# My Classic Frills are a comin'



## wyllm (Nov 24, 2012)

I'm exciteable. My "they're only prettier park birds" wife is traveling with me to pick out a couple pair of Classic Old Frills. Been a long time coming. Told the breeder I was bringing the standard to help me choose.


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

Well you are going to have to share pics with us when you get them!! Do you have other pigeons now?? I bet your wife is won over too as they are very pretty birds. My wife enjoys seeing our frillbacks and showing them off when guests are over.


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## wyllm (Nov 24, 2012)

After finding my old stapling job was inadequate and finding my 23 yo, UK bought staple gun and buying some massive staples for it, I spent this evening shoring up the wire on my open air loft, turning it into sort of Ft. Knox.

When I get these beauts on Saturday, it will be my first pigeons in 20 years.


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

Do share pics. I had pigeons as a teen back in the 80s and had to give them away in the early 90s when I got married and movied to an apt. in another state.. A couple years ago I was surprised when my wonderful wife suggested I get pigeons again. My daughter is equally hooked on the hobby and my wife and other daughter enjoy seeing them. 
Good you are making the loft secure....don't estimate hawks, RACOONS, neighbor kids etc. You will enjoy them!! Did you keep frills previously?


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## wyllm (Nov 24, 2012)

So we are close in age. In 85-87, I had Homers and gave them up to head to Basic Training. I got involved in Show Rollers while stationed in the UK, around 90, and picked up some yellow Trenton Homers from the NYBS in 92. Either they were sick already or didn't like the fact that I painted their loft with Kilz thinking I could ward off pests. It had been painted at least two weeks prior. Surely enough time to off gas.

Life and a whole lot of drama happened from 94-09. 

My wife, now, doesn't like pigeons and calls them dirty park birds. Frills to her are just pretty park birds.  BUT, she doesn't deny me, just gets gruff when I spend money on getting ready for them. Plus, she's going with me to get them. She's warming up and my indoctrination plan is working great. I should be back to racing in the forseeable future.

I have had an affinity for Frills since I first started in pigeons, but could never afford them as a kid.


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## wyllm (Nov 24, 2012)

I found my frills, in E.TN hills.

I've gotten my new babies setteld in tonight and have only a couple images so far. They seemed a little flighty, as expected, so I let them be tonight to get some good images in the next day or two.

My wife and I took a day trip to E. TN to choose my first two pair of Classic Oriental Frills, starting with a hearty breakfast in Cookville. After some intense "judging", I left with three pair, not two.

I started with ten Frills to choose two pair, five males, five females to choose from. I' d been studying the breed standard a few days to get ready and found me a judging stick to work to gauge the various traits.

The "judging" was intense, switching entries from one hole to another so I could compare side by side. Poor Sandy must have thought I would spend all day, but I wanted to ensure the best breeding start by selecting the best stock. Found my two pair and had another hen I really liked and was told to select a male to go with her and I could have that pair for free. Exciting stuff. I even had my non-pigeon wife help with the choosing.

Though the lighting is a little intense, here are a couple of pics taken by the breeder.


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## wyllm (Nov 24, 2012)

Here are a couple of images I got this morning.


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

Very nice! They look great and I really like the white bars on them. I like these so much better than modern frills. I am sure you (and your wife!) will enjoy them!! I am sure it feels great to be back in the hobby too!


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## wyllm (Nov 24, 2012)

Woodnative said:


> Very nice! They look great and I really like the white bars on them. I like these so much better than modern frills. I am sure you (and your wife!) will enjoy them!! I am sure it feels great to be back in the hobby too!


It does feel good though I've fretted over them these last few days like a new mother; warding off the harmless wood bees and a prowling stray cat. I've been worried about them not eating...

I quip about my babies being the Brady Bunch, three cocks and three hens.

They are doing well, and definitely know where food and water is now. When I left for work this morning at 6:30, there was still food in the container and water looked barely touched. When I arrived this evening at 5:30, I found most of the food gone but the finer grains and a definite lower water level. I brought out a cup of feed, whistled and poured in the food then tapped the cup on the nest box where it sets. No sooner was I out of the loft when one flew over, then another, then all of them in a feeding frenzy. By 7:30, it's mostly gone but the finer grains.

One of the my silverette cocks is definitely courting, mostly the sooty hen. I was waiting for the moult to complete before trying to pair them up. If not, I need to get the mating boxes built soon.


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

Spring is in the air and if they are adult birds I am sure they will be breeding soon, LOL! So if a silverette cock pairs with a bluette hen you will have a sex-linked mating and be able to tell the gender of the offspring while still in the nest!
One comment.......you may consider changing the chicken wire for the stronger hardware cloth with the smaller spaces. This is more expensive (and harder to work with) but little things (mice and sparrows) can get through the chicken wire and racoons can tear it open. 
They are very attractive birds and I am sure your wife is enjoying them too!


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## wyllm (Nov 24, 2012)

Identifying gender is never fool proof. I was taught, as a kid, to use the cork and needle method.

As funds become available, I plan to redo the space, splitting it in two, putting a ceiling on it, and replacing the wire. Gotta set priorities for time and dough. First, I need to build some breeding pens so I can control who beds who, then the wall and ceiling half the current space. While mating is happening and they can't fly over the wall, I can redo the wire and put in the ceiling on the other half. Move everyone around and replace the wire on the other end. That's one way to do it.

My wife hasn't had the interest in looking in on them, but does get to hear how things are going with 'em. My daughter wants to feed them but is afraid of them - and she's twelve. Skittish of everything.


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## wyllm (Nov 24, 2012)

*Mother Nature is prevailing*

Looks like I may not have time to build a proper sized nest box. I found this couple in one of my existing 9dx10hx20w one. Showing off the pair here. See how the cock guard the hen.


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

The hen is the silverette? Cute pair! Your daughter will probably warm up to them once she can see and handle some babies and then soon she will realize they can't bit or hurt. It is a great hobby for the kids to be exposed to. My two kids are completely different in personality.....esp. in the way they react towards animals of all types....but both are wonderful!!


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## wyllm (Nov 24, 2012)

Yep, she's a silverette. I looked up sex linked mating on Tom's genetic page.

My kids seem to be afraid of everything because mama babies them. 

It took forever to get them to ignore wood bees and wasps. "They won't bother you if you don't bother them." I even had to prove it by walking around some of each. In my experience, you have to disturb wasps before they attack and wood bees generally don't sting.

While I enjoyed some relaxation sitting in the loft and simply watching (my wife is clueless why I enjoyed that. ), my son locked me in! he didn't know, I could unlock it from the inside.


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