UkPigeonRacing

I won't loft fly or train cools down tomorrow birds are fit now .

Mine haven't been out in the heat wave & won't be going out until this Friday when it should cool down. I can't see the point of getting them out in this heat especially ybs it's 30degree here at the moment.

I foolishly trained ob this morning and wish I hadn’t, the yb haven’t been out for nearly a week.

I don't think there's anything to be gained ob or yb that would change my mind better to be in the loft safe than being out in this heat not wanting to exercise & getting picked off by sparrow hawk or worse still the ever growing population of peregrines especially around here.

NeilA wrote: Tue May 26, 2026 1:15 pm

The Crow wrote: Tue May 26, 2026 12:20 pm I foolishly trained ob this morning and wish I hadn’t, the yb haven’t been out for nearly a week.

Sorry to hear that
I had the hens out first light the cocks will go out for 30 mins late as I can
They have been in Sunday Monday and go Thursday morning to marking

I had them at 24 miles l, they where libbed 9 o’clock usually they go hour earlier (communal trainer) I sent 26 and had 15 together then another 10 a minute later, the last one came 2 hours later.
I use Dioralyte from chemist when it’s like this, they where ok when I nipped back at midday but did kick myself as they looked terrible when I left them to go to work, pure stupidity on my part.

NeilA wrote: Tue May 26, 2026 2:50 pm Easy done mate
I have done the same before

Tbf mate they where raced Saturday had nearly 4 hours on wing so put hopper of everything in late Saturday and all day Sunday, yesterday I promised the missus the day with her and my kids so the where locked up, I never loft fly due to Percy and 2 large feral populations within 200 yards of loft so would rather road train 24 mile am with communal trainer and go myself 10 mile pm, I panicked and thought I’d get a 24 miler in before the heat would be too extreme knowing a 10 miler would be out the question this evening as it’s even hotter.
Just shows even experienced fanciers get it wrong at times.
Temperatures are easing tomorrow so should be ok to get some work into them before the weekend.

When racing they were treated the same regardless of heat. If loft flying they flew for as long as they wanted. YBs often still flew 1hr 30. If well hydrated the heat won't bother them. Trained YBs on days as hot as today. up to 25 miles. Only thing I wouldn't do is take YBs for their first toss in warm weather.

Your droppings might go awful today where they drink so much electrolyte it causes a imbalance but will correct its self

NeilA wrote: Tue May 26, 2026 3:43 pm

king wrote: Tue May 26, 2026 3:26 pm When racing they were treated the same regardless of heat. If loft flying they flew for as long as they wanted. YBs often still flew 1hr 30. If well hydrated the heat won't bother them. Trained YBs on days as hot as today. up to 25 miles. Only thing I wouldn't do is take YBs for their first toss in warm weather.

Would dehydration and its effect on fitness and form not worry you king

No Neil they shouldn't get dehydrated, sure they'll have a good drink when they drop but the heat shouldn't really effect them. Fancier's tend to think if it's too warm for them then it's too warm for the birds. Birds cope with heat very much better than us. Birds have a higher baseline body temperature (around 40C to 42C) Birds have no feathers on their legs for a reason, it's to expell heat, that why pigeons feet are often warm. Well hydrated some birds can live in temps up to 60C. Pigeons race in very warm countries around the World in higher temps than we get here in the UK.
The only thing that used to bother me when racing is the time they spent on the transporter when the temp was very much higher. That's where the birds can get dehydrated.