Change their Matings

If you have tried four to five youngsters from a pair and they have shown little, change their matings.

Taken from Widowhood Flying

by Mark Gordon

Twenty words or less TCC Loft series

A Good & Complete Moult

Pigeons having a good and complete moult keep their good health in general and come into form in an easier way. They glide through the air with a  minimum of resistance and do not bother about rain, fog, or unfavourable atmospheric conditions.

Taken from The Practical Side of Pigeon Racing

by Leon Petit

May 1952

Complete Rest

During the moulting period it is important that the birds should have a complete rest, which does not mean that they should be deprived of their liberty.

Taken from The Practical Side of Pigeon Racing

by Leon Petit

May 1952

Treat for Worms First

If worm diseases occur together with other conditions, deworming should be carried out first, if possible.

Twenty words or less TCC Loft series

Taken from Healthy Pigeons

by Dr. L. Schrag

YB Feeding in the Middle of the week

It will be quite sufficient if we withhold towards the middle of the week, let us say Thursday morning, a third of the usual weight of food. All the other meals up to basketing time will consist of the ordinary weight. You will be surprised about the salutary influence of this smaller ration, once a week. The other days they stay under the impression that they do not receive enough and at the first signal they will come in just like the old birds. If your management is correct, they will act similarly when homing from a race.

Discussed in The Practical Side of Pigeon Racing

by Leon Petit

May 1952

Watch the Moult

Watch the moult, don't under any circumstances ship one whose bare ears you can see, or one with more than a normal pair of feathers missing in the tail.

Taken from Widowhood Flying

by Mark Gordon

Moulting Coverts

It is never possible to get a good performance from a youngster moulting its coverts (small feathers overlapping the joint of the arm and the fore-arm). This moult generally takes place when fifth and sixth flights are dropped.

Discussed in The Practical Side of Pigeon Racing

by Leon Petit

May 1952

Stay In

If cold or wet, the exercise period is cut down. In fact, if cold, windy, and rainy, they stay in.

Taken from Widowhood Flying

By Mark Gordon

Twenty words or less TCC Loft series

Rotondo's Eye Vs Ear Theories

"Many think the eyes of a bird are very important. Some have made a lot of money writing about eye signs and eyes. Although these same men are very unsuccessful when racing pigeons, their 'eye' books sell like hotcakes. It is the same old story of the average fancier looking for instant success and he'll usually try anything no matter how ridiculous. The eyes must be bright and have plenty of color or pigment. They will get brighter as the bird reaches peak condition and will become pale and lose pigmentation when the bird loses condition or gets sick. The pupil should be located in direct line with the split of the beak so the wattle can protect the eyes from the elements. Penn State University of State College, Pennsylvania has conducted some interesting experiments with homing pigeons.

One of these experiments dealt with testing the eyes and the theories connected with the eyes. The students obtained a group of 20 young racing pigeons. After getting the birds settled to their new home, they began to exercise and train the team. They took the group of birds about 20 miles from their home and released them. All homed in good condition. After many similar tosses, the team was equipped with contact lenses, but these lenses were different from others. They were clouded and colored so that the birds could only see for a distance of six feet. The team was again taken 20 miles from home and released. Again all arrived in good time even though the birds were almost blind because of the lenses. The lenses were all removed from the bird's eyes and then wax ear plugs were inserted into the bird's ears. Again the team was taken to the 20 mile release point and liberated. Not one returned home that day. After a few days, some of the birds returned because the wax plugs melted and fell out of the bird's ears. Eventually all the birds returned but only after the plugs melted. Not one bird returned while the plugs were still in the ears. It is safe to assume that birds need their ears more than their eyes to home successfully. Isn't it strange that there are 'eye theories' but no 'ear theories?' "

Taken from

Rotondo on Racing Pigeons

Joe Rotondo

1980

Jealous Birds

Expect something good from a jealous pigeon; it won't let you down.

Twenty words or less TCC Loft series

W. S. "Billy" Pearson

Widowhood Old and New

Edited by Colin Osman