Apr 262012

Racing pigeons is both a hobby and a sport. A lot of people are realizing how rewarding the activity is that is why countless folks are seriously getting into it. For the ones who are already seasoned in pigeon racing, the practices involved in it are unending endeavors. It is a continuous process of regular improvements and adjustments that require a lot of patience and dedication. It takes skill and appropriate knowledge in order to enjoy longevity in this field. Anything less than what is necessary is detrimental to the likelihood of reaping the activity’s fruits.

Racing pigeons is rich in history, being a time-honored game. The amount of discipline that goes into it cannot be discounted and the people who are captivated by it are always ready to take on the challenge. If you are planning to start your pursuit to be a good pigeon racer, then it will do you good to take time and learn a few important things that can allow you to decide whether you are prepared for the sport. Right off the bat, you have to realize that it is not as simple as it may seem but the perks make all the efforts worth it.

Failsafe Racing Pigeons Advice

The first thing you need to do to jumpstart your pursuit in being one of the best in racing pigeons is to prepare for the equipment and the birds. Nowadays, there are several resources that will allow you to purchase the things you need. In the internet alone, you can find countless companies that supply the things needed for the sport and even pigeons can be bought online. Since it is easy to be too excited once you start, it will be beneficial for you to keep these tips handy:

Feeding Nutrients – racing pigeons are a lot like athletes that require proper diet in order for them to be good at what they do. Make sure you give your birds the right kind of food to make them fit for racing.

Start your birds with corn for starters
Coming into the sixth week, replace the corn with two separate daily meals. Use light rations during the day and make sure you give them a nice helping of corn during evening meals. This is crucial in making sure that they build up muscles the right way.
Stick to the feeding routine especially during off seasons of racing.

Training Schedule – timing is everything when it comes to training your voyageurs. The best time to teach them how to race is during mornings. Also, always be critical of the weather condition on training days. Make sure that clear skies and no gusty winds are always part of your consideration in picking a day to train.

Do Not Rush the Birds – remember that there are no short-cuts in pigeon racing. Give your birds the chance to mature and never subject them to too much training and exercise. Like all athletes, they too can be burnt out and have their ability decreased to deliver in actual game times.

Fist Course is Paramount – the primary lesson the birds ought to know about is trapping. Observe your birds and make sure they know how to come back to their loft. On the first day of training, watch out for those birds that made it back last and teach them to be the faster on the next day.

Racing Pigeons – The Secret Formula for Winning

Homing Pigeon Racing pigeons is a very competitive sport and an exhilarating one at that. Experts in this activity have their own ways of producing champions and more often than not, it has something to do with the birds’ breed. Yet, there are fool-proof ways to make your chances of winning races a whole lot better:

Less is Really More – it will do you good if you choose to maintain a small group of pigeons. This way, you get to have better distribution of your time in training and feeding your family of birds. A huge flock would almost certainly guarantee that some birds may be neglected.

Give Importance to Health- this makes a lot sense because a bird that is not fit cannot be expected to win races. Remember, they are not just regular pigeons – they are athletes. They need the proper nutrition in order to be champions.

Racing Preparation – during race season, make sure your racers are hydrated with a lot of electrolytes. They use up a lot of fluids whenever they fly and you have the responsibility to replenish it.

Hygiene is Key – cleanliness of the pigeons and their loft along with the things they use for feeding is imperative. Obviously, a sloppy cage and feeders will trigger bacteria build-up that can put the birds’ health in jeopardy. Always make it a habit to get rid of droppings and clean their feeders.

These tips may come as a surprise for most people because of their simplicity. Yet, there are many racers out there who are overly focused in winning and neglect these very important parts of the bargain. The point is if you want to win, you must not be reluctant to get your hands dirty.

Maintenance is a huge part of pigeon racing and it is impossible to do without it.

Simple Training Tips for Racing Pigeons

Training racing pigeons can be a pill. Here are some quick guides to avoid frustration during the birds’ training:

Loft Placement – choose a place where you will put the birds’ loft. You want it in a spot where the end of the race would likely be situated.

Reward System – during training for trapping, put treats on the trap so the birds will be enticed to go there until they get used to the idea. You can also use this technique to teach them to get in a release basket.

Distance Adjustment – gradually increase the distance between the place of release and the loft. This will slowly make the bird capable of flying long distances.

The Thrill of Racing Pigeons

Since you will begin the sport by actually overseeing every detail of the activity, the bonuses you get can be priceless. From breeding, growing and training the birds, all of these aspects boil down to that prideful moment when the birds start becoming racing pigeons.

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Racing Pigeons – What Owners Should Know?

Training of Racing Pigeons No Responses »

Mar 052012

Acquiring and maintaining racing pigeons is neither simple nor easy process. One must not be plain excited because excitement is a sudden feeling which may be lost along the way when everything’s not happening the way we want it to be. Newbie in raising pigeons must be really an enthusiast and shows great passion to birds specifically on breeding racing pigeons.

6 Steps to Breed Racing Pigeons Successfully

Racing Pigeon

Racing is an exact example of a challenge. And one must have his own secrets to win or be humiliated if lost. Check on the following steps which would help you breed the best among the best of champions.

1. Choose the breed that wins.

Since you want to join in racing, your obvious purpose is to win. Your pigeon must know how to come home after the race, it must be capable of coming back home and must have interest of getting back home.

2. Choose the racing breed.

An apple won’t produce a strawberry. What does it mean? It means if you do not have any pigeons with racing gene, you would never produce it whatever kind of breeding you do. So you better get it for a chance of winning the race.

3. Test your pigeons patiently.

Don’t rely with one result but when you see it on the third time, then you’ve got to pay attention to it. So if you didn’t see valuable results after placing at least 10 of their babies in tests, you’ve got to cull your breeders.

4. Choose the best.

If you started to breed for 200, then focus to the top 2. That’s really choosing the best or to give allowance, you may consider until 10. Culling for more than this ratio will not get you successful.

5. Strengthening of genetic contribution.

Inbreeding increases the genetic contribution of your chosen breeders. It provides more predictability because you narrow the gene pool. It also lessens variability on their babies.

6. Outcrossing.

With this process, you introduce a new bloodline into your flock which would enhance their qualities.

Those steps are very challenging and involve a lot of patience and perseverance. After all, that’s all that’s necessary when you want to achieve the best of racing pigeons.

Top 8 Champion Breeds of Racing Pigeons

It’s all in their blood! Check on the following list of champion breeds that have proved their winning records from their parents down to their offsprings.

1. Fabry

Undoubtedly, this breed comes from the family of 1^st place race winner. Winning is definitely on its blood.

2. Black Diamonds

When it comes to short and middle distance racing, Black Diamonds are people’s choice.

3. Bastin

This breed comes from a great bloodline with its notable characteristics in terms of feathers and muscles.

4. Flor Engels

This breed has champion origins which surely run through their successor along the line.

5. Jan Aarden

This pigeon breed has proven to produce top racers for long distance category.

6. Janssen

Ancestors of this pigeon breed have shown great records of winning.

7. Van der Maelen

Being the champion is first on its vocabulary. From its ancestors to different successors, Van der Maelen’s winning characteristic has been consistent and can be seen clearly.

8. Sion

When you look on its pedigree, you’ll know this pigeon breed is definitely created to win the race.

There you have them, the leaders of race themselves! Although there are a lot more numbers of racing pigeons available these days, we only mentioned the few that have been acknowledge for their superb winning records.

Tips on Taking Care of Racing Pigeons

The word ‘race’ can be equated to ‘exhaustion’, which does not only apply to humans but to pigeons as well. Take note of the following caring tips that you should apply to your birds after the race.

Pigeon Racing

After the race, wash your pigeon’s feet with warm water as well as their feathers. By washing or cleaning them, you’ll be able to wipe out the germs they could have acquired from the other pigeons that joined the race.

· If the race was a long one, your birds would definitely need to feed, particularly in the morning as they arrived and then main feed should follow in the evening.

· Do not forget that pigeons need to rest after the race. Have them relax for at least 1 ½ days (36 hours) once the race is done. This way their muscles recover and gain full potency which are essential for the next training and race schedule.

Racing pigeons have their own distinctive muscle strengths in order to endure the challenge of the race so their owners must always remember how to take care of them properly.

Top 3 Nutrients Racing Pigeons Need

Since it involves energy in order to fly, pigeons must be regularly checked and monitored if they are getting the right nutrient at the right amount in order to soar smoothly.

· Carbohydrates

For the first few minutes of their flying, race pigeons would not last unless they’ve got sufficient carbohydrates. They mostly need feed with loads of carbohydrates if they are to race for short distances.

· Fats

Fats store energy while it’s not in use. When it comes to racing, carbohydrates would be consumed immediately so fats are necessary so that for the next few distances, your pigeons still have energy to use. When it’s a long distance race, include feeds with fat contents.

· Protein

We all know that protein does a lot of wonders when it comes to maintaining and repairing muscles but it does not stop there. It also improves fertility and hatchability which are very helpful in breeding. The known ideal mix of protein in feeds is 18% at most. Going beyond this mixture does not show any drastic development, although there’s no negative implications have been seen as well.

Responsibility is one major concern when it comes to maintaining racing pigeons that’s why it must be taken seriously, with full attention and great passion.

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About The Author

Hey, Tony Here. Thanks for checking out my site. I hope you will find useful the information I put here about homing pigeons.

Welcome to the world of racing pigeons! This is my hobby all my life. It is very exciting if you ask me and I just couldn’t think of anything better to do than to raise, train and then race these pigeons. The feeling of fulfillment that I get out of it cannot be compared with any other activity that I have tried.

To know more about my background just take a look at the "about me" page.