UkPigeonRacing

Goose is right. The defining symptom for elevated canker levels is a falling off in performance. If they start coming home 10 or 15 minutes off the pace when they've been performing well, I think the first thing to suspect is canker.
I've seen blokes treat for respiratory disease if their birds go off form, and it has made no difference. I reckon they'd be better treating the whole lot for canker first.

Andy wrote: Sat Sep 12, 2026 4:03 pm I certainly wouldn’t treat everything in the loft because of one or two poorly birds. I think it’s all about observation and knowing your pigeons.

Brilliant thread this one.
Andy, I don't like treating for anything (personal preference) but I would if I knew something was wrong.
However, whilst I agree observation is a must, its only good if.....
1. you know what you are looking for
2 . You have the time to sit and watch the birds

I use what ever is to hand usually spartrix or Ronidazole

Usually a good 5 day treatment followed by 3 days of Nifuramycin on the corn

In the race season I would use a Spartrix tablet every 3/4 weeks to keep the count down with racing stress

Diamond Dave wrote: Sun Sep 13, 2026 11:01 am

Andy wrote: Sat Sep 12, 2026 4:03 pm I certainly wouldn’t treat everything in the loft because of one or two poorly birds. I think it’s all about observation and knowing your pigeons.

Brilliant thread this one.
Andy, I don't like treating for anything (personal preference) but I would if I knew something was wrong.
However, whilst I agree observation is a must, its only good if.....
1. you know what you are looking for
2 . You have the time to sit and watch the birds

I half agree with that, Dave.
Yes you have to know what you are looking for. Some people learn it by long experience. Some just seem to have an inborn instinct for it and others just never seem to get it.
No, I don't think you need to spend a lot of time watching the birds. The best thing you have to detect if something is wrong is your nose. When you walk in the loft and get a whiff of something that isn't right you can bet you have a problem. And it doesn't take long to cast your eye around. If there's one sitting huddled up or loose droppings under the perches in the morning you have to take note.
If the birds are all bright and happy, the droppings are normal and there's no unpleasant smell, you can relax.
Just my thoughts, anyway.

Harry's Loft wrote: Sun Sep 13, 2026 11:21 am I use what ever is to hand usually spartrix or Ronidazole

Usually a good 5 day treatment followed by 3 days of Nifuramycin on the corn

In the race season I would use a Spartrix tablet every 3/4 weeks to keep the count down with racing stress

When dya give the 5 day treatment H....?

Most years I often have a little bit of a yell9w slime
on the walls next to the perch in my yb section. We have talked about it before on here.
I know that it's down to ventilation and I have been experimenting to try to rectify it., I haven't perfected it yet - is this signs of the "wet" canker.

Diamond Dave wrote: Sun Sep 13, 2026 11:01 am

Andy wrote: Sat Sep 12, 2026 4:03 pm I certainly wouldn’t treat everything in the loft because of one or two poorly birds. I think it’s all about observation and knowing your pigeons.

Brilliant thread this one.
Andy, I don't like treating for anything (personal preference) but I would if I knew something was wrong.
However, whilst I agree observation is a must, its only good if.....
1. you know what you are looking for
2 . You have the time to sit and watch the birds

I agree Dave. Not making out that I am anything special as I’m not. But very fortunate. I have many years of dairy farming experience and became very good at quickly noticing if something wasn’t quite right. I could walk into the cattle shed last thing at night and within just a couple of minutes pick out a problem with a cow if there was one. Being one on heat or one sickening for something.

Diamond Dave wrote: Sun Sep 13, 2026 12:25 pm

Harry's Loft wrote: Sun Sep 13, 2026 11:21 am I use what ever is to hand usually spartrix or Ronidazole

Usually a good 5 day treatment followed by 3 days of Nifuramycin on the corn

In the race season I would use a Spartrix tablet every 3/4 weeks to keep the count down with racing stress

When dya give the 5 day treatment H....?

I'd usually give them the 5 day treatment after training prior to the first race

I'm a big believer that stress increases canker count in pigeons

Usually I'd give a respitory treatment prior to loft flying and training so the birds airways are clear for orientation

And after pairing a 5-10 day broad spectrum treatment

Always followed by Nifuramycin for a couple of days

I actually put probiotics on the corn and in the water even if treating the birds

In the off season they are given just naturally based supplements on the corn and in the water

Diamond Dave wrote: Sun Sep 13, 2026 12:37 pm Most years I often have a little bit of a yell9w slime
on the walls next to the perch in my yb section. We have talked about it before on here.
I know that it's down to ventilation and I have been experimenting to try to rectify it., I haven't perfected it yet - is this signs of the "wet" canker.

It's good that you know you have a problem and are working to solve it, Dave.
How do you know it's down to ventilation? Do you mean too little? Too much? Too draughty? This interests me because I built my loft with what I believed would be correct ventilation. It seems to be fairly good. But I'm always open to suggestions.
The slime you mention could very well be wet canker. But it could be one of several other things. E.coli for example.
If you wanted to try to deal with that without putting them through the added stress of antibiotics you could try apple cider vinegar in the water and natural Greek yoghurt on the feed for a week.
You might be surprised.

Harry's Loft wrote: Wed Sep 16, 2026 6:10 am

Diamond Dave wrote: Sun Sep 13, 2026 12:25 pm

Harry's Loft wrote: Sun Sep 13, 2026 11:21 am I use what ever is to hand usually spartrix or Ronidazole

Usually a good 5 day treatment followed by 3 days of Nifuramycin on the corn

In the race season I would use a Spartrix tablet every 3/4 weeks to keep the count down with racing stress

When dya give the 5 day treatment H....?

I'd usually give them the 5 day treatment after training prior to the first race

I'm a big believer that stress increases canker count in pigeons

Usually I'd give a respitory treatment prior to loft flying and training so the birds airways are clear for orientation

And after pairing a 5-10 day broad spectrum treatment

Always followed by Nifuramycin for a couple of days

I actually put probiotics on the corn and in the water even if treating the birds

In the off season they are given just naturally based supplements on the corn and in the water

Great info H and all very helpful. Would I be right in thinking that you don't fly them out in winter so you give a respiratory treatment before letting them out.?
What is the respo treatment you give please mate.