Time of the year

[PeteDerby]

Loft build starts in a couple of weeks so, after my aforementioned 45 year absence, I’m trying to get my head around literally everything!

I know it’s a big ask, but would anyone fancy doing me a month by month year key events overview for a new fancier - really basic stuff like when to order rings, when to pair, wean, inoculate, start training / darkness, when the moult starts - either that or point me in the direction of a good book that covers it all.

[PeteDerby]

Loft build starts in a couple of weeks so, after my aforementioned 45 year absence, I’m trying to get my head around literally everything!

I know it’s a big ask, but would anyone fancy doing me a month by month year key events overview for a new fancier - really basic stuff like when to order rings, when to pair, wean, inoculate, start training / darkness, when the moult starts - either that or point me in the direction of a good book that covers it all.

I’m sure we all can help a bit mate
But maybe we will confuse things

Is it your first year back breeding from stock ?
Are you looking for the ybs to win in sprints from day 1 or building a distance team

That’s great thanks guys.

Yeah, bit of a ‘how long is a piece of string’ question I asked there!

So I should perhaps mention that my ADHD means the kind of stuff you guys can work out in your sleep is a real struggle for me, meaning anything with lots of detail I have to write down and give myself a million reminders for. Not particularly handy for getting back into pigeons, I know, but-please bear with me if I ask ‘dumb’ questions. Trying to coordinate builders to get the loft built with daughter’s wedding coming and forward-planning the pigeon is a bit of a handful.

But anyway, the lose plan is starting right from scratch, getting a foundation stock together in 2025 that comprises a sprint to middle distance team and also a smaller long distance team. The plan is a small number of stock birds, plus perhaps 36 youngsters split 75/35 middle and long. I’m thinking race the YB season as much as I can, but just a few races with the distance birds to give them some experience.

I’m sorted on the foundation birds for sprint to middle distance pigeons and just putting feelers out on long distance stock I can afford.

Breaking down the questions running through my head right now, it seems I’ll be getting young birds towards the end of January, so I’m trying to get my head around the timing of ‘what happens next and when’ in terms of a calendar for rest of the year?

[PeteDerby]

As you sourced your sprint type birds would it not be easier to just get a system for them before looking at distance
Feeding etc would be a bit different
So maybe get one thing right to start with
I only fly to 285 currently but thinking of sending some to 425 next year probably the hens if I race them so I can feed a bit different

I am lucky to have Mike on here , mark bulled who was kind enough to explain in detail his feeding system
Plus Jimmy bamling told me the exact food he used to help me and it’s very different to my type of corn and amount
All three advised very similar methods to me

I want to see if my current pigeons can do that before I look to add pigeons but unfortunately all my selection is based on sprint I gave the pigeon away that was 4th combine when I sent to 360 miles as he was to slow for the other 10 races so been daft there

I do think to do well against full time fanciers you can cut yourself to thin and it may be worth doing one thing 100 per cent to start with

A lot of sense in what you say there. I will have a separate section for LD birds so the feeding and exercising in different ways might not be too much of a trouble, but I’ve certainly taken on board what you say.

[PeteDerby]

As you sourced your sprint type birds would it not be easier to just get a system for them before looking at distance
Feeding etc would be a bit different
So maybe get one thing right to start with
I only fly to 285 currently but thinking of sending some to 425 next year probably the hens if I race them so I can feed a bit different

I am lucky to have Mike on here , mark bulled who was kind enough to explain in detail his feeding system
Plus Jimmy bamling told me the exact food he used to help me and it’s very different to my type of corn and amount
All three advised very similar methods to me

I want to see if my current pigeons can do that before I look to add pigeons but unfortunately all my selection is based on sprint I gave the pigeon away that was 4th combine when I sent to 360 miles as he was to slow for the other 10 races so been daft there

I do think to do well against full time fanciers you can cut yourself to thin and it may be worth doing one thing 100 per cent to start with

A lot of sense in what you say there. I will have a separate section for LD birds so the feeding and exercising in different ways might not be too much of a trouble, but I’ve certainly taken on board what you say.

It sounds like you are getting some good advice Pete, I hope all goes well for you and I look forward to hearing how things progress in the future. Keep posting and we will help where we can, all the best.

Thanks Trev and everyone. I really appreciate the advice and encouragement from you all. Someone pointed me towards the aluminium aviary traps at Universal this week and the price versus my budget versus the long-term benefit is messing with my head. I hadn’t budgeted for anything like those but will I regret it when the wooden ones I’ve been planning on degrade.

[Buster121]

I made my own box aviary traps I guess they won’t last as long but I made them to how I wanted them only a box frame so no great skill it can’t be if I did them
Ideal to bath in or let late ones in I just have a hinged frame with polycarbonate behind them to close them down when the cocks are on widowhood
I always used smaller wire than what’s comes with the aluminium traps

I have thought of getting a small unit, and knocking some loft equipment up. A friend of mine as a factory for metal fabrication, i deal for making some aluminium traps up, and also some aviaries. I may look into it.

Could be a goer Dev, good luck with it

[Buster121]

This is the one I made for the front of my young bird section.

IMG_3321.jpeg

IMG_3222.jpeg

The youngsters spend a lot of time out in it in all weathers. The hens will go into this section for the winter. I can shut it off so the birds can’t go into it but most of the time it’s just left open.

Well done mate will serve it's purpose well