Brandee
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How to prep your birds for the big show ...
Gary I lost all my prior newsletter's to 2008 . You wrote an article on how to train your birds to show well in the show cage . Would you mind rewriting it here . It was a great guideline to follow !
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Apr/25/2008, 5:45 am
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Gary45
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Re: How to prep your birds for the big show ...
I think it was part of this article...
Breeding Season is Over - Now What?
Written by Gary E. Miller
Many people ask that question every year. If you're like me, you really enjoy seeing that new little life that hatched from your special mating and can hardly wait to see how it develops. But now it's time to give the birds a break and let them rest through the hot summer months. You've got to be fair to the birds because they deserve the rest and no stress while trying to feed out some youngsters. Sure they'll breed through the summer , if you let them, and with some it seems that's when they really get started in breeding .
Here's what I do after I split them up. I put my **** birds in the pen that has the nest boxes. You'll have some squabbles with new **** birds wanting someone else's nest, the dominate bird will win out. The hens are in a pen with nothing but perches with more than enough for each hen. Now it's show time , you go through the ****s to see which ones will be more valuable as breeders and maybe even select a few for shows. Separate your prospective breeders from your show birds. Now comes the hard part and that is disposing of birds that you won't or can't use. There are several outlets for disposing birds , such as a swap & sell, Eggbid, advertisement in classifieds , selling to feather merchants and in some cases sell or give to racing people for droppers. Now you go through your hens and do the same thing. Keep only birds that will help you. That's where keeping good records come in.
This is also the time you thoroughly clean and disinfect your lofts and make any repairs that need to be done. It's now time to start working with your show teams. Get them used to a show cage, let them sit in there all day or several days with a feed cup and water cup. Probe at them with a judging stick, play a radio with a talk station on , so they get used to hearing voices. Take them out and handle them several times checking wings and tails and so on.
Now is the time to get your records out , sit down and put down on paper what your matings for the next breeding season will be. You select the matings by what you think will produce winners the next season. One thing to remember is to never pair birds that have the same fault. If you do, you will strengthen that fault and may be the hardest thing to get rid of down the road. Select birds that will offset each other , like a bird that has too many white flights to one that hasn't enough white flights. Remember that not all perfectly marked birds work as breeders. Again, that's where keeping good records comes in to see how that family has worked out so far. This is all on paper for now.
If you do all of the stuff above you will find yourself in show season sooner than you thought and ready to put the actual matings to work. I usually pair up again right after I've completed my last show for the year. When you mate your birds up again , after being separated , they will pair up very quickly and be on eggs before you know it.
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Apr/25/2008, 3:00 pm
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Brandee
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Re: How to prep your birds for the big show ...
That's the article . The article has a good amount of info on various subjects.
The show prep has the key elements !
Gary thank you for finding it , I wanted to add this one to my folder as it's a keeper .
These key elements will make or break a bird who is truly suppose to show off in the cage . In talking to different judges , they don't want the bird hiding back in the cage . They want it friendly . Even a breed that is more flighty will benefit from this . My Frillbacks are my flightiest breed even if I rear them myself . But they will stand more confident in a show cage, if I take the extra time .
Another small thing to consider , don't feed your birds the morning of being judged . The judge may get puked on ! Not that I think the judge will hold it against you or the bird . But out of respect for the judge . 
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Apr/26/2008, 3:57 am
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Gaditano
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Re: How to prep your birds for the big show ...
Do you train each bird in this manner before each show, or is a one time training session sufficient for the year or even the life of the bird?
--- Alan
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Apr/26/2008, 6:23 am
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Brandee
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Re: How to prep your birds for the big show ...
Each show ... . We are pretty back to back with shows it seems like , it may seem time consuming, but it's over before you realize it .
I like the Gads they seem the easiest to me ,well now that I figured out how not to wreck their tails .LOL Our muff birds are the hardest to keep clean , and whites only make it to one show . I think whites should get extra points they are the hardest to keep clean if they have muffs !!!
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Apr/26/2008, 6:45 am
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Gary45
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Re: How to prep your birds for the big show ...
If you are a show person it's a great thing to have several show coops even if you have to make them yourself. I have two sets of four that I bought for $11.00 each set, when I was a junior member of the Arizona Pigeon Club back in the late 50's. I am consistantly checking my birds out in these coops. It helps them to get coop trained as well.
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Apr/26/2008, 9:11 am
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Gary45
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Re: How to prep your birds for the big show ...
That's a great picture Alan but I think I've seen that picture in the mid 50's as well. In the book The Pigeon.
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Apr/27/2008, 10:18 am
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Gaditano
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Re: How to prep your birds for the big show ...
Hey, I am older than I look
--- Alan
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Apr/27/2008, 10:46 am
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Brandee
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Re: How to prep your birds for the big show ...
You age very well !
I feel like that's my lofts some days ! 
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Apr/27/2008, 2:05 pm
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