Murray wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 8:20 am
It's been clear but cold day. Very cold wind.
Catherine suggested I should leave the birds in, since they were out yesterday. Not good for me to be out in that freezing wind. I said it's quicker and easier to get them cleaned out with them out of the loft.
So I tipped them all out, rugged up and put my big woolly hat on. While they had a zoom around the place, I did a scrape and sweep, cleaned the drinkers and filled all the feed bowls in the nest boxes.
By then the pigeons had come down, the old ones had put themselves away and the young birds were just messing about. So I got the feed trays and called them in. In they came, happy as anything. They had been out, so all was good.
I said to my darling wife, "See, I told you they are no trouble".
Well done mate, I hope you are starting to feel better.
No, I am having a struggle right now. I am over the flu or whatever it was but my lungs are not good.
But any way, just because, these are a lovely pair of young birds. He's taken a top nest box and defends it.
The little hen is on a plastic egg. Come the spring i will race them sitting and hatching, with a bit of luck.
Greetings from the land down under.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
They are a lovely looking pair Murray. They have obviously moulted right through. Are they still classed as youngsters over there? When were they born Murray?
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
The cock was born 27/10/21, so he's just over 8 months old
The hen was born 13/11/21, so she is nearly 8 months old.
Yes they are right through the moult, as all except the last very late bred ones are.
They are young birds, but that is a bit of a blurred distinction here. Age means little. If they are big enough, they are old enough, a lot of the time. I still consider them young birds until August 1st.
It's the same as yours turning 1 on January 1st.
Greetings from the land down under.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
I didn't encourage or discourage them. There were some empty boxes and so some of the more dominant young cocks claimed them and took mates. They are really only practicing at this point.
But I have made the first selection. The dominant ones have shown themselves.
I gave the apricot tree a 'haircut'. It's really just a stump now. And some of these young pigeons trap like widowhood cocks. They hit the board with folded wings and dive down the sputnik.
It's all a quiet process.
Greetings from the land down under.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
