NeilA wrote: ↑Fri Jul 12, 2024 8:51 amThink I need more than that Steve I don’t want to start removing water for 8 hours like some do it’s not my thing from training I worry I get a bad one and then they dehydrate
I think you worry to much Neil
As far as I can work it out pigeons come home for 3 things, territory, food, water, and once some of them get fed up doing that they give up coming home. They also, as far as I know anyway learn only by rote. I'm in the same boat as you since my partner died, occasionally I persuade the wife to take them but that's not often. Personally I'm not interested in races this side of a couple of hundred miles, or youngbird racing however I still want my babies pinging home as quick as possible ( if I let em go and they circle more than once I'm not a happy bunny ). Anyway back to subject, I always train my babies early mornings it just suites me best, and they always have the night in the basket with drinkers on, first tosses together from 15 miles with half ration waiting for them, but I normally beat them first few times. Once I've got them pinging and they're beating me back regular I start to let them go in smaller groups, but now when I basket up normally around 6pm no drinkers on basket so they go around 12hrs without a drink. Now if it was going to be a very warm night I wouldn't do it I just let them go as a group. They quickly learn, and will dive inside just as quick to grab a drink. As for getting a bad toss it occasionally happens, but if their health is right and they've been well schooled it's not something I worry about as it so rarely happens. Just my wacky Ideas Neil!