2018 Young bird Training

Sorry - not been on here for some time - problems, problems and more ....... problems.

Again sorry if this has been covered recently - but Has anyone started training young birds yet OR is it still too early?

When do members start training their young birds?

And does it depend on whether they are on the darkness or not?

The last couple of years, we raced in good old frogland and everything starts and stops much earlier.

Tips please.

Phil

Been a while but mine came off @10th-12th June and started training about a week later although they were well basket trained weeks before any road work. All left overnight in baskets at least a dozen times, learning drinking from the troughs but I just liberated them in the corridor and kept them in the loft on those days.
I always put at least 10% old birds in with them every chuck up to YB races starting. Not saying do it, but it was my way of thinking, get them back in a straight line as possible from the beginning, OB's show them the ropes. Same way when you're a child we always have someone older showing us how to go about things. These darkness YB's were fine till first few weeks in September then I had trouble keeping them from moulting but usually had about 10 young hens paired to old cocks sitting eggs or a small youngin for the longer September races which usually went on till @25th Sept or even longer. Sitting eggs or on a small YB they hold their feathering longer and race with motivation.
I loved YB racing and had them well schooled and on the ball for the first races. They usually took good prizes right up to 1st fed and came in groups of 5 and 6 in the shorter ones taking many club positions 9 weeks in a row.
Hope this helps.

Thanks Barnie

Some good advice there.

Phil

Phil. It is a depends situation. My older young birds are flying over 3 hours on the wing. No darkening here. Lights go on 15th June or thereabouts. The first toss for the older young will be soon. 20 miles. They have already covered that distance loft flying. I have tried them at 5, 10 and 15 for many years and end up with the same results as a first toss of 20. However, I do keep them at 20. Many times as possible. Did go to 40 and sometimes a 100. Did not matter. 1st old bird race last weekend sent 27. 25 home by nightfall. 155 miles. Half never raced. But many 20 milers as young birds. Unraced yearling was first home. However, I live in open country and this way would not suit allotment fliers. Basically open loft here. Perhaps some one in the same position you are in would be better for advice.

blueskylofts wrote:

Thanks Barnie

Some good advice there.

Phil

My tip Phil think of the over all big picture etc young birds, thou enjoyable, maybe has nothing on old birds type of thing from my perspective with  what you can achieve with them there. Young birds, for many sadly is like the peas under the glass type trick with many not cutting the mustard unfortunately because of it I would suggest.

Knackered wrote:

blueskylofts wrote:

Thanks Barnie

Some good advice there.

Phil

My tip Phil think of the over all big picture etc young birds, thou enjoyable, maybe has nothing on old birds type of thing from my perspective with  what you can achieve with them there. Young birds, for many sadly is like the peas under the glass type trick with many not cutting the mustard unfortunately because of it I would suggest.

Knackered - Thanks for the input. What you say might be true for some - but I love racing young birds!
I enjoy racing old birds also but not until the races get beyond 250 miles.

For me, seeing how my NEW bunch of y/bs are, gives me a lot of enjoyment. Starting with early training and going all the way through the young bird calendar, is very interesting for me. I am not saying the first year of a racing pigeon's life is the 'end-all-and-be-all' but it can give one an idea of what is rubbish.

For me, if a young bird cannot make it back from a 20 mile toss or 120 mile race, when the time comes, it is probably not worth keeping. I know there are exceptions to this (as with everything pigeon), but I think it gives me an idea of what to expect.

Phil

I always wait until after the darkness system has finished however half are natural this year as I want to compare having bred these natural ones much later being weaned in late april and may it should work out ok to train them together come middle of june I don't like to train ybs just yet as theirs still a lot of midweek liberations and large training batches ,plent time yet and 8 tosses will do at 10 and 20 miles nothing else before they go racing ,I don't think their is any advantage taking them further jmo atb

oldstrain wrote:

I always wait until after the darkness system has finished however half are natural this year as I want to compare having bred these natural ones much later being weaned in late april and may it should work out ok to train them together come middle of june I don't like to train ybs just yet as theirs still a lot of midweek liberations and large training batches ,plent time yet and 8 tosses will do at 10 and 20 miles nothing else before they go racing ,I don't think their is any advantage taking them further jmo atb

Agree about the 10/20 mile trick thing O/S on average. The money wasted by many etc going further down the road, could be put to a better cause I would suggest in most cases .

Knackered wrote:

blueskylofts wrote:

Thanks Barnie

Some good advice there.

Phil

My tip Phil think of the over all big picture etc young birds, thou enjoyable, maybe has nothing on old birds type of thing from my perspective with  what you can achieve with them there. Young birds, for many sadly is like the peas under the glass type trick with many not cutting the mustard unfortunately because of it I would suggest.

have healthy dislike of y/b racing/training, just a accident waiting to happen, mine not even batching yet, just dodging the hawk/peregrine keeps me up at night having said that once that's all out of way look on it differently till the first sh**e race and half awol, although never had it always looking for first signs of y/b sickness...… nah starting to rant now so end of

I get the impression your not a lover of young bird racing rog...........

David wrote:

I get the impression your not a lover of young bird racing rog...........

. I would rather walk round rhos with stone in me shoe, tbh once the racing starts and as long as the Valium lasts i'm ok with it

David wrote:

I get the impression your not a lover of young bird racing rog...........

How did you come to that conclusion etc David .