The Boglin Marsh NOVICES SOCIAL CIRCLE. (part six)	Search this Site for whatever you seek! Find this: SEARCH THIS SITE
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Right then, Sunshine, so you want to know about magic bottles and secrets that induce condition or increased speed and form? Falling into the eternal novices trap are we? The only secret is good health, obtained through correct husbandry - cleanliness and routine management coupled with "The Fanciers Eye"! True there are things that will boost health and improve condition in any living being but, they will not make the mediocre into champions. The best pigeons have natural vitality, quite simply, they never get sick, even when others around them are well under par. The dangers with boosts is the fact that they can create false form and a mistaken feeling of well being. When this situation arises, the creature or human in a state of euphoria might push itself beyond its natural capability and severely damage nerve and tissue. This problem, I have experienced personally; pain killers, providing temporary relief and giving false confidence in my own physical ability. Once they wear off I pay the price with interest! It is no good telling a man to take life easy, when he feels fine, his pride won't allow him to lie down and further damage is done. Now the man knows that he is foolish, he knows the theory but, a pigeon doesn't and might push itself beyond its natural limitations, to be ruined forever!

Yes there are boosters and I will tell you about them, when and why; cause and effect but you must not adopt them as routine because, there is no substitute for natural form. It is natural form that you must attempt to achieve and recognise. If you have been faithfully following my system so far, then you are already using the finest health specifics - Honey; antiseptic properties, high vitamin value, carbohydrates and natural probiotic. Garlic; boiled as a wormer (it doesn't kill worms but aids expulsion from body) raw and crushed in drinker daily - reduces coccii count, acts as an expectorant to keep the respiratory organs in form. Calcium Concentrate; contains several essential elements to aid growth, metabolism, feathers etc. Cytacon B12; absolutely essential because the B12 vitamin is not found in cereals or pulses (beans, peas) It is only found in animal matter, wild birds obtain this from insects, slugs, snails, worms, which are problematic for the racing bird. Brewers Yeast; provides a full range of B Complex vitamins, but must not be overdone for two reasons - (1) the body will expel all excess, (it can interact with certain medicines adversely) (2) it can increase fungus disorders e.g. Thrush, Aspergillosis, Chlamidia. Personally I always preferred to administer in tablet form : one per pigeon on Wednesday only when racing, this gives a controlled dose. More than this can produce false condition; that is to say that the pigeon blooms like a show bird, fooling the fancier into thinking that full fitness has arrived.

Excessive use of seed mixtures also provide this false form effect, they should only be used for fat & carbohydrate loading as the race approaches, sparingly. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid); essential but not to be used in excess unless you like mopping out the loft! I will break with my usual non recommendation of commercial products and add one more Entrodex (Vydex Ltd.); This I tested myself on the Captains pigeons; his comment was that he had never sent fitter pigeons to Pau. I then recommended it to two friends (no names, no pack drill); they both now swear by its good effect in aiding pigeon recovery, digestion and improved condition. This was administered on Saturdays and Sundays after racing and is perfectly compatible with the honey. Now aren't you a lucky novice? Not only do you get the benefit of my experience, you are about to receive the benefit of the experience of my champion friends and all for the meagre price of of a book!

Hands up; how many of you are trying this out, how many think me crackers, how many of you think you know better? When I made Adrian a partner at 15 yrs. of age, he was telling me how to race pigeons before his 16th birthday; so don't worry I have the patience of Jove! Sit up, shut up and take notice laddie; because you can bet your bottom dollar, the widowhood men will all be using the meat safe system on their birds this year! Thirty years too late! O.K. that's enough patronising, you want to know how to recognise condition and that elusive form. Now these days I rarely handle a pigeon until basketing night because I can see all that I require. For you I would recommend that you handle them daily and that you get yourself the job of race ringer at the club, because you will learn more at this time than any other. Mentally note and develop a feel for the subtle differences in feather, buoyancy, skin condition along the keel of competitors birds. Try to pick the winner before the race, then check your feelings against the race result. See if any of your fancied birds actually made the result sheet, either as a winner or that fanciers first timer, once you can score above 30% correct, then you are on your way. Look for this condition in your own birds that show a variety of signs which are quite easily recognisable.

Red pigeons: do the markings stand out distinctly? Have the feathers taken on a darker hue? Is the feathering beginning to resemble a cheese grater (a sure sign of coming form)?
Blue & chequered: As above, do the wing bars or markings jump off the bird and smack you in the eye? Do they shine light and dark?
Dark & velvets: have they suddenly become darker like coal? Do the feet appear redder in comparison to the overall look? Can you see a frosty coat of bloom?
Grizzles: a combination of all above; does the grizzling appear more frosty?
Whites: are their feathers beginning to flute or crinkle on their wing covers? Are they immaculately clean, when others appear dull? Do they look like virgin snow?
All colours: has the eye become the centre of your focus, standing like a jewel above all else? Do the wattles and ceres appear larger, more distinct and pinkie blood vessels showing through? Don't think that they should be white, cere colours vary in families. Are the feathers tightening and appearing as if a single entity (other than the reds & whites that flute)? Are the feet warm & clean, but still carrying natural scale? Is the flesh on the breast de-scaling and becoming transparent, glowing with health? This point requires watching, some birds are fittest whilst de-scaling, others are fitter whist in the process so, note it in your diary! Are they making audible clicking or purring sounds as they walk around your feet (don't confuse with respiratory rattling or wheezing) this is a very distinct sound for those who trouble to listen. Just like Doctor Dolittle, I talk to animals and so should you; listen and look then note what they are saying! Has the timid individual suddenly taken on an arrogant stance? Has the bird grown suddenly larger, yet lighter in weight? Has one started to fly higher than the flock whilst ranging the sky alone? Do they lift off the floor or trap with a single clap of their wings, airborne in an instant? Is one still flying at exercise long after the others have trapped (stick him in the meat safe Thursday then pool him up on Friday night)? Now it appears that I am doing all of your work for you, so get out your garden chair and stud book, look, see what you are looking at and note it down!

One day a friend came to me with a pigeon that had a greasy white lump on it's keel about the size of one of the wife's glass headed pins. He was worried to death, thinking the bird was ailing or possibly contracted the dreaded pox. I laughed and told him that I wished every bird in my loft was so afflicted and told him to pool it. Some of you just don't know what you are looking at, he won the race that week, putting twice as much money on the bird for its next race. The pimple had gone and so had his money; now aren't pigeons fun?

I am giving you all this information well in advance of racing because this is forward planning, it would be of no use after the event. Come the end of young bird racing, together we shall be planning the following seasons matings and be ready for upgrading the system whilst commencing to produce a reliable family. That is the task that I have been set after which it is up to yourself, because like Adrian you will have swallowed the book. So on with the text; years ago, living only fifty yards from the seashore at my parents guest house there were several things available to me which proved to be useful. Egg shells from guests breakfasts, dried in the oven and crushed, seaweed; hung on the yard wall to dry then powder; oyster shells etc.; these made grit and provided a valuable natural source of iodine, calcium and trace elements. Being a bit of a schoolboy athlete, Halibut oil capsules featured in my diet, they also found their way into my pigeons (what a good job my mother didn't find out), these are dynamite and far better than soaking grain in cod liver oil; two per week did the trick. I think they even increased my fertility and didn't do the old stock cock any harm either! However, don't overdo it, they create false form and can fool you. The corn chandler at the end of the street sold 'Charphos' grit, this can no longer be purchased in Blackpool to the best of my knowledge. 'Charphos' was ordinary limestone grit but contained pieces of charcoal so necessary for good digestion, perhaps someone might revive it. We also made up the "Croston Bottle", to keep pigeons clear of dry colds and aid respiration. scribes have reproduced the recipe upon several occasions so you should all have that by now, it works and numerous top fanciers use it. A dry cold can be the scourge of many lofts during summer months, often fanciers resort to antibiotics when there is no need, a simple natural cheap remedy does the trick! Well I feel that this is enough for you to take in at one go, so will finish this page at this point. Once again, any problems then phone me and I'm sure that goes for any other B.H.W. writer, we are all here to help if we can. If we can't then we will find a friend who can! Till next time, keep your mind active and your bowels open! That is possibly the best bit of advice all day - because I have known many a fancier be caught on the toilet when their pigeons had arrived - my brother was an ace at being caught in that position. It was a funny sight, but not a very pretty sight and for that I can vouch - or my name isn't Matilda! Don't forget to read the books - which cover all aspects of bird, animal and human life ------then you will be as wise! Nobody learns without study and application!
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