# How to recover racers after races?



## pigeonslover (Mar 27, 2009)

Hello everyone,
YB season is coming and i wonder if anyone knows how to get the birds back in shape and ready for next week. My problem is my birds after the race has blue muscles and and tiring. And by next friday the muscle is still blue. I do gave them electrolyte after the race and fed them light for the first 3 days, i do trained them 2 days a week during racing. People just told me to rest them, but i think the birds need the training toss during the races. Do i missing something? By the way, i saw this product on Vita King web site, is this something i need? 

*Vita King Return Combo * 
Return From Race:
A concentrated combination of methenamine, amino 
acids, choline bitataric and essential vitamins blended 
together to detoxicate pigeons quickly. Also improves 
performance after heavy muscle strain and brings on 
top race condition and form much quicker. 
Other recommended uses: 
Vita King Return Combo can also be given to all birds 
on property every Saturday. $50.00
VIT0190
Dosage: 1 rounded teaspoon (10 grams) per gallon of 
water.
200 grams . . . . $50.00


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Sounds like your birds have a respiratory issue that isn't allowing them to get enough oxygen into their blood. Unless the race was long and/or the conditions weren't favorable, they should only take a day or two at the most to recover if they are healthy.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Also, $50 seems pretty steep for a mix of vitamins, electrolytes, lipids and an antibiotic. You can get vitamin/mineral/electrolyte mixes at the feed store for poultry that should do just as good for much less.


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## pigeon is fun (Sep 6, 2010)

pigeonslover, 
Try www.racingpigeonmall.com they have some good stuff.


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## Fencer (Feb 1, 2012)

*Combo*

Just my opinion . I think return combo is the best. Seems my birds were ready to go in know time. But lots of other factors could in play here, such as loft conditions , feed etc.


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## pigeonslover (Mar 27, 2009)

I didnt think respiratory is the issue. I treated them for respiratory before i training and during the race season. Someone told me they worked too hard on the muscles. Is there anything that get rid of the blue muscles?


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## Hareloft (Jun 26, 2011)

No Becky is right there has to be something going on mine flew a 280 last week and came home just fine not breathing hard or anthing they looked as if they came back from a training toss. How is your ventilation and is there alot of dust in you loft?


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Like mentioned, it doesn't have to be a disease. Usually blue color means poor circulation and the muscles don't have enough oxygen. Although I have been told it can occur their protein intake is too high.


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## Granny Smith (Jul 16, 2011)

How is your loft ventilation and how crowded are your birds? Are they getting enough clean air while in the loft?


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## ejb3810 (May 21, 2012)

In over 15 years I have not experienced what you are describing, but it seems like a health issue. I doubt that your birds are that tired from a race.
You must narrow the problem down to some specific problem. I don't think that there is a magic elixir ?


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## pigeonslover (Mar 27, 2009)

I don't think respiratory is the issue here, the loft floor is wired floor, no dust, good size loft 12feet x 6 feet for 25 birds. Birds are treated for respiratory before training and during races with Suanovil. I meant they've taken good care of. I heard garlic help purify the blood and remove toxic.


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## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

*Pigeonslover !!!*What has been the YPM speeds in the races that your birds have flown ?? 
*General info *>> A pigeon needs ONE days rest for every 2 hrs on the wing in a race....
*Blue/Purple flesh can be caused by ONE or ALL of the next 3 issues !!*
#1....To much Protien in the diet...
#2....Lack of Oxygen....
#3....Over worked in training/loft flying/racing....


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## pigeonslover (Mar 27, 2009)

Thanks Alamo for responding,
Last year YB results wasn't bad, I was in the top 10% a few races, some races i was in the top 20%. I treat my team for respiratory every other week during the season. I trained them out 60-70 miles, 2 times a week during the races. I fed them with the 13,5%. Did i train them too hard?


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## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

Pigeonslover......To get the birds in SHAPE to race,the 60/70 mile tosses are great...But once you start racing,25 to 35 mile tosses are good....Maybe 2 times or 3 per week for the short races under 200 miles....The speed of your last race will tell you how many tosses,and how far....If lets say your birds had a speed of 1125 ypm or slower, last saturday....You need 2 or 3 days rest,and a 20 or 25 mile toss on Wed & Thursday...If your birds had a speed of 1575 ypm,you can give a 30 mile toss on Wed,and a 35/40 mile toss on thursday....OR....You can just loft fly them Tues to Friday...Assuming Saturday is race day.....Alamo


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## Pigeon0446 (Apr 22, 2007)

Most of my YB's will fly a race on all 10 weekends of the season and some will fly 2 races in one weekend. Like my IF Hall of Fame winner from last years YB's. She was 5th in a 300 mile race on Saturday and 6th in a 250 mile race on Sunday the next day. And my birds will have anywhere from 4 up to 12 twenty five mile tosses between each race depending on how hard the race was the week b4. But most of the time they'll get 2 twenty five mile tosses a day monday thru friday. So I can't see how your birds could be tired a week after the race unless they have some sort of illness.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

The racing and training schedule sounds normal to me. I wouldn't be treating them so much but that's just me.


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## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

Pigeon0446......Here`s last years winning speeds for our club....One race cancelled because of bad weather....
100M......704.544
150M......1187.725
150M......964.981
100M......1141.015
200M......1202.122
100M......1210.568

With these kinds of speed,I would have to be cruel to train my birds 2 to 4 times a day 5days a week.....When the speed of the races are 1500 to 2,000 YPM every week,your way might be correct....

If MOST of the guys on here are NEW,asking all these questions about training etc....You cannot suggest to train your way ?? You are experienced,and you breed 120 YB`s....Most of these NEW guys are lucky to have 25/30 birds TOTAL in their loft...

I myself breed 20 YB`s for me to fly....I`ve been around pigeons most of my life..And I`m 70 years old.....I don`t want these NEW guys to lose birds training...They will lose enough racing,as most people do....Alamo


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## ejb3810 (May 21, 2012)

Once a person has been in this game for a period of time, you will learn that there are so many different ways that people feed and train and medicate or not that it is almost impossible to keep track of.
I am a firm believer that many people over train their birds. Although it in most cases has no detrimental impact, it quickly gets to the point that it is for the mental well being of the owner more than for the physical well being of the birds.
One thing that I believe happens is that the flyer develops a colony of birds that perform up to whatever standards are acceptable to him or her.
The homing instinct is of paramount importance. Good health and physical fitness are also a must. Health is, to a degree, generically evolutionary? Physical fitness can be the result of road training, loft flying or a combination of both in most cases.
Careful and thoughtful management of the birds is what separates the consistent top lofts from the occasional winners.
There are no magic elixirs. You may emulate a successful flyer and adopt many of his practices. Some times that is of tremendous help, but there are many aspects of keeping these birds that only time spent with them will allow you to master.


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## pigeonslover (Mar 27, 2009)

Pigeon 0446,
Did u check the muscle on your bird to see the color of their muscle? The old guys in my club told me to rest the bird if their muscle turns dark color. I am training 3 times a week before race 50-100 miles, and 2 times a week 50-100 miles during race


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## orock (Mar 28, 2011)

pigeon is fun said:


> pigeonslover,
> Try www.racingpigeonmall.com they have some good stuff.


The the I love most from this web site is the flat rate shipping.


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