Sprint feeding

[Mark1021]

Hey guys really new fancier will be my first real season because last season I spent alot of time getting established I currently have 22 birds what I got in march so theyll be my old bird team and ill breed a small young bird team off them for my young bird loft my club races up to a max of 175 miles (I believe) i plan to run the roundabout system for my old birds any tips on feeding for relatively short races theres so much talk on feeding for like 300 miles + im just not sure ill ever be racing that far any tips would be appreciated it thanks

[CHARLTON34]

Hello Mark, i think probably the best 2 people to reply to your question would be Mike & Neil, both have expertise in racing & feeding.
Not sure what feed your using at the moment but I've used the Van Robaeys feeding for racing both ob/ yb something easy to follow.
I'm sure you'll get a response from both in due time.
Regards Dave.
Good to see you posting.

[Diamond Dave]

Yes welcome to the site Mark and good luck with those birds.
You will get all the info you need from this site from some of the best flyers in the country.
These guys will save you years and get you competing straight away so fill your boots mate.

[Mark1021]

All you need is light feeding mate
When they come home some fatty stuff like a energy mix in a tray or pots to get protein and fats into them easier to digest stuff like VL energy mix
Then about 6pm empty it then barley leave that in for them to Sunday night
and remove
Monday you can either weigh it or use barley as a guide

So pick a mix like Gerry plus or Gaby
Vanrobaeys have a couple of lovely mixtures similar
no peas no protein over 10-12 per cent and high carbs around 60 percent
Hens you can get away feeding a bit tight once a day
I use a pick pot to 8 hens but Thursday feed them twice


Cocks a bit more is required

So you can go 10-12 grams in the morning which is about a handful to 5 birds then at night you want about 20 grams
Wednesday night 25 grams at night
Thursday go to 40/45gram
Alternatively feed what you want at night with 50 percent barley Monday Tuesday ,25 per cent on Wednesday drop to 5 per cent Thursday
Feed a bit at a time to your seeing barley only left and stop
At your longer races add 20/25 per cent of a energy mix Wednesday night Thursday morning
Friday feed 15 grams and remove it before work
You can leave a bit of barley and seed down for them only a bit say handful to 10 birds

Supplements and medication Mike is on a different level to me so wait to see what he thinks
Plus he will have great advice as he was one of the very best sprint lofts in the country

Thanks mate I also bought the aviform hyper Pack and was following the application plan unsure if your familiar with it i currently feed once a day which is 50% barley 50% VL champion mix im guessing thats probably overkill which is why you said the gerry mix i do like feeding once a day till they leave some barley haven't ever tried the twice when you said feed the hens a pick pot to 8 twice a day on Thursday is that 2 pick pots per 8 on a Thursday just trying to note it all down in a easy format to try to follow lol

anything for you'd recommend feeding for the resting season, breeding, moulting?

[Mark1021]

Also Mark once you get the hang of it vary it so if you at 175 and it’s a head wind on Tuesday if you go with the barley measure drop the barley from 50 per cent to 25 percent
If going with measure way make Tuesday night the same amount as Wednesday so they scoff a little bit more due to the wind
Main thing if using barley just feed a little at a time
Say you have 15 cocks stick 3/4 handfuls down then another two then another two your see then start to lose interest

When you talk about Alternatively feeding barley is that me mixing gerry plus 50/50 with barley Monday Tuesday? For example sorry just trying to get my head round it haha! And for cocks it's 10-12 grams in the morning per cock im guessing and also the night feeds of 20-45 grams is also per cock?

[Mark1021]

Yes mate
You can measure the straight Gerry type mix so it goes up each night to race day
Or feed all you want each night but reduce the amount of barley in the mix each night so your going down from 50 percent Monday that way they will take more onboard as the week goes on
You don’t need them flying the skies out Monday Tuesday
So you can of want to build power for Saturday
Both ways work but the barley way you need to feed a bit at a time
The good thing about the barley way is if it’s cold your not under feeding as they will eat more of it to give them energy against the cold

I did buy some scales so if I was to use straight gerry what would monday-friday twice a day look like little bit confused like Thursday 10-12 in morning 40-45 gram at night so thats like 50-55g on a Thursday? If im reading it right sorry mate im useless when it comes to numbers lol be easier if I seen it
Monday- morning night
Tuesday- morning night

My brain goes into overload with this feeding stuff lol

[Mark1021]

This way there getting all they want Saturday Sunday
Your cutting them Babi a little Monday Tuesday to build appetite
Wednesday pretty much standard
Thursday your filling up to cover Fridays shortfall measure
By Saturday all the grub will have turned to energy to use

Got it mate thanks for that also Im pretty sure our young bird races are similar distances any tips for feeding them theyll be mixed sexes all in one loft should they be on gerry aswell once a day twice a day?

[Mark1021]

Very similar
Energy on return
With the Sunday feed you could add 25 per cent peas or even 50 percent to the barley as your building your team
Just see how they look Sunday morning

I try to get them out first thing then in with about 7g
Night after work train and back to 28 grams
So there getting 35gram a day
Thursday again the same as cocks
Use say 3 gerry 1 barley
Thursday all gerry
Bring energy in Wednesday night/ Thursday morning depending on wind

When Mikes on he will be better help with youngsters
I know he will say as he’s drummed it into me train daily
Last 15 -20 miles
So out first light then train after work is what I do
It works well as there brainwashed but you got to do it even if you don’t want to last year I was at work thinking I hope it rains tonight , in the end that bugger pushed me there was no escape
I sent to 5 races won 4 and the fed twice so I know he was right

Im guessing train daily leading up to the race season or do you mean train daily during it leading up to basketing?

[CHARLTON34]

Don't forget your rest day's Mark, that just as important with ybs moving forward.
Some good sound advice.

[Mark1021]

Hi Mark; and welcome

These birds that you are planning on racing Roundabout. Have they had any racing yet ?

Hey Mike no races yet unfortunately I didnt want to lose them during the first season so I kinda just kept them and wanted to learn more about just general keeping of them first but this year coming I plan to race them thanks for commenting!