Just make sure Neil that pre-season they see plenty of their hen
Every time they hit the basket the hen is there for them on return
If you don't teach them they won't learn
The message you're drumming into them is "basket means hen is waiting"
Yearlings in your team
Definitely
mate will train as much as possible from just short distances and try to get 2 a day in at weekends
I like 2 thirds of my small team to be yearlings ,I think once the cocks hit 3 year old the sprinting is knocked out of them because of what they face every week from the bops , they tend more to try and get home safe more that racing home, just my thought
Agree they get wise and probably more concerned with what’s going to hit them than the yearlings who don’t have that fear yet
I gave away 4 of my good older cocks once they were hit this year as I thought the same as you age was against them and strikes plus I was half a mind to go south so it made sense at the time