Feeding System Advice

[Winfort Lofts]

Hello All,

Hope you all are having a good racing season so far!

I have been able to enter the last two races this season so far and am enjoying it all so far!

As we all know consistency can be a very good thing! Unfortunatley for me, so far that consistency has been bottom of the results sheet

I can honestly live with being bottom of the sheet, but so far I have been way off the racing pace, this week for example, the club birds were doing great speeds of 1600+ yds/m, whereas my birds were around 950yds/m.

Admittedly, I know that my feeding currently is not right, so I am looking for a system that will get me on a good footing to start out! So far I have been racing on a breeding mix, which I know will not be doing me any favours!

I suppose the next thing I am wondering, is whether or not the feed, can cause that much of a difference in race speeds??

Please be nice, I'm still learning!

yours in sport!

[Andy]

Hi and welcome to the forum.
There are lots of things to consider in your questions. You will get different answers from different people depending on how they race. It can be frustrating being so far behind the winners but at least you have the right attitude. Things will improve for you as you gain experience.
Firstly have you got sprint pigeons or distance? Are you racing natural or widowhood or some other system? Some people think feeding is an art but I don’t. How are your birds flying around home? What have your returns been like?
A lot of questions to start with but hope you don’t mind. We can then give you all the advice we can .
I now am only interested in racing in national distance races myself now so my methods will be different to those club racing.
Good to see your enjoying the sport and long may it continue.

[Winfort Lofts]

I have mostly sprint birds, from what I have been told anyways!

Currently I am not on a fixed system per se, I have one section in the race loft, there are nest boxes and perches available to the birds!

I only have a small race team, of 8 birds, split 5-3 (hens-cocks). So far returns have been ok, but not great, usually had 50% on the day, then others are back the following morning.

Around the loft flying has been alright, but not flying around for much longer than 20mins at a time.

All have done multiple 25mile tosses though.

[Andy]

I will give my view in more detail later when I have more time.
How are you feeding them at present. Twice a day or once? Food left down or kept tight?

[Winfort Lofts]

For the most part they are getting fed once a day in the evening, if they are being tossed over 10mile then they will get half ration on return, and half again on the evening.

They are getting around 1-1.5oz per bird

[Buster121]

I just feed a good all rounder they need more than 1oz though, if they are only flying 20 mins or so they may have something wrong like canker or cocci and need doing, would try a canker or combo treatment for couple days and see how they go

[Murray]

I think you may have explained the problem. You are racing them on a breeder mix, which I suppose is full of peas and beans.
lots of protein is fine when they are raising babies, although that protein need not always come from legumes.
I should think the pigeons that are at the top of the sheet, going 1500, are on a much different feed, much lighter on peas and beans.
Sprinters need to be fit and athletic, not weighed down with a heavy diet.

[Andy]

It seems that you are racing natural. Mine have food in front of them all day. I take any away over night. I just feed an all round mix. I don’t think the feeding is particularly your issue. It could be a health problem. I never treat for anything but if you have a problem it is best sorted before you can move forward. I must say mine never fly for any length of time but being on open loft they are up and down all day long. It is difficult when on natural to get them to exercise well if only allowed out twice a day. I would certainly feed twice a day. Fed once a day they will fill up when they get the chance and then would have periods with no food in them. I don’t think this would do them any good.

[Murray]

And buster might be right. They may have underlying canker or cocci. A treatment may turn them around.
I would look at the feed first, and if there is no great improvement look at medicating them. Medicine is always the last resort.

[Murray]

It seems that you are racing natural. Mine have food in front of them all day. I take any away over night. I just feed an all round mix. I don’t think the feeding is particularly your issue. It could be a health problem. I never treat for anything but if you have a problem it is best sorted before you can move forward. I must say mine never fly for any length of time but being on open loft they are up and down all day long. It is difficult when on natural to get them to exercise well if only allowed out twice a day. I would certainly feed twice a day. Fed once a day they will fill up when they get the chance and then would have periods with no food in them. I don’t think this would do them any good.

I agree with Andy, feeding once a day they stuff themselves then spend part of the day hungry. Not ideal.
I feed twice a day, the first feed early, even if I have to turn the lights on. That way they don't gorge themselves because they are not starving. The food is taken away during the day. They have a healthy appetite.

It's 6.30 am here, I will go out and feed them in a minute.