September 5th 2013 : All pigeons of BLUE HEAVEN LOFT are on their way to Gueret, the last National race on the programme of the KBDB. One more time, we’re full of expectations to watch our birds arrive home and then the season of the heavy middle distance 2013 is finished. In my previous edition, I wrote that all birds that survive the race from Gueret and that arrive in a good condition, can remain on the racing loft. Nevertheless, here with us, all racers born in 2010, are taken away from the racing loft, however it sometimes is painful. We know by experience, that +-60 heavy middle distance races in 4 years time, is the maximum what you can get out of a pigeon. So it’s better to give the opportunity to the younger generation. The movement all goes rather quickly and immediately after their arrival back home from the last race. The advantage of this, is that all pigeons become much calmer and they can start the moulting immediately. The old racers, born in 2011 and 2012, are removed from the loft.  We close their boxes and all other free boxes, are opened.  Once the young cocks conquered their place, they receive the hen that already breed in that box. So the movement to the new loft, all goes rather well, without too many problems. They can have a nest one more time and fly out but after about 10 days of breeding, we remove the eggs and the hens.  These hens move to an empty compartment, on which the youngsters raced. When the moulting is finished, the old racers move back to the racing loft, where we lock the new ones inside but we watch them closely for several days. The old cocks see the new guests as intruders, who try to conquer their territory. So pay attention because you have to avoid all kinds of fights. A pigeons that has been beaten out of his box, looses his trust and it’s very hard to re-activate the trust he lost.

Emdotrim: for a moulting without interruption

Don’t forget to get some EMDOTRIM (Firm  Ecuphar).  (This is not paid publicity).  We give this product from the end of September till Octobre 20th : so 3 weeks, 3 ml. per litre water, refresh it every day. By the use of it, the moulting will finish without problems and interruptions. Ask your vet, he can give it to you. Those that don’t care any longer about their birds once the season is over, won’t have the ideal moulting and every year, he’ll see that the moulting doesn’t pass on smoothly, without interruptions. Of course, you can always guess about the reason but it’s sure that the health of the birds is one of the causes. It’s important to try and keep your birds healthy all year long, you have to keep on observing them 365 days, so nothing goes wrong. May be this is the base of the difference between winning and losing? So you have to decide for yourself the choice you make. But for sure :”Winners are those that hold on a bit longer.” – Recently, I was asked about the drop of the down.  It’s an important aspect with our racing birds. But we’ll talk about it one of the following weeks, a little bit of patience for the one who asked this question.
A remarkable conclusion of some fanciers:
The point of view of some Walloon fanciers, who think that the road the KBDB took, should be changed; they prefer more interprovincial races than national races. My personal opinion to this subject: (but notice well, that I don’t have anything against my Walloon friends) : The fact that the KBDB leaders gives everybody in Belgium the opportunity to participate every week to a national race, should be appreciated by each and every fancier. Those fanciers that don’t share this opinion I dare to say that they don’t have a positive attitude.  It’s always much easier to criticize then to create something. It doesn’t make any sense to say that our birds aren’t able to do this kind of programme. When you say something like that, you have to participate first before you take this kind of position. Those that don’t participate to these national races, shouldn’t mention such a point of view. And that’s a fact.  There’s even more : you aren’t obligated to participate every week again. There are enough possibilities to choose certain races, on which you would like to score at the top. But I hold on to my personal opinion; as long as a national race (KBDB) counts more than 10.000 pigeons, nobody has the right to tear down the initiative of the new leaders of the KBDB, on the contrary. We mustn’t think that those fanciers (the Walloons) aren’t in a privileged position, isn’t true either. Don’t they know or not have the knowledge they they always race 80 till 100 kilometres shorter on each national race than we Flemish, and I don’t exaggerate, as you can see on the results.
If it’s true and every fancier realizes, that the last mile is the longest one, you have to realize that these are unfounded complaints.
Personally I believe that our Walloon friends are probably displeased by the beautiful and rich programme of the national races, organised by the KBDB, but more about their own structure, their own participating zone, in which it’s permitted that certain lofts, situated in Flemish Brabant, take away their first prizes every week.  That’s it, I don’t won’t to say more about it, I don’t go on at a polemic. I only want to make it clear to all of us and think about it.

In our previous edition, I promised to explain about the father and the mother of  “LEONA”, our national winning hen with the old and yearling birds Nevers and also fastest against all 14.487 pigeons. As well “BORIS” 2200650/04, the father (see picture), as “DAISY” 2190513/05, the mother (see picture) have a special history. But it’s all to complicated to explain here and we have to be short. So we’ll talk about in a next edition. Sorry …

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Conclusion : After 10 years of hard work in “BLUE HEAVEN LOFT”, with a lot of  stress but also a lot of pleasure, we’ll end it all…The horizon is far and wide, life is too short and much too beautiful. Yes, I know it very well…this probably won’t be the end because there’s enough work to do. Take new challenges but also enjoying of all life has to offer.  “We only live once” as our Walloon friends always say and they are right. These are priorities that I can’t ignore. But don’t worry about me, I’m still well, very well in fact…
More about it in one of my next editions. When all goes well, we’ll meet again next time. Stay well and in good health, is what I wish you all…

Your servant

THE LOST SON