them 20mins between their liberations which has worked well. If they head straight home, I see no problem. All that is not far away, only a few weeks and we will be racing again.
BOP
The season hasn't started yet and the BOP are on the go, probably building themselves up for the breeding season. The only good point being she took a hen of which I have plenty so the odd one here and there will not be misses as much if they took the cocks. On the downside, one hen that was taken was a winner of 4 prizes. What annoys me is there are three strays on the solar panels on the roof, they don't take them. There is a line of thought that the pigeons loft fed as opposed to strays and that is they send out different vibes to the BOP's that cause fanciers so many problems. It’s as if the BOP picks up a different vibe between our racers and the strays so pick up on those which they make their target. There is certainly something that appears to encourage them to go for our racers, finding that out with hard facts is another matter. Everyone has their own theories, no matter what subject we look at, who is right and who is wrong is always debatable. Finding out what goes on in a BOP’s head is anyone’s guess and even the experts cannot be 100% correct.
AI.
When I was farming AI meant Artificial Insemination, now it can also mean something completely different and is something that can be both useful and on the other hand detrimental to many, both personally and professionally. More importantly there is a big gain to be made in pigeon racing, and I think we have the right fancier pushing it forward with Gary Planet, from the highly successful Planet Bros racing and breeding team. I had a conversation with Gary about a plan he has, to put Racing Pigeons on center stage for the public to get involved. Gary had sent me an email so I called him to see what it was all about and see if it would be of interest to me by taking up a spot but after some thought I pointed out, I am a bit too long in the tooth to get involved in a new venture no matter how good it is, and I think this will be good for the sport. We need to find something that will catch the eye of the everyday person who is looking for something different. Something that they can sit at home on their PC and get involved with. My first thoughts were the fanciers who have packed up racing pigeons for one reason or another. Fanciers who have only parted with their beloved pigeons for health reasons are the ideal people to get involved in something that can give them an interest which they otherwise would not have had, fanciers lost forever from the pigeon scene. I know that it is not bringing birds back to the marking tables but at least we have a chance of keeping those ex-pigeon-fanciers’ interest in racing pigeons alive. I am not going to go into this subject chapter and verse because I am sure there will be plenty of advertising going on. These are just my thoughts on a new interest in the racing pigeon scene. There is a lot of information on this venture, too much for me to include.
Silence
I have noticed there's silence in the stock loft where there are 17 young birds in the nest and I would normally have expected to hear at least the odd ones having a good old squeak but that's not the case. I don't know about everyone else, but I have never had such silence in the lofts when young birds are a couple of weeks old, there’s always something asking for a bit more food. When I go into the loft to clean the nest boxes out the squeakers in the bowls even have a go at me, mind you young birds are always like that, if they weren’t then would be the time to worry. Fanciers might find the fact that I am writing about this a bit strange, but I am now thinking why are the young birds appearing to be so content in their boxes, is it sign of better things to come. The question is, what am I doing this year that I may have missed in years gone by, I am thinking there must be something. So, I am now asking myself what I am looking for, I have not introduced any more pigeons into the stock loft, so there is no disruption, could possibly have been a reason. Could it be that they are all settled and not fighting for boxes, there are a couple of spare boxes, could it be they are now settled more than ever in their new loft and everything about the loft suits them. On the other hand, could it be the slight changes I have made to the loft over the winter months that I felt were needed, the final touches if you like, could it be that everything is now perfect and I am thinking about something that is not there, I hope so. I have always hopper fed them so there has always been food in front of the pigeons during breeding season. Plus, there was always a pot with peas in the boxes when the young birds were at eating age. There is always another possibility, I have always treated for vermin, but I now have someone coming in and checking out any pathways they may have made, not a sign now. However, when Jim first came into the garden armed with all sorts, he did catch a pair that were nesting under the summer house next door. Since they were caught, we have seen nothing and traps and food not touched. Mind you, I have not seen anything in my garden even around the lofts. There I go again over thinking things that could not be an issue in the first place.
Numbers
I am reducing the number of young birds this year by half and just having them in one section. All being well Ebony will be back on the scene because she has all but finished University and probably moving back home. This of course will all depend on whether and where she gets a full-time job. She was a great help in the loft until she came to her last year in UNI when everything was so intense she spent most of her spare time studying. I say help because she was looking after all the young birds.
Photos
Included is a photo of Ebony when she was looking after the young birds before, she did make a difference in the loft. Ebony’s dad Steve is also staying on board and taking on the task of training. Steve is one of those people who likes driving so that is a good help.
Les J Parkinson.
15 Rushton Drive, Middlewich, Cheshire,
CW10 0NJ.
Tel: 01606 836036. Mob: +44 (0)7871 701585.
E-mail:
Web site: http://www.elimarpigeons.com
