Yb sickness

Yes got it again as per usual. .lost about 4 so far and another 2 possibly. .sick to say the least as birds j have brought in are the ones lost so far , but it happens every year no matter what...not been on darkness not over fed , nothing really to stress them so god knows .I think you just get it in my honest opinion

Sorry to hear that. Mine have been free for over 10 years. But again, do not bring any in.

sorry to hear that ray, your right about the "why", nobody knows "why" they get it ,just crossing me fingers and everything else

I certainly do not know why. There are many theories. Contact with other pigeons, over medicated leading to a not so good immune system etc,. Beleive the latter is most responsible but again, do not know. But again if I did predictable could be preventable.

That’s sickening Ray, I get it every year too without fail.
Hope you don’t lose any more.

I will

if you have lost a few then I would say theirs a bacterial issue of some form or secondary issues to a virus.if its only the birds brought in then I would be taking a long look at those ones ...if I do get birds in its only ever from 1 source never various sources in the 1 season ...I hope they turn the corner soon ray,i will give you a call in a bit

A few in Whiteleas at least 2 here in Boldon that i know of, Im ok at the minute but if its airbourne
im tom ducked im in the middle of the 2 here.
Iv not had it for 2 or 3 years but iv not had this many ybs in the loft either.
Im ready for it

I think the term young bird sickness, is used a lot just as a blanket term, if a fancier gets an ill yb or two, they automatically say its young bird sickness, when it could be e-coli or streptococcal infections etc,

I hope you get it sorted ray, before you loose any more.

I never had the problem when other fanciers around did, and I am sure some put their birds in the race paniers along with mine when they should not have done.

There is no doubt in my mind that my pigeons came into contact with whatever the problem turns out to be, but either it did not affect them or they got it and were able to cope without it affecting them in a manner that was visible.

My pigeons were never given any medication either curative or preventative over a prolonged period which built up their immune system with regard to any existing problems and more able to deal with any new ones.

At the same time I said going clinical in lofts using all kinds of preventative methods and spotless lofts to show off to friends, along with polished corn and widowhood and latterly darkness systems would result in complications of long term consequences.

The further you go from nature the more problems you encounter.

I used builders lime over 60 years both as a deep litter with sharp sand and as a perch dressing and the pigeons never ailed anything other than the odd one going light and a Old Hand pill cured that.

I told a friend who had young bird sickness to dust his perches and floor with the lime and as far as I know he has not had the problem since.


Instead of going the expets way of solving problems, try Mother Nature.

Regards.

hope you get it sorted and dont loose anymore know how you feel been a new starter i brought illness into my loft unknown to me but thanks to your lot got it sorted so good luck

I visit an old fancier regularly, he packed in racing must be 20 yrs ago but still keeps about 8-10 pairs for a hobby. His lofts have enough room for 4 times more birds, wire mesh windows, loads of ventilation, bone dry, never treats for anything, doesn't vaccinate, cleans out when he feels like it, feeds them old school feed, farm corn with plenty beans and peas. The only thing in the drinkers is tap water and the drinkers sometimes just get topped up rather than changed. His birds don't race or train or mix in baskets and fly out a couple times a week now and again when the weather suits him or to put the bath on. He just breeds a handful of YBs each year to replace real old pigeons. 20 yrs building natural immunity you'd think, but every year without fail he gets the YB sickness to the point he loses some.

Bad luck that ray hope they are on the mend soon but luckily you spotted it soon and probably no what to do

I find it a bit frustrating when fanciers come on here and say they’ve never had it, my birds are kept very healthy and a very close eye kept on each one every day.
I usually have my young birds well trained and bouncing by the 1st race with club members saying how well they look.
And I can almost garentee that by the Wednesday after the first race I will have at least one sicking up food and slimes droppings, I absolutely dread going down the loft because I know it’s coming. Some years the symptoms seem to be very mild and hardly noticeable at all, but if you are as close to your birds as I am, you know their not right. And it takes at least a month sometimes for it to clear completely.
I think a lot of fanciers that say they’ve never had it, haven’t even had a clue their birds are carrying it, especially if their on deep litter.
Some times the droppings just go darker green and stick to the scraper, ( the droppings also have a slightly different smell), sometimes the birds all file into the trap at feeding time, and one or two will sit on top of the shed just staring into space, (head gear affected). they are carrying it, if you send your team when some in the loft have these symptoms you will suffer loses.
Fanciers that just top the water up and chuck the grub in every night, go up the club and say they’ve never had it and they infect birds like mine.

I think after having our feathered friends for over 75 years I will have a reasonable idea when a pigeon is off colour in any way.

Deep litter is the best way to keep a pigeon in good health and be able to see if there are any problems, providing it is maintained in a proper manner.

My pigeons never had any health problems, nor did I ever lose many.

Every problem has a cause, including YBS and ultimately if the cause is found it will be by the fanciers using all the latest methods and feeding methods etc;
along with clinical conditions.

I did feed straight onto the deep litter just as the wild pigeons feed from all manor of situations and often topped the water up rather than clean the drinkers, just as happens in nature where the wild birds develope a good immune system from drinking from all manner of situations, but the water had garlic in it every day.

You cannot beat experience and facts rather than speculation by fanciers unable to keep their pigeons healthy by chasing WINS and money, using every unatural means the commercial boys throw at them.

The worst mistake many make is being in betweenies, chopping and changing. Bill does this, Jack does that, I must try it and they end up wth YBS and losses and blame everything other than looking at themselves.


The manner that the sort is going YBS will be just a minor irritation to what will arrise by going along the present road.

I do not deal in retrospect I said what would happen to the sport many times 45 years ago and it has.

I feel for anyone who has any health problems with their pigeons and sorry for the manner many treat their pigeons, eveything has a cause and blaming everyone else for ones problems does not solve them.


Regards.

by what ive heard / read, fanciers get yb sickness regardless of weather they scrape out 3 times a day, or never scrape out........it makes no difference, either can get it.

some fanciers get yb sickness straight from the nest when they are weaned, so is this transmitted via the parents ...?

I don't think anyone really knows why they get it, and what the symptums really are,as they tend to differ from loft to loft, there are certainly a lot of theories, but I suppose if we knew what caused it, no one would get it any more.

some say it only came about when we started vaccinating........

Everything natural eh, I don’t see any wild birds drinking garlic from puddles, I’ve also had pigeons for 40 years and I can also see an ailing pigeon.
But I’m not arrogant and think I know everything.
I learned from my Grandfather, father and 2 uncles on how to keep pigeons, and I’m still learning today.
You say people that get it like to blame everyone else, I’m giving my opinion that a lot of people will have had mild symptoms and not even known about it, especially people that have deep litter.
Your birds may never have had it or any symptoms, I’m sure you would have noticed it with your 75 years of arrogance/experience.

There is a big difference between arrogance and a deep concern for the sport and it's future, and in particular the pigeons well being.

I do not want to get into a bad tempered discussion as it helps no one and in particular the sport.


You will get exceptions in every aspect of the sport but the pigeons of today are not as healthy as those when I was young nor were there so many losses, there were some but not on the present scale.

You would have thought that with a little foresight in dealing with the problems as they arrose matters would only get better but the sport has actually gone backwards.

The only real changes have been detrimental to the pigeons life and welfare and the introduction of new timing methods the only real change in the competative side of the sport and each time a new timer has come along it has caused problems and given advantge to some fanciers.


I am afraid the All Right Jacks have a lot to answer to.


Regards.

As for garlic boosey, when the garlic is just sprouting growing wild many animals actually relish eating it, garlic flavoured wild rabbit is very nice in a stew.

Not only was I told about the value of garlic by a top fancier of the day, I also read that the Roman soldiers were forced to eat a clove of garlic every day and they always looked fit, my pigeons had it from birth fed by the parents and then by themselves.

Of course it costs very little so must be of no use, instead feed all the artificial commercial products there are about 200 or so to choose from and they must be good just look at the cost.

The time to use artificial products is when you see the wild animals outside the shops and leaving with empty wallets.


Regards.

Never ending story. Cause of young bird sickmess. I do not know the answer. So many theories, pick and choose. Can I spot it? Maybe I can spot a bird off colour. Very fast. If so it recovers or dies. If in obvious pain will nuke it. But very seldom have to. Young barn pigeons sometimes enter the loft. So what? If they have an ailment and pass it on via drinker so be it. Apart from injuries never had to nuke a bird for over 12 years. Semi deep litter, open loft. They go to the fields and forage. What they ingest have no idea. Limit open loft in planting time though. But again, birds have already got their "stuff" from the fields and with usually a full hopper do not forage for food. However, I am in a location where I can do this. Many are not as fortunate.
Basically same for old birds. Proof is in the pudding. Will see how it goes this year.

Yes Misty, thanks for the garlic update, I also know the benefits of garlic mine have it every other day.

MISTY wrote:

I never had the problem when other fanciers around did, and I am sure some put their birds in the race paniers along with mine when they should not have done.

There is no doubt in my mind that my pigeons came into contact with whatever the problem turns out to be, but either it did not affect them or they got it and were able to cope without it affecting them in a manner that was visible.

My pigeons were never given any medication either curative or preventative over a prolonged period which built up their immune system with regard to any existing problems and more able to deal with any new ones.

At the same time I said going clinical in lofts using all kinds of preventative methods and spotless lofts to show off to friends, along with polished corn and widowhood and latterly darkness systems would result in complications of long term consequences.

The further you go from nature the more problems you encounter.

I used builders lime over 60 years both as a deep litter with sharp sand and as   a perch dressing and the pigeons never ailed anything other than the odd one going light and a Old Hand pill cured that.

I told a friend who had young bird sickness to dust his perches and floor with the lime and as far as I know he has not had the problem since.    


Instead of going the expets  way of solving problems, try Mother Nature.

Regards.

. I feel for you Misty Builders lime x 60 you do I suggest fit into the true "know nothing category" with such cheap/simple thoughts etc. Next I suggest, you will tell us you place it in your water barrels at certain times to take away the nasties lurking there in your pigeons .  
*****

MISTY wrote:

As for garlic boosey, when the garlic is just sprouting growing wild many animals actually relish eating it, garlic flavoured wild rabbit is very nice in a stew.

Not only was I told about the value of garlic by a top fancier of the day, I also read that the Roman soldiers were forced to eat a clove of garlic every day and they always looked fit, my pigeons had it from birth fed by the parents and then by themselves.

Of course it costs very little so must be of no use, instead feed all the artificial commercial products there are about  200 or so to choose from and they must be good just look at the cost.

The time to use artificial products is when you see the wild animals outside the shops and leaving with empty wallets.


Regards.

   

200 more like 2000 or I would even go to 20,000 odd Misty etc. Every man & his dog who for what ever reason has built up a name in the sport it appears has a multitude of magic potions which they try & con us with their speel/waffle in that we must buy & have, if we wish to win as such    .

David wrote:

by what ive heard / read, fanciers get yb sickness regardless of weather they scrape out 3 times a day, or never scrape out........it makes no difference, either can get it.

some fanciers get yb sickness straight from the nest when they are weaned, so is this transmitted via the parents ...?

I don't think anyone really knows why they get it, and what the symptums really are,as they tend to differ from loft to loft, there are certainly a lot of theories, but I suppose if we knew what caused it, no one would get it any more.

some say it only came about when we started vaccinating........

It did start around that time David (vaccinating ) at least here it did.
nifuramycin used to clear it up but doesn't always now...maybe different illnesses at the same time....
first or second time i got it i threw corn on the floor so they all could get it at the same time and i didn't clean out,was that pzzd off with it.
on re-starting in 2012 i got it in a new loft that had never had any illness in at all.
I put them straight on 4in1 and fed layers pellets, all ok after about 3 days and didn't re-appear that year.
next year the same i got it same outcome.
I tried a water treatment that iv mentioned before....can't remember the name il have to look on the container.
Iv never had it since, i still get the odd one go off colour but not ybs.
This year Iv bred more youngbirds (plenty room) various ages....so far so good despite club members
having ybs in there lofts,lucky? maybe, Iv not treat for anything yet but am going to put them on 4in1 5 days as a canker and bacteria treatment and thats it.
primalic multi vits after and keep the water slightly acidic and take it from there

You have the right idea Knackered but I feel others will not understand.

Of course there was also the little matter that my pigeons had completely open loft,
young and old together, no problem settling the young ones, they came out when they felt fit to do so, and the parents fed them often up to the hatching of the second round, the latter I have said for many years is beneficial to the young ones immune system.

The old ones if not sitting would spend their time either flying around the loft or pottering up and down from ground to loft, a little better, I feel for their welfare than flying two enforced hours and then fastened up in a clinically treated loft smelling more like a chemists shop.


I think the NHS would be out of financial trouble if all the money wasted on aids to win was given to help it out.


Regards.