If everything stays the way they already announced, we will have 14 national races on the heavy middle distance in 2013.  To us, on BLUE HEAVEN LOFT, it will be more than 30 opportunities to win a national. 
That’s why the opening words of this article…It won’t be easy because everything has to go right but because these chances they offer, will give us a lot of opportunities. I’m not a mind-reader and I don’t want to run ahead but still I will go for it. It’ll be hard to do, that’s for sure but we have the advantage that our old and yearling birds are selected to do a race from 450 till 625 km every week again. So we will surely participate and take our chances.  With the good will and the persuasion to win another national race in 2013.  Those that live will see…

New on the market!

Despite all kinds of advice from all corners, there still are many fanciers who don’t know how to start the breeding season. It seems they never heard of planning. The day before the National days in Oostende, I received a phone call at breakfast from a French speaking woman.  Her husband was a fancier, who was in hospital at het moment but he would come home the next weekend. Her husband and the following question : ”Can I still treat my pigeons against Paratyfus?”  He wants to pair his birds on November 24th and all he had done was a cure against cancer. Because only 10 were left to start the winter-breed, we adviced to postpone the pairing for a month or to treat the pigeons while they are on eggs. During the conversation with his wife, I heard that, till now, hen ever had Paratyfus on his loft but his birds had been treated against it in spring 2012.  Perhaps, the best thing to do for this man, is to give a preventive cure by the drinking water with Emdotrim and than a vaccination, while the pigeons are on their nest. And believe me, our birds suffer from it, especially when the vaccination is done with a dead vaccination like Colombovac  PT of Pfizer.  You must know that those pigeons that leave their nest after the vaccination, are infected by Paratyfus. It’s an indication, so pay attention!
During the National days of the KBDB in Oostende, I met someone who didn’t agree with our vision to conquer cancer. Casually, the man said: ”Sooner or later, you’ll have to change your vision.” I wanted to rear up but luckily I was able to calm down. This was the second Jules Rijckaert who stood before me… and I wanted to say so but I didn’t. I let the man believe his wisdom…in fact everybody has the right to his own opinion. I’m sorry for the people who were standing there too at that moment, who heard this of a very successful fancier, who were put on the wrong leg. This shows again that all that glitters isn’t gold…On BLUE HEAVEN LOFT, we only take logical decisions, based on facts.
It’s easy to criticise but I prefer positive critics instead of negative news.  I already talked about the fact that here in Belgium we have to send our results to participate at the Olympiade, before October 15th of that year?  Why is it possible that our neighbours in Holland can send their results till December 3rd? It’s a big difference isn’t it?  And yes, those that race till half of September, always have to hurry to search his results and calculate before that date. When you want to calm down a bit after a busy season sometimes forgets the deadline to find out all of this to participate to the Olympics. May be they could arrange it better in future, while they’re making drastic chances anyway.

In many places successfully used. In Belgium, available at veterinarian Raf HERBOTS tel. +32 (0)475 24 65 89

“BLUE HEAVEN LOFT” :
While I’m absent, my wife takes care of the racers too and she phoned me while I was in Oostende.  I heard some panic in her voice because she noticed that a yearling cock didn’t act like normally when she gave them food. The bird, which had a good prize-list, didn’t come down  to eat.  When she examined him, she saw that his crop was filled with water. When she emptied his crop, it smelled terrible and she wanted to know what to do.
She already isolated the bird in one of the boxes we keep to those pigeons that aren’t all right. Of course I know all about this phenomenon…In spite of the fact that the bird still is in good weight, dead can appear fast. It all goes very fast. It’s peculiar that this phenomenon always appears with only one individual. They can only be saved if you act quickly. First we have to free the bird from all parasites with a tablet against cancer together with a tablet against Coccidiose.  Four hours later, the bird also gets a tablet against worms. Twice a day, we vaccinate them directly into the crop with “ADENO-COLI” from our vet Raf Herbots. At the same time, we give a little spoon of “NUTRI-POWER” from Natural. Mostly their condition doesn’t change; not better but no worse either.  Next we continue with a treatment against Stafylokokken, Steptokokken (both caused by a bacteria) and the Circovirus. During two or three days we use here for “CLAVUBACTIN”, also available on your vet’s order, we give half a tablet twice a day. If you don’t see any changes after two days, which is exceptional, you have to stop this treatment. Then there only remains one last treatment : “ZOVIRAX” tablets : 3 x a day ¼ tablet…You’ll soon notice that the condition of the pigeon will improve. The evil has passed and the bird will become lively and beautiful again.
Conclusion : it’s always good to keep those products in house, in case these problems appear. Usually it’s too late for a medical examination. I know, that those fanciers who hols on to a strict regime, will eliminate such a pigeon immediately. But when you love the birds, like my wife does, you do everything possible to save the bird and I must say she mostly succeeds.  Sometimes a day of negligence and you can’t react in time, it’s enough to get into trouble. At that moment, you can do what you want but it won’t help.
Many fanciers get confronted but they’re afraid to talk about it.
Don’t forget that when you react fast, all changes quickly…and this must be what you want. A long time ago, Van den Hoek, the promoter of grains and water said : “When my best breeder becomes ill tomorrow, I’ll visit the vet today.“ Isn’t that clear?
Conclusion : a good fancier must have the gift or learn about things that can happen every day. When you react soon, you can be sure: he’ll do well out of it.  We’ll leave it here and we will hear and find us again in two weeks.
Till the next time. In the mean time, stay healthy…

Your servant

THE LOST SON