Split team or full send

Mark1021 · Tue Jul 28, 2026 7:06 am

Seen horror stories of people sending their full teams to the first YB race and losing nearly the lot stuck in a pickle if to send half or send full team unsure how many races ill get out of them because they werent on darkness any thoughts would be appreciated lads

Murray · Tue Jul 28, 2026 7:16 am

Mark, that's a very good question.
Here's the simple answer. If you are new and your young birds are new, do not, under any circumstances, send the whole lot to the first race.
Split them up, send half this week, send the other half plus some of this weeks if they get home next week, send a mix the third week, and so on.
You will find some blokes at the club trying to urge you into sending them all. They don't care, they'd be pleased to see you lose the lot. You've paid your fees and they'd have one less competitor.
Hasten slowly, my friend. Always remember that they never, ever, "have to go" There's always another day.
Best of luck!

Rdhd Danny · Tue Jul 28, 2026 7:33 am

@murray totally agree mate @mark split them mate not worth the risk Murray advice is correct imo

Spieker-Loft · Tue Jul 28, 2026 1:32 pm

Ill be honest this is the first time i hear about this.
People here in germany always send their whole team unless of course birds are sick.
I dont know the distance of the races but id be worried to drag it out to long without darkness due to moulting stage.
It really all comes down to how many you got and how many you need for the following year etc but for me every race is an important lesson for them so id try to get as many out of ALL of them as possible but thats just my take.
And besides the fact that im also very competetive even in yb racing and wanna be 1st i do also think that there is a clear performance difference in the yearlings for birds that were basketed 2-3x as yb's or birds that were in the basket 7-8x.
But as i said and say murray also somewhat said. If you dont have many and you need them for the follow year be more careful if need be. But if you still got a good ammount i dont see a reason to only send half the team personally

Diamond Dave · Tue Jul 28, 2026 2:06 pm

Can't really advise one way or the other mate but will just say that if they are not on darkness, there is every chance you might have to stop some of them anyway because of the moult (don't know how old they are),
Don't want to confuse you mate but I'm of the opinion that you can only send them once if they don't come home. It could be even worse next year and you will lose them anyway. But as a newbie you would be better to take the advice of the experienced lads on here and split them.

Devo1956 · Tue Jul 28, 2026 2:16 pm

If you breed youngsters for racing, well they need to be tested. The racing season is a short season, so having them sitting in the loft. Is a waste of breeding youngsters, If they are fit and in good condition. Then send them racing, if they have been trained. Then there should be no problem.

king · Tue Jul 28, 2026 3:45 pm

Devo1956 wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 2:16 pm If you breed youngsters for racing, well they need to be tested. The racing season is a short season, so having them sitting in the loft. Is a waste of breeding youngsters, If they are fit and in good condition. Then send them racing, if they have been trained. Then there should be no problem.

When I first started in pigeons the reason fanciers bred young birds was not purely for racing. It was about breeding replacement birds for the future. Birds were sent not to race, but to receive an education. Many fanciers have never raced young birds, and are still successful. I know several fanciers who did race young birds who have now stopped racing them.
The YB racing seasons are becoming short because Feds can't get enough birds to make it worth while racing.
With the increase with BOP and sickness young bird racing is not as enjoyable as it used to be.

A new starter should send to LEARN and not to try to win races. They should NOT send them all, but split them and give 2-4 races depending on losses. If they lose few pick a few to send further but they have to be mindful they need these birds for next year.

Tony-P- · Tue Jul 28, 2026 5:33 pm

From what I have seen and heard from races over the weekend thing were bad across the country with losses so if it was me as a new starter I would split them as I wouldn't take the chance on losing my Y/bs as I wouldn't have the many to start with

Devo1956 · Tue Jul 28, 2026 5:36 pm

king wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 3:45 pm
Devo1956 wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 2:16 pm If you breed youngsters for racing, well they need to be tested. The racing season is a short season, so having them sitting in the loft. Is a waste of breeding youngsters, If they are fit and in good condition. Then send them racing, if they have been trained. Then there should be no problem.
When I first started in pigeons the reason fanciers bred young birds was not purely for racing. It was about breeding replacement birds for the future. Birds were sent not to race, but to receive an education. Many fanciers have never raced young birds, and are still successful. I know several fanciers who did race young birds who have now stopped racing them.
The YB racing seasons are becoming short because Feds can't get enough birds to make it worth while racing.
With the increase with BOP and sickness young bird racing is not as enjoyable as it used to be.

A new starter should send to LEARN and not to try to win races. They should NOT send them all, but split them and give 2-4 races depending on losses. If they lose few pick a few to send further but they have to be mindful they need these birds for next year.

Yes King, that is why i say. If they are fit and in good condition send. Over the years on the site, all i hear is the basket tells you. But at the end of the day, its up to the person that owns the birds. Their choice not ours.

Andy · Tue Jul 28, 2026 8:26 pm

Tony-P- wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 5:33 pm From what I have seen and heard from races over the weekend thing were bad across the country with losses so if it was me as a new starter I would split them as I wouldn't take the chance on losing my Y/bs as I wouldn't have the many to start with

Yes Tony it was a difficult weekend and a lot of birds are missing. Some of these will turn up at some stage. I would say that most of these ones lost probably would have been at some point anyway. Obviously there will be the odd ones that have been taken by BOPS.
I’m not really that interested in young bird racing and as King said only sent for experience. I sent all of mine that were old enough apart from one hen who had just laid. She will go this week. I only need 5 young cocks for my widowhood team next year, maybe a couple more if I think they are better than a couple of my older cocks. So I may stop the odd one if showing well. This will be the only time that the hens will get raced so will go the whole season.
I don’t do darkness but am happy to send them right through the season unless their ears are uncovered, then they may miss a week. Last year my natural youngsters out preformed most of the darkness pigeons in our club come the last 2 or 3 races.