# Racing Late Breds



## West (Mar 29, 2009)

Hi everyone, just interested in getting feedback on what people's experiences are with racing late breds/hatches. I'll be returning from Afghanistan end of March and will be getting some late breds to possibly attempt racing part of the YB season, although it begins in July. Worst case scenario I'll get them in on the last couple races when the distances drop back down. I'm not new to racing by any means but just getting back into the sport after a few years out. Anyways I'm interested in hearing what everyones experiences are and how you managed.


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## Kal-El (Oct 10, 2008)

I'm not a big advocate of racing late breds. Mostly because I've had two bad years with that experiment. However, I am in favor of breeding late hatches to stock. But there has to be a method behind breeding the stock birds. And letting the parents rest for some time to let them revitalize in order to breed nice robust stock birds.


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Racing late breds is just not as good. That's all. It is a last resort. But if one does it, they should only take them out to the two hundred I think. 250 or more is tuff on late breds. 150 max would be even better. IMO


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## soymi69 (Nov 12, 2007)

Late birds for me are just for stock ike West mention, because first it will be too late for the young bird season and they will be too young to compete with the old bird race. So they can be use for breeding and maybe the year after they can be race.


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

Getting a late hatch the end of March You should be able to have them ready for the end of the young bird season, if not going over 150 mi or so. If you live in Washington your old bird season starts a lot later than down in Texas you should be able to fly them to 350 mi I wouldn't go any farther.
Dave


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## Pigeon0446 (Apr 22, 2007)

Crazy Pete said:


> Getting a late hatch the end of March You should be able to have them ready for the end of the young bird season, if not going over 150 mi or so. If you live in Washington your old bird season starts a lot later than down in Texas you should be able to fly them to 350 mi I wouldn't go any farther.
> Dave


I would not consider a bird born in the end of March a late hatcher. A bunch of guys around here don't put their pairs together till the middle of Feb. And the they raise 2 or more rounds. Our races start in the end of Aug. In 2008 I had a late hatch that wasn't hatched till the begining of July and I took her on a toss on accident and she made it back with the birds so I kept taking her. She made the first race which is 120 miles she actually turned out to be one of my best birds that season. She might be an exception to the rule but they can fly yb races and should def be able to fly old birds. But like others have said you should limit the distance to about 300 miles the first season of old birds.


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

My best bird last year hatched out April 7th. He was 2nd high points birds in the club with 4 top 15 finishes. We started racing in September to first of December. My thoughts are that it could be done with an early developing family of birds. You may even be at a better spot when it comes to the mold. I also had a 4th place finish with an April 27th youngster. 

Randy


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

That should be molt not mold.


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## [MN]eXist^_^ (Feb 13, 2009)

Flying darkenend late hatches in ob season may be possible. I know silvre toye did it with his hens long ago and won some nationals. I wouldn't be suprised if they showed up against ob's. I think if birds that are still sqeaking can win or place in the top 10% in yb season then it is possible to do this system in ob's also. I know someone who will do this so we will see the results where they are.


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Ha Ha. I "assumed" that a late hatch was a bird hatched in like August or September. March is diffinitely not a late hatch. Depends on where you live I guess though.

I am going to be racing a August hatch this coming old bird season. We'll see.


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## [MN]eXist^_^ (Feb 13, 2009)

I thought late hatches where birds bred after June


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

West said:


> Hi everyone, just interested in getting feedback on what people's experiences are with racing late breds/hatches. I'll be returning from Afghanistan end of March and will be getting some late breds to possibly attempt racing part of the YB season, although it begins in July. Worst case scenario I'll get them in on the last couple races when the distances drop back down. I'm not new to racing by any means but just getting back into the sport after a few years out. Anyways I'm interested in hearing what everyones experiences are and how you managed.


Would you please define the word "Late Bred" as it may mean different things in different parts of the world. So, at what age, when flying say a 300 mile race, would a bird be considered a "Late Bred", if it is ie. less then 150 days old ?


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## sky tx (Mar 1, 2005)

Our Y/B races start in Sept. As for me a 4 month [120 day old] bird is good to race.
So a May/June hatch is a late breed bird?


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## West (Mar 29, 2009)

SmithFamilyLoft said:


> Would you please define the word "Late Bred" as it may mean different things in different parts of the world. So, at what age, when flying say a 300 mile race, would a bird be considered a "Late Bred", if it is ie. less then 150 days old ?


Keep in mind that I return in March and most likely won't have birds till April. The YB season kicks off beginning of July and I'd say racing 3 month old birds through the racing program would classify them late breds, late hatches, very young, whatever you want to call them. I'm more curious in what people's experiences are actually racing birds this young in competition rather than if they are classified as late breds or not.


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

So getting birds in April they should hatch end of Feb 1st of march, yes unless they are a slow matureing bird. I have my Fabry crosses they would be more than ready.
Dave


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## Gnuretiree (May 29, 2009)

conditionfreak said:


> Ha Ha. I "assumed" that a late hatch was a bird hatched in like August or September. March is diffinitely not a late hatch. Depends on where you live I guess though.
> 
> I am going to be racing a August hatch this coming old bird season. We'll see.



I'm in the same boat. l have a few birds that I did get to train out to about 40 miles late last year, but too late to make any of the YB races. Like conditionfreak, I intend to send them to OB races which start the last week in April here in Connecticut. I really like the way some of them look, so I hope they do well.

Hugh


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## Airbaby (Aug 9, 2008)

conditionfreak said:


> Ha Ha. I "assumed" that a late hatch was a bird hatched in like August or September. March is diffinitely not a late hatch. Depends on where you live I guess though.
> 
> I am going to be racing a August hatch this coming old bird season. We'll see.


Thats what i was thinking too....I was just going to suggest to train them out good and hold out until Old Bird season...when we started racing a few years back we had birds hatched out from May and June and racing started the end of Aug....we didnt do great by any means other than a 2nd place finish on a 250 but then again we didnt do too bad either.....i was hell bent on racing so the birds got pushed harder than they should have (mistake on my part) knowing what i know now i would of just trained them out real good and took my chances with them as Old Birds.


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