just a thought

as the new season dawns many birds being raced will be yearlings many years ago i was told dont rush it they your future pick your days and dont race them in cold east winds whats members thoughts sean

Advice like that Sean, sounds like it came from a widowhood man.
I'd say have more faith in your hens, as these are more likely to be the superstars in your loft.

Gaz b wrote:

Advice like that Sean, sounds like it came from a widowhood man.
I'd say have more faith in your hens, as these are more likely to be the superstars in your loft.

no gaz he flew natural and was a very good flyer flew both equally well hens and cks but always liked the warmer temp and a bit of sun on his yearlins backs maybe thats why he had a few 6 y/olds in his team with many positions to his name as he said they his future sean

The fancier that schooled me Sean same as mate, on his loft stood an old marine barometer and thermometer, there was also a weather cock on the nearby church.
He used to say there was a certain balance in the temperature and pressure for the cocks to race. If not the hens went, he could predict a win I would give him that, they never saw the water until they was 2 year olds and certain other racepoints until they were 3 year olds.
Like he said to me once, my birds are only getting started at the age you retire um.
Distance racing is a different ball game to how we fly.

interesting post

i think theres a lot to be said for yearlings most of the time cocks get excited

first year mateing etc and there still not really a year old well most arent

as young birds they race in warm weather they cope with that well

come the new year they have alot on ie breeding training racing it all happens

fast in a few weeks years ago we had our birds out 24/7 today we dont hence take

longer to get fit i look at yearlings as babies still cold winds from the east will knock them down like flys but a little patiants and warm weather the odd are you wont loose many

most race horses are green at this stage so are greyhounds there trainers nurse them along slowley

all in all they are still getting stronger bones wings etc just my opiniun but i think alot are lost cus they not been given the time to develope or slung in at the deep end

Interested reading

Some very good points there also g.
But this is why i think the light system excels all the other systems.As they have three days light compared to all the other systems.
Because when you think about it, light accelerates the growth and when they are early bred yb, they have plenty of time mature we are talking months in fact.
Training is spread out over a long period and this builds up their fitness.
with the light system they have full moulted gradually by june, which again cuts down the stress.
by the time they see the first race they are so much more mature.

Gaz b wrote:

Some very good points there also g.
But this is why i think the light system excels all the other systems.As they have three days light compared to all the other systems.
Because when you think about it, light accelerates the growth and when they are early bred yb, they have plenty of time mature we are talking months in fact.
Training is spread out over a long period and this builds up their fitness.
with the light system they have full moulted gradually by june, which again cuts down the stress.
by the time they see the first race they are so much more mature.

plenty food for thought but ask your self why are many top lofts reverting back to natural young birds sean

i think its a case of we followed suit just like we did the widdowhood

many lofts now are makeing smaller compartments keepins less in each section

many of the darkness pigeons are just that darkness birds many lofts sell them on

why because the have a back up team of well schooled mature naturals your right sean its just a game of cat and mouse best thing is do ya own thing think of something new dont always pay to follow the leader

i think if you have a good size team then you can give a few yearlings a right good go all the the programe , but if your a small team flyer like me then take good care of them like sean said its to cold for them early doors and at the end of the day there like teenagers really still growing up . as g knows i had a good result with a yearling hen last season from the NFC cholet race 300 miles where she took 91st open out of over 5,000 birds but a few weeks before that she had a bad race out of portsmouth only 90 odd miles and ended up in the north of england nearly 200miles away but it was a bad day for returns for every one that day . yearlings if you treat them right will fly through a brick wall to get home if handled right , cheers all .

Lets hope we dont have the wind we had last season the 1st 6,races were either east or north east not good for anything but atleast this year we will have our hens ready as they did well last season won 2/3 and were 2nd in the other we wont be throwing them away for a red card.

Gaz b wrote:

Some very good points there also g.
But this is why i think the light system excels all the other systems.As they have three days light compared to all the other systems.
Because when you think about it, light accelerates the growth and when they are early bred yb, they have plenty of time mature we are talking months in fact.
Training is spread out over a long period and this builds up their fitness.
with the light system they have full moulted gradually by june, which again cuts down the stress.
by the time they see the first race they are so much more mature.

John McGee used that system also years ago

kev d wrote:

i think if you have a good size team then you can give a few yearlings a right good go all the the programe , but if your a small team flyer like me then take good care of them like sean said its to cold for them early doors and at the end of the day there like teenagers really still growing up . as g knows i had a good result with a yearling hen last season from the NFC cholet race 300 miles where she took 91st open out of over 5,000 birds but a few weeks before that she had a bad race out of portsmouth only 90 odd miles and ended up in the north of england nearly 200miles away but it was a bad day for returns for every one that day . yearlings if you treat them right will fly through a brick wall to get home if handled right , cheers all .

Kev your right yearlings are strong headed birds, thats just like Colin Lloyds Saints National winner 400 plus milles

The week before the national the pigeon won the wolverhampton fed from saints and was doulded up back to the saints national to win it but as you say yearlings will go through brick walls and that cock was raced widowhood

VanReet Man123 wrote:

Lets hope we dont have the wind we had last season the 1st 6,races were either east or north east not good for anything but atleast this year we will have our hens ready as they did well last season won 2/3 and were 2nd in the other we wont be throwing them away for a red card.

VRM i understand were you are coming from but for me i like them winds because what you have left are the pigeons you can depend on giving you 100%
rather than have a team of birds sunny day birds that put the effort in on blow home days

Jusy my opinion but i know nothing

Don Webb wrote:

VanReet Man123 wrote:

Lets hope we dont have the wind we had last season the 1st 6,races were either east or north east not good for anything but atleast this year we will have our hens ready as they did well last season won 2/3 and were 2nd in the other we wont be throwing them away for a red card.

VRM i understand were you are coming from but for me i like them winds because what you have left are the pigeons you can depend on giving you 100%
rather than have a team of birds sunny day birds that put the effort in on blow home days

Jusy my opinion but i know nothing

I see what you are both saying and I agree that predominantly its best to have birds that can handle face winds but its good if you have some blow home birds too because not all pigeons can handle a blow home and they can be just as important if you want to be competitive every week.
The birds I took over here in Portugal got Buried every time we had a race around 60 MPH or more except for 1 bird a huge beast who spared our blushes as he could handle the wind up his arse, lol.

spencerline wrote:

Don Webb wrote:

VanReet Man123 wrote:

Lets hope we dont have the wind we had last season the 1st 6,races were either east or north east not good for anything but atleast this year we will have our hens ready as they did well last season won 2/3 and were 2nd in the other we wont be throwing them away for a red card.

VRM i understand were you are coming from but for me i like them winds because what you have left are the pigeons you can depend on giving you 100%
rather than have a team of birds sunny day birds that put the effort in on blow home days

Jusy my opinion but i know nothing

I see what you are both saying and I agree that predominantly its best to have birds that can handle face winds but its good if you have some blow home birds too because not all pigeons can handle a blow home and they can be just as important if you want to be competitive every week.
The birds I took over here in Portugal got Buried every time we had a race around 60 MPH or more except for 1 bird a huge beast who spared our blushes as he could handle the wind up his arse, lol.

I understand were you are coming from