Spring plants.

4 different named varieties.
Cannabis of course!

Do the pigeons peck at it Hal

Actually no. I got the four plants free. Son. Each one does different things as regards hi lows medicinal purposes. From the buds. I use the foliage, stems, leaves etc,. for nesting material etc,. The buds are picked by my son or his wife. I never use the stuff. When the tobbacco farmers were growing nesting material was the leaves of choice. They have about gone now. But the leaves, stems of both plants are beneficial. Heck, legal now but for me just a change in daily routine.

Once tobacco stalks became available they were always available to the pigeons, they never took up smoking and used them along with other material available both in the loft and garden.


Regards,

Always, always used tobacco stalks. Was led to believe that they kept 'Nasties' a bay.
Was a time when I got 'Chinese Chalk'! Just drew a line and anything going over it was … well gone. Had it at one time sent from Canada via Bill Butterfield... I brought some back too.

Then my friend, Yushang - married to wife's ex-husband brought some back.

Did see it once, and once only in a store, so topped up. I still have a couple in the old loft, I believe.
However, was once- maybe still is, banned here, because it was children believe might suck it! true! You, of course, you can use it like normal chalk.- It has an insecticide; otherwise, it wouldn't work.
Most chines restaurants use it. Illegally or not, but a blind eye it seems is turned. I guess. Indeed they won't or don't let you have it.
It does a fantastic job on say cockroaches etc.
I'd draw a line on perches, on rims of nest bowls etc. Never ever had a problem. Nor lice of course. However, feather Lice are a boon to pigeons feathers. they keep them clean and in great shape etc.

Next will we be adding steroids to the drinkers eh!

Cortisone has been used. Your comment on feather lice. Never heard that before!!!!

Burnt lime as good as anything for the health of a pigeon loft, cheap and effective.


Cortisone can be used as a performance enhancing drug and is banned, both in our sport and others.


Many of the commercial products are lime based but fanciers do not bother to read the ingredients but fall for all the commercial jargon.


Regards.

Cortisone has been used very heavily in Belgium for a few years. Twice it got so bad that the governing bodies, and government even, brought charges against a few well renowned 'Names'.
It is used to hold a condition of the bird. But it caused such wide spread havoc that sales dropped rapidly in many cases. Hence the foot brake applied to safe guard future sales. Because when worn off the birds fell to piece.. or nothing like what was bought.
Also to hold the race pigeon to hold it's super form.


Lice isn't frowned upon in Belgium even today … again because of sales only.


Was the main reason smocks / coats were worn.
They cleanse the feathers in Cristine and prime condition… also got shot of smaller nasties.
They eat around the feathers wicks allowing better growth and stronger, and unheeded growth.
A part of what nature supplies as needed.

Garden lime as I've often posted I believe is a boon. Used to fill in any notch holes. Bleach the loft, and burn twice over in off season. The same again before pairing … though there was a time, mostly the birds never got separated.
then I painted a thick solution of Lime. Indeed well covered it all.

Deep litter was used later in life too... would take up most and lime the floor. Leaving a small spread for the birds and then cover well with deep litter. This every 4 - 6 weeks. I found I could shovel, easily a compartment into sacks one day. Next day replenish. So on for the 3 - 4 loft compartments in use.

Had the same deep litter for over 40 years, even moved it from one loft to another, advocated same many times in the BHW and The RP also dusted the perches and nest boxes with same as well as lime washing all the inside of the loft, the loft still stands and is lime washed still.


Just sharp sand and burnt lime, dropping left to their own devices and just lime added when required.


A method that resulted in healthy pigeons and ones that gave me all the pleasure one could hope for along with giving them as natural a life as possible.


As I have said many times ;You can make a bear dance, but the methods often used ?????.



Regards.