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Common diseases Affecting Racing Pigeons. The first of a series. Ornithosis Ornithosis starts as a watery eye which quickly goes sticky or purulent due to secondary infection. Ornithosis is caused by a Chlamydial organism. A large percentage of pigeons in a flock carry chlamydia in their blood stream. The cause of ‘one eyed cold’ is usually due to for example a new pigeon entering a loft will undergo stress, this causes a shedding of the infective chlamydia. The other birds in the loft are susceptible since they would not have immunity to the newly introduced chlamydia. Other main stress factors are;...

  How does it feel to be a winner?  After months of training, enhancing and preparing to get that 1st place culminating in all your efforts that have materialised into something tangible with a renewed energy that next time it’ll be better! What a feeling would that be? Take a look at a few of our grand champion pigeon fanciers and what they attribute their success to. Tony Whitehouse, from West Bromwich has always been interested in pigeon racing from an early age, he has won many competitions both here and abroad and now reflects on his achievements and how...

What routine treatments do I have to do in my team of racing pigeons.  When do I do it and what should I use? By David Palmer B.V.Sc, M.R.C.V.S Racing pigeons “carry” many diseases which need treatment to keep them under control. They also carry several diseases which can be lived with quite happily, can flare up into clinical disease under conditions of stress e.g. racing, overcrowding. Molting, dampness, concurrent disease, breeding, rearing, moving loft.  In other words, living the life of a racing pigeon!  All these “carried” diseases need looking out for, as when they flare up they produce...

I have had a couple of fanciers from Northern Ireland phone me with sorry tales.  These men had paid enough for young birds from a well established stud in Eire and had no worries about their health and suitability for the purpose for which they were intended.  They looked healthy and worth the money being paid.  The vaccination history was in order.  The relevant documentation was available to prove that they had been protected against paramyxovirus, in accordance with British law.  The fancier told me that the young birds were passing watery droppings and a few were looking over their...