Find a vet

[Buster121]

The only one I know is the one at Meditech

[king]

I remember a time when fanciers never used vets. I must have kept pigeons over 40 years before I ever went to a vet. The couple of times since I believe I just wasted my money. These vets/testers often ALWAYS find something wrong with the birds and get you to buy treatment from them.
I was always taught if you have a problem with a bird/animal go see somebody who breeds them be they budgies/rabbits or pigeons. Many will say you have to treat to win, but that simply isn't true fanciers won before using vets. I think any fancier constantly sing a vet and treating must be doing something wrong.
I await your replies

[king]

Logically you could say "fanciers won before using vets" because everybody was on the same playing field - nobody used vets

There's no doubting testing can be beneficial. You have to take it on board and align that with the performances that you're seeing though.

The best thing any good fancier has in his armoury is "observation".

Testing won't really tell you if your birds have respiratory for instance, but your eyes and ears will tell you if you're half-way smart

I totally agree Mike. If you are going to treat, it should ONLY be done after testing. And observation is key. The less birds you keep the easier it is.

[king]

while i was in Germany, i was being told about the sexing of young birds. They send 3 feathers from the youngster, to a local lab it cost 10 euros. DNA cost 150 euros but you can get it done in Checlosavaka for 100 Euros.

How does this help you in any way? If you've hatched the bird and allowed it to be raised to an age where it has feathers, what you then going to do with it after finding out it's sex? If it's young cocks your after simply sex-link your pairings you can spot the cocks the moment they feather at ZERO cost.

[king]

Its to authenticate the parentage - peace of mind

I've always thought if you have doubts about the honesty of the seller you shouldn't really be buying from them? And unless you do test yourself to compare to the DNA certificate your given, your still just talking his word for any piece a paper you are given.

[Anthony webster]

It might not be the honesty of the seller - but if the birds are bred in an "open stock section" can you always guarantee the parentage of each pigeon bred each and every round?

No u can't m8 I built a building with 10 breeding pens in but it's coming down this Yr for some reason the birds bred better pigeons in a communal loft.

[king]

It might not be the honesty of the seller - but if the birds are bred in an "open stock section" can you always guarantee the parentage of each pigeon bred each and every round?

Whilst your right you can't 100%. But do most hens let any cock tread them? I've yet to breed a YB of a colour that was impossible from the pair that hatched it? (FLOATED EGGS EXCLUDED) And if hens regularly let any cock tread them, fanciers wouldn't have a problem with clear eggs from older stock?
The majority of birds in an open section would only get the chance to tread in their own box. Every time I've see birds try to tread outside of their box one or more other cocks stop the cock treading by knocking him off.