WINTER BREEDING 1

Translated from the German to American
by Leo Gallivan

It is the middle of November, six weeks before the change to the new year. It is the time for many pigeon fanciers in Holland and Belgium to mate their birds. It is also the time of year when many fanciers want their birds to be in a full moult for the beginning of the race season without having to darken the loft. The NPO races, which in Holland are still called "Teletekstfluege", are experiencing more and more favor. The National Orleans, the classic race for young birds, has been for years the largest race in the world. It brings 150,000 to 200,000 birds to the release point and enjoys a great deal of popularity.

In Belgium, one begins the young bird season much earlier, as the winter bred youngsters are sent to this race. Almost all of the Belgian fanciers who take part in the young bird series, therefore, raise winter youngsters.

In Germany, the young bird season starts much later. There are in comparison a lot fewer races. Thereby one can see that the winter breeding is not as widespread in Germany as it is in those countries where young bird racing is more popular.

Preparation

In order to have a good breeding season, especially a winter breeding season, health is the most important factor. The breeders must be free of disease and in perfect condition before they are mated. I will not dwell on this point, but there are even today some fanciers who cannot keep the conditioned healthy. It is recommended that once the birds are mated they should not be medicated especially for trichomoniasis (canker) when the birds are laying. All of this should be done before the breeding season. Medications during the laying period can cause infertile eggs.

In our lofts, we feed our birds fifteen days before mating for five days only barley. After this, we bring the birds into the right mating condition by feeding turtledove feed, parakeet seed, and hemp. We mix it as follows:

This mix provides that the birds, after ten days, are in perfect condition for winter breeding. It is naturally understood that the birds are provided with grit, redstone, magnesium, and minerals. Generally in my articles I do not go into these details as basic elements such as these should be taken to heart because they are so important.

I would like to explain our methods to you today. We provide usually every Saturday grit, redstone, minerals, etc. The thinking is, that during the race season, the birds come home on Saturday. So when they come home on Saturday, they find everything they need to recuperate fresh and at their disposal and they can take what they need. That is our experience and we do this all year round in winter and summer. Always the same rhythm.

Mating

A very much discussed topic in the pigeon game. How should one mate birds in order to breed aces. The best to the best = the best? That would be too easy. The best to the best = 99% average. That is a fact that coincides with reality - take away the four best birds from a top flyer and you lower him into mediocrity.

Most of the breeds of racing pigeons do best where they are born. Resettled in an other country, they require a long time to acclimatize themselves and adjust to the new living conditions. Because of this, many fanciers are surprised when they think that the bird A from Limburg should fly as well in Groningen or that birds from Belgium should have the same results in Holland. Do not believe that birds from Berlin will fly as well in Munich or wherever else in the world. They must acclimate themselves in order to produce well. One must agree that the birds must get used to their surroundings.

In 1982, I came upon rather pure Andre Vanbruane birds. Vanbruane is the Barcelona specialist from the Belgian Lauwe. These birds impressed me as they were the best lines from this super loft. I was so sure of them that I got more from another loft that also had these birds. After 1983 began the backslide. I bred birds that looked super with eyes that brought tears to the beholder, but I did not win any prizes. I tried every combination thinkable and had splendid youngsters. I decided to separate myself totally from these birds. A magnificent round of youngsters was sold in the vicinity of Lille and see what I mean - these birds brought the owner for many years to the winners' circle. This indicates more than clearly that the birds that are returned to their old area immediately proved themselves with fantastic results. I will not deny you a second experience. Through my working with the family Eijerkamp I came to own in 1986 a number of ace pigeons. Among these was a Janssen hen with the band number NL 86 324814 from the line of the Good Yearling and Bange 02 which came from the Rode Appie line. This hen was a real lump of gold. Everything that she raised, no matter with which cock, was first class. Jan Lankamp from Almelo had his best middle distance of birds of the Netherlands out of her . Many more fanciers in the region had first prize winners out of her. She is the foundation hen of my "Blackys".

In 1995 I decided to move to Noord-Ostpolder. With me I brought more than a dozen half-brothers out of this giant. All of them held many prizes and at least one first prize in the Kreisverband (area/region).

These birds were put in the breeding loft but the offspring did not meet my expectations in this area. I must, of course, mention that the birds were taken over by someone else with a different system of care and motivation. I am sure that I know the real reason. Perhaps the conditions in this new area were more difficult.