SFL "test kit" updates here

[SmithFamilyLoft]

Originally Posted by mr squeaks

Sounds exciting, Warren!

Really looking forward to updates!!

Best of everything!!

Thank You Mr. Squeaks !

For me personally, the heart skips a beat, and my mouth get's very dry, as the bird arrives at the home loft !! Now, if it is a local race in York, Pa. that has been a problem, because try to whistle when you are nervous like that !!

Now that is when you are really doing it for the bragging rights...you know fun. When you are watching it on the Flamingo Web Cam...and many thousands of dollars in winnings and breeding rights !!! Well we are talking heart attack material !! Not exactly the same as being there, but I can watch the birds when every thing is up and running at :

http://www.flamingoic.com/index.php?...4ca859476ce965

Now if you are there in person, a party is going on, and that makes it more fun, and they have an ambulance there on stand by...you know with oxygen and stuff !

[SmithFamilyLoft]

Originally Posted by learning

Hey Whitesnmore,

I wouldn't be trying to ruffle any feathers just yet. Until proven otherwise, those "chickens" have a pretty solid history. Seems to me to be a quick way to embarass yourself in a hurry if things don't turn out the way you hope.

Dan

Now Dan,

Pay the little whipper snapper no mind. Ken has been an official tester since way back when ? Somehow I agree to ship him something now and then, and he put's it through a Chicago Land evaluation or "Consumer Reports" if you will. This is where he throws the best of everything that the Greater Chicago Land Universe has to throw !! Now, I am suspecting that he is now going beyond his club, since he has pretty much wiped them up, and is reaching throughout his Combine, and maybe even beyond, in a bid to make me look bad !

He somehow got a bunch of guys to hand over a who's who list of racing pigeon dignitaries and then he gives these birds the royal treatment. This year he is bringing in some fancy Royal Golden Matten bloodlines...these are the bloodlines that Mike Ganus asks $8500+ for a direct son or daughter !!!

See: http://ganusfamilyloft.com/goldenmattens2.htm

Then these poor SFL USA banded birds are thrown in a smaller section where his young children manage the SFL birds, and are asked to give a good accounting of themselves !! I mean, if he sounds just a bit "Cocky" it may be because the big guns in Chicago Land are looking to set up an ambush and are gunning for us ! And "Us" in this case is Dylan, Jenna, and I. And so the Big Boys with the Big Guns are backing up Ken...and Smith Family Lofts USA have chosen instead to have Dylan and Jenna manage the SFL USA team. We want poor Ken to have every possible advantage, so that no one can say it wasn't a fair test.

Then again.....you check out the K & D web site, and tell me if you think Kens stands a chance with Dylan and Jenna managing things and making sure the water is clean and that the perches sparkle, I don't think so ?

http://www.kanddlofts.com/AboutUs.html

I think Dylan and Jenna are going to be the BIG WINNERS is this contest !! You just wait and see !!

[whitesnmore]

Dan, Warren and I go way back and that is just a inside Joke between he and I when we like to tease each other. I would in no way mean he has Lower Class Pigeons. Quite the opposite. I am a repeat visitor to his loft and have always got nothing but quality from him. I call them "Chickens" cause they are HAWK BAIT for Mr. Cooper
Ken

[whitesnmore]

Originally Posted by SmithFamilyLoft

Then again.....you check out the K & D web site, and tell me if you think Kens stands a chance with Dylan and Jenna managing things and making sure the water is clean and that the perches sparkle, I don't think so ?

http://www.kanddlofts.com/AboutUs.html

I think Dylan and Jenna are going to be the BIG WINNERS is this contest !! You just wait and see !!

Sounds to me like you have some insight to the breeding ability of SFL919 & SFL903 You taught me better than to send unproven breeders to the money races!!! I assure you you will be flying against protege from SFL USA bred birds. The line breeding is complete and ready for the cross out and that is why the "Big Guns" birds were brought in. I cant breed lower class birds to SFL USA birds and say I honestly tried to improve on the strain. Dont blame me you are the one who taught me this. Just trying to be a good student I just feel sorry for the other JR members flyin against J and D.

[learning]

Sorry Ken,

I think you misunderstand. I knew you weren't talking about his pigeons, I thought you were calling Warren a chicken! Just kidding!'

Actually, I am somewhat familiar with your setup from Warren's testimonial page. Wish you all the very best.

Dan

[whitesnmore]

Dan, No problem it is all in fun. Did you get a chance to aquire any SFL USA birds yet? Do you fly in a club? This is by far the best sport in the world and has some of the best people in the world also!!!!!!
Ken

[learning]

Ken,

Unfortunately I am about a year and a half into a two year project. For various reasons I am having to take the building of my loft slowly. I am finishing the roof this weekend and am planning on having everything ready for some full time tennants sometime in late fall or early winter. We'll see.

I am a member of the North Atlanta Racing Pigeon Club. We are a brand new club that is starting up as an offshoot of the Greater Atlanta Racing Pigeon Club that has been active in this area for many years. If you would like to visit our web page go to:

www.northatlantarpc.com

Go to the members page and click on my name and you will see how things are going with my construction. I am actually a little further along than those photos show.

I look forward to watching the developments over the next several months. Best of luck to you and your kids!

Dan

[A_Smith]

It's been a while since my last update. Here is a photo of SFL USA birds after a 1/2 mile release. Sofar my YB's have been released in my yard and, twice at a half mile. My local hawk is now getting confused his dinner is getting faster. I'm sorry to say I only have 7 of the ten I picked up from SFL. Those birds were lost when still earning there wings. NONE lost from training. I think it is intresting that the first out of the crate and the ones to beat me home are SFL birds. I think they may be showing my babies the way home too. I'm pondering on just how far my next toss will be.

[SmithFamilyLoft]

Originally Posted by A_Smith

It's been a while since my last update. Here is a photo of SFL USA birds after a 1/2 mile release. Sofar my YB's have been released in my yard and, twice at a half mile. My local hawk is now getting confused his dinner is getting faster. I'm sorry to say I only have 7 of the ten I picked up from SFL. Those birds were lost when still earning there wings. NONE lost from training. I think it is intresting that the first out of the crate and the ones to beat me home are SFL birds. I think they may be showing my babies the way home too. I'm pondering on just how far my next toss will be.

Hello Allen,

My concern would be that your birds may not have been routing, or they may not have been doing it for very long. Although there may be some advantages to early training, I am just wondering out loud...if you might not be pushing the envelope a bit ?

When I was first settling my YB's, I had to watch the hawks pick some off, or chase them. When they get scared off the loft at a young age, they sometimes fly off too far, never to be seen again.

My two cents here, for what it is worth. I would baby them, and take them down the road very slowly. The idea is to build up their confidence. And to have them learn to fly home, and then trap very quickly. There is no point, for example, in taking them to far down the road, or in bad weather, and losing all of them in one bad toss. Take your time....the races for you are till September ? Some of my racers, are still in the nest, or still inside an egg !

[A_Smith]

I'm taking your advise and waiting and not training yet. I see they are starting to route now. Not for long, but are NOT just not sitting on the loft now. I do have great news SFL 112 that went missing about 3 weeks ago, is now back home. Was sitting on my avery in the am. I opened the screen and in the trap s/he went. BUT my invantory sheet shows only 4 SFL's in loft

[A_Smith]

More great news. I came home from work today and another SFL on the out side of the avery. Now 125 is home also. Back up to 5 SFL bands. Maybe 125 and 112 were routing for 3 weeks I'm glad there home. And also went into trap as soon as they could get to it. My trap is in the avery, wich is also the landing board. Currently being used as a settling area also.

[SmithFamilyLoft]

Originally Posted by A_Smith

It's been a while since my last update. Here is a photo of SFL USA birds after a 1/2 mile release. Sofar my YB's have been released in my yard and, twice at a half mile. My local hawk is now getting confused his dinner is getting faster. I'm sorry to say I only have 7 of the ten I picked up from SFL. Those birds were lost when still earning there wings. NONE lost from training. I think it is intresting that the first out of the crate and the ones to beat me home are SFL birds. I think they may be showing my babies the way home too. I'm pondering on just how far my next toss will be.

Allen,

Did you happen to do an inventory at some point after these releases ? Just wondering if some of your MIA's are from some of these early tosses or from around the loft area ? Also, are there other birds that you own that have turned up MIA that you raised or purchased or otherwise obtained ? It's possible that a hawk could have scared a bunch to the four winds and now some are finding their way back. The birds you recieved in Feb however should look and act quite mature by now and should have been routing some time ago. Have you added March and April birds to your team ? Most fanciers that I discuss such things with, generally like at least six to eight weeks of good loft flying before taking any on road work.

[A_Smith]

I do a count every night when I finish feeding. I do an invantory when the count is off. I know when somebody is missing, who and when. I keep records of everything. And yes I know when mr.Hawk comes to visit too. So-far I have had no strays at my loft, the strays seam to always be at the loft down the street. None of mine have been there. I loft fly every night now, when weather permits. And yes I have a nice size team to start with this year. 52 as of today flying, and my last set of young growing in the nest now. I was going to stop with the last round but made an exception when a pair finaly laid fertle. This is a OLD pair I purchased at auctin and told it is an old disapearing local bloodline. So I let the eggs laid that week hatch. I will be seporating by breeders not on babys probaly tomorrow.

[SmithFamilyLoft]

Originally Posted by A_Smith

Yes they can fly. The avery was opened and off the board they went very cautiously. First to the lifted avery top, then the roof, and down to the snow in the driveway. Some short flights. Then back into the trap. They were able to be free for about 4 hrs. I was watching them the whole time. The weather got worse as the day went on. First sunny, then snow and wind. I got cold but birds were very happy to streach there wings. The birds didn't trap till almost dark. (feeding time) Today was as scary for me as it was for them. All went well.

Good, Bad or Indifferent...maybe another Update is in order, since the last one here was in June...

[A_Smith]

Originally Posted by SmithFamilyLoft

Good, Bad or Indifferent...maybe another Update is in order, since the last one here was in June...

Ok It has been a while. The birds are doing very well. My flock is circleing and routing now. My YB flock is 70 strong now. I loft fly as much as my work scedual and mother nature alows. All my birds know where the trap is and use it VERY quickly when I rattle my food mug or slide the chain on my clicker when I'm wathcing from under landing board. The chain sounds like food rattleing. The clicker I got at a pet store it is for training dogs. It can be heard from a long ways away. My SFL birds are looking very strong and fly the longest of my flock, probaly because they are the oldest. I still have 5 of the 10 I started with. And I know 2 are COCKS of sure. # 105 and 112 Next I will be starting road training. I took your advice Warren and waited untill routing better. I know they are ready now.