UkPigeonRacing

Steve Howells wrote: Thu Oct 23, 2025 5:08 pm

goose1 wrote: Thu Oct 23, 2025 12:23 pm

Steve Howells wrote: Thu Oct 23, 2025 9:08 am

I think I first joined the NRCC around 1999 went south around 2013 then back North 2021 young birds. 2007 ( I think) I won 1st club 1st fed 1st sec 3rd open with a single entry on 997ypm. Frank Bristow won it on 1000ypm the 2nd place pigeon I believe was in the Notts area so both 60+ miles to west of me so mine must have left Lerwick and the batch and come straight down the North Sea on her own making landfall around the Cromer area. I remember it was a beautiful summers evening yet her feather felt damp. Nearly all the other day birds were inland I think only 2 other day birds made it into Norfolk that night and they were well over an hour behind mine. Since rejoing winning the two bird average last year from Lerwick was nice, having 5 in the top 52 from Perth was nice, 2022 18th from a grulling Fraserburgh 2023 I think I was about 50th Open Lerwick okayish but there were only 5 day birds into Norfolk/Suffolk as rain set in around t time. This year a total wash out just about scrapped the top 100 in a couple of the races so must try harder.

Excellent flying mate well done. How do you prep your Lerwick pigeons?

If I’m honest goose I’m not sure there is a bullet proof way. I like the lighter feeds like Gerry plus or vandenabelle but using that type of feed I’ve found they need minimal work. Hop skip jump. Because mine are normally open hole if they seem to be flying a lot I’ll throw in some peas two or three times a week plus a handful of fats. Untimely when you go 12hrs plus they either have it or they don’t and I’ve always found lightly worked birds give the best.

goose1 wrote: Sat Oct 25, 2025 9:51 am

Steve Howells wrote: Thu Oct 23, 2025 5:08 pm

goose1 wrote: Thu Oct 23, 2025 12:23 pm

Excellent flying mate well done. How do you prep your Lerwick pigeons?

If I’m honest goose I’m not sure there is a bullet proof way. I like the lighter feeds like Gerry plus or vandenabelle but using that type of feed I’ve found they need minimal work. Hop skip jump. Because mine are normally open hole if they seem to be flying a lot I’ll throw in some peas two or three times a week plus a handful of fats. Untimely when you go 12hrs plus they either have it or they don’t and I’ve always found lightly worked birds give the best.

Thanks for that totally agree once you hit 12 hours your into the proper pigeons. When you say lightly worked are you saying lightly worked round home? Lightly raced? Or both? I often find a lot of our pigeons are better the second time they go to the distance after they've had a tough race. I often wonder is that because we haven't had them fit enough first time so was actually considering giving them some more stick beforehand but then I worry we maybe wouldn't get the two good performances out of them if we had them absolutely firing for the first one

Steve Howells wrote: Sat Oct 25, 2025 12:30 pm

goose1 wrote: Sat Oct 25, 2025 9:51 am

Steve Howells wrote: Thu Oct 23, 2025 5:08 pm

If I’m honest goose I’m not sure there is a bullet proof way. I like the lighter feeds like Gerry plus or vandenabelle but using that type of feed I’ve found they need minimal work. Hop skip jump. Because mine are normally open hole if they seem to be flying a lot I’ll throw in some peas two or three times a week plus a handful of fats. Untimely when you go 12hrs plus they either have it or they don’t and I’ve always found lightly worked birds give the best.

Thanks for that totally agree once you hit 12 hours your into the proper pigeons. When you say lightly worked are you saying lightly worked round home? Lightly raced? Or both? I often find a lot of our pigeons are better the second time they go to the distance after they've had a tough race. I often wonder is that because we haven't had them fit enough first time so was actually considering giving them some more stick beforehand but then I worry we maybe wouldn't get the two good performances out of them if we had them absolutely firing for the first one

Like I said mine are open hole so they fly as they want. Some years they fly more than others, if flying well maybe 2 or 3 races out to 200-250 miles then just jump them, I do prefer 2 year olds. In 2020 ( I think) I put 6 cocks on widowhood and they were bombing around the skys for an hour each morning/night I wanted them for Poitiers , anyway when the race came I had an odd hen in with the youngsters who looked well, so I jumped her straight in, result a real though day just a handful home in my area and she was my only day bird on 13 hrs 4th fed. I bet she hadn’t done 1/4 of the work the cocks had. This year my boy was really struggling with his birds so never sent them beyond 180 miles with the club, I told him to put a hopper of beans in and just feed Gerry as normal, he then jumped them straight into Lerwick 1st 2nd fed 2nd 3rd section the second bird was a yearling, but it was bred for the job.

Steve Howells wrote: Sat Oct 25, 2025 1:10 pm I think that’s what makes our sport so different there is no one defined method. But trying to work it out in your own loft is what makes it so fun

goose1 wrote: Sun Oct 26, 2025 8:27 am

Steve Howells wrote: Sat Oct 25, 2025 1:10 pm I think that’s what makes our sport so different there is no one defined method. But trying to work it out in your own loft is what makes it so fun

'Fun' is a strong word to use where this game is concerned
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I was trying to big it up for any new starters