Flying tippler
By the time these few lines are published the Tippler fancy will be looking forward to pairing their stock birds, some no doubt having already done so, especially those for the show pen. The Fancier breeding for flying usually leaves them a little later. Being one myself, I pair up the last weekend in February. Youngsters hatched from this date have better prospects of surviving without any art~cial heat, and I think are more hardier than otherwise. I know, from years of experience, that there is nothing with feathers on more hardy than a Flying Tippler. I have seen them fly all day in east winds, and when dropped their eyes have been red with cold. Another risk of early breeding is the cold nights which result in egg-bound hens, and this upsets all breeding results and has ruined many a good stock hen.
I cannot understand why some fanciers keep good flyers yet never compete, and then say how long their birds will fly or have flown. These fanciers cannot~· get the same pleasure out of their birds as we competitors do, in the sense that we know we have achieved our ambition and have our pigeons' times recorded. Some of these non-competitors say that there are too many secrets in the flying of big times with Tipplers, and I say there are not. If they would join a club, and there is one in most towns, any of the club members will be only too willing to help. To enroll in any club is not expensive znd to keep a few Tipplers is also cheap - they don't eat a lot and don't need feeding with a shovel like some breeds. One feed a day during the breeding season is enough, an eggcup full to each bird will suffice and is sometimes more than enough, especially if feeding mixture. Most Flying Tippler fanciers feed their birds with barley after their moult, as this keeps them fit and not overfat. This grain being cheaper than mixture is another item which commends anyone starting a hobby to start Tippler keeping.
Birds that have been confined to the loft all winter can be too fat, too stiff or too stupid. Remember, pigeons are more easily spoiled, so learn the correct routine. With patience and a little common sense it's surprising what can be achieved with Tipplers.
Now a little advice to the novice who intends going in for the competitive side of flying. When settling birds after months of confinement to the loft, don't turn out your birds with a crop full of corn. Don't turn out if raining or misty or if there are only three or four hours of daylight in front of them, and above all, don't go into the house looking at T.V. or off to the pictures when you have turned your birds out, as if you do you will not make a success of Long Time Competitive Competitions. Study the temperament of each individual bird, especially its body condition, this being the best guide on when to start settling. If they are too fat, don't feed so well, in fact it's the corn that proves the most successful Tippler Flyers. Don't think that because the birds have been on the barley diet for a while, which I think they should have been, that they are o.k~, some birds will carry as good a body condition on barley as if fed on good mixture. So all novices, be careful, as I say the corn can govern your success. Tipplers at all times are better under fed than over fed.
I often think that if some of the Show Birds were put on the barley diet it would not reduce their size. Some must never see barley and~he only aim is to grow big body pigeons. There are a lot shown as Flying Tipplers which could not fly, yet many could if put down in the condition that we flying fanciers must get to fly in competitions. Anyway I am sure this will eventually level itself out in time. Fanciers have the size craze at the present, so maybe fanciers will try to reduce the size of these pigeons in the near future. The rcason I say this is that pigeons shown four to five years ago were bigger than those shown today.
I expect we flying fanciers are jealous of the beauty of these show birds. So let us fill the Flying Classes at the Shows that put classes on for them. There is much room for improvement I can tell you, if we only look at the entries at most shows. Take N.T.U. Open Show for example, look at the entries in all three classes. When we meet at these shows, we always differ in our views about size, feather, etc., will fly or won't fly, yet always give credit to all the show fanciers for putting some lovely pigeons on view.
