By Nigel Wycherley
Who? What? Why? again . . .
Five more Fantail fanciers give their views.
WHAT IS YOUR NAME AND HOW DID YOU START IN FANTAILS?
Nigel Wycherley: I started keeping Fantails along with my father in the mid 1970s. This was after reading in the local paper that the famous actor, Yul Brynner had purchased some Exhibition Fantails from Conrad Birch. After visiting Conrad’s very impressive loft we came away with our first pair of saddles. We then disposed of all our other pigeons to concentrate on breeding Exhibition Fantails.
Bob Coleman: I started keeping Fantails a long time ago in the early 1970s but I did not get into showing until the last couple of years. My love for Fantails has always been with me and since I started a job which gave me a bit more time on my hands, I decided to start up with Fantails again.
Conrad Birch: I owned some as a boy at school.
Arthur Griffin: I started with Fantails in 1968, my initial birds were from Conrad Birch.
Gary McGowan: Jim MacCallum introduced me way back, many moons ago when I was 10 years old.
HOW MANY BIRDS DO YOU KEEP?
Nigel Wycherley: In partnership with my father we keep around 12 - 14 pairs of birds.
Bob Coleman: I have around 40 birds at the present time.
Conrad Birch: Too many - around 15 pairs to start the season.
Arthur Griffin: I keep around 15 breeding pairs at the start of the season.
Gary McGowan: I have six pairs of birds which I imported from Bob Vincent from Arizona, USA, in October 2003.
WHAT COLOURS DO YOU KEEP?
Nigel Wycherley: We keep the following colours - saddles in red, yellow, black and AOC, whites and splashes.
Bob Coleman: I have birds in saddles, blacks and whites.
Conrad Birch: I keep yellows, reds, saddle and duns.
Arthur Griffin: Blue, silver, powders, black, red and yellow.
Gary McGowan: All my birds are barred apart from one black cock which was reserve best Fantail at Doncaster 2003.
WHAT SIZE LOFTS DO YOU HAVE?
Nigel Wycherley: Dad's loft is 12 x 8 and my loft is 10 x 8. I keep trying for a 50 x10 with satellite TV, microwave and beer fridge but the missus tells me to get a life.
Bob Coleman: My loft is 10 x 8.
Conrad Birch: I have two lofts, a 15 x 13 and an 8 x 8.
Arthur Griffin: My lofts are 10 x 6 and 7 x 5.
Gary McGowan: My loft is 23 X 10 but I also use my garage, which was kitted out for quarantine.
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