Not been on for a while so thought I’d catch up on how everyone’s seasons are going. Interesting reads.
OB were a write off for me due to a schoolboy error. When I bought my first loft last year I was put onto a guy who used the Pigeon Light system. Long story short, Mr All the gear no idea here had them on since the week before pairing - not just the stock birds but the race team too! My results were going backward and one of the club lads noticed the yearlings were on their 7th and 8th flights; “they think it’s October!”. I let em down badly with that one.
YB were doing great until I had a mink attack in the loft which not only killed 26 but set me back a month. I’ve only had 2 races so far and I’m 5 mins behind the leaders. Most are from marathon stock so not likely to compete really but I’m fully focussed on educating and retaining a 2027/28 team so not particularly fussed.
I’m training and feeding for returns rather than winning and that’s going ok - dropped 9 out of 95 first race and 8 out of 85 second race (one came back from first race seemingly blind in one eye).
What I’m getting around to asking advice on was how many races should I give these distance birds before stopping them. They’ve done 2 at 109miles and we have 2 coming up at 120. My gut says that should be enough education for 600miles + YBs?
Hope everyone is well
YB Season 2026
sad news on the Mink attack Pete hopefully you get through this season and look forward to the breeding season and next year to look forward to all the best mate keep us up dated
“Although I’m a Scot, I’d be proud to be called a Scouser.”
Pete it is very difficult to give advice of that nature, but in my experience, of the 77 you have left very few will be capable of 600 miles, and the more experience they get the better. Don't worry about the ones that join the wild and don't come home, you are looking for the birds that want to come home, and as long as you prepare them for each race you job is done. If these birds have ancestry for these distances, the ones that are still there will give you enjoyment from 400 on, and what is there after each year goes to build a loft of distance birds.PeteDerby wrote: Thu Aug 13, 2026 5:11 pm Not been on for a while so thought I’d catch up on how everyone’s seasons are going. Interesting reads.
OB were a write off for me due to a schoolboy error. When I bought my first loft last year I was put onto a guy who used the Pigeon Light system. Long story short, Mr All the gear no idea here had them on since the week before pairing - not just the stock birds but the race team too! My results were going backward and one of the club lads noticed the yearlings were on their 7th and 8th flights; “they think it’s October!”. I let em down badly with that one.
YB were doing great until I had a mink attack in the loft which not only killed 26 but set me back a month. I’ve only had 2 races so far and I’m 5 mins behind the leaders. Most are from marathon stock so not likely to compete really but I’m fully focussed on educating and retaining a 2027/28 team so not particularly fussed.
I’m training and feeding for returns rather than winning and that’s going ok - dropped 9 out of 95 first race and 8 out of 85 second race (one came back from first race seemingly blind in one eye).
What I’m getting around to asking advice on was how many races should I give these distance birds before stopping them. They’ve done 2 at 109miles and we have 2 coming up at 120. My gut says that should be enough education for 600miles + YBs?
Hope everyone is well
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Rdhd Danny
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We are at Huntingdon tomorrow birds are well prepared and in great condition! fingers crossed this week we get our 1st fed of the yb season, we went backwards last week from 6th the week before to 26th but I'm confident this week we should be top 5 again they have had a great week of training, best of luck to everyone racing and @leon I hope you get a great result mate 
I hope you get your 1st Fed this week Danny, If you have them in top condition. Lets hope they strike with the top places in the Fed. All the best mate.Rdhd Danny wrote: Fri Aug 14, 2026 10:19 am We are at Huntingdon tomorrow birds are well prepared and in great condition! fingers crossed this week we get our 1st fed of the yb season, we went backwards last week from 6th the week before to 26th but I'm confident this week we should be top 5 again they have had a great week of training, best of luck to everyone racing and @leon I hope you get a great result mate
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Rdhd Danny
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@devo thanks mate much appreciated
Sorry to hear of your news Pete, its a case of building on what you have left. Its going to be a case of preparing for next years racing, Myself i would continue racing them, if they are still good on the wing. A bit more education will do them well, But the choice is yours.
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Spieker-Loft
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14.08.2026
Feeding: 50% Reise light 50% Power Mix
Suppelents: Rotosal In drinker / Fatbooster + Ro200 Ready over food
Race/Training: 1 1/2 hours on house
Note: Here we are again with another beautiful shift in plans. No wonder why people are quitting this fed left and right. Once again flight schedule been changed (3rd time in 2 days). We are basketing tomorrow for race on sunday. At this point absolutely fed up with this stuff. Can't prepare properly for anything anymore with things beeing decided last minute constantly here. Usually we do a family day before basketing day even with our yb's since we have them seperated we let them out together in the morning and leave them together until mid day. That goes down the river clearly since i literally just found out 20 minutes ago basketing is tomorrow and not sunday. I put the birds together now for 1-2 hours and seperate later hoping it does the trick but yeah.. Usually they also get Tollyamin forte before basketing now i had them on a different product and feed all day because i thought tomororw is still another day for supplements but no excuses a good pigeon and a loft thats in shape still has to perform no matter what so i wont blame any of that. Still sucks tho because i do think proper routine and preperation does help them.
Feeding: 50% Reise light 50% Power Mix
Suppelents: Rotosal In drinker / Fatbooster + Ro200 Ready over food
Race/Training: 1 1/2 hours on house
Note: Here we are again with another beautiful shift in plans. No wonder why people are quitting this fed left and right. Once again flight schedule been changed (3rd time in 2 days). We are basketing tomorrow for race on sunday. At this point absolutely fed up with this stuff. Can't prepare properly for anything anymore with things beeing decided last minute constantly here. Usually we do a family day before basketing day even with our yb's since we have them seperated we let them out together in the morning and leave them together until mid day. That goes down the river clearly since i literally just found out 20 minutes ago basketing is tomorrow and not sunday. I put the birds together now for 1-2 hours and seperate later hoping it does the trick but yeah.. Usually they also get Tollyamin forte before basketing now i had them on a different product and feed all day because i thought tomororw is still another day for supplements but no excuses a good pigeon and a loft thats in shape still has to perform no matter what so i wont blame any of that. Still sucks tho because i do think proper routine and preperation does help them.