There has been a wonderful development recently in Petoskey, Michigan that must be shared. Our hats off to the organizer, Mike Netzky for his perseverance in his desire to share the love of his boyhood pastime, racing Homing Pigeons, with youth in his city. He may joke about this project being the only way he can win a race, but when you hear him share his story, you will know better.
In February 2018, The Racing Pigeon Digest magazine featured an article submitted by Mike, and the project information was also featured in The Petoskey News. The project is the new Flying Clovers 4-H Racing Pigeon Club. It is taking shape. Mike has traveled and interviewed extensively to get the best information to help them get started. So now it is happening.
Day to day reports are coming in with birds settling and the kids sending their race entry forms in to the AU office. This year is a repeat of a double opportunity - the AU's annual National Youth Race that is held in conjunction with the AU's annual national convention, and the AU Midwest Youth Race, which is held during the annual Midwest Convention.
Here, we can enjoy a peek into their preparations . . .
Twice a day offer food. Are you using the feeders or just offering by hand or tray? Leave it for about 15 minutes, then take it away. Are they drinking water? The training should start soon, but let them start to eat regularly and certainly make sure that you follow a very rigid schedule. The more consistent you are with feeding times, flying times, and visits to them, you will find that they will expect those things right on schedule. Keep a written record of what happens on a regular basis with your observations and visits with them. As Larry Davis, a friend of mine, says, "If it's not written down, it didn't happen!"
We are using a small Tupperware filled with feed because the birds don't want to sit still and let you hold and feed them for long but we are trying... and they are drinking not quite as much as they should I think but they are drinking.
So, is this what you mean by settling?
And another family picked up their birds . . .
Did you enroll the kids or your family in the AU? I would like to send the birds to the race handlers very soon. How are the birds doing? Need a hand moving the loft to the penthouse level?
Also, please make sure the birds can find the water. If any are sitting around blinking their eyes, dip their beaks into the water.
And, the homeschool family of 8 has received their birds!
Getting the paperwork in . . . almost ready to ship. How fun!
Next task . . . writing letters to the donors.
Hey Funseekers, this Saturday morning I will be driving down to the Bay City-Frankenmuth area not only to pick up young birds, but to visit the loft of Gary Davis. Gary is a member of the Frankenmuth Racing Pigeon Club. They have 22 old bird races every Saturday for the next few months. His and the club's birds will be released 8-8:30 am on Saturday morning.
Gary estimates that with a possible tail wind his birds could be flying 60 mph, which will bring his birds home around 11 am. The race from the release point to his loft is 162 miles.
Gary and I would like to extend an invitation for you to go on Saturday. Among other things we will be watching his birds return. I will be spending more time after the arrival of his birds picking up birds from various locations in the area.
I hope some of you will take advantage of the wonderful opportunity to learn more and more. Let me know what you think. Mike
May 4, 2018
Hey Funseekers, today is a "Star Wars" day.
May the fourth be with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 9, 2018
Hey Flying Clovers, I hope you all got the email from Tanya and have read it!!! When I heard what she will talk about and the excitement in her voice, tears almost came to my eyes. Tonya is a REAL expert on 4-H. She will explain so many of the benefits of 4-H, and you will find out how they will really coordinate with our racing pigeon club.
Please, please, please, please, make it to the meeting. You won't be sorry. And after this May 13, 1:30 Pellston airport meeting, leave yourselves enough time to go down 'da road to Tonya's house. You won't be disappointed. (Among many, many other sites will be a "naked chicken")
Your wing man,
Mike
P.S. I want to hear all your experiences with your new birds.
May 11, 2018
Hey Flying Clovers, all your birds have been sent to the Gary Heindel in WI for the Midwest National Youth Race on October 12. The birds will be released that day, weather permitting, from Holmen, WI and fly to Kaukauna, WI (Freedom WI) approximately 150 miles. When training begins you will be given monthly updates on how your birds are doing via www.midwesthpa.com. What I found so far for your listings are numbers 194-202, 211-214, and 549-571 on the list.
I will be going downstate tomorrow to pickup more birds. If you need birds, please let me know. Monday or Tuesday of this coming week I will send nine more birds to the AU National Youth Race for the Oct.18 race to go with the four birds I've already sent.
Please don't forget the meeting on Sunday.
Mike
Now, a share from Tonya . . .
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| Angry mother with squab.
May 13, 1:30 p.m.
(Mother's Day & Mike's birthday!)
Flying Clovers Meeting Day
We passed out very ample supplies of Primalac which was donated by Star Labs. Tanya gave a great explanation of 4-H ideas and projects which coincide with our racing pigeon club. Many of which take advantage of the perks of 4-H.
We discussed our young bird training program and other pertinent ideas. After the meeting most of us went down da' road to Tonya's and "experienced" her menagerie.
Hey Flying Clovers,
Yesterday, Friday, I started training the 11 birds I have in section #3 of my loft. These birds have been isolated from the outside area for at least two weeks until last Monday in which I opened the #3 aviary to their "window to the world". They spent much of the time during the days proceeding Friday enjoying the sunshine and observing their new (to them) additional (outside) environment.
Thursday I fed them about 1/3 the rations I normally feed them and of course every time they're fed the whistle is used. Friday morning about 10:30 I opened the front of their aviary. They were free to escape if they wished. Of the eleven, 8 chose to leave the loft. Two took off to "who knows where".
The remaining 6 who chose to remain outside experimented with flying either to the roof of the loft or out a small distance and then returning to the landing board/loft front. I waited about 15 more minutes to see if the 3 inside would come out. They didn't and I certainly did not force them to.
Then I went inside and activated the trap opening in which prevented the 3 inside from moving out into the aviary. Now 3 inside could not go out, but any of the birds outside could enter the loft. I sat outside watching for a while. One bird trapped within 10 minutes. I went inside and gave it a small amount of food while blowing the whistle. The 5 birds on the roof remained there all but making short flights around the loft. Then I put a very small amount of food on the landing board. When they looked down from the roof, they could see the small amount of feed there.
I went back inside and blew the whistle and also gave a little food to the birds inside. This accomplished two things. One it set off a feeding frenzy with the birds inside which I knew the birds on the roof could hear. And second, it associated the whistle to the food with the birds on the roof. Soon the birds on the roof came down. Some started eating the small amount of feed on the landing board and the others trapped in immediately to the sound of the birds inside eating frantically and the whistle sound. Within a very short time the 5 birds all came in.
That left the 2 who were off to "who knows where". At 6:30 pm that evening I saw #10 land on the roof. I immediately went inside the loft and started a feeding frenzy again while blowing the whistle and #10 came in instantly. A small amount of feed went to him by hand.
#11 appeared at 8:30 pm on the landing board. I went through the same procedure as I did with #10, and he trapped immediately.
Wow, wow, wow!!!!! What a wonderful and fun experience!!!!!!
I'm attaching some pictures of these events.
 
Having Fun, fun, fun,
Mike
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