ideal feeding schedule for young bird racers

[mobster]

just want to ask what isa the ideal feeding schedule for young bird racers. some say, 2 times a day. 9 am and 5pm. some say once a day, 5pm. some once a day in the afternoon.

 

kindly share your feeding scheds.

 

thanks.

 

best regards,

 

gary

[Chatrace]

I only feed once a day when loft flying and it is after they fly. When I start road work they get 2/3 of the daily feed on return and the last 1/3 with the late afternoon loft fly

[Guest]

Once a day after loft flying or road training, always have food waiting when they come in

[ribble]

once for me=control

[mealybar]

Whenever they trap to the loft after exercise Found that exercising them once a day (and feeding them this once) they fly much better, fits in well with trying to get the old uns out too

[westburylofts]

 

Have to say once a day for us as well.

but birds still go out twice a day.

 

Ray

[mobster]

thanks for the reply. what specific time do you feed them? morning afternoon, evening?

 

regards

 

gary

[Guest]

around about 11 to 12 in the morning for me, gives them time to eat before I put them on darkness at 1 pm

[westburylofts]

 

We feed at around 5.30 pm as it suits us

and is also before we darken the loft.

 

 

RAY

[Guest]

Ray,

 

why do you darken the loft at that time, just curious

[mobster]

around about 11 to 12 in the morning for me, gives them time to eat before I put them on darkness at 1 pm

 

 

hyacinth,

 

for how long do you put yb's on darkness. or maybe you can share here how it is done.

 

thanks

gary

 

[westburylofts]

 

 

  SORRY HYACINTH

  We darken at 5.30 pm   when the yb's are flying and it is still light over here then

  but when we first wean off they go onto darkness from when it gets dark until

  9am next day

 

 

 

  RAY

[Guest]

Ray and Gary

 

One thing I have learned since I strted flying darkness, was not to put the birds into a darkened loft as soon as they are weaned.  If you do that the body moult starts and I feel it is difficult to get them flying out good once the moult has started.

 

I put them on 18 hours of darkness once I have them ranging and I can see the moult starting to kick in.  

 

I put my birds on darkness at one in the afternoon but open the shades before I go to bed at night.  I have a very specific reason for this, my belief is that birds orientate by the position of the sun in the sky at certain times of the day, as most races are liberated early morning I feel it is imperative for the birds to see the sun come up.

 

A word of warning, when you have birds on darkness, never overcrowd your loft and have plenty of ventilation

 

[Guest jason]

mobster, try this,  9.00am let old birds out for one hour then put a handful of barley in and call them, they should go straight in, 10.30am let y.birds out same as above with barley.

 

then 5.00pm do it all again but give them a good mix in the evenings.

 

hope this helps, it works for me. ;D