Feeding / protein

[Steve Howells]

Currently I feed Gaby as a base with depurative or fats depending on circumstances
After they have there measure they get unlimited barley

Question I have is as we get over 250 miles I have 205/345/ blank week/ 412 starting the end of this month with still a 345 and possibly a 488 after
would you do the same feeeding but change the base to something with a few peas in like a widowhood corn instead of the Gaby
Or continue the same but change the unlimited barley to a unlimited pea and beans mixture after the Gaby

This is just my experience Neil, I’ve fed nearly 100% Gerry plus and been 3rd Open NRCC Lerwick pushing 15 1/2 hours on the wing 518miles, I’ve been 26th Open MNFC Boudreaux 550 miles feeding nearly all Vandenabelle, but on both occasions the birds were only worked lightly, the cock that scored from Boudreaux hadn’t been in the basket for 5 weeks before the race. What I have found is if you work them harder and the racing gets tougher then they struggle. Last year my Boy was really struggling with his birds he was working them hard and feeding all they wanted but light food. A bit tongue in cheek I told him to put a hooper of beans in front of them ( shock horror ) anyway a few weeks later 1st & 2nd fed Lerwick and I think 3rd and 4th section. So he was happy once again.

[The Maltster]

I'm sure the late great Geoff Kirkland used to fly with great success over the channel on Gerry Plus.
I think if you go over 400 miles they'd need something more substantial as well as the Gerry Plus? It can be a long way if that winds against em?
When we raced widow cocks we fed Gerry Plus like some feed depurative, that is we were giving it them on return from race, and then twice a day up till Wednesday, then depending on the following Saturday forecast, we'd move on to the widowhood mix either wednesday tea time feed or from Thursday morning.
Saying that, our cocks flew the skies out round home and we never trained after racing started, and at most 3 tosses before racing out to 15 miles.
We had the Lycett Vandenabeeles and the Clayburn Soontjens, we were fortunate to have such good birds, they loved the east or North winds, but we only raced to the coast 160 miles.
You know my thoughts on corn Neil, give em the best,whether it's Barley, Depurative, widow mix or tic beans

[The Maltster]

Never had a bad bird from the Lycetts, but when we had the Vandenabeeles and Soontjens we fed em the best and they gave us their best back. Only having a small set up, hardly ever raced more than 12 widow cocks, we found feeding em well and having em exercise round home like that, took away any possible risks when training. I can see my Dad now, he loved watching them cocks range off for half hour or so and come back in 2's and 3's. If they didn't bugger off , he'd say open them doors and get em in

[The Maltster]

We were renowned for keeping our birds in top condition Neil, and the lofts were spotless, we were pigeon lovers as well as racers. Not having a big set up we were cautious, especially in the latter years when the BOP became a problem. Some of our best cocks never raced as ybs, but were trained.
My Dad loved all racing, but loved the channel racing, winning every race point out to 501 miles, but got disillusioned with some of the poor liberation decisions, he'd say, years ago they'd hold em till it was fit, nowadays it's more about money.
So we went on to sprint racing, my dad was good friends with Ron Green and of Walsall Wood and Breakaway fame, what a great flier and man
Ron told us to go on to widowhood and we never looked back. We had some good Vandenbroukes from Stan Walker of Bloxwich , which were very versatile, and won out to Nantes 387 miles as well as winning Inland.
We also had good Jansennes from Len Hopton of Wendsbury, another top West Midland sprint loft.
It was then we looked for better sprint families, and my Dad headed to Rugeley to M/M Lycett and Sons for the Vandenbosche and we never looked back, add to the mix the Litherlands Vandenbosche and then the Lycett Vandenabeeles and Clayburn Soontjens.
So it was a case of quality not quantity, and good corn.
Hard now for a small set up, the losses incurred to BOP can knock you back greatly.
Great days Neil.

[The Maltster]

Lennie Hopton was years in front of nearly everyone when it came to widowhood.and always had good stock. He moved near us and had a shop, he joined Swadlincote Town, the biggest club in the area, a coal mining town, and he took them to the cleaners, and they were no mugs the Swaddies.

[The Maltster]

Yes Neil, Len did fly some Van Hoppe Jansennes

[The Maltster]

No idea Mike, you might be dreaming, but you're probably right? Something in your grey matter must be telling you it's right?