# Best foods for a 100 mile race??



## racingpigeon10 (Oct 8, 2010)

Hey, I'm glad I found a forum like this, I have a question.

What would be the best foods and feeding regimen for a 100 mile race??

Also, what would be the best vitamin/supplements to use while racing?


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## sky tx (Mar 1, 2005)

SORRY-racingpigeon10
You can not buy a winner in a Box or Bottle
We all have our own Idea about what to feed or other "junk" to give/train pigeons for certain races.
Me--I feed light the first part of week then heavy 1-2 days before the race. Put some fat on them--they burn the fat for energy.
But then Again-just my way of doing it.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Mine are fed the same. Usually not flown on shipping day and allowed to eat all they want before we leave. They also get the priviledge of trying to rip my fingers off in the process of stealing peanuts from me while they are in the crates 

And about the supplements, ACV throughout the week and honey/cinnamon shipping night through sunday, in the water...is what I do.


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## jeff houghton (Jul 17, 2010)

sky tx said:


> SORRY-racingpigeon10
> You can not buy a winner in a Box or Bottle
> We all have our own Idea about what to feed or other "junk" to give/train pigeons for certain races.
> Me--I feed light the first part of week then heavy 1-2 days before the race. Put some fat on them--they burn the fat for energy.
> But then Again-just my way of doing it.


I also Believe in sticking a bit of gas in the tank before sending them.
I have friends who do not but they need some sort of fuel to get home i say.


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## racingpigeon10 (Oct 8, 2010)

What is ACV ?

And how much honey and cinnamon to a gallon?

thanks the replies!


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Many do not feed their birds on shipping day, for a 100 mile race.

I prefer to feed them half rations on the day of shipping. I only feed once a day.

You have to learn this sport by doing this sport. Try different methods and see what works for different birds.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

racingpigeon10 said:


> What is ACV ?
> 
> And how much honey and cinnamon to a gallon?
> 
> thanks the replies!


Apple cider vinegar 

I put a teaspoon of each per gallon of water. It's easier to mix if you just put some hot water in a bottle, add the honey and/or cinnamon in and shake. Then you can add that to the rest of the water to make the gallon.

When I give them vinegar, it's a tablespoon per gallon.


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

My birds are fed once a day, in the morning. Their feed is only left in the loft for ten minutes except on shipping day. On shipping day their feed is left in the loft from ten am till noon. They have two full hours to eat all they want. After the food and grit are pulled at noon all that is left for them untill basketing is pure clean water.

Ace


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## g0ldenb0y55 (Dec 23, 2008)

conditionfreak said:


> Many do not feed their birds on shipping day, for a 100 mile race.
> 
> I prefer to feed them half rations on the day of shipping. I only feed once a day.
> 
> You have to learn this sport by doing this sport. Try different methods and see what works for different birds.


I agree...100 miles is too a short of a distance for them to have a full tank of gas to burn off.


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

racingpigeon10 said:


> Hey, I'm glad I found a forum like this, I have a question.
> 
> What would be the best foods and feeding regimen for a 100 mile race??
> 
> Also, what would be the best vitamin/supplements to use while racing?



The short answer, and the answer I am sticking with this year...is none and none. So, for a short 100 mile training toss or race, would not feed them at all, and if they are being fed a "good" diet, ie like Purina Gold etc. then there is no need to supplement, you may do more harm then good. But, most guys want to feel better, so they look for the answer in some kind of vitimen or supplement.  Open up any racing mag or supply web site, and there are a 100+ different ideas of how to be sucessful out of a bottle...been there...done that....good feed, fresh clean water....and some good birds, and and healthy loft, and that is all you need.


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## Pigeon0446 (Apr 22, 2007)

g0ldenb0y55 said:


> I agree...100 miles is too a short of a distance for them to have a full tank of gas to burn off.


I think it depends on the weather if they expect a blow home then I'd say no feed on shipping day maybe a lil in the early morning but if they are expecting a heavy head wind I'd feed them in the morning and then around noon. My birds are fed 1/3 rations 3 times a day so they are used to eating late in the afternoon so if I feed them at noon they are still missing out on a meal that afternoon and then the next morning. And also on how long your 100 mile race actually is. Mine is 120 miles but there are guys in my combine that are only 76 miles and other guys who are 180 miles so each guy has to set up the birds up a lil differently.


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

As you can see, if you asked 100 people this question you'll get about 85 different answers.

All you can do is listen to everyone and out of all of the input you get decide what sounds best for you. 

With that said. I must correct what I posted earlyer. That is how I would feed for a 200 mile+ race. 

For a 100 mile race they still get their normal morning feeding. As I stated they are fed only once a day. They are fed around 9am when they come in from training or loft flying if I do not train that day. 

If a bird fills his crop at 9am it will be empty by the next morning. At feeding time the feed is only left in the loft for ten minutes. Whithin that ten minutes they will all fill their crops. Because they are fed at the same time every day they know when that time is. Now on the average 100 mile race you may expect to get your firsty birds around 10:30 to 11.00. This means their one and only feeding time happens while they are on the wing. I beleave it pushes them to get home as fast as they can so they don't miss their feeding time.

Ace


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

There is probably no special feed because the feed has enough calories to carry them. It is the longer distance where the feed is a concern because the birds should have enough reserve energy to fly through. So people might end up upping the fat content.


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## fresnobirdman (Dec 27, 2008)

I tossed mines at 160 miles and they didn't even trap, it was as if they were not even tired. Kicked around for about 2 hours the came down. 
And they even beat me home!
But I was going speed limit.

Also where do you guys get ACV?
Tried finding it at the store but couldn't find it. Only found apple cider. (juice)


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## Pigeon0446 (Apr 22, 2007)

fresnobirdman said:


> I tossed mines at 160 miles and they didn't even trap, it was as if they were not even tired. Kicked around for about 2 hours the came down.
> And they even beat me home!
> But I was going speed limit.
> 
> ...


Was that 160 air miles or driving miles? I know if I drive 160 miles I'd be lucky to get them 100 air miles. Plus you said they beat you home I'd say they really should beat you home since you have to follow roads and the birds don't espeacially if you go the speed limit. I beat my bird home some times from my 25 mile tosses and a few years ago I was telling this guy in my club that I see them come home some times after I toss them and he tells me my birds must be sick they should beat me home and that his always beat him home. Then I went with him one time and he drove 45 mph for about 30 miles on a road with a 55mph speed limit that almost everybody else does 70 to 80 on. I told him no wonder why they beat you home every toss you drive like a lil old lady. LoL Now after seeing how he drove now I know what he said is true if they don't beat him home they really must be sick. Unless you get a 30 to 40 mph head wind like I let mine up in last week. It took them 50 mins to fly 25 air miles which I think is pretty good with the wind they had to fight all the way home.


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

It really does depend on the location of the release, the loft, and the road directions.

My favorite release point is 45 miles dead south. I get to drive back at 55 mph on one road, that goes straight north to my home. My birds usually get back a few minutes after I arrive. Sometimes they are in front of me a minute or two.

I always try to see my birds flying while I am driving and I have never, not once, seen them. Where they are released is on the banks of the Ohio river and it is mountainous there (okay, not REAL mountains but large hills). Think of the movie "Deliverance", and you will get a good mental picture of the area (and no, I don't carry a bow or a gun. But I do speak the language).  Ha Ha Ha


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## Wingsonfire (Dec 22, 2009)

fresnobirdman said:


> I tossed mines at 160 miles and they didn't even trap, it was as if they were not even tired. Kicked around for about 2 hours the came down.
> And they even beat me home!
> But I was going speed limit.
> 
> ...


Any large grocery store will have it.


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

fresnobirdman said:


> I tossed mines at 160 miles and they didn't even trap, it was as if they were not even tired. Kicked around for about 2 hours the came down.
> And they even beat me home!
> But I was going speed limit.
> 
> ...


http://bragg.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1

I order it by the case. Two races this weekend, two more 1st Place wins. Good food, and Good birds, makes winning pretty easy.  Even when you don't know what you are doing half the time.....


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## fresnobirdman (Dec 27, 2008)

Thanks Wingsonfire and Smithfamilyloft.


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Air miles doesn't necessarily mean that the birds will fly those amount. They may end up in circle, lost, retrace, etc., so they may be traveling farther than the calculated miles.


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## Flapdoodle (Nov 8, 2009)

racingpigeon10 said:


> Hey, I'm glad I found a forum like this, I have a question.
> 
> What would be the best foods and feeding regimen for a 100 mile race??
> 
> Also, what would be the best vitamin/supplements to use while racing?


My only combine win this year was 178 mile race, from a bird that was on 100% pellets. Purina Gold/Green. During the week it was a mix of green and gold. Thursday for a Friday basketing it was all gold pellets. I did feed the birds 1/2 there daily ration the morning of basketing. The night before basketing I gave them all they wanted.


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## Wingsonfire (Dec 22, 2009)

I found Bragg Vinegar at GNC by the quart for around 6 bucks and also The Vitamin Shoppe has it in my area by the gallon for 14 bucks and had it in stock


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