Loft Log 03/30/2008
I have received quite a few birds over the past couple of weeks.
Birds were received from Bill Kinyon, Bill Mitiu, Bob Barnes, Bob Boltz, Bob Long, Bob Tavares, Brian Trebiatowski, Bryan Chaisson, Dave Shewmaker, Ed Minvielle, Joe Fisher, Tony Joswick/Karen Clifton, Larry Rehberg, Preston McGirr, Raymond Taylor, Richard Geurts, Robert Denny, Smith Family Loft, Steve Pronai, and Tony Agius.
Thank you once again for your confidence in me to handle your birds in the 2008 AU Convention Race.
I have the birds in my quarantine section and they will remain there for 5 -7 days. They will get plenty of food and water to rebuild after the shipping. They will have regained all of their strength before they have to compete with the other, more established, birds in the main loft. The birds will have a good fresh start for their arrival at their summer home.
I will generally send an email as soon as I have the birds in my loft, and call people that do not have an email address. If you are wondering if I have received your bird, check your email. If you do not get one from me, please email or call. There was a box of birds shipped with one bird going to me that instead went on rotation. The breeder was waiting for me to call, but since I did not have the bird in hand, I did not have anything to report.
Remember, the first two birds are $125 each. The third bird, if it is on rotation, is $50 or $300 total. If the third bird is designated to a specific loft, it is another $125 or $375 total. If you send three birds and $300, assume one bird will be on rotation. If you send $375, designate them to any of the lofts you have a reservation in.
My own birds have already molted their 3rd flight and are well on their way to having a full wing by the start of the race season. The convention birds will be a bit behind them, but those birds have until the middle of October to get full wings. I will be helping them along by removing a few flights and getting them through the body molt.
I have sent out a few birds to the races myself. Three will go to the AU Convention race and three to a local one-loft race. I anticipate winning both races. The AU race as both a breeder and a handler, so I will be in the money come October.
I have been putting the birds in the settling cage twice a day. They are trapping pretty well, but will soon be a bit lighter, and racing through the trap. My setup allows the birds to go into the settling cage by themselves throughout the day, with the only way back in the loft through the trap. Often I can look out and see many birds in my settling cage, and then next time I look they are all back in the loft. They enjoy the sun while they are in there, but are able to get back in when they want.
I am mixing about a ‘glug’ of apple cider vinegar in the waterers for all my birds on the premise. A ‘glug’ is about a tablespoon, maybe a bit more. I do not think a little bit extra hurts them, maybe just the taste. Sort of like wine that went bad. Other than that, no medications to date.
My breeders have been separated; only five breeder cocks remain with the young birds. They will be moved out in a week or so when the last of my youngsters are weaned. They also feed any birds on the floor that are begging. These last youngsters are headed to an auction race in a couple of weeks.
I am putting additional perches in the lofts to give plenty of spots for the young birds. I have enough floor space, and enough perches already, but I want to have even more so no bird has to look for a perch. The cock birds will get box perches, the hens just a 1x4 perch.
The winter still drags on. There is still plenty of snow on the ground, but is getting less. Some snow in the forecast this week. If the temperatures can ever get to ‘average’, I am ready to paint the inside of my newly remodeled loft. So much for Global Warming... I used to let my F350 diesel truck run a bit longer in the mornings just to try to warm things up, but I believe the new low-sulfur diesel doesn’t help the warming as much.
Loft Log 03/16/2008
The birds have started to arrive! I have received birds from Tom Roach, Ed Skwiat, Michael and Susan Smith, Bob Wallan and Fred Stephens. All birds looked extremely healthy and ready to win!
The birds are in my quarantine cages, and will be move out to the main loft in a few days. That gives the youngsters a chance to re-build there strength after a lengthy flight and being in a box for a day or two. The main loft has more competition for food, and with all of the changes I do not want the new birds to have to fight for their place in front of the feed trough.
Next week I know several people have called that will be shipping birds. These early birds will be in the light until the end of April, and will then commence into the Darkening System. They will also get a few flights clipped, for pulling after a couple of weeks. If you are unable to send birds before late-April, they will be at a slight disadvantage than other earlier birds. I will do my best will all of them no matter when they arrive.
I have put a bird inventory out on my web site. I will be updating the roster periodically and as time permits. If you have sent birds, and they are not on the list, please contact me.
http://home.comcast.net/~edrenckh/Pigeons/2008/BirdInventory-2008.htm
I am sometimes difficult to contact by phone, as I work and am on the phone quite a bit. You may either get voice mail, or no answer. Feel free to email me anytime, as I check my emails probably more often that my phone messages.
My loft project is now waiting for warmer weather for painting. It just doesn’t want to break for warm weather here. Normally by now we have some fairly warm spring days, but it’s still like a refrigerator here. The days warm up to only 40 degrees, and dropping in the teens at night. In about a month, this will be the best place on earth, but for now I want warm weather.
Hopefully all is well, and your breeding is going great.