THEO YSKOUT

Theo Ijskout
BELG 98 6239718 - JONGE PLAYBOY - Blue Cock
BELG 99 6384103 - JACKPOT - Blue Cock
BELG 98 6239764 - LESLY - Blue Hen
AU 07 TEAM 585 - Blue Cock
AU 097 TEAM 587 - Blue Cock
AU 05 GFL 823 - BOURGES STAR - Blue Hen
AU 94 GFL 25 - Blue Pied Cock
AU 07 TEAM 118 - ANTE UP - Blue Hen
AU 07 TEAM 611 - PLAYIRL - Blue Hen
AU 06 TEAM 211 - Blue Hen
AU 06 TEAM 212 - Blue Hen
AU 08 BLUE SKIES 114 - Blue Hen
AU 08 LAMBERTON 266 - JACKSON - Blue Cock

The YOUNG PLAYBOY, LESLEY, and the BLUE BOURGES are featured on Theo Yskout's Breeding Card. The YOUNG PLAYBOY, LESLEY, & JACKPOT (full brother to YOUNG PLAYBOY), are now breeding in Oklahoma. A daughter of the BLUE BOURGES coupled with the GOLDEN MATTENS is also breeding at our loft. These 4 breeders, along with a son of MIKE'S PICK, are 5 of the basis breeders in the loft.

For as long as I know, Frans Yskout, my father, has always been a pigeon fancier. When he passed away, in 1985, the pigeons were sold in favour of “the pigeon-league”. This was for me the moment to get involved. Even though I didn’t know the difference between a cock and a hen, it wasn’t an obstruction at all for me to get acquainted with the ‘birds-world’. In no time we installed a loft in the garden and from my namesake André Yskout, living in Heist-op-den-Berg, I managed to get 6 breeding-couples. Already in November 1985 pigeons got coupled and additionally I became 16 youngsters which were born out of the second breed of the pigeons of André Yskout. So I was in the running .My first race, I won ‘the price of honour’. At Orleans I ended 7^th on provincial level, knowing that I had 1 pigeon in the race. I ended my first year at the 6^th place on National level in Bourges, again only 1 bird competing approximately 49.000 birds. I received 12 times ‘the price of honour’. After this I got totally wrapped up in the ‘hens-game’, propagandized by Stan Raeymaekers, published in the pigeon-paper. He would have copied it from Noël de Scheermaeker’s “Green Book”.

These breeding-couples are selected through performances ; at least a first price, decent eyes and soft feathers. All pigeons are coupled around 28 November, racebirds as well as breeders.

The racebirds, namely 16 widowers and 12 widow-hens raise only once youngsters. When the youngsters become an age of 18 till 20 days, the racebirds will go to the run and their partners take care of them until they get weaned after 23 till 25 days. This to prevent the hens from having a new breeding period.

Eggs of the breeders get shifted under feeding pairs after an 8 days brooding period. By doing this I have the opportunity to have twice young birds in the early season, which are instantly ready to race.

Every year, a few ‘late’ youngsters, offspring from the best breeders, are kept as reserve.
The breeding-couples also copulate with one another. Only 4 or 5 couples have a regular partner.

Race-loft :
Young birds have a loft with a length of 12 meter, devided into 5 parts each 2 by 2 meter. In between there’s a passage of 1,5 by 2 meter. In this loft remain 80 youngsters. During the race the youngsters are separate by using the sliding-folding door.
There’s 1 widow-loft : 4,5 by 2 meter containing 16 widowers.
1Hens-loft 4 by 2 meter with a side-loft having an area of 1,2 by 2 meter, where they stay all day.
The race-lofts are built by myself and made out of wood, having a double wall. On the outside, these lofts are covered with ‘eternit-plates’ not being isolated.
This results in a very cold atmosphere in winter and a very hot one in summer. Aircirculation is very less present in the race-lofts. Only above, at the frontside, there’s on opening of 7 centimeter over the total length of the loft.
Constant circulation of air is not the part I’m most interested in. To my opinion, a draught-proof loft is much more important.

Breeding-loft :
The breeding-loft is built out of stone and consisted of 3 divisions. Every division contains a little run, so the pigeons can take a bath in open air.
The bottom has a metal grid. The broodtrays measure broadly 80 by 60 cm, so that the birds can easily be locked away for copulating.

Hens :
12 widow-hens.
Hens are coupled on the 28^th of November and raise one time young birds. As soon as the youngsters grow 20 days old they move to the run and stay there till the 15^th of March. They strictly eat light food.
On the 15^th of March they return to the loft and the training-sessions start.
Twice a day the pigeons are let out; further, they are taken away 4 or 5 times till a distance of 50 km.
After that, the first 100 km-race is played. At the end of March the hens are coupled again and an 8-days brooding period restarts. Then it’s time for widowhood.
For about 2 or 3 minutes before basketting, they get to see their cock; when the season passed by this timeperiod gets longer. When they arrive back home from short flights they get to see their cock for half an hour. At the end of the season they are allowed to see him till the evening and after tough or bad flights even till the morning after.
At their arrival, after a race, they get half diet-food and half race-mixing. Last two meals they get super-widow food served.
There is strictly taken care of that hens don’t start to copulate with one another, because this is the ultimate wrong-doer !

Widowers :
16 widowers
The classic widowhood is applied. At the 28^th of November pigeons get coupled and they raise 2 youngsters. From the moment on the young birds reach an age of 20 days, the cocks are put in a run and stay there until mid March. They have flights twice a day.
At the end of March they got coupled again and get trained and after 8 days of brooding they rest in widowhood.
By basketting, cocks have the chance to see their hens the first 3 times.
Their food is the same as for widow-hens.
The cock race on flights more than 400 km every fortnight.

Youngsters :
80 till 100 youngsters
Youngsters get weaned between the 20^th and 25^th day and get the first day only grit-stone and water. Further they have breeding-food and this during a period of 2 months. Then, half diet and half race-mixing is given.
Youngsters always get a full tray of food for an entire day, every day throughout the year and also fresh grit-stone every day.
Youngsters are put in darkening from 17.30h till 08.00 o’clock from the end of February till the 10^th of June. If they get this treatment longer than the 10^th of June it may happen that they don’t entirely moult.
The darkening-schedules are strictly to be looked after. Although the birds find themselves in darkening, it is not that dark that they can’t eat or drink properly.
Despite what sometimes is claimed, the losses one not higher than normal, in a situation as mentioned here above. Youngsters get trained from half of April if the weather is fine, and when they are trained well at home, example when they fly away for about an hour of sight.
They are taken away by car 5-10-20 till 50 km. Then they are ready to be taken away by the pigeon-league to Quievrain. Then they are separated. Throughout the season I use the sliding-folding door. The young birds fly the total program till Bourges and Argenton. Afterwards the best ones take a break till the next season!