Handed down through the ages

What are the best tips you still use today that your parents and grandparents handed down to you.

cracking topic steve our grandad used to have those pot eggs that break in half and he used to send me to the garden often to get a beetle or spider or some form of insect that he could put inside the egg before basketing for a long race to simulate a hatching chick ...i know this is widespread knowledge now but just to kick the topic off like ...not really relevant but always remember the smell of the old johnsons tonic different today though not nearly the same ,he always had lots of mint growing near the loft to and said it was very good for them they would always be down pecking at it like they do here he would also go nuts if nan used to weed the garden of the dandelions great days great memories ,god bless

Never count your chickens before they are hatched helps in life in general and in our sport in particular, the old, do not open a window whilst down in a submarine. is also helpful.

Regards.

Observation! In and out the loft.
Some see in minutes ...  what others won't in a life time.
But of course the first of 5 C's. Contentment.

Ha ha, same here Darren, I remember my dad sending me out looking for beetles to put in the eggs. .
I remember getting chicken sized plastic eggs with small toys in, and my dad pinching them to put under the pigeons.
I remember in the school holidays it was my job to dip all the pigeons, 2 minutes each, and work it into the feathers.

Never count your chickens before they have hatched

Don Webb wrote:

Never count your chickens before they have hatched

Told never to piss into the wind or you could have some embarrassing type moments to explain etc .

Daz wrote:

Observation! In and out the loft.
Some see in minutes ...  what others won't in a life time.
But of course the first of 5 C's. Contentment.

this has to be one of the most important elements of pigeon racing ...observation ,pay attention to everything

I think paying attention to and observation is important in ALL WALKS of life and is just common sense, or one is walking in the dark.

Regards.

i guess i mean like observing regularly taking the time to observe traits and observe nest positions and health etc...etc...alot cant be bothered they expect to throw the corn in the loft and get the red card on raceday ,anyhow what about tips handed down ....where are they ok we have the usual sayings like dont eat yellow snow etc...but what about practical tips

A very good fancier from Scotland. Jimmy White, like I did used to rly on F.M.B. E.M.B.

When asked what the F.M.B. was when winning well he just smiled.

I knew straight away as I did it too!

I'd wager 90% were be dead set against it.
Basketing day ... early morning bath.

They get wet and stretch out and rest!

People say 'You will ruin the bloom' etc.
I smile and say 'Bloom doesn't fly … just shows condition maybe.

Could not agree more oldstrain regarding our sport and slap dash methods used by some, thought the question meant old wives tales etc; rather than pigeons.

The reason I only kept a few pigeons was because I wanted to know them as individuals and all their little quirks etc; that could be put to good use.

No one can do that with hundreds of pigeons in the loft.

Far easier than hit and miss and relying on numbers and good luck.

Also very less expensive using the latter.

Regards.

Keep them in the loft on day of basketing. If they're not fit enough to win by a Thursday, letting them out Friday isn't going to win the race Saturday.

barnie wrote:

Keep them in the loft on day of basketing. If they're not fit enough to win by a Thursday, letting them out Friday isn't going to win the race Saturday.

That is so true

How to win ..hate being best do I and my brother barry. We get it off our dad that .

barnie wrote:

Keep them in the loft on day of basketing. If they're not fit enough to win by a Thursday, letting them out Friday isn't going to win the race Saturday.

Agree . Truth be told thou here, I had to do it that way etc as my other half, always fed my birds mid afternoon also as I was at work & felt it was always a mad type rush scenario on basket night doing other things, as I was always getting home in the dark as such for most of the race season here, being winter for the most part.
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