A Bit Of Interest

yeboah · July 26, 2016

Sitting tonight looking at yearlings and two year old cocks that have flown well for me this season

Had books out for each year since they were born and what races they competed in ,made interesting reading

Four yearling I got out of littlehampton this year as youngsters they only had Shap 65 mls and sedburgh 78 mls through the hills then stopped ,nearly all races this year

Two year old cock I got back hawked from Ancenis,had scored at Buckingham and littlehampton and flown nearly every race ,yet as a youngster he had one Shap and returned under his own steam 5 weeks late as a yearling put him in at Lymm 144 mls he came next day then he was first bird from Woolaston 220 mls then 2nd Cheltenham 240 mls

At what point does a pigeon that makes mistakes become a good one ,and obviously youngsters don't need the guts flown out off them

My own feelings are its the system you adapt them to that makes them ,and the breeding

Thoughts ?

geordie1234 · July 26, 2016

I used to be hell bent on getting ybs thru the whole programme...now I know I won't go to them all this season as I don't think the pigeons need the work and I certainly don't

Too many good pigeons winning well without getting battered as a yb

Edited July 26, 2016 by geordie1234

VMS · July 26, 2016

Percentage of the best birds I have had flew the YBN if possible I would like every YB in the loft to have had this experience not saying you won't loose good birds but like them out it.when I started keeping pigeons in 2004 I took 16 to the SNFC YBN marking at Airdrie remember this Auld boy saying to me that's a big basket son are you chucking it. :emoticon-0136-giggle:

VMS · July 26, 2016

Forgot. To add if my memory serves me right I got 3 from the race might have been Cheltenham

Kyleakin Lofts · July 26, 2016

I think nowadays you have to consider what type of race they have had and this has to be done from race to race. If they take a blootering one week, chances are you'll lose them the next. Fear of BOP, etc might just make them decide not to bother. I have read it often, observation is key.

I don't race mine at all to keep them free from the stress at this time of year. I also don't push them hard as 1YO, but expect them to race the programme final race the following season. I am not racing any great distance, racing North, but that is because I am of a careful deliberate nature and I will take my time before I decide to race distance on the South.

VMS · July 26, 2016

Are they pets or racing pigeons that's the question some need to ask themselves ,spoke to a decent fancier not that long ago that does not race them as ybs asked him what his returns were like when yearlings his reply was horrendous , imo may as well get rid ov the crap sooner rather than feeding them all winter

paddymac · July 27, 2016

Are they pets or racing pigeons that's the question some need to ask themselves ,spoke to a decent fancier not that long ago that does not race them as ybs asked him what his returns were like when yearlings his reply was horrendous , imo may as well get rid ov the crap sooner rather than feeding them all winter

I think that is a problem with a lot of fanciers, having too many untested ybs birds and they don't get any better at the yearling stage.

Novice · July 27, 2016

There are those who feel that the purpose of young bird racing is to weed out the rubbish. That's fine each to their own.

I discussed preparation for channel racing with a 3 times National winner some time ago and his thoughts were that birds going over the water for the first time as 2 year olds should be having about the 7th race of their lives.

All the previous races would be chosen to educate without destroying the birds.

He also felt that it was preferable that the birds should not have had a night out while racing as they would fly all day to avoid this.

That's just one individuals approach.

geordie1234 · July 27, 2016

There are those who feel that the purpose of young bird racing is to weed out the rubbish. That's fine each to their own.
I discussed preparation for channel racing with a 3 times National winner some time ago and his thoughts were that birds going over the water for the first time as 2 year olds should be having about the 7th race of their lives.
All the previous races would be chosen to educate without destroying the birds.
He also felt that it was preferable that the birds should not have had a night out while racing as they would fly all day to avoid this.

That's just one individuals approach.

Make a lot of sense tbh

I had a good mealy cock he never had a night out ever he was my timer quite a few times then sent him to Alencon 2015 he nighted out for the first time arriving at 5pm the next day 4 hours out of race time..after that the doo never really shone again one race think it might have been kettering he came the night morning...I think as he had spent a night out he wasn't to bother about getting home before night fall

Wiley · July 27, 2016

Make a lot of sense tbh

I had a good mealy cock he never had a night out ever he was my timer quite a few times then sent him to Alencon 2015 he nighted out for the first time arriving at 5pm the next day 4 hours out of race time..after that the doo never really shone again one race think it might have been kettering he came the night morning...I think as he had spent a night out he wasn't to bother about getting home before night fall

A night out a race too far a distance, is the best way to ruin a good sprinter, theyll never sprint to their standard again in my opinion.