The season 2012 is finished and it wasn’t an easy one. Nevertheless we found out that you don’t loose pigeons easily on those last races when they raced every week between 350 and 650 km and normally those are the most difficult no matter the weather conditions. Isn’t this a proof that the more you play your birds, the more experience they have to return back home. Of course, with this system, several birds can’t follow and they give up at the beginning or afterwards. But you can be sure that those that keep on going, have learned their lesson and they know their way back home by heart. We don’t have to select hard because the basket did its job.
Since our return to Belgium from Taiwan (2003), we use this system and also in 2012 we held on to that system. Not only with our old and yearling pigeons but also our youngsters weren’t spared.  All that are left after the 4 national races, will get their place on the racing loft of the old and yearling birds. Here, we move all birds that were born in 2009 and those that don’t meet our needs. We’re sure, that when you have raced your birds for 4 years by our system, when they have about 40.000 km in their wings, you can’t keep on motivating them to do another year with success.  This isn’t possible!  But these pigeons will produce very valuable descendants on our breeding loft. We think they pass on their intelligence and so it’s best to breed out of those pigeons that proved their capacities and qualities.
We in BLUE HEAVEN LOFT again proved in 2012, that this is a success story. When you start the season from Nanteuil (252 km) with a victory and you close down the season, 20 weeks later with another victory from Gueret (572 km), can be proud.

Good against lice and other vermin

Do not forget to use

Rennen voor de vlieghokken, van groot nut tijdens de rui

Indispensable during the moult

In the mean time, I would like your attention for some points. The season 2012 is finished but you can’t forget that from now on, you have to prepare the breeding- and racing season 2013. The day after our birds returned from Gueret, we treated them against cancer and coccidiose. At the same time, we also treated them for the louses, one drop in the neck of each pigeon with Ivermectine (Endo-Ecto). It’s an anti-parasite product that works against intestine worms (with exception of tapeworms), louse and mite. Be careful, don’t estimate the presence of feather louse and tailbone louse because they prevent that our pigeons don’t get the rest they need. We’re not shy to tell you that we have been afraid the next couple of days after basketing for the last national race. I’ll explain. You know that we brought our old and yearling birds on a nest for the last national races and we also gave them youngsters at the right time.  Soon these little ones were ready to get weaned on the day our racers went into the basket for their last race. When my wife and I took those little ones out of the nests, we found feather louses on several youngsters. Normally we don’t have that but as you see, when you pay too much attention to details, you sometimes forget the most important and that can’t happen : MEA CULPA. But, we all make mistakes.  For sure, this won’t happen again in future. Although…a few years ago, when I remarked a member of the board of a club where they use reed baskets, that our birds returned home with louses, he answered that most fanciers don’t pay any attention to this problem. At that moment we decided to pay more attention and intervene if necessary. You can prevent it on several different ways. These are the products, which we always have on our loft: VermiKILL of beaphar, Anti-spray vermin of Natural and Ardap spray of Quiko.  It’s not enough to have them on the loft but you also have to use them on regular times. Those that remember this lesson, will get their advantage.
With us, on BLUE HEAVEN LOFT, we separate our racers a few hours after their arrival of the last national race. We don’t let them gat another nest, no eggs or youngsters. No, now they don’t have to worry any longer, now they have to change their feathers without too many efforts. It’s very important that they get all the rest they need. Moulting is a natural process that happens without interruption. To get that effect, we use METHIO FORTE (HAP) and as always also “EMDOTRIM” of the   firm Ecuphar. When you ask your vet, he will know and he can get you the product.  We give it in a dose of 3 ml. per litre water for 21 days (3 weeks), without interruption. We start this on September 20th. Don’t forget to prepare it fresh every day. Hereby, you will avoid many inconveniences and afterwards you can admire your birds.
Recently, we moved our youngsters 2012 to the racing loft of the old and yearling birds. They can choose their nest boxes, while the old racers that still have another year to go, were moved to an empty loft of the youngsters where they can fly out or get a cure of oxygen in the aviaries in front of each loft. Of course, you have to close their boxes to avoid fights afterwards.
It’s necessary that our young cocks 2012 adjust as soon as possible to their new environment. Hereby we also have a general view of the filling up on the racing loft for 2013. It’s good to make plans before and when you don’t do it, you will always be left behind. This, we want to avoid on BLUE HEAVEN LOFT.

Your servant

THE LOST SON