# Feed BEFORE a toss or AFTER??



## heeler (Nov 19, 2013)

I understand that you should let them fly before you feed if loft flying. My birds trap great when they want to eat, no prob. My question is, is it proper training to basket them in the AM before feeding and take them on training tosses on a empty stomach????? Now I wont be going 50 miles yet but still empty is good??? Is that right??
The thinking is they will rush home and trap right away to eat and not loiter on the barn or landing board....is that correct?

Or if going on long tosses give 1/2 rations to have something onboard for energy??

As you can tell I'm still learning, thanks in advance for the patience.


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## Pollo70 (Jan 3, 2012)

Correct,train then feed. under 50 miles they will be fine they should take a drink of water in the morning that will hold them over


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Hello. Thanks Polo. Once i found a banded racer with a missing head. It had a crop full of seeds, mostly milo. So I thought that either milo takes long to digest or the bird was so heavy in flight that it could not move fast enough and lost its head.


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## heeler (Nov 19, 2013)

Ya know I'm not even sure if yesterdays feed is gone from the croup. It may take 24 hours to digest the grain that was eaten yesterday so even in a early morning toss and no breakfast there's still enough in there to supply energy. Ok so there ya have it, thanks guys.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

heeler said:


> I understand that you should let them fly before you feed if loft flying. My birds trap great when they want to eat, no prob. My question is, is it proper training to basket them in the AM before feeding and take them on training tosses on a empty stomach????? Now I wont be going 50 miles yet but still empty is good??? Is that right??
> The thinking is they will rush home and trap right away to eat and not loiter on the barn or landing board....is that correct?
> 
> Or if going on long tosses give 1/2 rations to have something onboard for energy??
> ...


you didn't mention if you are training to race your birds.

if not then it really does not matter if they hang out and enjoy being around the loft and have a choice of when to go in. I do open loft and the birds come and go as they please and I just keep some feed in the feeder for that day and they eat most of it for that day. for a toss under 50 miles I think they will be fine if you wait to feed them when they get back..more incentive to get home quick and if you are racing it would be very important for trapping as fast as possible.


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## heeler (Nov 19, 2013)

bump--update.....
the first toss went fine and it didn't seem to matter that they didn't eat until they trapped. When they got home they stayed in the air for 15 minutes doing laps, kinda like they were really having fun and breakfast could wait. They are out everyday so it's not like they are prisoners. I just wanted them to get home and trap quickly, I guess to feel the pride of proper training. 
No worries though, they got home and eventually trapped so thanks everybody for the advice and tips.
Tim


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