Night Flying

[Murray]

When they get to about this size I put a small drinker in the box with them. Because it gets hot, for instance it will be 37 today, they can start to wilt in the heat very quickly. They soon find the water and it really helps them.
The Grizzle and the Billion Baby are starting to look at the nest again and aren't always as diligent as they were a few days ago.

What age do you wean Murray ? I would have that away
Mine go on the board before they can fly a lot earlier than most I do admit though

Yes they would have been away a couple of days before but they were going to Horsham for the money race so I just left them there. I weaned them on Tuesday and took them out to Horsham yesterday.

[NeilA]

Looks well bred
Best of luck in the race

[Murray]

Looks well bred
Best of luck in the race

Thank's Neil. I've got a few youngsters in a couple of lofts over there and hope to get at least one good one.
Those youngsters do impress me. They are the third round, the first ones went to another breeders Plate loft, I kept the second round and these ones are possibly the best yet.
The Grizzle Jos Thone' cock is bred down off the National and International winners. And his own parents and grandparents are winners and producers.
The Billion Baby is all Heremans VD Bulck Patrick Boeckx etc, she's a great granddaughter of Kittel. Everything she breeds goes good. And they are still young. He's 3 she's 4.
So they should be okay.

[NeilA]

Hopefully win you some money Murray

[MIL]

Age is no barrier to quality Murray

[Murray]

Age is no barrier to quality Murray

That is right, good old pigeons breed good ones, no one can argue that, but I do incline to the view that the vitality of young pigeons helps. The pair of youngsters in that picture were third round and possibly the best.
The parents are now homed in and flying, and so fit and well Yes it's a risk, but so be it.
Two days before the babies left the B$B laid again and they are on the 4th round!
Old pigeons can tend to lose the fire a little bit.

[MIL]

I really don't agree with the "vitality" bit. I can provide you with endless examples of outstanding pigeons being bred from pigeons that have a little bit of age about them.
Following the Ad Schaerlaeckens policy "Zoe" (below) would not have been produced as her father was 5 and her mother 4 when she was produced
That's just one example (look at her titles). I could go on all night if needed
Good pigeons are good pigeons.
However, I do basically support the policy of not fannying around swpping matings year in year out in order to try and get birds to breed winners. My best birds bred winners right from the off regardless of how they were mated

[Murray]

I agree with you that good pigeons breed good pigeons, no matter if they are 2 or 12. But a young pair may raise them a little better. I am impressed by the energy pigeons like the big grizzle have for raising squeakers. The White Flight Thone' is the same. Some old stock pigeons are starting to lose a bit of the drive after couple of rounds.
That said I had an old Van Loon cock who turned out beautiful babies nest after nest for years.

[MIL]

So it's all down to the individual then

[Andy]

My old Van Hee cock was 14 when he bred a hen to win the Cornish combine from Rennes twice in a fortnight. He was still filling his eggs at 17. I have 2 11 year old hens here both on eggs again.