Ears on barley

[Trev]

I wouldn't think tails on the corn would make the slightest difference, I think birds are designed well enough to be able to cope with things like that.

[worm]

I've had good success on feeding what they want but with no water adding fats after there main mix is left still with no water this self regulated them some ate more but bird for bird they only eat what they can remove feed left then 20 mins later give water

[NeilA]

I've had good success on feeding what they want but with no water adding fats after there main mix is left still with no water this self regulated them some ate more but bird for bird they only eat what they can remove feed left then 20 mins later give water

I have read about that method Stephen never had the guts to try it out
Was that with young or old birds or both

[NeilA]

I just feed mine as much as I want them to have. That's another way of doing it.
There are many ways of feeding them.

I try to get them to eat more as the week
goes so they eat more closer to race day and barley helps this as obviously less barley in the mix more they will eat my best years have been in that or strictly weighing the food each and every feed to increase the intake up to and including Thursday night but that’s just sprinting

[Murray]

Yea I used to do that too, but I've sort of gone to feeding them like racehorses. They have a staple diet which they get every day and when they are fit they recover quickly and reload. As you say, Neil, it's just my way.

[Andy]

Barley. Ideal for fattening pigs.
Or making whisky.

I do agree Murray. I have always be sceptical of barley. I used it last year because I went back onto widowhood and it’s what I used to do but still not convinced by it.
Yes it does stop the pigeons from overeating but only because they don’t like it. Chickens won’t eat it given a choice. Beef animals and pigs are fattened on it as it is good for fattening but they will only eat it if it’s been rolled or in the form of brewer’s grains, the left over stuff from brewing.

Andy This works well I find although I am not so strict with percentages it’s a old basic system but has some merit
I tend to give 30 per cent early in the week for a few days down to 10 percent late in the week for the cocks
But this was a good way that was explained to me some years ago
When racing starts
Protein and barley Sunday depending on the race Saturday as to the amounts
Then just feed your race mix with
40 pc barley Monday
30 pc barley Tuesday
20 pc barley Wednesday
10 pc barley Thursday
Replacing the barley percentage with a high fat high carb mix

Feed 10 gram morning all they want then at night a bit at a time to they leave the barley put down 1/2 ounce then 1/4 ounce and so on
It’s an excellent high carb feed to keep
The home flying good and as your sprinting to 100 odd miles only they want over eat on then replace the reduced percentage with seeds they like so the intake goes up a little each day .
Although my best years were when I weighed the food this is also a good system I think as your always feeding to appetite and one I think I will try again as I plan to send to a couple of longer races and feeding to appetite in April / May might be a better plan for that

That sounds quite good Neil.
I actually found the best way to stop over feeding was to have a mix in the trough all day long. Just taking it away overnight to prevent mice. This way if I picked a pigeon up at any time during the day its crop would be virtually empty as they just picked when they wanted.
The birds will only use what they need for what they are doing at the time. Everything else is just passed out.

[NeilA]

I do agree Murray. I have always be sceptical of barley. I used it last year because I went back onto widowhood and it’s what I used to do but still not convinced by it.
Yes it does stop the pigeons from overeating but only because they don’t like it. Chickens won’t eat it given a choice. Beef animals and pigs are fattened on it as it is good for fattening but they will only eat it if it’s been rolled or in the form of brewer’s grains, the left over stuff from brewing.

Andy This works well I find although I am not so strict with percentages it’s a old basic system but has some merit
I tend to give 30 per cent early in the week for a few days down to 10 percent late in the week for the cocks
But this was a good way that was explained to me some years ago
When racing starts
Protein and barley Sunday depending on the race Saturday as to the amounts
Then just feed your race mix with
40 pc barley Monday
30 pc barley Tuesday
20 pc barley Wednesday
10 pc barley Thursday
Replacing the barley percentage with a high fat high carb mix

Feed 10 gram morning all they want then at night a bit at a time to they leave the barley put down 1/2 ounce then 1/4 ounce and so on
It’s an excellent high carb feed to keep
The home flying good and as your sprinting to 100 odd miles only they want over eat on then replace the reduced percentage with seeds they like so the intake goes up a little each day .
Although my best years were when I weighed the food this is also a good system I think as your always feeding to appetite and one I think I will try again as I plan to send to a couple of longer races and feeding to appetite in April / May might be a better plan for that

That sounds quite good Neil.
I actually found the best way to stop over feeding was to have a mix in the trough all day long. Just taking it away overnight to prevent mice. This way if I picked a pigeon up at any time during the day its crop would be virtually empty as they just picked when they wanted.
The birds will only use what they need for what they are doing at the time. Everything else is just passed out.

Would they not take all the favorites though. Andy and say leave peas
Have you seen the old SVR feeding system that would be ideal for you with limited time

[NeilA]

Yea I used to do that too, but I've sort of gone to feeding them like racehorses. They have a staple diet which they get every day and when they are fit they recover quickly and reload. As you say, Neil, it's just my way.

On Saturday mine have energy mix all they want so high protein high fat
Sunday 10 grams energy
Protein on the corn if required
Sunday night back on the high carb measure
Only going to 250miles and mostly at 120-160 a week is nothing to them
Sunday they stay in and start again Monday night

[Trev]

Feeding Barley is something that I've never really paid much attention to, I know our Dad used to feed it when we were kids. He raced on Beans, wheat and maize, and fed Barley, Beans and Maize over the winter.
Having said that I do know that many of our members do use quite a lot of Barley, I don't know how they all feed it but I know one who pretty much feeds only barley over the winter.
It is something that I might have to look into a bit more

[NeilA]

Feeding Barley is something that I've never really paid much attention to, I know our Dad used to feed it when we were kids. He raced on Beans, wheat and maize, and fed Barley, Beans and Maize over the winter.
Having said that I do know that many of our members do use quite a lot of Barley, I don't know how they all feed it but I know one who pretty much feeds only barley over the winter.
It is something that I might have to look into a bit more

I have a pal who unfortunately is with us anymore he moulted on barley and about 15 per cent oil seeds his birds looked fantastic I have never been that brave to do it . Although there on 50 per cent barley now and will be 75/80 per cent barley in January I imagine