Frozen earth.

Stock birds. One pecking my feet when I went in to the loft this morning. Figured it needed something. Put salt in the grit box. Not interested. Feed in there and water. Feet? Maybe mud? Went out and dug a spadeful of frozen earth. Put that on the floor. Bingo!! What they were looking for! They have not been out in months, so no fielding for them.

Always some half that they are lacking give every grit and mineral out their and it still want be enough

Pigeons love soil more minerals than you can give them

Hal would say why don't you give them some charcoaled wood and you watch them

Have some, will do.

halcanada wrote:

Stock birds. One pecking my feet when I went in to the loft this morning. Figured it needed something. Put salt in the grit box. Not interested. Feed in there and water. Feet? Maybe mud? Went out and dug a spadeful of frozen earth. Put that on the floor. Bingo!! What they were looking for! They have not been out in months, so no fielding for them.

That was the old Robert Stroud trick Hal (plain old dirt) with his canary's etc. Helped him pass the time     while at Alcatraz. Must say I'm somewhat worried here Hal though   as you have gone back 100 odd years to find a solution to your issue today etc. I suspect also The Vet brigade     will not be happy with you, giving out that type of wisdom .  

Yeah, read about Stroud. Burt Lancaster? Honestly Knackered, there is so much hype in the pigeon game it gets overwhelming. New guy starting, gets good pigeons. Then gets conflicting advice on what to give them to keep them healthy. Tonics and other stuff to make them fly faster. Gets expensive, does not do well gives up. Training so many times etc,. Old birds not required if open or semi open loft is used. Not always possible though. Young birds yes. No matter how far I have trained, 30 to 40 miles seems to be enough. Few times there and no more during season. Again, semi-open loft.

halcanada wrote:

Yeah, read about Stroud. Burt Lancaster? Honestly Knackered, there is so much hype in the pigeon game it gets overwhelming. New guy starting, gets good pigeons. Then gets conflicting advice on what to give them to keep them healthy. Tonics and other stuff to make them fly faster. Gets expensive, does not do well gives up. Training so many times etc,. Old birds not required if open or semi open loft is used. Not always possible though. Young birds yes. No matter how far I have trained, 30 to 40 miles seems to be enough. Few times there and no more during season. Again, semi-open loft.

Hype I'm not  so kind Hal unfortunately. Utter bull sh*t from my perspective sadly with what is written these days by some to gain success/fame or make a buck or 2 in the end etc. A small matter of eliminaition should tell one this is so from my perspective.

I remember reading on the forum a couple of years ago now, one of our members, maybe hal or knackered would dig clay from their own garden, dry it out and give some to the pigeons........maybe someone else, but I`m sure it was one of them.........

David wrote:

I remember reading on the forum a couple of years ago now, one of our members, maybe hal or knackered would dig clay from their own garden, dry it out and give some to the pigeons........maybe someone else, but I`m sure it was one of them.........

Not me David my wee mountain, is all rock etc . Looking for gold I can accommodate etc.  

I do it for birds that cannot be let out early Spring due to hawks. Stock and early bred young birds. Winter time also but have been a little slow this winter. Think some of the pick stones for sale are clay based?

halcanada wrote:

I do it for birds that cannot be let out early Spring due to hawks. Stock and early bred young birds. Winter time also but have been a little slow this winter. Think some of the pick stones for sale are clay based?

Had a bloke here years ago Hal in my club etc (before picking stone blokes) travelled 200 odd miles up country do get his yearly supply of special type clay. Easy easy today for some here they just buy them by the carton/box full as such, especially around breeding time.