# Week of the race



## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

On the Saturday prior to our first YB race I plan to toss at 70+-. What would you do the rest of the week if you clock in on Friday night?


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## Paragon Loft (Jun 27, 2009)

If They Are Healthy And Flying Good Probably Take Them Out To 40 Miles 2 Or 3 Times Let Them Rest On Friday,they Are Young And Is The First Race,keep An Eye On Them See How They Act Day By Day And Make Your Desicion Base On How You See Them.


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## ERIC K (Mar 29, 2010)

Sunday let the birds rest
ACV in the water, pro bio's on the feed.
Monday loft fly morning and again at night, vits in the water, probio's on the food.
Tuesday train about 40 miles in the morning loft fly at night, ACV in the water.
Wednesday morning loft fly and then let the birds bath, feed normal.
Thursday morning train 60 miles line of flight if race is less than 400 miles. No training if over 400 miles.
Thursday evening loft fly the birds.Vits and probio's on the feed.
Firday morning no training, feed birds around noon, if possible, regulate feed amount based on the forecasted weather conditions. Don't over feed.
Friday evening , just before you catch the birds for shipping feed just enough to get them to take a drink of water. Let them settle down and catch the ones you are shipping.


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

Its just a 100 mi race you never feed that much befor such a short race. Friday morn give them 2 peanuts each, if you basket at 6 pm take the water away at 3 pm at 5:30 give them fresh water.
Dave


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## ERIC K (Mar 29, 2010)

Dave, I'm far from an expert and suck at young bird flying but think about what you wrote. If you feed at 6pm on thursday and only give 2 peanuts on friday then your birds will be 36 hours on that 1oz of feed +2 peanuts ,by race time 7 am liberation on Sat. with a 2 + hour flight home. 39+ hours on one feeding. How is that helpful to the bird?


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## ace in the hole (Nov 27, 2007)

I always gave my birds all they cared to eat at 10 am the morning they shipped. They were use to only one meal a day, always in the AM. By the next morning their crops were empty. You want them hungry but not hurting for feed. If it is a real hard race your losses would be very high. 

The first few races are usualy pretty hard on them as it is. They are just getting this race thing figured out with all of these other birds.


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## sky tx (Mar 1, 2005)

They will need a "FULL" tank of fuel. 
Feed them Peanuts and Safflower seed--All they want Friday before shipping.
They need FAT to burn for energy.
I feed light grain the first of the week--then heavy feed--High fat grain- Thursday and Friday
But then again maybe I did it all wrong.


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## ERIC K (Mar 29, 2010)

> Friday evening , just before you catch the birds for shipping feed just enough to get them to take a drink of water. Let them settle down and catch the ones you are shipping.


I give my birds a mix of 1 part wheat, 1 part safflower, and 2 handfulls of peanuts before I basket them.


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## Pigeon0446 (Apr 22, 2007)

If I had my birds ready and by ready I mean I had them out to the 100 mile station a few times b4 the race I would be trying to win the 100 mile races and I wouldn't feed them after 7:00 in the morning if at all on shipping day depending on the weather forcast. Nice with a tail winds no food nice with a head wind a lil feed. Anything bad I'll feed them all they want a lil while b4 shipping so they have plenty of feed to keep them good for a couple of days if they take that long. But most of the time my birds aren't ready for the first few races since I procrastinate and don't start training when I should. So the first few races are more or less training tosses for me and being a trianing toss they get all they want to eat. I don't care if they win I just want them to make it home so they can be ready to compete in the longer races. The one year I actually trained my birds early and had them ready not that they were to the 100 mile station but they had over 100 tosses from my 25 mile spot and one toss at 65 miles. But they were ready I shipped 9 birds and had 3 of them in the top 20 in the combine including 1st and 2nd beating over 2000 birds. The 1st and 2nd place birds were together but the hen took over 2 mins to come off the roof and clock so they were pretty far ahead.


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

I did think about what I said, This is Nebraska the wind is usually out of the south/south west, that makes most of our races a blow home race. Do you think Michel Phelps won the gold on a full stomach?

Sunday let the birds rest
This is the week befor the first race, they do not need to rest
ACV in the water, pro bio's on the feed.
That part works for Sunday
Monday loft fly morning and again at night, vits in the water, probio's on the food.
Train in the morning40 mi, no probios
Tuesday train about 40 miles in the morning loft fly at night, ACV in the water.
40 mi works in the morning, then another 20 early evening.
Wednesday morning loft fly and then let the birds bath, feed normal.
I like that
Thursday morning train 60 miles line of flight if race is less than 400 miles. No training if over 400 miles.
Thursday evening loft fly the birds.Vits and probio's on the feed.
25 mi in the morning, loft fly at night. probios is some thing you only give once a week.
Firday morning no training, feed birds around noon, if possible, regulate feed amount based on the forecasted weather conditions. Don't over feed.
Loft fly in the morning,and then 2 peanuts. here if the call for bad weather only send your tough birds.
Friday evening , just before you catch the birds for shipping feed just enough to get them to take a drink of water. Let them settle down and catch the ones you are shipping.
Do not feed, just freah water.

ace says to feed by 10 am
sky says to send them on a full tank
pigeon0446 says not to feed after 7 am, if at all. I like the way he thinks.

A 100 mi race they will only be on the wing for a little over 2 hrs. 

ERIC K next time you go to clock in for a 100 mi race, there is always the " man to beat " look at his birds, ask him how much he feeds on Friday.
Dave


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## JRNY (Nov 17, 2009)

Friday I feed but not that much. Like about 10 am 11am. Keep them hungry just like in the tosses. Take the water away after feeding . 2 hours before basketing fresh water. Its Just 100 miles.

Have you ever had the birds route for 2 hours before feeding? Thats just about how long the race is.


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## ERIC K (Mar 29, 2010)

Dave, I will ask him or the 3 best YB flyers in our club and I bet I get 3 different answers. Some things can't be taught but only learned from personal experence , if what you do for your birds works then great. Happy flying. 
Just like ace, sky, and pigeon 0446 , great flyers I'm sure . All different answers.
I wasn't going to push any product when I said "pro-bios" what I do use on my pigeons feed is a product called "Healthy Pigeon" From Bob Hambuchen and I do give it three times a week on the feed when racing. 
As I said in my post I "suck at yound bird flying" so everyone knows where I'm coming from, but I still question letting birds go 30 + hour with out feed and expect them to do their best . I played sports as a kid even ran cross country in high school . Never ran on a full stomach but I ate breakfast and some energy food at lunch too. Pasta on thursday night was very common for runners, Racing on Friday. Michael Phelps eats 10,000 calories a day when training and racing, mostly junk food, and it works for him. A Calorie is a calorie, calories = energy for muscles , too much and a person gaines weight to little you loose. Just for fun try going 24 hours with out food and let me know how you feel


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

I'm not a pigeon 24 hrs with out food and I get cranky. Most of the people they interveu on pigeon radio say not to feed the day befor the race, and that changes after the 100 mi race. On Thursday night feed a high fat mix, even spray some corn oil on the mix. Really thats all they need. When your birds get home from the race do they trap fast, the 100 mi race will be won be seconds and the birds need to hit the trap on the run. If you are friends with the top guys in the club give them a call.


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## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

If I don`t eat something every 2 or 3 hours,I would probally croak !! hahahahaha !!!!Alamo


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## Pigeon0446 (Apr 22, 2007)

Alamo said:


> If I don`t eat something every 2 or 3 hours,I would probally croak !! hahahahaha !!!!Alamo


If I'm sitting home not doing anything I've gotta eat every few hours or I feel starved. But when I'm out on the boat all day or playing one of the many sports I enjoy I forget to eat and even worse forget to drink anything. I was playing basketball down at the park I thought I was gonna die. I played for like 5 hours in the 90 to 100 degree heat. Then I got light headed and I thought I was gonna pass out walking back to my car. Now I bring a few water bottles with me and make sure I drink between games.


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## ERIC K (Mar 29, 2010)

Dave the plan I follow was written by my mentor and he was helping me with old bird racing so maybe somethings don't apply to the youngsters , but I did call two friends and both are top flyers. Each man told me something similar just a bit different. Both feed on shipping day even the young birds. One said he adjust to the forcast and and would rather lose the race than lose a pigeon by not feeding day of shipping. Second guy follows more of the Ganis thinking which includes feed in the am. but not the whole system just read the day of shipping . Several years ago Vita King introduced its new 1-2-3 Racing System for birds. Our 
Vita King's Original Racing System (outlined below) produced great results for us and 
fanciers worldwide but we worked on developing a regiment of products that would 

be simpler to use while continuing to place the birds at the top of the race sheet. 
So, we offer our Original Racing System below and our newer 


Vita King - Original Racing System for Birds 

Day Birds Return from Race: 
- Nourishing Tea with 2 tsp. Vita King Electrolytes & 2 tbsp. Formula Powder 
- Feed 25% safflower, 25% ***** corn, 15% hemp, 15% wheat, 20% peanuts 
(raw spanish peanuts, human grade) 

1st Day After Race: 
- Give all birds in loft Vita King Respiratory Drops 
- This week, Weekly Maint. Tea, 1 tsp. Miracle Life & 1tsp. Ridzol. (Rotate, next 
week change to Conditioning Powder in the water and use Spartrix tablets for 
canker. Give Spartrix tablets on empty stomach, otherwise birds will throw up 
feed & medications) 
- Feed 100% barley. 
- Fresh grit with Vita King Multi-Mineral mixed with Mega Mins. Leave in until Thursday 
(if race shipped on Saturday night.) Then all girt must come out. 

2nd Day After Race: 
- Conditioning Powder with 1 tsp. Miracle Life 
- Feed 100% barley. 
- Loft fly birds, bath. 

3rd Day After Race: 
- Give all birds Vita King Respiratory Drops and at the same time 2 Performance Pills 
- Conditioning Powder in water with 1 tsp. LS50 or Tylan. 
- Train birds 50 - 60 miles. 
- Feeding instructions: "Feed Mix" = 15% safflower, 15% ***** corn, 
15% hemp, 15% hard wheat, 35% conditioning feed, 5% raw spanish peanuts. 
*Morning: "Feed Mix" Regarding Morning & Evening Feedings: 
*Evening: "Feed Mix" with 2 tbsp. 
Red Amino Acid Liquid and 3 tbsp. Feed all they want in the evening. The morning 
 Ornilevuro Brewer's Yeast mixed feeding is 1/3 of the amount of the evening 
on feed. feeding. 


4th Day After Race: 
- Train birds 70 miles. 
- Feeding instructions: 
* Morning: "Feed Mix" 
* Evening: "Feed Mix" with 2 tbsp. Red Amino Acids and 3 tbsp.Ornilevuro Brewer's 
Yeast mixed on feed. 
- Give each bird 2 Performance Pills after evening feeding. 

5th Day After Race: 
- Train birds 50 miles, then keep the birds in the loft the rest of day. 
- Give birds Vita King Respiratory Drops. 
- In the water, 1 tsp. Vita King Electrolytes & 2 tbsp. Formula Powder. 
- Feeding instructions: 
* Morning: "Feed Mix" 
* Evening: "Feed Mix" with 2 tbsp. Liquid Green Racing Vitamins and 3 tsp. 
Ornilevuro Brewer's Yeast mixed on feed. 
- Give each race bird 2 Performance Pills after evening feeding. 

6th Day After Race - Day of Shipping: 
Feeding instructions: 
- "Feed Mix" 
- feed the birds all they want 
- feed the following time: 
For 100 mile race: 10:00 am 
For 200 mile race: 11:00 am 
For 300 mile race: 12:00 noon 
For 400 mile race: 1:00 pm (if race is next day release) 
For 400 mile race: morning and evening feeding (if race 2 day ship) 
- In water: 1 tsp. Vita King Electrolyte Mix with 2 tbsp. Formula Powder per 1/2 gallon of 
water. Leave in until noon. Then fresh clean water until shipping. Take water away 1 
hour away before you ship race. Feed for races that are 300 Mile + 
For the last 3 days & day of shipping, 
(Days 3,4,5,6), feed in this order: 
1st 20% corn 
2nd 15% ***** corn 
3rd 15% hemp 
4th 15% safflower 
5th 20% conditioner mix 
6th 15% raw spanish peanuts


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## Kastle Loft (May 7, 2008)

Good grief. That starts to take the fun out of things. Sure is an awful lot of 'stuff'. I wonder how good they would do if they cut out 80% of that medication and supplements. I bet they'd do better than they think.


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## ERIC K (Mar 29, 2010)

Yes and no with meds and supplements , just remember the Vita King is a Mike Ganis operation and he want to sell pigeon people all the stuff to make money for himself. I do beleive that a good basic health program is a must for everyone. You need not spend that much to keep your birds healthy, but they,the birds need to be healthy to race and win. That much is a golden rule of pigeon flying " HEALTHY PIGEONS WIN RACES "
The program I use is very simple and given to me by a great pigeon flyer, LIFE TIME ACHIEVMENT AWARD from the AU, 7 time loft of the year award for his state and one great guy in general . I was frustrated and ready to quit flying when I met him and after two week on him program I won my first old bird race and followed it up with a 4th and 7th place last year . This year has been very good for me in old bird racing too .


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## Kastle Loft (May 7, 2008)

ERIC K said:


> Sunday let the birds rest
> ACV in the water, pro bio's on the feed.
> Monday loft fly morning and again at night, vits in the water, probio's on the food.
> Tuesday train about 40 miles in the morning loft fly at night, ACV in the water.
> ...


This one is much simpler - this is what your mentor taught you?. It's actually quite close to what I do so that makes me feel a bit better.


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## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

If the race is on Sunday,you DO NOT FLY THE BIRDS ON MONDAY.....You give 1 days rest for every 2 hrs on the wing in the race....The rest of Eric K`s stuff looks good.....Alamo


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## Pigeon0446 (Apr 22, 2007)

All the stuff I see says not to train/fly the birds the day of shipping. But I take them 25 miles in the morning if the race is predicted to be a fast race. I figure the birds make good times from the tosses when they were on a tosses the day b4 so why shouldn't they fly the day b4 the race. If it was a 100 mile race and I trained them in the morning I would feed them but they would be fed b4 the toss. Alot of the stuff I do goes against what most ppl say to do but it works for me and my birds so thats all that really matters.


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## ERIC K (Mar 29, 2010)

0466 I have heard some experence flyers do a very short toss shipping day morning. You really need to know what your doing with that. it is said to trick the birds too, they will think that they are only a few miles from home when in the race they well be 100 +miles but will sprint as fast as they can to get home anyway.


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## ERIC K (Mar 29, 2010)

Kastle Loft said:


> This one is much simpler - this is what your mentor taught you?. It's actually quite close to what I do so that makes me feel a bit better.


Yes he gave this plan to me for old bird racing. You don't need to do everything it is a general plan and each person can add or change to fit your own thinking and racing style. I don't always have the time to train as hard as the plan says so I use the first few races to get as many of my birds in a short race ,say the 100s and 150s to build them up fast. Its works great for old birds that don't need all the road training like yound birds.


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

Well I'll do what works for me, and you guys do what works for you. The best of luck to all, I hope every body wins unless your in my combine. lol
Dave


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## ace in the hole (Nov 27, 2007)

Crazy Pete said:


> Well I'll do what works for me, and you guys do what works for you. The best of luck to all, I hope every body wins unless your in my combine. lol
> Dave


Very well said Dave.

Everyone feeds, trains, medicates and even loft flys different. No two people are going to handle their birds the same way. Each person has to find out what works for them and their schedual.

Some people are in it for the fun of it and others want to win every race possable and make it into a full time job. I'm the full time job kind a guy. The fun comes in kicking your a$$s.

Here is a little advice for all of the newbees. Listen to everyone. Take in all the information you can get. Then figure out what makes sence to you and what will fit into your plans and schedual. Use the (insert your name here) method your first year racing. Unless you find a major flaw in your plan do not change things up mid season. Continue to ask questions and take in all you can about racing pigeons over the first season. Then take everything you have learned during that first racing season use what will work for you the next year.

By the time you are in your third season you "WILL" be flying the (insert your name here) method of racing pigeons. If you look at everything you do with your birds and were you learned that you will probably find you are using bits and peices of 15 different peoples methods.

Ace


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

I have only one thing to add, get a notebook " take notes "
Dave


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## ace in the hole (Nov 27, 2007)

Crazy Pete said:


> I have only one thing to add, get a notebook " take notes "
> Dave


Ya, you should have seen mine from my first year back to racing in almost 20 years. Things have changed a lot in young bird racing over the last 20 years. The light system, dark system, flying young back to the nest and on and on. Back in the good old days young birds were just flown back to feed and a perch. 

I took notes about everything I had not heard before and serched out more information on it and then took notes of that. I reserched on the internet and printed out whatever new information I could find. I even printed a top flyer 180 page blog, rereading the whole thing and hilighting everything I wanted to do or know more about.

But as I mentioned earlyer, I'm one of those guys that had to make it into a full time job and try to win every race. This may not be for you. You have to do what makes you happy and what is fun for you. For me winning the races is the fun part that makes the rest of it all wurth wile.


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

sky tx said:


> They will need a "FULL" tank of fuel.
> Feed them Peanuts and Safflower seed--All they want Friday before shipping.
> They need FAT to burn for energy.
> I feed light grain the first of the week--then heavy feed--High fat grain- Thursday and Friday
> But then again maybe I did it all wrong.


*Hi SKY, I agree 100%*


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

ace in the hole
Have you red the studies from Cornell U.
Dave


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## ace in the hole (Nov 27, 2007)

Crazy Pete said:


> ace in the hole
> Have you red the studies from Cornell U.
> Dave


No but I will. Thanks, Dave


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

I'm not the best with a PC so it was awhile to find it , they say to put vegetable oil on the feed for the long races. You should not use rape seed, canola bad for the liver. There is a lot of info some was a bit confusing.
Dave


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## sky tx (Mar 1, 2005)

Crazy Pete--Don't beleive all you read.
My pigeons can pull a Fright train----Couple them UP


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