pigeons returning with muddy feet

Hi Darren i would only use pure water on basket night

Read in an article that if you use any vitamins ect in the water this helped dehydrate the pigeons when on the transporter

Just think on a 40 feet long by 10 to 12 feet wide transporter with 4 to 6,000 pigeons on it just think the heat that comes of that amount of pigeons

Your pigeons can absorb the pure water better

hi don yes suppose so but was once told to put them in in hot weather on a friday but i see your point don

Darren on the pigeons return i would place honey and lemon juice in the water which helped them restore that lost energy, it's lots cheaper than paying for electrolites and it works

As this is what i used when i was racing

darren, are you sending to a comeback race this week ? or when is it ?

i remember you did well last time so good luck, hope you get the winner....

hi don i used to do exactly the same when i first started and did very well , ill use it again saturday to restore them but i used too use honey and glucose

yes sending friday too cheltenham again 150 mile

thanks for the good luck david

Darren to help this situation with your young bird try to water your young birds after feeding them

But to do this remove the water from the loft feed them leave them 10 to 15 mins place them in baskets then put drinkers on then fill with water after time they will get to understand were the water will be

Best to place a few old birds to show the young ones what to do

Just the same Darren honey and glucose

hope you get the winner then darren, let us know how you do wont you.....how many you sending ?

i will , im just sending 9 cocks as lost one last week ,

When i used this mix i would place 2 teaspoons of honey and a squeeze of jif lemon juice add just warm water and mix it until the honey has desolved then fill with water

using this method helps keep the cost low

Darren it's all about the quality and not quantity

very true don, i dont usually say it as i dont like to jinks things but watching them today i dont think they will be far awy, i just hope we get a nw wind lol

darren, i know you havnt been sending every week, but if you were would you still train widowhood cocks or stop when racing has started ?

Will keep my fingers crossed for you hope you win

Let us know how you get on mate

too tell you the true david last week was my first ob race in 5 years , in the past i have trained in the week if i felt it was necessary, ive trained these cocks every tuesday wednesday and thursday for the last 3 weeks at 50 miles but they are in a section on box perches not boxes as i wasnt going to race but was a last minute decision to race thats why i had to wait for the comeback races but next year they will be on proper widowhood

thank you i will don, ive throw afew hens into there section afew times when theyve returned from training and last weeks race but in 2 years theyve never had a hen so on thursday when the return from training im going to leave the hens with them until the race , im going to scatter afew bowls around section behind boards and threow in some straw see if this motivatesthem that little bit extra

right im going for a shower then bed goodnight both thanks for chat

its amazing how they flew for you darren, not paired up and flying to the perch....and you get 2nd!!! they did well especially when you think they will have been flying against birds that are on full widowhood etc. your right, thats a good idea putting the hens and some straw in with them, you might clean up in the results....hope so.

night darren, thanks for the chat....speak before friday i hope...

yes ill be on before friday so we can have a chat goodnight

night darren

I would leave the hens until friday afternoon put them in about 1o'clock then leave them with the cocks for 5 hours and up

but this is my thought only mate

Pigeons with muddy feet is prove of birds going down to drink somewhere,
My opinion is when a bird is thirsty, and sees water, it will go drink, a way to prevent it , is to gave clean water 2or 3 days before racing.