Tom Corrie Jnr reports on
WULLIE MILLEN
Cambuslang Club, Lanarkshire Fed
Warriors of the Skye
Wullie outside his loft
Wullie Millen, in his very short time back in the sport, has made a significant impact. He lives in Rutherglen near Glasgow, once a centre of heavy industry having a long coal mining tradition which died out by 1950. In 1975, it lost its own local council and administratively became a component of the City of Glasgow District Council. In 1996, Rutherglen was reallocated to the South Lanarkshire Council area.
6 x 1st clubs, 6 x 1st west sections including 1, 2, 3 section in one race, 27 section and open positions in the Lanarkshire Federation 2013 equates to an outstanding year’s racing. Cambuslang is one of the biggest clubs in the federation and sends hundreds of pigeons each week. The west section is the biggest and probably the most competitive section of the federation. With a westerly loft location it isn't easy to succeed in federation flying in Lanarkshire. When the west wind blows in Scotland the birds tend to follow the wind and the federation winners will be dominated in that area. Well not in this loft. These little warriors have been battling their way down the west into mostly head winds, racing their heads off in the biggest federation in the land. Probably like most fanciers who concentrate on federation flying, he is not a household name outwith his own federation but take it from me, he is a real serious flyer. Winning 6 first sections in the one season is remarkable flying with often thousands of birds competing. It’s up there with the best.
Loft set up
So what about the man himself? The Midas touch isn't easy to come by. Most of us are looking for that level of consistency that Wullie has achieved with multiple section prize winners. 2013 has been his first full season competing within the federation after being back in the pigeons three years.
He obtained his stock from the late Tuck Hilley of Plains nr Airdrie who had purchased the best of GWP Macaloney, Coatbridge stock, these being Camphuis and Gaby Vandenabeele lines. Wullie has built a great friendship with Tuck’s son Martin Hilley over the seasons. Another addition was a dark Jan Aarden cock from friend Jim Wood of Uddingston that when crossed into the Camphus, has clicked with some handy pigeons including his club YB of the year winner. Wullie also purchased the lofts of Tuck that were renovated with aviaries attached for his needs. These birds have been winning right from the start with more GWP Macaloney pigeons being added to these potent lines.
YB section perches. Two sections with identical perches.
Wullie is a Blacksmith by trade and presently works as a manager of an engineer’s company, a short trip down the road at Govan. He has undertaken all renovations, including nest boxes and aviaries with a special innovation of a wire deterrent on the hens’ floor to prevent the hens pairing. Wullie has one ambition, to better the previous year’s performances. He is aware of the possible changes he needs to make. He is very aware of the need for a settled loft environment to prevent any stress on the birds.
He uses Versele Laga granules as floor dressing, that have been down for three years. He feels this keeps the humidity right and with the condition I saw on the birds, it is a winner. The great thing is Wullie is seldom in the sections and from the aviaries can observe the birds without actually being in the loft, this keeping his own health without risk. His nest boxes and perches have trays built to catch most of the droppings and so stopping a build up on the floor. What is on the floor dissolves into the granules. The young birds are fed on the granules building up a natural resistance to the environment. Old birds are also fed on open hoppers on the floor, only having dishes in their box when feeding young birds. He gives the birds grapeseed extract (concentrate), 3 or 4 drops in the drinker 4 or 5 days per week. He feels this is a great natural product and keeps the birds right throughout the season.
Inside the racing section
The lofts have been redesigned to meet the systems flown, with the garage on the left side of the loft being converted to keep 12 pairs of stock and a small section that initially a small team of darkness youngsters raced extremely well to in 2013 but this year houses six pairs on total widowhood for 6 widowhood cocks. Both stock and the six pairs have access to the aviary when available. This year the darkness loft for the youngsters has a small extension built on to accommodate all the young bird team.
A section winner
Wullie is the first to admit that his success has been built on the full family helping in the strict management of the birds. His lovely wife Linda, his daughter and grandson all help Wullie, which includes timing the birds on a Saturday if he has to work. The pigeons are only out regularly three weeks before the first race and once exercising well around the loft they are given 3 or 4 tosses up to Calderglen country park around 6 miles west of his loft. No further training is given. The system being very much roundabout, hens out first, cocks moved through and hens re-entering the box section, fed and then moved back into perch section. On Friday the cocks are fed in the aviary and the hens in nest box section early morning.
Birds enjoying time in the aviary
Feeding
On return from a race on Saturday they are fed Breeding mix, then Vanrobaeys Number 29 mixture up to and including Thursday morning, then the last two feeds Vanrobaeys Energy mix. As the distance increases, he increases the Energy mix earlier into the diet. The amount is 1oz and a quarter with birds having their full at the end of the week, Wullie saying they don't really eat much on the Friday. He is very consistent with his feeding stating food can be poison if used wrongly. Once per day they get a very small amount of Hormoform, about a tablespoon between them. Young birds are kept on the Breed and Wean mix up until three weeks before the first race and then onto the same as for the old bird racing regime. They are trained out to twenty miles, usually from the south west and have a toss liberated alongside the federation transporter (not in the transporter) from around thirty miles.
Wullie showing perfect health of droppings in the YB section
Here’s a snapshot of someof the other things in his system
Never cankered his pigeons in three years.
Youngsters are vaccinated straight from nest.
Horse wormer is given to eliminate lice, mixed into the drinker, before and after the racing season.
Tobacco sticks and nest felts for nesting.
Cider Vinegar infrequently
Bath every Sunday.
Birds are timed by ETS.
Plenty of rest, even up till Tuesday (if weather poor) before returning to loft exercise twice daily.
Radio is on within loft during racing season,
Matrix and Kilpatrick black minerals. Doesn’t feed too much Matrix; this is fed with mixture.
Layer pellets are used when pairing.
Walter Boswells (Burnbank club) Disinfectant/Herbal tonic was used on the youngsters last year after suffering YB syndrome. Wullie stated the birds very very sick at the time. After two days the birds were back looking brighter with their droppings consistency back to normal. Thanks to Walter for his help.
Wullie stated he has suffered every year from the YB Syndrome and feels the majority of lofts suffer this and some don't realise they have it till it's toolate.
Wullie has tried many products but feels these are the ones that works for him.
Self built droppings tray under the aviary
Old Birds 2013
Otterburn
5th club 13th west sec 1793 birds
Sedgefield
1st club 1st west sec 3294 birds
3rd open 7217 birds
Thirsk
1st, 2nd, 5th club
1st, 2nd west sec 2304 birds
4th, 6th open 4905 birds
Wetherby
2nd club 3rd west sec 2233 birds
9th open 4768 birds
Newbury
1club 1st west sec
2nd open Lanarkshire Fed
SNFC, 9th Sect E, 68th Open
Maidstone
5th club 14th west sec
Typical racing cock
Young birds 2013
Otterburn
5th club 9th west sec 2912 birds
27th open 6360 birds
Appleby
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th 5th club
1st, 3rd, 4th, 12th west sec 2559 birds
1st, 3rd, 5th, 22nd open 5490 birds
Appleby
3rd club, 4th west sec 1755 birds
27th open 4191 birds
Ingleton
3rd, 4th, 5th club
6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 13th west sec 1448 birds
12th, 13th, 14th, 24th open 3284 birds
Charnock Richards
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th club
1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 13th west sec 723 birds
5th, 7th, 12th, 20th open 1996 birds
Otterburn
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th club
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 9th west sec 600 birds
1st, 2nd, 4th, 15th open 1654 birds
Winning cheq hen off the Tame Hen
Lines of winning pigeons
Jester 320 x Pure Gold
Jester x Lady of the Rings
Roman x Sissi 264
National Fidel xBelle
Wittenbuik 360 x Going for Gold
Westkaapelle x Fieneke 804
Rambo2 x Flora
He has a few of G.W.P.Macaloney original Camphuis which he finds cross very well.
Pair of top yearlings, including cheq cock, Cambuslang YB of the year.
Ambition - To improve on his present performances in the Fed and make an impact in National flying.
Most Admired - Loft of GWP Macaloney, which he rates the best in the land if not Europe.
Wulie has been a very successful fancier in the short time back in pigeons and with his present team of pigeons I see him continuing to succeed way down in the far west with his team of warriors of the skye.
Thanks to Wullie for the insight into top federation flying. I could have been there for many more hours but the wife phoned to remind me that we were attending the Coalburn presentation night. Time flies when you are enjoying yourself. Special mention for the home made soup and lunch that Wullie and Linda provided, it hit the mark - Brilliant, just like my visit!!! As Arnold Schwarzenegger says: “I'll be back”.
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Elimar - February 2014