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July 1, 2009 06:59:09
Posted By John Marles
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John:
Have you had problems with the fans in the roof burning out motors due to pigeon bloom? I have two exaust attic fans installed and the motors will last only 3-4 months before they burn out.
Any suggestions?
Bob Lynch
Hi Bob,
Since I started racing the young birds on the dark system (1989) I placed 50 CFM bathroom fans for every four feet in the loft. This meant that I had 8 fans in total to maintain. What I did to try and prolong their lifespan is to hose them down every week or two with a pressure washer. First, I would turn the fans off on a sunny morning and then hit each one trying to eradicate the bloom and dust that collect on the blades etc. After I felt that the fans had a chance to dry I would then start them up again. Over the years I have replaced a few, but really for the length of time ( 1989 until I finished racing in Canada 2007) this wasn't a lot.
If anyone has been able to extend the life of their exhaust fans please e-mail me and I will post your answers.
John
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July 1, 2009 06:55:48
Posted By John Marles
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Thanx John. Am enjoying reading your comments on your website - lots of good practical info there. I liked your comments about the disadvantages of simply training YBs and not racing them. I feel that training is only the 2nd best option, racing being the best to give them mutiple experiences - breaking, working through bad weather, dealing with the drag and so on.
You mentioned doxy - as it's quite expensive, it seems the best approach is to guesstimate the amount of water the birds drink at one sitting, say after feeding or when drinkers are removed for a while to induce thirst. Figure roughly that birds in the race loft drink an average of an ounce to an ounce and a half at a time, depending on the environmental temperature.. Give only that amount of water to which you add doxy powder at the level of 500 to 1000 mg per 4 litres (roughly one gallon equals 4 litres) of water once a day. Once the birds have had a drink and virtually drunk all the water you've put out for them, put in fresh unmedicated water until the next day at the same time. Repeat this procedure for a total of 5 days. Add a bit of apple cider vinegar to the medicated water (same with Terramycin and Aureomycin, and any other of the tetracycline class of antibiotics) as it markedly increases the absorption of these drugs across the wall of the intestine and into the circulation. Doxy is a powerful drug that isn't eliminated very quickly from the system and so there's no need to treat more than once per day.
Chloramphenicol - a very good antibiotic (banned in humans and food animal species) but is rapidly destroyed by crop bacteria (same with Gallimycin) when it's given in the drinkers, so it's hard to get a good blood level. Injection of the drug (I mean chloramphenicol) solves that problem but I don't think many fanciers would want to do this in the racing season. JK tells me that when he has used Gallimycin (very useful in dealing with mycoplasma infections), he has just upped the dosage to have a better chance of getting a good blood level. Very best wishes to you, Pina and the boys! Gord.
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July 1, 2009 06:32:13
Posted By John Marles
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First section B - 7th Open is the successful partnership of Brown & Black who race in the Pentland Hills Federation. They timed in a blue white flight 2 year old hen raced on roundabout. As a youngster she had 4 races, then as a yearling was raced out to Peterborough; this year she had 6 races on the
trot out to the Newbury National. Her sire is a grand son of Bliksem (from Gaby); and the dam is a grand daughter of Benetton crossed with Golden Boy (Gaby Vandenabeele) via Mark & Dickie Evans loft. David Brown of the Brown & Black partnership with his 1st east region 7th Open from 5,300 birds Section B; 1st Brown & Black Dalkeith 1310
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June 30, 2009 01:24:08
Posted By John Marles
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WHEN THE GOING GETS TUFF THE TUFF GET GOING
3 x 1st Section winners all in the same N.F.C. National race from Messac.
Jimmy & Ken Wearn (Wearn Bros) from Ramsdean
1st Section B – velocity of 1316
Mel & Sue King from Blandford Forum
1st Section C – velocity of 1196
Vaughan Bros & Son from Telford
1st Section J – velocity of 1203
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June 30, 2009 10:24:08
Posted By John Marles
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Our M & D. Evans Bloodlines
have now won to date
37 x 1st Open National Winners
Posted by Mark Evans 30th June 2009
Jimmy & Ken Wearn (Wearn Bros) from Ramsdean.
1st Open N.F.C. National from Messac.
Approx. 7,000 birds (birdage to be confirmed)
The winning pigeon now named “Ramsdean Ambition Girl” is 100% M & D. Evans bloodlines. Jim said that he purchased the M & D. Evans pigeons direct from Myrtle Lofts to try a win an Open National and he said he was pleased to report to Myrtle Lofts that he has achieved his aim in the first two years racing these bloodlines.
“Ramsdean Ambition Girl” past performances include 15th Section, 178th Open NFC National 5,408 birds, 30th Section, 58th Open Central Southern Classic Guernsey, 1st Section, 10th Open N.F.C. National Saintes. Plus her latest performance of 1st Section, 1st Open N.F.C. National Messac.
Her Sire who was bred by Myrtle Loft is a direct son from “Spirit 607” (Bred by Koen Minderhould direct from his Ace Breeder “De Spirit” when paired to “Nikta” daughter from “Super Gaby”) when paired to “Saffron’s Double” daughter from “Witpen Logan” when paired to Myrtle Lofts super breeding hen “Saffron” (No1. Stock Hen for Myrtle Lofts until she passed away)
The Dam to “Ramsdean Ambition Girl” was also bred by Myrtle Lofts and she is a direct daughter from “Enrique” (bred by Koen Minderhould direct from “Zachter Bijter” when paired to “Wittenbuikduifje) when paired to the “Blue Ace” winner of the 1st Ace Bird in the Europa Classic from the six series from 60 miles to 300 miles. The Loft Champion from 1,600 birds from 10 different countries. “Blue Ace” is a direct daughter from “Touch of Class” when paired to “Carrie Black” (daughter from “Shadow” & “Carrie”)
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June 20, 2009 05:52:04
Posted By John Marles
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2009 |
I was asked the other day about the background of CU-2008-Sylvanlofts-200. This blue checker cock named Sylvan Intrepid is inbred on the sire side to possibly the best hen to ever race into Belgium namely Fieneke 5000. When Flor Vervoort died in November 2002 all his birds were sold. Flor had been the man to beat in the province of Antwerp. Mark Evans would have definitely liked this breeding hen to grace his loft, but apparently this was the hen that everyone was after in the sale. Fieneke 5000 sold for 90,000 euro and was sold to Japan.
The Vervoort pigeons sold for a total of 800,000 euro for 385 pigeons."Fieneke 5000" has the following results on her prize list: 1st Bourges 7,765 pigeons (2nd national against 38,152 pigeons) - 1st Orleans against 10,194 pigeons - 1st semi-national Vierzon against 13,700 pigeons - 1st Toury 410 pigeons - 6th semi-national Argenton against 3,359 pigeons plus many other top National positions.
Intrepid has 11 prizes to his credit including the following: 110 miles 1st club 469 birds and 1st Greater Tampa Bay Concourse 76 lofts and 1.358 birds. At 300 miles 3rd club 411 birds and 5th Greater Tampa Bay Concourse 65 lofts and 1.068 birds. At 210 miles 7th club 440 birds and 7th Greater Tampa Bay Concourse plus 8 more prizes. I raced four brothers/sisters to Intrepid and all four scored at the top of the Concourse. This was a new breeding and therefore the pair have stayed together in 2009. Also in his pedigree is Joint Venture (2nd Nat.), Eisenhower (top producer for M & D Evans), Shadow (Number One breeder at M & D Evans) and Westkappele (M & D Evans from Koen Minderhoud-top breeder).
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June 19, 2009 10:14:47
Posted By John Marles
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I had a number of fanciers ask about the bird from Joe Ferreira that was 1st Ace Yearling and Old bird in the Up North Combine CU-2008-Sylvanlofts-324. The dam of 324 is from a daughter of Gaby’s top breeder ‘Bliksem’. I thought that it was quite interesting that Gaby’s new superstar ‘Barnaby’ is also from a son of Bliksem. The famous Wittenbuik and his sire ‘The Kleinen’ are all throughout the pedigree of this new crack ‘Barnaby’ Belg-2008-3035057. This new star actually came from the partnership of Deno-Herbots. Barnaby was bred from two direct birds from Gaby’s loft that reside in the loft of the partnership of Deno-Herbots. The sire and dam of Barnaby were bred in Gaby’s loft. The dam is a daughter of 1st National ‘James Bond’.
Barnaby in 2009 scored the following:
Bourges Provincial 1st Yearlings
Bourges National 2nd from 22,499 Yearlings
Argenton Provincial 3rd
Argenton National 3rd 5,251 birds
Gaby continues to do well in 2009 as these results will testify to:
Tours Provincial 2.739 old birds 23-38-70-72-106-107-120-167-170-178… 15 prizes from 17 shipped!
Bourges 210 old birds 2-5-8-9-13-17-18-19-23-44-65 (prizes 11 of 14)
National 27.506 old birds 5-24-80-110-299-474-536-542-600-746…
Bourges 188 yearlings 1-2-6-11-17-19-27-48-50-52-61-66 (27)
Nat 22.499 yearlings 2-3-56-185-381-498…
Poitiers 99 old 1-2-5 (3)
Provincial 2.097 old 79-99-138 (3)
Argenton 208 old 1-2-3-4-9-14-21-23-25-26-29-30-35-46-53-61-67 (17 prizes of 30shipped)
Provincial 3.387 old 1-2-3-9-64-135-183…
Argenton 336 yearlings 1-2-3-4-10-13-20-21-25-26-33-34-40-55-77-90-102 (17 prizes of 27 shipped)
Provincial 5.251 yearlings 1-3-4-8-77-154…
Many, many times I am asked at what distances do these Vandenabeele birds race the best. When I tell fanciers that they will race from 80 miles right up to 700 miles they are surprised. I have also been asked in what race conditions do they race the best. Actually, Gaby selects his birds based on the most difficult races with headwinds and heat. Gaby had a bird that won 3 x 1st on 300 km races with 1,800 meters a minute. Gaby realized that when the distances grew bigger and races were getting more difficult, this bird always came in late. Gaby removed him from the loft.
Gaby actually decided in 1985 to leave short and middle distance racing. He had been expelled from the club for the second time because his results were too good. This made him decide to race his birds on the long distance. He quickly found out that his own birds were better at the distances than the new birds he had brought in. The indicator was the difficult race from Limoges. Limoges was a tough race with the velocities around 1,000 meters a minute. Gaby won 2nd and 10th National from over 6,000 birds. The birds that performed well were ‘Fideel’ and ‘Picanol’, both direct sons to the ‘Kleinen’. After that race Gaby decided to race the long distance with his own birds.
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June 12, 2009 03:05:15
Posted By John Marles
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Steven Hsiao from Taiwan does excellent work as the picture below will testify to He has arranged his photograhs into a book of the top birds in Taiwan. I have not seen the book yet, but all that have seen it say Steven did an outstanding job. Pyramid Lass is bred from a top breeding pair that I had in Canada named the Pyramid Pair. The Sire to this hen is an exceptional breeder that I purchased from W.DeBruijn. He is from 1986 and is breeding at Rick VanVeldhuisen's loft. His first year there he produced two excellent brothers that were 1st and 2nd Champion Birds in the U-10 club. The dam is the 969 hen down from birds that John Cooper purchased from C. Strange. In her pedigree is the Lichte Orleans, Verona, Gary's Blue(Planet Bros), 083 etc. She is from 1996 and was breeding in Bob DeBatt's loft (Florida). I believe just recently she stopped laying.This pair bred a number of top birds that I'll put on later,
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June 12, 2009 11:17:23
Posted By John Marles
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I receive many questions by e-mail and phone and I felt that the information given may be helpful to fanciers. Quite often these same questions are those that many fanciers have on their mind, but for one reason or another don't get asked..
Hi John,
Have a question? Is 7 dust for flowers bad to sprinkle on the birds for lice. Have a good day.
D.C.
Hi D.C.
I have used Sevins Dust on the birds and it works well to eradicate lice much better than most products including Ivermectin (which I feel is mostly ineffective at eradicating lice). The Sevins powder that we purchase here in Canada can be mixed 10 teaspoons of Sevins powder to one gallon of water. Once the solution is mixed well we spray it directly on the birds. This is always done early on a sunny day when the birds are in the aviary. The remaining amount we use to spray the entire loft. I have used this for years with no adverse effect. Unfortunately, I don't know whether the Sevins dust in Canada is the same formula as in the States. I have purchased Sevins dust in Florida and used it to dust the nest bowls with no adverse effects. I also use Permethrin dust that I purchase from Jeffers. This is an excellent product and I dust all of the birds in the loft as well as nest bowls and youngsters in the nest. Finally in Florida, I use the Malathion product that you can purchase from C. Siegels.(57% Malathion-follow directions closely) Once again the Malathion that you can purchase from a store is far too strong as I know that when Campbell Strange was in California he killed all his young ones one year when he sprayed them. I use Malathion because I feel it keeps the mosquitoes and pigeon flies away from the birds for at least 2-3 months which is extremely important in Florida with malaria and pox around. With the leftover Malathion I spray the entire loft which helps to keep the insect population down. There is one other product that my neighbour John Weeks suggested to me which helps against the rather large insect population in Florida. This product is called W.P.Demon and I have witnessed first hand how this product can eradicate insects. Once again make sure the birds are in the aviaries and keep them their for hours after the spraying. Also make sure all feeders and water bowls are taken out of the loft. I understand that reading this you may think that it is too much work, but if you want to be highly competitive then you leave very little to chance.
John
Hi John,
Congrats on the beautiful plaque you received from FSI. I was wondering if you knew of any type of loft dressing or powder to put down to keep the coop dry. All this rain has made the loft damp. I've been using Blanco white but it doesnt go far.
Take care,
S.M.
Hi S.M.,
With the kind of humidity that you have been experiencing with rain and high temperatures a daily occurence you really need to look at how to eliminate some or most of this problem. Sometimes it can be done by installing fans, electric pig warming blankets, or simply cutting down on the number of young ones in each section. In Florida I have two fans installed in the roof and they work on temperature and humidity. I understand that this adds to the expenses, but I believe if you have fewer birds then you will offset the expenses by saving on feed/medication/supplements etc. It is my feeling that you can be very competitive with fewer birds even if you are racing against 90 lofts. Unfortunately, loft dressings get moist very quickly and are ineffective in solving this problem and can harbour viral problems.
John
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June 4, 2009 09:24:50
Posted By John Marles
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Overall Champion Old Bird
06/02/2009 15:48:44
Up North Pigeon Racing Combine
Pos Member/Flyer Name Club Ring/Band No Colour Sex Score No Points
1 Ferreira & Evans York Regio 08 CU SYLV 0324 BB C 4 726
On the weekend the Up North Combine raced from Englehart 300 miles and Ferreira & Evans were 9th, 27th, 28th and 36th from 70 lofts and 1,013 birds. 324 was 9TH and is bred from a daughter of the Bandit x Joint Venture(see below). The Sire was from Jester 74 x Lady Bliksem from Gaby's No. 1 breeder Bliksem. The first 8 birds were racing to loft locations that were significantly shorter and the first two birds were 50 miles shorter than 324.
One cock Belg.99.4174061 “Den Bandiet” was considered to be the best pigeon to have been sold in a Belgium auction this winter. He was entered in 44 races and won 42 prizes with 28 times – 1 in 10. Winning in total 8 x 1st prizes. He was put to stock for 2003 breeding “Zoon Bandiet” Belg.03.436433 also winning 4 x 1st prizes in two seasons before being sold in the same sale. “Den Bandiet” also bred 1st Prize winners last year 2004..
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