Letter from the readers n°19 – racing pigeons
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A pigeon fancier who wishes to remain anonymous says he owns three garden dovecotes with good ventilation and few pigeons; example: 19 subjects on 4 m. x 2.10m. Despite this, his pigeons always have blue flesh, full of dandruff. Two veterinarians consulted diagnosed: neither coccidiosis, nor trichomoniasis, nor worms, but probably a feeding problem. How to remedy this situation?
Reply:
My turn to ask you a question. Since you are a “Pigeon Rit” reader, have you ever tested the ventilation of your lofts?
All my interlocutors tell me from the start of our interview: “My lofts are well ventilated. But this is only an assertion based on tradition, not on tests. Owner myself of 2 dovecotes, double, insulated wooden garden, adjustable partial ceiling, ventilation chimneys in the roof, ventilation under the hatch, flush with the roof in front, open hatch, I had, there is 7 or 8 years old, to deplore several cases of acute respiratory disease, on youngsters about 2 months old; disease followed by death within 48 hours, whatever I do. Until the day when I had had enough and drilled the door with 30 or 40 holes of 2.5 cm in diameter, replaced the ridge sheets with a skylight leaving an empty space of 10 cm between the sheets and its edges, on each side. And since that day, I’ve never had any lung ailments, including coryza. And blue flesh.
So, first, try on these bases: “Whatever the temperature, the atmospheric pressure, the force and the direction of the wind, the rainfall, a smoke (cigarette for example) must be immediately evacuated by the roof. » Two months after the necessary changes, you will keep us informed.
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Mr. André Serin of Grd Halleux reveals that after having “broke the house” for many years, he began to only win average prizes or at the bottom of the classification. The volleys have become “low”. The anti-coryza injections only improved the situation for a fortnight. I pinched my nostrils, he said, but it didn’t cause a sneeze. What to do?
Reply:
First question: Have you made any changes to your loft since you “broke the house”? What is believed to be an improvement is often “worse than better”. I am thinking in particular of anything that can modify the aeration which, I am sure, was good since you had good results. Second aspect of your case: trichomoniasis. As I have written a hundred times, it is always present in coryza and must therefore be eliminated (through the drinking water) at the same time as the anti-coryza injections are given. Don’t think that one or two treatments a year are enough. It is necessary to treat, according to temperature, 2 days in a row every 2 – 3 – 4 weeks (generally the flocks decrease at the same time as the parasitism reappears). Third aspect: antimicrobial treatment. In your case, it is essential to isolate the causative microbes from the nasal cavities and to investigate at the same time whether there is also mycoplasmosis or ornithosis (or both).
This will allow you (after antibiogram) a perfectly adapted anti-microbial treatment, the results of which will be as fast and solid.
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Mr. J.Y Robert from Carrières says he has two or three females who have not laid eggs during the winter matings. The other clutches were quite irregular. He would like to know if he should enter females or males in races of 500 km and more. His latecomers from last year didn’t fare well in early practice. He even lost quite a few and is looking for the cause.
Finally, he would like to know which vaccine to adopt against paramyxovirosis and when to administer it.
Reply:
The cold weather blocked the laying of a lot of females.
Since the beginning of February, things must have been sorted out.
If the growth of your pigeons leaves something to be desired, it is essential to have a thorough medical examination of your pigeons carried out before the racing season. Usually it is the females that are put at more than 500 km. They are thus played on the nest with an 8-10 day old youngster. Of course, you can also play the young males in this same nest position, but a severe atmospheric blow risks jeopardizing their future. The training of latecomers is always full of hazards. Subject to their state of health, it is also necessary to avoid the training of late matings for the 1st time, the pushing winds etc… And then there are also always the imbeciles in the group, whatever the colony.
It all depends on the distance played: in sprint youngsters and juniors can be played 10-12 times. If we approach the greater distances, we will play less often. Let’s say a youngster can do 2,000 km and a yearling 2,500 km. What vaccine was used against paramyxo?
La Sota (in the eyes and nostrils – protects 1 to 3 months. Oily injectable vaccines 5 to 9 months, aqueous injectable vaccine 1 year). Revaccinate in March. As much as possible 8 – 10 days before starting. Otherwise a Monday.
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Confronted with a problem of liquid droppings, Claude Fécamp from Leernes, writes: “After consulting several veterinarians, I was prescribed treatment for trichomoniasis each time.
Nevertheless, my pigeons always eject droppings like water… with one or two small noodles in them… My pigeons were vaccinated against paramyxovirus eight months ago. I clean my lofts twice a day and burn with a torch. Nothing works. Can you help me?
Reply:
It is very common that trichomoniasis is linked to other microbes that create inflammation, especially in the crop, hence chronic thirst – excessive consumption of water, which is rejected in abundance: hence this puddle with one or two “vermicelli”. There may thus be mycoplasmosis (sensitive to spiramycin, tylosin, terramycin), candidiasis (sensitive to nystatin). It is useless to prolong the treatments for more than 8 days, if you do not notice any improvement, and unless otherwise advised (some products act very slowly but they are rare).
Dr. J.P. Stosskopf
Instructions:
- “Prevention is better than cure” says the proverb and this certainly also applies to ventilation during the sports season.
- How many lofts have not experienced a decline in form because the owner had not adapted the ventilation to the persistent high heat.
[ Source:Article edited by Dr. J.P. Stosskopf – PIGEON RIT Magazine]
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