Conditioning and fitness

[Wiley]

thought this was an interesting post on pigeon-chat just would like to know pigeon basics opinions

 

how to obtain optimum fitness and condition for any given race?

Do fanciers set out a race programe for their birds?

Do they train hard and give their birds big jumps in distance?

Do they not train so hard and keep them racing?

How do they feed them to get them fit and in conditon before the race?

what is used in the water?

[jimmy white]

oooh dificult quick answer to that one,

first one would be differant for widowhood or natural ,,,sprint or distance

if widowhood for sprint to middle, would pair up as early as poss , separate after ybs were 14 days old let the hens feed ybs one day cocks the other, with galley pots in nest boxes ybs should be eating for themselves very quick, then pair back up again approx 4 weeks b4 first race, they should all lay within 8 days, when the cocks would be trained ,weather permitting ,i would let them sit a week, then all cocks on w,hood flying morning and evening,eventually for about 45 mins each time .  on the wed b4 first race turn bowls over show  hens, 45 min toss [instead of fly]back to hens ,,separate, after that only time they see there hens frid and sat when they come home,these birds should hold their fittness for at least 10 weeks, for the big races a midweek toss without seeing hens, a lot more to it than this ,,but this just the basics

second question i would say yes

third question, again differant for w,hood natural,,,,natural pair 10 weeks b4 big event 3 ,4, races then train hard

fourth question,  no

fifth question feeding would depend on the races in question i,e, distance

6th question , glucose , electrolytes, or even milk if hard race in water,,,,,vits on a wed,,pigeon  tea  on  sunday with sugar.  [this all for races over 150 miles]b4 this just pigeon tea on sunday,vits on wed a little garlic in the water mon, tues, thurs.

  very rough answers and only my opinoin [i would play it as the season went] :)