Still wonder about training

[Buster121]

Makes no sense at all Andy, they probably fly that same route when exercising

[Buster121]

They would get the feed when they trapped the second time. He would do this day in and day out. The pigeons were zombies.I don't think that is fair at all.

This year I have 30 young birds left after the early training, in two 15 bird teams.
I bred about 45. Three were bred for stock and one went to another place as a stock pigeon. So I have lost about 11 after, I don't know, 30 tosses?
I lost a few in the early tosses from the north and north east, but since turning them to the west I have only lost one, and it was an unraced yearling from last year.
The ones that are left are good pigeons. They come home from any direction, in any weather. They have had a lot of practice.

I took the B team out today. Home they rolled.
Later I saw one of the red boys was missing. He's one that has never missed a toss.
But just when I was closing up, home he came. He must have been chased or something.

I think there are many ways of doing it. My way is to train them out many times, a little bit at a time, so the poor ones fall away, and the good ones become bullet proof.
I go out into the shed now, and feel a thrill looking at them. These youngsters are ready to go anywhere.

Well done Murray good to see they coming well

[Buster121]

The trouble is here that it seems we get hammered every time we try training them, even with experienced pigeons. As you know I’ve lost pigeons that have flown 300+ miles from 15 mile trainers. It takes all the enjoyment out of training when you never know when or if they are going to return.

Have to agree Andy but they need some training to know what to do so ballsed if you do and ballsed if you don't

[Buster121]

Yesterday morning I must have not closed the loft door properly and the wind blew it open.
Next thing there'e a bunch of pigeons tearing around.
Some of them flew non stop for 6 hours! They were having a ball!!! I reckon some of them must have flown 200 miles
I think I will leave them in today for a rest day and give them a big feed of vegetables and some garlic and cider vinegar.
There is probably not much point in training them 10 or 15 miles any more. The first races are only about 60 miles and they can do that with one wing behind their backs.

[DarkPiedCock]

Great read Murray. Thanks for the update.

[Buster121]

Well done Murray

[Buster121]

I had a stray youngster come in a couple of days ago from Radstock. I released her from Tesco car park in Shepton yesterday evening. Only about 8 miles from its home. Had a phone call to say she had returned . The chap who’s pigeon it is is a good fancier. He says that he has just started training his youngsters and has had a terrible time. He started with 66 and after 5 tosses is now down to 34 and hasn’t got them half the distance he wants to get to before racing starts.

Good to see she got home, the losses are unreal again this year