Roma Fancy Lofts

Egg Binding

March 2000 by:- Rory Ryan

   Fortunately this problem is scarce among pigeons, it does however happen from time to time and we all should be aware of how to detect the signs and have a means by which to resolve the problem.

   If a hen is egg bound, a large circular lump can be felt in the lower part of the abdomen near the vent. Often egg bound hens are found on the floor of the loft in shock. The signs of this are that they will be depressed, fluffed up with both wings dropped and eyes half closed. They will be very weak due to exhaustion if prolonged and ineffective efforts to expel the egg. Often these hens sit on their tails with legs spread apart, wings and body erect. On occasions the vent may even be prolapsed, this condition can take up to four days to eventually kill the bird.

The cause of egg binding is not known however it is commonly thought that it is a mal function of the egg canal (or oviduct) using the correct term, resulting in the muscle of the oviduct failing to expel the egg. Generally, egg binding occurs at the start or finish of the breeding season. The predisposing causes for this problem includes hens that are bred out of season, young hens about to lay their first egg, old hens, small bodied hens and unmated hens. Other causes include breeding with hens that are unhealthy, including overweight as well as diseased, excessive egg laying (fostering eggs to soon) low calcium diets (pre mixed grains) that are low in calcium and vitamin D3, poor husbandry such as damp nests and drafts, sudden changes in environmental temperature, genetic factors and abnormal eggs.

   The successful treatment of these hens depends largely on the duration of the obstruction, a speedy diagnosis and the treatment protocol. In most cases it can be successfully resolve d within two to four hours by placing the hen in a quiet, warm ( 29 - 32 degrees C.), semi dark environment to overcome the shock and to relax the vent musculature. Hens that are not overly distressed can be given 10% calcium glutonate orally. It is paramount not to resort to barbaric, medieval practices to dislodge eggs, holding egg bound hens over steaming water and the like. Never, ever, remove eggs by manipulation if future breeding is contemplated.

   If the treatment described above fails to produce an egg naturally the seek veterinary assistance. all egg bound hens should be given a course of antibiotics as infection of the oviduct is not uncommon in these birds. You should at all costs avoid breeding from these hens until the following season, after all isn’t it better to have the bird miss a season and be ALIVE to perhaps produce that Champion you are striving for?

Pigeon Health

March 2000 by:- Rory Ryan

   During my time breeding pigeons, I have found them to be a very hardy bird. The number of sick birds I have encountered over my years as a fancier are insignificant in comparison to the number of birds I have maintained. If your birds are given fresh food, water grit, air, a dry loft and above all are not over crowded they should remain healthy.

However, even with the best conditions you will encounter some illness amongst your birds. The hardest thing to do is to isolate the cause of that illness. The first thing to check is the food to see if it is suitable for consumption (not mouldy). All water vessels should be clean, tamed iodine or normal household bleach are excellent to clean your drinkers with as these will kill any “nasties” that are in the vessel. If a bird becomes ill and you are unable to diagnose the problem please, seek veterinary advice. I have always been of the opinion that unless a bird makes a rapid recovery it is better off culled.

   External parasites will lower a birds resistance to disease. One of the most common external parasites are lice. There are several different species of lice. all the these are chewing parasites, which obtain their food from feathers and body scales. Heavily infested birds are restless and will loose their desire to breed, lice are extremely easy to control with ivomec or other bird specific products.

   Pigeon mites are another parasite that is unfortunately very common, feather mites, depluming mites and seldom seen here in Australia scaly leg mites. Birds infested with these are very nervous if the parasite is present in large numbers.

   The control of diseases and parasites is something that one learns with experience. Every fancier, at one time or another, has gone through a very frustrating period with their birds as a result of disease or parasite infestation. The most important thing to remember is that it may cost a little more to care for your birds in a proper fashion, but in the long run you will be money and time ahead.

   The steps to good pigeon health in your loft are:-

1/ Healthy breeding stock. The birds that you purchase to start your breeding program must be free of disease. If the adults are infected, the youngsters will also become infected.

2/ Proper sanitation. The loft should be clean and dry. Make sure that your birds are insect free (parasites). Eliminate the possibility of rodents and wild birds entering the loft.

3/ Loft Management. Build the food, water and grit vessels, containers so that they cannot be easily contaminated. Isolate birds that are purchased from other lofts before introduction into your own. Check carefully all birds that have been at a show. any bird that becomes sick should be isolated from the Rest of your birds.

4/ Proper feed. Make sure your birds have food that will provide them with a balanced diet. Make sure the birds also have available a good grit to digest their food.

5/ Clean water. Give your birds fresh water daily and clean vessels regularly.

6/ Sunshine and fresh air. The birds need sun shine and fresh air to gain vitamins and to remain health.

7/ Bath water. The birds should have a bath at least once a week rain hail or shine. The bath helps the birds maintain feather quality and assists with the moult.

   I hope these few lines have reinforced you current practices or given you a few new ideas.

Anticipation

March 2000 by:- Rory Ryan

   Well, the months of breeding should by now be well behind you all and with this phase gone now comes perhaps the most awaited time of all.

   That time being the culmination of the moult it is at this time that the fanciers dreams are realize or perhaps not! Sure we all know from a very early age whether a squeaker has potential or not but it is only after the moult, in many cases that a good bird develops into an outstanding bird. The moult adds the finishing touches, adult feathers, thicker neck, darker/richer Colour an air of “sophistication: etc.

   Personally I look upon this period, which can take weeks with great “anticipation”, many times I come up to the house and with great excitement say to my wife (Margaret) “I have just found a good one!” The moult alters young birds tremendously so a find! like that which I have explained are to be expected. Seldom does an ugly duckling turn into a gracious swan, as I have mentioned in the past we all have birds we keep an eye on and quite often these birds are the ones that progress to swan status after the moult.

   I have often suggested to fanciers that they place a marking ring on a newly weaned squeaker that they think has potential, then watch it develop up to the point of the “adult moult”, between this period there is a time where all birds no matter how good go through the “gaulky stage” and this is where many fanciers cull, mistakenly.

   I have always culled without bias and heavily, from the time a squeaker hatches to the moult and beyond, if a bird is not what the fancier requires for show or breeding then, I say WHY KEEP IT. We will all make the breed and our studs allot stronger by keeping only the BEST. I do hope that your “anticipation” has been rewarded and you all wear a big smile as I do from time to time.

The Creation of a Winning Stud

December 1999 by:- Rory Ryan

My involvement in this great hobby dates back, I am hesitant to say , some thirty six years!!! I am a second generation fancier, my father having been an extremely successful racing pigeon fancier, his record of achievements are numerous. The knowledge and experiences I gained in my early years, watching and listening to my father laid the essential foundation stone for all that I have achieved since.

As many who know me will be aware my quest for “perfection” is constant, half measures just do not “cut the mustard”. Your efforts in this hobby are measured in various ways depending on your individual goals. My own personnel goals are to create an outstanding line, or introduce a Colour to the highest level so as they are recognized instantly as a particular strain. to achieve this I have a number of key goals, these being:-

1/ that I in the first instance, keep pigeons for myself (meaning I do not care for adverse comments from fellow fanciers as to WHY? are you using this or that!) as all decisions are of my own making and I am not swayed by generalities.

2/ have the desire (dedication) to achieve a goal (in this case creation of a superior line, specimen or the introduction of a new Colour.)

3/ be diligent and unwavering in your quest.

4/ be open minded, read and listen to those you respect.

5/ realize that “ success does not come easy”.

6/ use only the very best birds for all crosses.

7/ be ruthless and cull heavily ( remember you have attempted this program to ACHIEVE an end result!!!).

8/ be humble and share your experiences and birds to improve the breed and this great hobby.

By now you may be thinking YEAH!! that’s all very well but how can I achieve this ultimate goal? Well, let’s start with your knowledge of the breed and particularly with who is winning constantly or who has the style of bird you lean towards. through the purchase of stock from this person, your numerous visits, phone calls etc you can gain more knowledge than any library full of pigeon books can give you. I can recall in my youth ( a long time ago! ) visiting “icons” of the pigeon world here in Australia, I would go well armed with my inquiring mind, note book and overwhelming quest to learn all “their secrets”. I found that, similar to normal life, that being polite, respectful and genuine in your pursuits will always pay dividends. It is important to evaluate all the information you require, what works or has worked for someone else may not suit you or the project you have commenced.

It is cruticial that when embarking on any project (including Colour), to always ask questions of those you respect and admire for their achievements in the fancy. Personally with any breeding project I undertake I have a “vision” of what my end goal, hopefully will be, bearing in mind the standard is what we must strive for. I do, however, strongly believe that every fancier has a different slant on the same standard, I know I do, I tend to lean to areas of a bird that I feel enhance them even more, emphasize a particular feature more.

We must all remember that the creation of any winning stud or introduction of a new Colour must have strong foundations and one here is the quality of the bird/birds to be used in it. Never be afraid to ask a leading fancier if he will sell a bird you feel will optimize your program, sure, he may charge you an arm and a leg but progress is achieved more quickly with QUALITY stock. The correct matings ( balancing traits of individuals ) is crucial as to is looking back into past breeding seasons to see family strengths and weaknesses. Consistency and improvements MUST be ever present in all generations if your “goal” is to be achieved

Achievements in any project seem to be overridden by disappointments, but remember it is important, No crucial!!!, to remain focused on your goal, breed only from the very best and above all CULL hard.

My thoughts on Training Pigmy Pouters
June 1992 By Rory Ryan

As many fanciers will be aware the Pigmy Pouter is a bird who loves to be handled, talked to and played with. It is this factor which gives the Pigmy fancier an advantage in training, and he must utilize this to his advantage. The Pigmy is a performing breed, and, that implies, when in the walking pen it must perform. A true evaluation of the overall qualities cannot be fully determined unless the bird is performing adequately, for example the correct globe shape and size is only visible when the bird inflates and this is seldom done unless the bird is aroused either by the presence of the fancier, judge or other birds. All birds posses a performing ability to varying degrees, if the fancier approaches this in the proper manner he can increase each birds performance.

Training should commence from the time the youngster leaves the nest, frequent handling and penning is a must in the initial stages, after which you should have made the choice as to which birds are good enough to go on and perhaps be your future "Champion" . As I come from a long line of pigeon fanciers and animal lovers the one thing that I always remember is what my father told me at a very early age, that being, "that if you treat a bird or animal in a detrimental way no amount of coaxing will achieve what you set out to accomplish, however, treat them kindly and with respect and there is very little that you cannot achieve". I have over the years confirmed this time and again.

Many fanciers, and judges for that matter, seem to be of the opinion that Pigmies perform of their own accord, well in some cases they do, however if the people in question bothered to talk to and coax the birds they would not only gain a better idea of each bird but would appreciate the owners efforts in training that bird for the show pen, to respond not only to him but to anyone who takes the time to speak to the bird. Many fanciers are lured to the Pigmy following, by the birds friendly character. So I say to all fanciers and especially you, the judges, take your time when judging the Pigmies and talk to them; many fanciers may think you have a "screw" lose by talking to them and I must admit in front of a crowd, at times, it can be embarrassing but if you wish, and should want to make the right decisions it is necessary; and really most fanciers are guilty of talking to their birds at some time.

Now to the training; this is best achieved if you have the right equipment. All that is required is a set of show sized cages arranged in such a fashion that each bird, once confined individually, cannot see any others, and a walking pen. I use cardboard or masonite as dividers for my training pens as mine are collapsible four bird pens. You may be wondering why the individual confinement is necessary, the answer is simple, the Pigmy abhors loneliness and a couple of days confinement is all that is required to induce the most stubborn bird to react once you are present or start talking "pigeon". You can see how effective this is when you compare say a mated bird to one that is being trained, the mated bird hardly responds, why/ Because he is not lonely! Formal training should commence about three days after confinement and it should take the form of speaking to the bird as if you were its mate or a driving cock, a series of "A-woos" in different tones repeated several times over a period will have the effect of making your bird blow, fan its tail and strut to and fro.

Once you have reached this stage it is time to commence using the walking pen as often as possible, place several hens in the pen, talk to them, snap your fingers and stroke them. By blowing gently into the neck feathers, while stroking their back with your hand, the bird will respond extremely well and will have no fear of strange hands. I am sure many of you have seen birds of many breeds placed in walking pens and once a hand is introduced the bird becomes excited and the club will surely have to replace the walking pen, as the bird tries in desperation to escape. Cocks will respond to the above training however there is another method by which you can achieve the same results and that is to hang a mirror on the back of the walking pen, when he sees himself reflected and you start your "A-woos' he thinks its another cock and starts playing to the other bird.

This training program is best followed for a week or so after which time all birds that being trained should be returned to the loft to bath etc, the program should be strictly adhered to for, four to five weeks prior to a show. It is important that your birds are so educated that when placed in the walking pen with other exhibitors birds that they know what is expected of them with regard to good pen behavior. You should place several of your birds in your walking pen for say, a half hour at a time so as to become accustomed to being confined with other birds; remember they should all be the same sex, and watch the cocks.

I realize other fanciers may not agree with my methods but feel that the majority do use this or a similar method in the training of their birds. It has been my experience over the years that I have bred Pigmies that the training of them is a well kept secret, why I don't know, we should all share our collective knowledge for the advancement of the breed.

I do hope that this article will arouse sufficient interest in the Pigmy Pouter to see it's deserved popularity soar again.