neila

I should have added they also like many strains contain janssen so they have a janssen van loon base , but like most continentals I imagine there is a fair few others pigeons in the family Just wondered what they were

I only pair mid Feb as I like March and April ybs as I only breed from stock but I am thinking of in time having some earlier ones to try maybe in a year or two I would be interested if any fanciers could explain how they manage the early babies from a week or two after weaning in January to the first race. Do they fly well at home all that time , do they roam like later babies , do they get trained in April and if so do you have to keep them going to July Only I fear my ybs would be a job to keep going for 5 months to the first race and could become bored and lose the love of flying at home

Do any members know what the base of the Koopmans was or is , I did read that they contain some van loon blood but just interested in what other families was used to make the strain I have 5 koopman based birds from a friend but can find a great deal of info on the base of the family most reports seem to focus on the fanciers methods etc

Same here Mick

Does the amount of barley matter in the dupurative as I see some have a higher percentage than others

Hi Alex Thank you for the reply I have been feeding a bag of super widow and Gerry mixed , then some energy mix depending on wind and distance so it only contains 9 per cent peas the rest is high carb to I add the energy (fat) So when I add barley early in the week it becomes a light high carb mix which I thought was a bit like a dupurative is based on as it looks a high carb low protein mix But I see so many fanciers use dupurative I guess I am missing the point to it , hence wonder if I should try

One pair of youngsters would get your money back, looks a cracking pigeon good luck to the new owner

I tend to feed my old birds 30 to 50 per cent barley Monday and Tuesday the remainder a sport mix but was thinking of changing to dupurative instead on a Monday and Tuesday Just looking for advice on why fanciers feed the dupurative mixture rather than adding barley to the race mix, which in my case is a high carb low protein mix , as I only feed peas or beans on a Sunday Be interested to read other views on this subject

What's your plans weekly for the hens that are not going to races but could well be the following week , are going to loft fly or train them etc

Same as into London you would very only rarely get a fed card flying natural

I would have to train 40 miles a day if I flew natural against the widowhood men here to make the fed sheet regular most of our races are sprints Do you train a lot mate ? Be interested in your weekly system

When I do that my cocks do not perform as well as when I turn the bowl and basket ,so it could be your right that brings the hens on

That's how I do it Alex Just was thinking a true team of widowhood cocks would put perform the cocks where the partners race as well

Thanks for the post

I think Wilder will win in 4 but I do think if Fury had have had a couple of competive fights after his break prior to taking this one it would have been closer

Just wonder what site members feel regarding widowhood cocks and roundabout cocks or any system where both partners race My question really is I often hear that hens beat the cocks regular on roundabout etc ,but I wonder for that was more due to the cocks not always having a hen at home on return rather than he fact that the hens are better.do the cocks not race fully in the way a widowhood cock would . Does anyone race a team of true widowhood cocks against a team of roundabouts or any system where both partners race and if so what are your findings Of course more than happy to here others thoughts on the subject I always race both but do wonder what oit would be like to race 10 of my 20 cocks to stay at home hems

Never used it but use Avidress everyday May give this a try on the ybs or keep the cocks on Avidress and try the hens on this

No going this year , but I enjoyed on the times I went before ,although that was when it was a two day show not sure how packed it gets now it's one day

Lovely looking pigeons ,well done

I had this two years ago I closed my bottom vents at the front of the loft just left the top , and reduced the gap at the back from 4 inch to one inch ,then I built out over the boxes by about a foot so the air flow wasn't dropping right in front of the birds and no more mould

I buy VL energy mix £18 for 20kg but it lasts the season , I think bamfords and South feeds do a version Also of late I have been looking at the stuff Chris Gibson sells as they is just sunflower ,peanuts hemp etc I researched if it was cheaper to make my own and it isn't Have a search for northern powerhouse auctions his seed mix is on there cost more but I think it would be good for a small team flier

That's interesting Ryan I have been feeding 1/4 Wednesday night , 1/4 Thursday am ,1/2 Thursday pm and just fats Friday so my may need a alteration Cheers mate

Very interesting Ryan What kind of amounts would you feed of the fat based feed in the ration from say Tuesday for sprinting looking at your reply I guess it would be 100 per cent by Wednesday ? If so I guess it would have to measured

Do you feed a set amount or to they start picking certain grains

Although a old post Be interested to see how you judge what's required against what fat will be unused and just a dead weight on the bird Thanks