Baytril Champions (26-09-25)
Baytril men and more
With age the defects come, with some a little more, with others a little less, but no one escapes them.
One of my flaws is my hearing and that sometimes leads to comical situations.
For example, and that was at least three years ago, I had X and his wife visit. We still maintained contacts but always 'what’s apps wise'.
And it is well-known: As your hearing deteriorates, you start talking louder.
"That X has grown so much older," I whispered to my wife. Whispered? I thought so, yes.
X responded: 'Grown much older?’ I? That is exactly what I thought of you.' He laughed, the ice was broken.
TO THE PAST
I didn't have to guess long what the reason was for his visit. As a beginner he had bought some eggs here, he was satisfied and that tasted like more.
So he had pigeons for a few years now, but I was still shocked by his ignorance. He had darkened, but his young had stopped throwing flights.' That is precisely the purpose of darkening', I said. But I felt that he didn't understand me. And there were more things like that.
I gave him some tips. Not because I am so smart and know a lot, but because beginners need to be helped.
SOME TIPS
- Lofts open and not too full so that you keep an overview. Filip Herbots could not emphasize enough how stupid it is to try to keep up with the top fanciers with 100s of pigeons by keeping more birds.
25 Youngsters to start with, he thought was a nice number. His mantra was: 'Never keep more pigeons than you can handle.'
- Don't let youngsters grow six months old before you start training them. '100 days old' is the proverbial age.
If they are healthy, continue to play. Many yearlings do not perform, even get lost due to inexperience.
- Pigeon sport is a selection sport. You have to select all year round. In the first place on health, then on quality and then on performance. And what about the pedigree? Later. Why? One example, we have 3 sisters of our best youngster this year. They failed hopelessly and can leave.
- Don't buy expensive pigeons online. Only invest in pigeons when you have proven to be able to perform with them.
- Don't waste money on redundant supplements. By reading and listening you will discover what pigeons do and especially do not need.
- Don't knock on the door at the vet too often and don't mess with medicines yourself.
AND ANOTHER
We went to a vet once only until 2024. That was in 2011, the year in which we were one of the many who had to deal with paratyphoid.
Then Baytril helped. That became apparent the following year. Then we became 1st Champion youngsters in ZAV and also in Union.
- What you often see but is entirely wrong; curing an entire loft to cure a few pigeons. It leads to your downfall.
If, as often happens, you 'have to' cure after a few races, you are 2 – 0 behind for the races that follow.
- Vets can confuse you because they think so differently and even contradict each other. That's because pigeons were never mentioned in their training. Their opinion is based on experience. And because experiences can differ so much...
- Because beginners don't see things as well as experienced fanciers, it is sometimes advisable to have your pigeons checked. But should be done by a serious vet. What is a serious vet? Someone who dares to say 'Some trichomoniasis, or cocc, but not enough to cure'. And who then sends you home without medication.
BETTER VET
A better vet is also someone who dares to say 'your pigeons are healthy, but probably worth nothing'.
Many beginners are not happy with that. Pigeons worth nothing? That's the last thing they want to hear. They did not pay for that. They want a bag with hope to take home. If it then turns out that the veterinarian in question cannot make racehorses from tubers, he may lose a customer.
Vets too expensive? You should talk to someone who regularly visits a vet with a dog or cat. It reminds me of P.
THE HELPER
He was the assistant of a veterinarian. At work he had become interested in pigeons. Especially to have a hobby for when he retired. What a start he made.
He was just unbeatable.
And yet? When he basketed his birdss, the fanciers present looked at each other. He could hardly hold a pigeon. How could that guy play so well?
His boss, the vet, was already accused of giving him 'stuff' that others didn't get. Clubmates who came to visit him had seen all too well that cupboard that was bulging with medicines and other junk.
Of course he was also called to account for this, but, P said, he only had those medicines ‘to be prepared’.
The ‘beautiful song’ lasted three years. Then suddenly.... done. With the same pigeons and the same guidance, he had become the biggest loser in the club.
FATAL
Having medicines up for grabs has already become fatal for many.
P had come to think he knew it, did not listen to others (anymore), and did not realize that he was the digger of his own grave.
For example, I have always remembered what that vet from Flanders (now stopped) told me several times. He had three customers who kept asking for Baytril, which was widely available at the time.
Very reluctantly, he gave it to them, also because he didn't like to lose them as customers. 'I have to eat too', he would say. He gave it mainly reluctantly because he knew they were taking advantage of it. Because that's what you do when you give it a day every week. Still, it must be said, they played formidably. When the vet told his story, he had no contact with those men anymore. One still played, but only sprint with youngsters and very bad. The second has stopped and the third died. Nothing was left of the 'Baytril champions'.
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Result below: Only 7 birds in the race and the 7th bird won 34th, so also in the first 10%. With other words: you do not need many to be a winner.
