THE MEANING OF THOSE ARTICLE IS TO EXPLAIN YOU READERS HOW I RACE AND TREAT MY PIGEONCOLONY DURING A WHOLE YEAR. I HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY READING IT.

THIS IS A SHORT INTRODUCTION TO EXPLAIN HOW I STARTED TO RACE HENS. IN 1996, THE YOUNG BIRDS BRED IN DECEMBER 1995 HAD A FANTASTIC YOUNG BIRD SEASON ON ALL THE NATIONAL RACES. MOST OF THEME WERE AWARDED AS ACE PIGEONS OF WEST-FLANDERS. THAT YEAR I USED THE DARKNINGSYSTEM, I START THIS THE MINUTE I SEPERATE THEM FROM THEIR PARENTS. THE DARKPERIOD IS FROM 5.00 PM UNTIL 9.00 AM. I BRED A 100 YOUNG BIRDS FOR A LOFT OF 11 M ON 3 M DEEP WITH ON EACH SIDE AN AVIARY OF 5 M ON 3 M DEEP. I FEED THE YOUNG BIRDS WITH A RICH BREEDINGMIXTURE FOR THE 1st 4 MONTHS OF THEIR LIFE. THEY MAY EAT AS MUCH AS THEY WANT TO. AFTER THOSE 4 MONTHS I SWITCHED OVER TO A RICH PURIFICATION MIXTURE COMPOSED OF 25% DEPURATIVE, 25% DARY, 25 % CARDY AND 25% MAIS CRISP. I GIVE THIS ALSO ONCE A DAY AS MUCH AS THEY WANT. FROM THE 1st OF JUNE I STOP THE DARKNING SYSTEM. THE YOUNG BIRDS CAN INTO THE AVIARIES IF THEY WANT TO GO. ON THE 1st OF JULY I SEPERATE THE SEXES. * THE 1996 YOUNG BIRDS HAD MADE SUCH GOOD RESULTS, ESPECIALLY THE HENS, THAT WE DECIDED TO RACE THEM THE NEXT YEAR TOGETHER WITH THE YOUNG BIRDS , BUT ALSO ON THE SAME WAY AS THE YOUNG BIRDS! IN 1998 THE HENTEAM WAS MADE OF 1996 HENS, 1997 HENS AND OF COURSE THE 1998 YOUNG BIRD HENS. I KEPT ABOUT 30 HENS ON THE LOFT THEY WERE RACED AS YOUNG BIRD, YEARLING AND OLD BIRD! * FROM JANUARY UNTIL THE 1st OF MAY I START THE DARKNING SYSTEM FROM 5 PM UNTIL 9 AM * FROM 9 AM UNTIL 4 PM THEY STAY IN THE AVIARIES FROM 4 PM I TRAIN THEM FOR 1 HOUR, THEY GO IN TO EAT AND THEN THE CURTAINS ARE CLOSED. * 3 TIMES A WEEK (ALL TWO DAYS) I TOSS THE HENS SOME 40-50-60 KM FAR . FROM APRIL UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF MAY I RACE THE HENS EACH WEEK ON A DISTANCE OF 170-300 KM. THE FOOD IS STILL A LIGHT MIXTURE,COMPOSED OF 25% DEPURATIVE, 25%DARY, 25 % CARDY AND 25% MAIS CRISP . IN 1998 WE STOPPED THE DARKNING SYSTEM ON THE 1st OF MAY. IN A WAY WE GAVE THE THE SPRING IMMEDIATLY WITH THE CONSEQUENCE THEY GOT TOPCONDITION. THESE HENS WERE PAIRED UP THE 10th OF MAY. I PREPARED THEM FOR THE NATIONAL RACE FROM BOURGES (419 KM) ON EGGS OF 5 -10 DAYS, WITH THE FAMOUS RESULT: THEY WON: 1, 3, 5, 8, 9... ALL NATIONAL POSITIONS AGAINST 3.397 HENS . NEVER DONE BEFORE ON A NATIONAL RACE ! AFTER BOURGES NATIONAL I RACED THE HENS WITH A BABY, THE RESULTS WERE NOT SO GOOD ON THIS NESTPOSITION. THEY GOT BETTER CONDITION WHEN I SWITCHED THEM OVER TO THE WIDOWHOODSYSTEM UNTIL MID SEPTEMBER. UP TO HERE I EXPLAINED MY HENRACINGSYSTEM IN 1998. 1998 WAS BY ALL MEANS A SUCCESSYEAR WITH THE HENS: A 1° NATIONAL BOURGES AND A 2° NATIONAL LA SOUTERRAINE , A LOT OF PROVINCIAL AND CLUBWINS.

1999 WITH THE EXPERIENCE AND SUCCESS I HAD IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS, I DECIDED TO COMPLETE A TEAM OF 48 STRONG SELECTED HENS IN 1 LOFT. AGAIN I STARTED THE DARKNINGSYSTEM FROM 5 PM UNTIL 9 AM. AT 9 AM I LET THE HENS IN THE AVIARY UNTIL 4 PM. THEY TRAIN FOR 1 HOUR. AFTER THE TRAINING THEY MAY EAT A LIGHT MIXTURE AS MUCH AS THEY WANT FOR HALF AN HOUR. AFTER THOSE 30 MINUTES THE REST OF THE MIXTURE IS TAKEN AWAY. AT THE END OF MARCH I START TO TOSS THE HENS FROM 5,10,20 & 60 KM FAR. AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL I RACE THEM AT A DISTANCE OF 70 KM, 2 x 170 KM, 1 x 300 KM. THIS WEEK (3rd WEEK OF MAY) I RACED THE HENS FROM ORLEANS (350 KM) . THEIR FOOD IS MADE OF A LIGHT MIXTURE. THEY GET FOR A RACE UNTILL 200 KM 2 MEALS OF SPORTMIXTURE. FOR A 200-350 KM RACE I FEED THEM THE LAST 4 MEALS WITH A SPORTMIXTURE. VERY IMPORTANT IS MAKE SURE THERE IS ENOUGH MAIS IN IT ! I RACE THE HENS EACH WEEK TO AVOID THEY WOULD PAIR. A STRANGE FACT IS THE BETTER THE CONDITION THE MORE THEY PAIR, EVEN WITH 6 OR 8 TOGETHER IN A CORNER AT NIGHT. DO YOU KNOW WHAT EVEN STRANGER IS ? THEY DON'T LAY!!! IST IT DUE TO THE DARKNINGSYSTEM ? BY LEAVING THEM IN THE AVIARIES ? OR THE FEEDING ? IN A ANY CASE THE RESULTS ARE AMAZING? MY HENS BEAT THE WIDOWHOODCOCKS EACH WEEK IN THE GENERAL RESULTS, NOT THE DOUBLING OF HENS. MY PURPOSE IS TO RACE THOSE LADIES UNTIL THE END OF AUGUST ON ALL DISTANCES, EVEN BARCELONA & PAU. EVERYBODY IS AMAZED BY THE RESULTS OF MY HENS WHICH ARE RACED JUST LIKE YOUNG BIRDS. HERE FOLLOWS SOME RESULTS ACHIEVED BY THEM UNTIL THE END OF MAY: 1.5.99 AGAINST 310 OLD BIRDS FROM DOURDAN =282 KM 2, 5, 9, 10, 15, 28, ... 20 PRIZES FROM 30 HENS 19.5.99 AGAINST 305 OLD BIRDS FROM ORLEANS = 350 KM 1, 2, 3, 9, 11, 12, 15, 17, 23, 29, 30, 31, 36, 39, 40, ... 20 prize from 30 THIS LAST RACE WAS A HARD ONE , IT WAS NORTH - EAST HEADWIND ! GIRLPOWER ! MEDICAL TREATMENTS: *I DESINFECT THE HENS AT THEIR ARRIVAL WITH NIFURAMYEIN * IN MARCH I TREAT THEM FOR 5 DAYS WITH RODINASOL(ROHNFRIED) AGAINST TRICHOMASE *THE DAY BEFORE BASKETTING I GIVE THEM VITAMINES : GERWIT-W (ROHNFRIED) & KAPWIT- B ON THE FOOD. *DAY OF BASKETTING THEY GET PURE WATER ONCE IN A WHILE I GIVE THEM ELECTROLYTES , RENNFIT FROM ROHNFRIED.

AFTER A LONG WET WINTER, WITH MANY MEETINGS, CHAMPIONSHIPFESTIVALS AND A LOT OF TRIPS TO CHINA, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA AND SOUTH-AFRICA BROUGHT A LOT OF TENSION AND DISTRACTION AT THE SAME TIME. THAT's WHAT WE CALL TO COMBINE BUSINESS WITH PLEASURE. IN BELGIUM WE HAVE AT LEAST 2 CHAMPIONMEETINGS A WEEK. SO IF YOU WANT TO BE PRESENT AT A "BIG" MEETING, YOU ALSO HAVE TO BE THERE AT THE LOCAL CLUB. ALL PIGEONCLUB ORGANISERS MAKE SURE THEIR MEETING IS SUBLIME. NOBLESSE OBLIGE , THE FRENCH WOULD SAY ! THE MAIN CHAMPIONSHIPPOSITIONS I WON IN 1998 ARE : 1° CHAMPION LONG DISTANCES "REISDUIF" 1998 1° CHAMPION LONG DISTANCES "BELGISCHE DUIVENSPORT" 1998 2° BEST LOFT "DUIVENKRANT" 1998 2° BEST LOFT "REISDUIF" 1998 5° BEST LOFT "DUIVENKRANT" 1998 OLD BIRDS 7° BEST LOFT "DUIVENKRANT" 1998 YEARLINGS THOSE CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE NATIONAL. IMPORTANT TO KNOW, IS THAT TO WIN THOSE CHAMPIONSHIPS YOU HAVE TO RACE EACH WEEK TO COLLECT POINTS. YOU CAN WIN POINTS WITH YOUR FIRST 3 NOMINATED PIGEONS. IT'S VERY HARD BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO RACE FROM APRIL UNTIL SEPTEMBER.

WE JUST STARTED WITH THE PREPARATION OF A NEW RACINGSEASON. I HAVE ISOLATED ALL MY LOFTS IN THE AUTUMN OF 1998 SO UP TODAY I DON't HAVE ANY MOISTUREPROBLEM. THE ISOLATION IS MADE OF A DOUBLE PLASTIC FOIL COMPRESSED WITH AIR IN BETWEEN. ON BOTH SIDE THERE IS TINFOIL. I INSTALLED A BRAND NEW FLOOR ON EACH LOFT. IT's UNBELIEVABLE HOW DRY MY LOFTS ARE, NOW EVERYBODY COMPLAINS ABOUT MOISTURE ON THEIR LOFTS. WE ALSO CLEANED ALL THE LOFTS, ELIMINATED ALL DUST AND INSECTS BY SRUBBING WITH WARM WATER. I ADDED HALAMID TO THE WARM WATER , IT's A VERY EFFICIENT DESINFECTER. IT's USED IN THE MEATINDUSTRY AND THE CHICKEN-EGG INDUSTRY. IT HAS NO TASTE AND NO SMELL. ANOTHER PRODUCT I USE TO DESINFECT THE LOFTS IS MEGUVON, I SPRAY THIS AROUND, IT WORKS FOR A LONG TIME TO KILL ALL INSECTS. AFTER THE HALAMID-MEGUVON TREATMENT I USE THE GASFLAME TO DESINFECT A LAST TIME EVERYTHING. IN MY OPINION IT's STILL THE BEST DESINFECTER ! BUT BE CAREFUL, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOME BUCKETS OF WATER NEXT TO YOU IN CASE YOU BURN THE WOOD TOO MUCH.

THE PIGEONS EVERY TWO WEEKS, A YOUNG VET COMES TO CONTROL THE PIGEONS ON TRICHOMONAS AND COCCIDIOSE. TRICHO IS THE WRETCH AND MOSTLY THE LINK TO OTHER DISEASES. I TAKE NOTES OF THE VETS COMMENT. AFTERWARDS I CAN COMPARE WHICH MEDICATION WORKS BETTER ON DIFFERENT PIGEON, SO I CAN FOLLOW THE PIGEON A WHOLE SEASON. A GOOD MEDICATION IS CALLED FLAGYL. I GIVE 1/4 OF A PILL INDIVIDUAL TO EACH PIGEON. IT'S MORE EFFICIENT WHEN YOU GIVE IT INDIVIDUAL, BUT IT's MORE EXPENSIVE . IN THE LONG RUN THE CHEAPEST ! I PREFER TO MEDICATE A PIGEON INDIVIDUAL, BECAUSE MEDICATION YOU ADD TO THE WATER IS GOOD, BUT NOT ALL THE PIGEONS DRINK THE SAME QUANTITY. YOU ALSO HAVE THE PROBLEM WHEN IT's FROZEN, IT LOOSES ITS POTENTIAL

WE ARE NOW HALF MARCH, THE PIGEONS LOOK BETTER THAN EVER. THEY MAY FLY EVERY TWO DAYS TO TRAIN LIGHTLY. IN SPITE OF THE BAD WEATHER, THEY FLY LIKE TUMBLERS IN THE SKY. BE CAREFUL FOR WINTERCONDITION.

THE BREEDERS WERE PAIRED UP AT THE END OF NOVEMBER. THE 25 MAIN BREEDINGCOCKS GOT THEIR USUAL HEN FOR THE FIRST ROUND. THOSE EGGS WERE PUT UNDER A YEARLINGTEAM , WHICH WAS PAIRED UP AT THE SAME TIME AS THE BREEDINGCOCKS. ONCE THE EGGS ARE TAKEN AWAY, I SEPARATE THEM. I GAVE THE "MAIN 25 COCKS" A YOUNG FRESH HEN. THOSE HENS WERE ALL MEMBERS OF THE FANTASTIC BOURGESTEAM 1998. THEY WON: 1, 3, 5, 8, 9... ALL NATIONAL POSITIONS AGAINST 3.397 HENS . THOSE EGGS FROM THE PAIRINGS "MAIN 25" x "BOURGESHENS" WERE PUT ALSO UNDER ANOTHER YEARLINGTEAM. THE "MAIN 25 BREEDINGCOCKS" GOT THEIR FIRST (USUAL) HEN. WITH THIS BREEDINGTACTIC WE HAVE SOME 120 YOUNG BIRDS ON A LOFT OF 11 M LONG AND 3 M DEEP. THE AVIARIES ARE COVERED UP , ONLY THE FRONTSIDE (THE SOUTHSIDE) IS OPEN.

DARKNING YOUNG BIRDS I START WITH THE DARKNINGSYSTEM IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE YOUNG BIRDS ARE PUT IN THEIR LOFT. I MAKE THE LOFT DARK FROM 5 O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING UNTIL 9 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING. DURING THIS DARK PERIOD THEY STAY IN GOOD AIRED LOFT. AT 9 O'CLOCK THEY GO FOR 1 HOUR IN THE AVIARIES. THEY MAY FLY FOR 2 HOURS, THEN BACK IN THE AVIARIES UNTIL 5 O 'CLOCK. FROM 5 TO 9 IN THE DARK LOFT. A BIG MISTAKE SOME FANCIERS MAKE IS THAT THE LOFT IS NOT WELL AIRED. THEY MAKE EVERYTHING WELLCLOSED FOR THE LIGHT BUT THEY FORGET TO VENTILATE THE LOFT !!!.

THE YOUNG BIRDS ARE NOW 2 MONTHS OLD. BEFORE THEY ARE VACCINATED AGAINST PARAMYXO AND POX, FIRST I GIVE THEM A TRICHOMONASETREATMENT. AFTER THIS TREAMENT I VACCINATE THEM WITH COLOBOVAC AND OVOPERISTERIN AGAINST PARAMYXO. BOTH VACCINS ARE GIVEN INDIVIDUALY.

I FEED THE 4 MONTHS OLD YOUNG BIRDS ONCE A DAY WITH A BREEDINGMIXTURE. THEY MAY EAT AS MUCH AS THEY WANT FOR 1 HOUR. THEN I TAKE THE FOOD AWAY. YOUNG BIRDS HAVE TO EAT WELL TO LET THEM GROW WELL, LET THE MUSCLES DEVELOP WELL AND THE FEATHERS MUST BE NICE.

ONCE THEY ARE 4 MONTHS OLD I GIVE A LIGHTER MIXTURE, SO THEY CAN LOOSE SOME WEIGHT. THEY WILL TRAIN BETTER AND LONGER. THIS MIXTURE IS COMPOSED OF : 25 % MAIS, 25 % DARI, 25 % PADDYRICE AND 25 % COMMERCIAL DEPURATIVE MIXTURE. ONCE IN A WHILE YOU MAY GIVE THEM SOME LINSEED AND SOME CABBAGESEED, THIS IS A AN EXTRA FOR THE FEATHERS! AT THIS AGE I LEARN THEM TO ACCUSTOM IN A RACEBASKET. THEY STAY IN FOR 3 DAYS. SO I LEARN THEM TO DRINK AND EAT IN A RACEBASKET. AFTER THIS SESSION I START TO TRAIN THEM FROM SEVERAL DISTANCES: 2, 5, 10,25 KM. I TRAIN THEM BY CAR A LOT, I MEAN LOT !!! THEY LEARN HOW TO COPE WITH THE BASKETSTRESS. THE SHOCK WILL BE MUCH LESS AT THE FIRST RACES.

AT THE AGE OF 5-6 MONTHS OLD I START TO TRAIN THEM WITH OTHER PIGEONS AT THE LOCALCLUBS. AT THIS AGE THEY ARE STRONG ENOUGH RO RESIST AGAINST ALL KINDS OF DISEASES THEY CAN GET FROM OTHER RACEPIGEONS. AT 5 MONTHS OLD THEIR MUSCLES ARE WELL FORMED IN CASE THEY FLY WRONG THEY CAN GET BACK HOME , EVEN IN BAD WEATHER! SORRY I FORGOT SOMETHING IMPORTANT ! YOU HAVE TO SEPERATE THE YOUNG BIRDS FROM THEIR PARENTS WHEN THEY ARE VERY YOUNG. THE TAIL MUST BE2-3 CM LONG. I SETLLE THEM ON THEIR LOFT ( I MEAN THEIR, BECAUSE THEY STAY FOR THEIR RACINGCAREER AT THE SAME LOFT) . THEY DON'T GET ANY FOOD THE FIRST DAY. THE 10 FOLLOWING DAYS NOTHING BUT ENGLISH PEAS. DON'T FORGET TO PUT THEIR HEAD INTO WATER IN CASE THEY HAVEN't FOUND THE WATER YET ! REMBER THE YOUNGER THEY ARE SETLLED, THE BETTER THEY EAT, THE FASTER THEY ARE INDEPENDENT.

SO THIS WAS WHAT I HAD TO TELL YOU HOW I HANDLE WITH THE YOUNG BIRDS UNTIL NOW. I WILL INFORM YOU IN JUNE HOW THE YOUNG BIRDS ARE DOING IT IN THE RACES.

RACING OLD BIRDS AND YEARLINGS AS I MENTIONED IN ANOTHER ARTICLE, 2 LOFTS OF YEARLINGS BREED YOUNG BIRDS IN NOVEMBER. THOSE 2 YEARLINGLOFTS ARE PAIRED UP AGAIN AROUND THE 20th OF MARCH (IF THE WEATHER ALLOWS IT). I START TO TRAIN THEM BY CAR DURING THE "HUNT" ON THEIR WIDOWHOODHENS. 2 BIG ADVANTAGES OF TRAINING THEM BY CAR DURING THE HUNTING IS FIRST : YOU CAN EASY CATCH THE COCK ON THE LOFT SECOND: THE COCK LEARNS TO FLY HOME FAST, BECAUSE HE HUNTS HIS HEN AN IMPORTANT NOTE IS THAT, IF THE WEATHER IS TOO BAD, YOU CAN LENGTHEN THE HUNTINGPERIOD BY REMOVING THE EGGS AS SOON AS THEY ARE LAYED. SO THE COCK DOESN'T SEE ANY EGG. ON THIS WAY YOU WILL LENGTHEN THE HUNTING, THE COCK STAYS IN GOOD SHAPE AND DOESN'T GET FAT BY SITTING ON EGGS.

TODAY WE ARE THE 15Th OF MARCH, THE WEATHER IS FANTASTIC, SURELY AFTER THOSE RAINY MONTHS. IT's REALLY SPRING IN BELGIUM WITH 15 °C . I JUST STARTED TO TRAIN THEM BY CAR, SOME 5 KM FAR. I HAVEN'T PAIRED THE RACINGPIGEONS UP YET.(EXCEPT 2 YEARLINGLOFTS). THE WEATHER IS SO NICE THAT THE WIDOWHOOD COCKS ARE ALLOWED TO PLAY IN THE SUNNY SKY.

THE 2,3, 4 OLD COCKS ARE PAIRED UP AROUND THE 1st -5th OF APRIL. THOSE PIGEONS HAVEN'T BREED ANY YB THIS YEAR. I TRAIN THEM BY CAR ALSO DURING THE HUNTINGPERIOD (DRIVING THE HEN). THEY MAY SIT ON EGGS FOR 5 DAYS. I DON'T LET THEM BREED, TO KEEP THE WING COMPLETE, SO THEY CAN ATTEMPT THE LAST RACES IN JULY AND AUGUST, EG PERPIGNAN. BUT ! BEFORE THE RACINGPIGEONS ARE PAIRED UP WITH THEIR WIDOWHOODHENS WE GIVE ALL HENS A TRICHOMONASETREATMENT WITH EMTRYL FOR 5 DAYS. YOU TAKE ONE COFFEESPOON FOR 2 LITERS WATER. THIS WINTER I ALSO VACCINATED ALL MY PIGEONS, EVEN THE YB, BREEDERS, ALL WIDOWHOODCOCKS & WIDOWHOODHENS WITH COLOMBOVAC AGAINST PARAMYXO, WITH PERISTERIN AGAINST THE POX.

I MADE SOME MISTAKES WITH MY HENS THAT I WANT TO EXPLAIN. THE HENS ACHIEVED VERY GOOD PERFORMANCES IN THE BEGIINING OF THE SEASON : FROM DOURDAN 1.5.99 AGAINST 310 WIDOWHOOD COCKS: 2°, 5°, 9°, 10°, 15°, 28°, ... WITH 20 PRIZES OF 30 ENTRIES FROM ORLEANS 19.5.99 AGAINST 305 COCKS: 1°, 2°, 3°, 9°, 11°, 12°, 15°, 17°, 23°, 29°, 30°, ... 20 /30 THIS RACE FROM ORLEANS WAS HARD HEADWINDRACE AGAINST THE BEST MIDDLE DISTANCE COCKS OF THE CLUB. BIT BY BIT IS THE RACE BOURGES COMMING CLOSER. THIS IS THE ELITERACE OF THE MIDDLE DISTANCESPECIALISTS. ALL BELGIAN FANCIERS MAY COMPETE.MY HENS DID IT VERY WELL: NATIONAL HENS 4.202 HENS: 4°, 12°, 31°, 47°, 50°, 57°, 58°, 63°, ... PROVINCIAL HENS 393 H: 1°,... NATIONAL 24.612 OLD BIRDS : 25°, 71°, 237°, ... AS I SPEAK FOR MYSELF IT's AN IMPRESSIVE RESULT WITH WIDOWHOODHENS. THE NEXT STEP FOR THE HENS IS LIMOGES PROVINCIAL KINGS CUP AT THE KORTRIJK CLUB THEY TOOK : 1°, 2°, ... AGAINST 143 2 Y OLDS. THIS PROVINCIAL RACE IS A SORT OF TRAINING FOR THE BIG LIMOGES DERBY RACE , 14 DAYS LATER. I WON THIS NATIONAL RACE IN 1983 WITH "YOUNG DIKKOP" . REPORT ON LIMOGES DERBY 10.7.99 THIS RACE WAS VERY HARD WITH N_EAST WIND AND EXTREMELY HIGH TEMPERATURES. I WIN THE 1°PROVINCIAL LIMOGES HENS AT A SPEED OF 1.012 M PER MINUTE. 23 FROM 37 ENRIES OR ON THE RESULT AGAINST 123 HENS: 1°, 4°, 5°, 8°, 9°, 12°, 13°, 17°, 18°, 19°, 21°, 25°, 26°, 27°, ... SHE WILL BE IN THE TOP 5 OF THE HENS NATIONAL RESULT AND IN THE FIRST 100 NATIONAL AGAINST THE OLD BIRDS ( ABOUT 11.000 B). AS I ALREADY MENTIONED LIMOGES WAS VERY HARD FOR EVERY PIGEON. THEY ARE NOW FOR 4 MONTHS WIDOW AND THE WARMER IT GETS THE MORE THEY WANT TO PAIR. THEY STAY DURING THE DAY IN THE AVIARY FROM 9 AM UNTIL 4 PM. THEY FLY FOR HALF AN HOUR, WE GET THEM IN, FEED THEM FOR HALF AN HOUR AS MUCH AS THEY WANT. AFTERWARDS WE TAKE ALL THE FOOD AWAY. A NEXT STEP IS TO MAKE SURE EVERYTNING IS DARK UNTIL 9 AM. MY LADIESTEAM IS NOW ON REST FOR 14 DAYS. I'M DOUBTING IF I WILL PAIR THEM OR LEAVE THEM ON WIDOWHOOD. MEANWHILE THE COCKS PROOVED THEY ARE AS GOOD AS THE HENS, ACHIEVING BRILLIANT RESULTS ON THE SPRINT, MIDDLE - LONG AND EVEN EXTREME LONG DISTANCE. I THINK I REACHED MY PURPOSE, TO SHINE ON BOURGES AIANST THE MIDDLE DISTANCESPECIALISTS AND EVEN BE GOOD ON THE LONG DISTANCE AND EXTREME LONG DISTANCE. ON BARCELONA I CLOCKED 9 FROM TYHE 11 COCKS WITH 5 ON THE FIRST DAY/ CLUB 275 B : 4°, 9°, 17°, 22°, 30°,46°, 47°, 80°, 81°. EVEN FROM DAX THIS WEEKEND I WON THE 7°INTERNATIONAL AGAINST 13.000 BIRDS WITH A 2 YEAR OLD. IMPORTANT FOR YOU, THE READERS IS THAT I TRIED SOME HENS ON THE EXTREME LONG DISTANCE : ON PAU AND BARCELONA. I SELECTED 5 HENS ON THEIR RESULTS AND ORIGIN. I CLOCKED ONE THEM ERALY , SHE WON ABOUT THE 26th PROVINCIAL AGAINST 500 BIRDS. I WAS SATISFIED WITH TJIS TEST. BUT BARCELONA WITH A BIG MINUS. IN A WAY IT's MY FAULT. AS YOU ALREADY KNEW MY HENS WERE VERY LIKELY TO PAIR. THE DAY OF BASKETING I GAVE THEM THEIR MALE FOR ALL DAY WITH OPEN WINDOWS. I HAD DONE THIS MANY TIMES WITH THE COCKS RESULTING IN GOOD RESULTS. THE MISTAKE IS THAT THE HEN WANTED TO LAY EGGS, AFTER 6 DAYS OF BASKET, MAYBE THEY LAYED IN THE BASKET OR HAD TO STOP TO LAY THEM , I DON'T KNOW. AS BARCELONA FOR MY COCKS WAS SUCCESSFUL WITH MY 1 AND 2 NOMINATED VERY EARLY ON THE RESULT WAS BARCELONA FOR MY HENS A DISASTER. THE LESSON I LEARNED IS THAT FOR WIDOWHOODHENS IS 1 OR 2 DAYS BASKET OK , BUT LONGER BASKETTIME IT's BETTER ON NEST. NOTE, MY FRIENDS ROBERT ROME AND HIS FATHER, FROM SCOTLAND USED MY WIDOWHOODSYSTEM WITH THE HENS FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH YEARLIGSHENS THIS YEAR. THIS IS SHORT NOTICE FROM HIS LETTER: WE STARTED WITH THE YEARLING HENS ON THE DARK WIDOWHOOD SYSTEM THAT YOU TOLD ME ABOUT LAST YEAR AND THE RESULTS WERE VERY GOOD. THE 10 HENS SCORED EVERY WEEK IN THE TOP FOUR PRIZES AND ONE WEEK WE COULD HAVE WON THE FIRST 6 PRIZES BUT WE FINISHED 1st AND 2nd. OVERALL THE HENS MUST HAVE WON 10 x 1st OR 2nd PRIZES BUT I WILL SEND YOU THE THE EXACT RACE RESULT DETAILS LATER. EACH WEEK WE WON ALL THE POOL MONEY AND FIRST NOMINATED PIGEON WITH THE HENS. SILVERE, WE HAVE ENJOYED ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR, MOSTLY WITH YOUR PIGEONS SILVERE, THANK YOU AGAIN !