No 1.
Make sure your loft is 100% vermin proof. There is nothing that will knock your birds off form quicker than a small mouse urinating or leaving droppings or drinking from the birds water fountain.
No 2.
Make sure that your corn bins are completely sealed for the above reasons. A mouse will get through the smallest of gaps in doors or vents.
No 3.
Don’t fall into the trap of treating all your birds with antibiotics on a regular basis simply because one bird doesn’t look quite right. Always isolate it and treat it on its own.
No 4.
Don’t be afraid of asking for advice from any good, consistent fancier. Most will be only too willing to offer the right advice no matter how long you have been flying pigeons.
No 5.
Be a good listener and ask more than one fancier for advice.
No 6.
Don’t be conned into buying everything that is advertised and sold as the best additive on the market. There are simply not enough days in the year to give your birds what is advertised.
No 7.
Training: Your birds should be flying freely around home before you start training. If your birds are not fit before the training season, no amount of driving them up and down the motorway is going to get them fit. Save your time, effort and petrol.
No 8.
Your time and efforts will be far more rewarding if you spend time cleaning your loft with a scraper and washing your drinkers (not just rinsing them in cold water).
No 9.
Pay attention to detail. If you have the time, sit and watch your pigeons – they will tell you when they are on form.
No 10.
Keep an up-to-date written record of the bird’s performances so you will know what to breed off in the future. It’s no good trying to keep it in your head – unless you have only two pigeons!
As I have said before, don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask questions. We all learn by asking questions. I’m still asking and listening.
My name is simply Joe Dorning but if you think a pedigree sounds better with a ‘Van’ in it, then I will put you one in!
V nice site
tnx for your tips
Thanks for the tips Joseph. I just think some guys keep to many birds and bring in new stock without any good reason and in doing so also bring in sickness.
Hi Pigeon fanciers.,very good info dont you think.You need to keep it symple. Thats the best way.
They need to be Healthy and fit.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR 10 TIPS.SOMETIMES WE FORGET ABOUT THE SMALLEST THINGS TO GO BACK TO BASICS AGAIN.THANK YOU
Absolutely right and fantastic advice Joseph Van Doring. This advise made me realise I don’t have an ICU loft away from me and my brother’s main loft. Today 16/05/12 I’ve emailed my brother and let him know to build this 5 bird ICU loft 1’000 meters away from our main loft. You are a brilliant man.
Hi Joshep,
Your ten tips are help full for me and i want to know how to pair the birds? Need to prefer the eye sign or the bird performance.
Regards,
Imran
I kept “commons” as pets as a child – at the age of ten I saw my first “homers”- a loft full – I fell in love with them – won my first “homer” at marbles – was in seventh heaven!!!
Later as an adult I bought a loft and pigeons and started racing -been hooked ever since!!!
Keeping pigeons as pets is the way to start, in my view.
hi joe i have good birds marikja vink dirk van dyijk coopman peter versttrat i was looking forward to the racing this year but old birds no cards channel no cards young birds near last every week or near bottom loft is petron style clean out daily im not a novis dont know whats wrong vet says no health problems train ybs 12 mile tues wed thurs rest fri thanks for listning
hi mr.joespi saw your tips and will falow it my pigeon chicks are coming with pox how should it to to be cured pls tell some tips