Another question on feeding, hope you dont mind:-
Most of you know that I have no interest in sprinting
but I really need some guidance from the sprint men to answer this question but with a bit of distance in mind......
When a bird comes back from a sprint race, people feed depurative or barley or something light. The 1st part of my question is - is this because you are already prepping the birds for the next weeks race?
The reason I ask is because it strikes me that when prepping for the distance, when a bird comes back from say 150 miles or more , I need it to replace whatever muscle it has used and it cant do that by feeding depurative and barley. So the 2nd part of my question is in prepping for 5/600 mile races should I be feeding proteins on return.
I am somewhat naive regarding feeding for racing so, as usual, would appreciate any guidance.
Feeding on return
if Mike and neil were here they might of answered better but fats/energy sat on return and later same day then barley next day then back onto a system but protine feed can now be lighter than beans peas ect with same intake percentage
williams and hadfield
Hi Dave, I'm afraid I'm very old school and don't go in for all this complicated feeding, I wouldn't have a clue how much protein or Carbohydrates my birds are getting. My birds are set up with distance in mind, I have introduced some sprint pigeons into my team with the hope that I'll be a little more competitive from the short ones but my system won't let me get near the top sprint fliers in our club or Federation. I think you just find a feed that you like and that suits what you want to achieve and stick to it, it doesn't need to be any different just because they've raced the day before, let the bird decide what it wants, they know better than we do.
I'm by no means an expert, even after 50 years in the game, and feeds have become an absolute mine field, mostly to suit the feed merchants pocket. I feed an all round mix over the winter and during breeding, when racing is approaching I feed a lighter mix aimed at the sprint fliers and as the distances increase I add more and more beans/maple peas to the diet, they also get beans ad lib in the hopper.
Funnily enough I was talking about feeding with the widowhood blokes down the club yesterday, they laughed at me when I mentioned depurative and breaking pigeons down, apparently that's old school and not done anymore, they feed the same race mix seven days a week, but its the amount they feed that's important, not what they feed, Alan Still, who is one of the top fliers in our Club/Federation feeds his widowhoods in their boxes with a Tea spoon.
We do have some members who like to feed Barley, but others wouldn't entertain it, it's the continuity that's important, find what works for you and stick to it.
Others will have different opinions to mine, that's what makes this game fun, we are all so very different.
All the best
I'm by no means an expert, even after 50 years in the game, and feeds have become an absolute mine field, mostly to suit the feed merchants pocket. I feed an all round mix over the winter and during breeding, when racing is approaching I feed a lighter mix aimed at the sprint fliers and as the distances increase I add more and more beans/maple peas to the diet, they also get beans ad lib in the hopper.
Funnily enough I was talking about feeding with the widowhood blokes down the club yesterday, they laughed at me when I mentioned depurative and breaking pigeons down, apparently that's old school and not done anymore, they feed the same race mix seven days a week, but its the amount they feed that's important, not what they feed, Alan Still, who is one of the top fliers in our Club/Federation feeds his widowhoods in their boxes with a Tea spoon.
We do have some members who like to feed Barley, but others wouldn't entertain it, it's the continuity that's important, find what works for you and stick to it.
Others will have different opinions to mine, that's what makes this game fun, we are all so very different.
All the best
Absolutely, Trev,
When they get back from a race I tend to give them a small snack of a trapping mix type thing, Saff, sunflower, milo, rice, that sort if thing, and let them have a drink and a rest for an hour of so.
Then I offer them as much of the normal mix as they want. I think it's important, especially if the race was more than say. three hours.
Mine fly a big hour every morning and often half an hour in the afternoon. They do it on a fairly light mix and don't need any special treatment just because they flew an hour. I think it's the same racing. A race of an hour and half to two hours for example, is what they are accustomed to. In fact, after a short race, mine are often out tearing around with the others and having a bath a few hours later.
As Trev said, many of the good flyers are now feeding the same diet to every pigeon every day. I do. Not saying I am a good flyer.
It's not what you are feeding, it's how you feed it. A bit lighter portion early in the week loading them up a bit later in the week so by Friday they are full and not wanting to eat so much.
I feed my old birds in small bowls in their boxes. The youngsters in trays. Some in the sputnik and some on the floor. It helps prevent fighting. I use a small plastic scoop, and put a few scoops in the tray, when they have cleaned that up I add another couple, and so on. When I think they have had enough I take the trays away.
It's simple and works for me.
When they get back from a race I tend to give them a small snack of a trapping mix type thing, Saff, sunflower, milo, rice, that sort if thing, and let them have a drink and a rest for an hour of so.
Then I offer them as much of the normal mix as they want. I think it's important, especially if the race was more than say. three hours.
Mine fly a big hour every morning and often half an hour in the afternoon. They do it on a fairly light mix and don't need any special treatment just because they flew an hour. I think it's the same racing. A race of an hour and half to two hours for example, is what they are accustomed to. In fact, after a short race, mine are often out tearing around with the others and having a bath a few hours later.
As Trev said, many of the good flyers are now feeding the same diet to every pigeon every day. I do. Not saying I am a good flyer.
It's not what you are feeding, it's how you feed it. A bit lighter portion early in the week loading them up a bit later in the week so by Friday they are full and not wanting to eat so much.
I feed my old birds in small bowls in their boxes. The youngsters in trays. Some in the sputnik and some on the floor. It helps prevent fighting. I use a small plastic scoop, and put a few scoops in the tray, when they have cleaned that up I add another couple, and so on. When I think they have had enough I take the trays away.
It's simple and works for me.
Greetings from the land down under. 
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.