# The Differance In Yb And Old Bird Training



## realtalk72 (Nov 7, 2009)

Is Yb Training The Same As Old Bird Training ...? Or Do Things Change In Motivation ,feeding, Ect...please Let Me Know Thanks ..


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## realtalk72 (Nov 7, 2009)

And Would Also Like To Know What System Is Better Widowhood, Natural ,ect . If Any One Has Info Please Relpy ...thanks


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## fresnobirdman (Dec 27, 2008)

there is a difference in training between young birds and old birds?
i thought that it was all a matter of conditioning your pigeons for races.


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

So as a new racer here is what I have observed in the last 6 months.

• YB training is more about "do you know where home is" and is built up over a few weeks to a month and a half. Frequent tosses of gradually increased distance.
• OB training is more about "you remember how this works, right?" and is more about reminding the bird what he is expected to do. There are fewer tosses and the distance steps are greater. 
• YB training is all about letting the bird learn to home. OB is about making sure the bird is still "on the ball".
• YB is less about "first bird home" and more about "bird made it home". OB is all about first bird home. Ex, a 40 minute return from a 15 mi toss for a YB is not bad, but for an OB it may be a sign that the bird is done.

I think it is summed up best with the following: You don't train a champion YB, you help them _discover_ they they are a champion. You don't train an champion OB, you remind the bird that he _is_ a champion. 

The guys who explained this to me and showed me how they do it dominating the top 10% of the club. It is working.

Fresno, the guys who explained the above don't "train" after racing starts. They loft fly a ton though. They claim that the birds condition themselves, training just wears them out.


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## fresnobirdman (Dec 27, 2008)

good info Jaysen.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Jaysen said:


> So as a new racer here is what I have observed in the last 6 months.
> 
> • YB training is more about "do you know where home is" and is built up over a few weeks to a month and a half. Frequent tosses of gradually increased distance.
> • OB training is more about "you remember how this works, right?" and is more about reminding the bird what he is expected to do. There are fewer tosses and the distance steps are greater.
> ...


I think that should become a sticky on this site..... very good info...


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## Caden's Aviary (Jul 14, 2010)

Yea, I agree. Nice post. You could maybe even find a few good loft motto's in there lol.


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## BlackWing (Apr 2, 2010)

realtalk72 said:


> Is Yb Training The Same As Old Bird Training ...? Or Do Things Change In Motivation ,feeding, Ect...please Let Me Know Thanks ..


I have tried something new and it seems to work.

After my young birds managed to loft fly for up to 45 min i took them on there first toss at 15 Km with the old birds. I released them a couple of times on my race-line with the old birds and they made it home. The second week I released them on there own from the same place and they all made it home. Next week I will start releasing them in other directions. 

I think that way we can reduced the amount of young birds we loose by using the old birds knowledge in training the first few weeks.


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## realtalk72 (Nov 7, 2009)

Thanks For The Replies. So What About Feeding I Know The Way You Feed Has To Matter ?? Thanks


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

There are lots of opinions on once a day or twice a day or "free feed". The biggest thing you need to remember _as a racer_ is that you control your birds trapping with hunger. This means that 
• Never feed them before you let them fly unless you are doing a LONG toss.
• BE CONSISTENT in your feeding.
• Get a scale and track your feeding to ensure that you are not over/under feeding. 
• Pay attention to and regularly handle each bird. You will learn more about your birds health through "feel" and observation than than giving it needless drugs. The quickest way to sick birds is underfeeding or overfeeding. 

That said we (it is a family thing with the son and I being the racers) are twice a day feeders. We split the ration into 1/3 in the morning and 2/3 at night. We are currently feeding 2 oz/bird/day but some of our birds simply won't eat that whole amount. Others are pigs but seem to burn it off fast so they get the extra. We fly twice a day (but will be moving down to once as winter comes). 90 minutes in the morning, 60 minutes in the evening. We feed on call (shaken can of screws and voice). Birds trap like rockets or go hungry. If a bird is late it is a hungry bird. We don't wait for all to finish but pick up after 15 (except all are finished in 10 these days). 

This is just the way _we_ do it. Others in my club are once a day feeders. Others are free feeders. in _our area_ the top fliers seem to all do it our way. Check with your local club to see what the winners are doing in your area. 

There is only one wrong way to feed your pigeons. That is starving them. Don't do that. It takes time to perfect, but a starved bird is a sick bird.


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## BlackWing (Apr 2, 2010)

I feed with the hand

I have a cup that a feed an amount of food with. After that a feed a barley and safflower mix until the second bird goes for a drink. Then I stop with the feeding.

I think one of the worst decisions fanciers make is feed the birds and leave the loft. Feeding time is when you see if there is anything up with the birds. Healthy birds will flap their wings and be all over the show and you will quickly notice if there is a bird out of place. What I also notice is the birds that is in form eat less than the other birds. I don’t know if anyone ells have notice it ?


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## Pigeon0446 (Apr 22, 2007)

A bird in form will surely eat less then the other birds. I know a bird is feeling real good when I feed them it only comes and eats for a few seconds hten flaps their wing off like crazy and goes back to thier pearch meanwhile the rest are still stuffing them selves.

Last week I had a bad night toss the night before shipping day and the birds didn't make it home until the morning of shipping day and they looked beat from that toss so I couldn't just let them sit there hungry like I normally ship them so I threw them feed about an hour b4 I shipped them. When I packed them thats how I chose who to ship the guys who were full of food stayed home the guys with hardly any food in thier crop went to the race. And they did pretty good I shipped 11 birds and came in 3rd 14th 16th and 62nd out of 314 birds in my club.


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## BlackWing (Apr 2, 2010)

I have a top secret that I will unveil in a new thread in regards to feeding, especially on middle to long distant races. Only a few of my closest friends knows about this and just because I left South Africa and I'm not flying with you guys I will tell.


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Old birds become lazy to fly so they either must be forced to fly or get toss. Young birds should fly freely if they are healthy. Old birds get motivated either because they have young birds to feed or they get to see their mate (widowhood) while young birds get motivated either they just want to come home. I think widowhood beats natural system for older birds. The darkening system works better for young birds because they get to have their flights still while the body feathers are already moulted done.

With respect to feeding I definitely would agree that 1.25 to 2 ounces per bird works the best. If you are just training young birds to trap, you can temporarily feed 1 ounce per bird per day. Once they learn that you can then proceed by adding 1/4 to 1/2 ounce more. From experience the amount you feed them determines how long they can stay aloft flying. If you fly twice a day, then obviously you feed them twice also. You can either try 1/3 feed for the morning session and 2/3 in the afternoon session. Also from experience if I feed my bird 2 ounces and if they don't exercise, they get too fat fast! So beware! I think the best compromise for me is 1.5 ounces per bird per day. They can fly 1 hour or more on that. That ration is for grains only. If pure pellets alone, then you have to feed more!


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