UkPigeonRacing

When you say "let them out a pair at a time" do you mean "out" as in "outside"? If so I think you're just making it a bit too difficult for yourself by doing it in individual pairs. If you're gonna allow the cocks and hens to have their freedom when pairing up then do just that.

Dad quickly learnt that his Van Hee's could not compete in any races less than 6 hours on the wing into Rugeley. There were fanciers that simply housed faster pigeons than that. That's why in 1983 when Paramyxo came around he dumped a lot of the Van Hee's and got some good Busschaerts as well because they'd at least give him a sniff in shorter faster races

The furthest Dad ever went was to Bergerac (557 miles)

He sent 1. Finished 4th Section 12th Open winning £1,122.00

That same Van Hee cock won 1st Saintes 488 miles the year before. Brute of a race. No birds on the day he was clocked dead early the following morning. I saw him coming all the way. He came like the preverbial bullet from a gun. Most importantly though he was as fresh as paint when he dropped. That's when he was immediately targeted at Bergerac the year after

Diamond Dave wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 8:10 am Thanks Mike, I take it all on-board especially when it comes from stables such as your family. Can I ask if your ol dad flew all distances as I guess most did back then?
My main concern this year is to settle the pairs to their new environment, I think I have done that ok but both cocks and hens keep going back to the old shed and trying to get in -as though they are yearning for breeding.
I just thought it might make them happier with the new loft if I maybe let them out a pair out at a time....what would you say to that? (incidently, I still wont be pairing for a few weeks yet)

Hi Dave. I have just had mine out twice recently since last October. They are paired and on eggs. 1 two year old cock that was a late bred 2023 and raced natural last year has been let into the loft he raced to last year but has been taken straight out and put through the stall traps to the widowhood section. Would hope next time out will go back in the right loft, and 2 yearlings that raced to the young bird section last year that first time out I had to let into the young bird section but trapped into the right section second time out. They will soon get the hang of it.

Give them half rations then let them out the next day

MIL wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 5:39 am If its distance that's your aim then the approach can be adjusted somewhat

The life of a sprinter on widowhood is all about discipline

They eat at certain times, rest at certain times, exercise at certain times, work at certain times and as such they get rewards at certain times.

Having said that, Dad certainly never let his cocks and hens out together when pairing up, and he was as excellent at the Distance as the next man.

You say a sprinter on widowhood is all about discipline!! I wouldn’t disagree with that when it comes to the racing season, I was very regimental with mine. But you wouldn’t keep them on the same routine all year round. You wouldn’t be exercising and training during the off season. The feeding would be different and the routine because of the weather, time and daylight hours is different during the winter months. Even having them paired is different than what you have them on during the racing season. So I see no reason why letting them exercise together pre season would cause any problem. Once the racing season approaches then yes they need switching on to the routine again.
When I was herd manager on the Duke of Norfolk’s estate in Arundel we had 2 good race horse trainers with gallops and stables on the estate, both flat racing. During their off season the horses would be out in paddocks and left to their own devices. It was only running up towards the racing season that they would be brought back into the stables to be prepared for the coming season.
When I was competitive swimming we wouldn’t do the same training when there were no big competitions coming up.

NeilA wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 12:09 pm Give them half rations then let them out the next day

I hear what you’re saying Neil but I never want my cocks trapping for food. They will soon work out where their box is and trap for that.

Andy wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 12:33 pm

NeilA wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 12:09 pm Give them half rations then let them out the next day

I hear what you’re saying Neil but I never want my cocks trapping for food. They will soon work out where their box is and trap for that.

No for Dave Andy to get them doing what he wants and not hanging on the old loft
Although my cocks will be on rations the day before they go out i can’t have tje yearlings sat about wanting to go into there yb loft to dangerous hawk wise
There be very hungry when they go out first 2/3 times 20 mins out and in
After that all sorted out the sky straight on the board and 20 cocks fighting to get in

Successful sprinting on widowhood at a very competitive level is all about discipline and there's nothing you can say to me that will change my mind on that. Why? Because when I followed that principle I won various Awards at Federation, Regional and National level.

The point about "sprinting" like Neil (a highly accomplished sprinter with many 1st Federation wins under his belt) says is that the hen is in the loft if the cock is outside. Dad followed the same principle with his Distance birds, but I think you could probably be a bit more relaxed with Distance birds

When I was a kid and couldn’t win a card i remember visiting many of the real ace fliers when our combine would send 12-15,000 to Berwick from 22 mile radius and they all had routine and discipline on some roads there would be 4 or 5 lofts every second counted a pigeon couldn’t swing around at home and expect a chance of a club card . The whole system was pretty much on a timer to each fanciers choice
I don’t recall there hens ever being out of the loft so it stuck in my head from them days
The cock couldn’t even consider his hen not inside .
I am not saying I’m right and Andy’s wrong but can’t see the reason to allow them both out in the garden together

Each to their own. I just don’t think it makes the slightest bit of difference when not switched on for racing.
You say about the cock not considering the hen inside the loft! How does that work all week then when they are exercised around home and let into an empty loft. Or training without the hen being there on return, which is something I would never do anyway.
Not saying your wrong Neil just an interesting topic they we probably won’t agree on. As said before for me it’s the love of home and the box that is more important than the hen.

Andy wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 3:07 pm Each to their own. I just don’t think it makes the slightest bit of difference when not switched on for racing.
You say about the cock not considering the hen inside the loft! How does that work all week then when they are exercised around home and let into an empty loft. Or training without the hen being there on return, which is something I would never do anyway.
Not saying your wrong Neil just an interesting topic they we probably won’t agree on. As said before for me it’s the love of home and the box that is more important than the hen.

When the cocks in the transporter I don’t want him thinking that his hen is not waiting in the loft to answer your query

I would never train not to a hen Andy
The hen is always there

When I let them out mine fly and then out the sky and in that’s not the same as walking about the garden with his hen to me it’s part of routine the system they know it’s time to go out and know when I drop the board it’s time to go in that’s there routine part again so very different to a kind of open loft for a hour or so

Regarding the box I do agree it’s territory but then the roundabout system in the main the hens percentage wise out perform the cocks when I talk to friends who do this system or the total widowhood they love there hens racing more than cocks
Now to me the cocks had his box all week if he beats his hen he’s only having that again or a odd hen thrown in like you say they race to the box but if I put Mike at his peak with 12 true widowhood cocks in a garden flying against another top fancier with 12 cocks on roundabout system ( not hens)
I would take Mikes 12 cocks so what is the difference ? both have a box all week the widowhood cock is guaranteed his hen the roundabout cock may be disappointed a few times if it was the box only then they would perform equal
So the difference is the hen that he’s had a nest with maybe

Cocks are territorial I agree but if it was only the box why do you train to hens or race to hens ?