The young bird season

Use of Improver and AntiFungal in the young bird season

Racing the young birds is fun!

However, the young birds may be easily affected by a numerous factors that tend to decrease their condition and fracing orm. In this article we will share some of our experience on how to race the young birds in top health & condition.

When it comes to the use of the racing pigeon product Improver and AntiFungal, we suggest the following:

After weaning of the youngsters and until the races start, use the products AntiFungal and Improver daily. But only half dosage every day. More particular; add a half teaspoon (the included measure level corresponds to one teaspoon) of Improver and a half teaspoon of AntiFungal to 5 liters of drinking water. When the races start, use the combination of Improver and AntiFungal as for the racers, the day of return and the day after (normal dosage).

The daily administering of half dosage to the young birds will help to keep them healthy in this important period where they build muscles and when they build experience by flying around the loft and from short training trips. Other rule-of-thumb recommendation for the racing of the young birds:

• The young bird shall have white noses and should at least fly for 1-2 hours when let out. If not… please send us an e-mail and we will try to help you!
• Feed enough and a little more until three weeks before races start. Thereafter feed “just enough” to keep the youngsters on the edge. A carbohydrate rich feed is recommended before and after race, more fat and proteins in the middle of the week. Multivitamins once a week. Of course daily access to grit, calcium sources and trace element minerals is necessary.
• Due the necessary vaccinations in advance, in good time before the demanding training starts. Send faeces to a vet for analysis in good time before the races start if you suspect anything.
• A dry loft with god ventilation is a must.
• Once before the training starts, cure against the most common diseases. Of special importance is 6 days against canker. Dust/spray/treat the youngsters with some product for external parasites.
• Aware of respiratory sickness in the summer time when weather is warm with high humidity. Wet eyes, grey wet rings around the eyes instead of the dry white rings, slime threads in the throat, lack of zest for flying are all bad indications. Threat with e.g. the combination of Tyrosine and Terramycin or similar in at least 5 days.
• Training the youngsters together in one group usually brings the speed into them. Always let them return to feed. We usually train them first time at 50 km distance. The youngsters that do not return from 50 kilometer are in our opinion simply not good enough. Thereafter we train them 10-15 times on distances between 50-80 kilometers (first race being 200 km).
• Train them one-by-one may be OK once or twice to get rid of the ones that do not deserve a place in the loft. Do not judge by the pedigree- however, in our experience training them in one group make them faster in the races.

Following these recommendations will secure strong, healthy and fast youngsters with the best potential to perform in the races! An additional advantage can be achieved by manipulation with the light, as e.g. . the well known darkness system.

Have fun with the coming young bird races!