27 Tips For Pigeon Racers by McLaughlin Lofts

Here are 13 tips for pigeon racers that will help you during the season.

#1. How about racing on the “Dark System” with only half your pigeons? As you wean
the youngsters place the young hens on the “Dark System” and the young cocks on
natural light. The young cocks will be going through the motions anyway because their
future is in the widowhood loft. The young hens can be pushed and raced hard because
only the top ones will be bred from and the remaining hens will be used as widow hens.

#2. Want a secret ingredient for super feather, unlimited stamina and superb health.
Mix flaxseed oil on the grain and add Brewers Yeast, Whey protein (never use chocolate
it is poisonous to birds) and minerals. The flaxseed oil is loaded with Omega 3
essential fatty acids, and must be supplied to the pigeons from their diet. The brewers
yeast and whey protein adds essential amino acids.

#3. Looking for youngsters to grow like weeds with the most amazing feather and
muscle. A few times per week feed your breeders grain coated with flaxseed oil and
mixed with Whey Protein ( never use chocolate is poisonous to birds). Whey Protein is
the purest form of protein and comes from yogurt and cheese production. For years the
manufacturers tossed it out. Now it is the craze in the athletic world for high
performance.

#4. Young birds look sluggish and are not flying. Try adding 50% high quality barley.
They will be flying around the loft with endless energy in about a week. Continue 50%
barley right through training and early races.

#5. Are vitamins and minerals necessary? Soils are depleted of all the minerals, crops
are not rotated, grains are harvested too early or too late, long storage, etc.
Multivitamins and minerals are a must. Give several times per week. Let the birds have
free choice by putting many types in small cups that are changed weekly on race return
day.

#6. Salmonella is a problem that many pigeons battle. The healthy and less stressed
the pigeon the less likely salmonella will be a problem. Here is the tip. Apple Cider
Vinegar one ounce to the gallon lowers the pH in the gut, which makes the salmonella
bacteria less likely to thrive. This vinegar also has many trace minerals in it. Use it
everyday during the winter months and two to three days per week during racing and
breeding.

#7. Ivermectin the wormer is not very effective against roundworms. Ivermectin is a
great wormer but use another that will get the roundworms. Once the worms are
eliminated the ivermectin may keep them worm free. Use Moxidectin for worming!

#8. Ivemectin Sheep Drench 3 cc’s to a gallon in the bath water will kill all parasites,
lice, mites, flies, depluming mites etc. Give twice monthly and the birds will be pest free.
It can be used as a spray, 10 cc’s to the gallon on the loft walls and nests to kill
parasites and it is not harmful or will give off any fumes. Never get Ivermectin on your
skin or it will penetrate into you. If you are spraying it wear protective gear like a mask
and overall suit. Never inhale mist. We have not used anything but ivermectin for
parasites in several years. One bath will totally eliminate the stubborn quill mite.

#9. To lengthen a pigeons racing career always give a minimum one day of rest for
every two hours on the wing. Do not even let the bird out to fly, no road work. Your birds
will all be very fresh come season’s end.

#10. If a pigeon is lost for a long period like a month to a year, treat it like gold. Anyone
who has ever had a pigeon live wild and then return usually has a champion on his or
her hands. Let the pigeon go through a normal molt before being raced hard and watch
the vitality it has and the possessiveness it displays.

#11. Home attic fans that are thermostatically controlled are a super idea for loft. My
fans are set to go on when the under side of the roof reaches 95 degrees.

#12. Rabbit pellets can offer the birds the best greens possible in an easy to use form.
Try a couple of handfuls per section per week. Your pigeons and your results will be
glad you did.

#13. Remember that are squab grows so rapidly the first 25 days that one missed
feeding will stunt it. Feed the breeders several times per day or place the feed in large
feeders. It is so very important that the babies are being pumped by the parents at sun
up and sun down.

#14. Have an old cock that you are afraid he will go sterile soon? Never take him away
from a hen. Leave him mated all winter. Being around the hen will help keep his
testosterone level a little higher then if he was separated from the hens. A couple more
productive years may result.

#15. Do you have an old sterile and nearly crippled cock? Let this old boy live with your
widow hens. He will keep the focus of the hens so they will not mate with other hens. He
is also too old and blind to pick one hen and start a family. This works!

#16. Widowers look dull and tired? How about giving the hens on Thursday along with
nest bowls and nesting material and leaving them with the girls until the Monday after
the race. Now separate and see how invigorated the cocks are for the next several
weeks.

#17. Adeno virus is a problem in most combines during young birds. When it is first
heard that adeno has struck local lofts give 1 heaping teaspoon of Aureomycin
concentrate to the gallon of water and continue this until adeno has passed. The
aureomycin concentrate helps settle the gut and keeps everything in check and the
birds will continue to digest their feed and not upchuck. This is a big secret I have used
for several years with very little problems of adeno in my young bird team. If the birds
are hit hard with adeno virus give amoxicillan. At first signs of upchucking the birds can
be fed pellets which is easily digested and will not be consumed by healthy young if
upchucked. See “Secrets” page about Virkon S.

#18. How about giving the young birds pepper leaves from the garden along with basil
leaves, garlic chives and dandilion greens. They love it and your young birds health will
improve.

#19. I purchase garlic bulbs and liquify them in the blender with a little water. I pour the
mix into ice cube trays, freeze and throw a cube in each waterer. Take some time and
make a big bag of garlic ice.

#20. All my waters are 5 gallon buckets with the tops cut down and a two inch drill hole
punch is used to make three holes. I make a plywood cover with a 2 X 6 block fastened
on the underside with screws, to keep the top in place. Each waterer is measured to
hold slightly more than a gallon.

#21. Never use garden lime in the pigeon loft. It is high alkaline and that is exactly what
salmonella needs to survive. There are plenty of Belgian loft whites on the market and
they are not dusty. Rub them into the wood for a great white finish and nothing sticks to
the wood.

#22. Grated floors are excellent except during the racing season. Many Belgians
removed the grates in their racing lofts after a couple of years of trying. They claimed
the birds did not come into proper form. If the Belgians are doing it I am doing it. If you
do have grates place solid floors over them during the race season.

#23. Widowhood, double widowhood, widow hens, natural? What is the best? Here is
the scoop. There is no better system than straight widowhood racing only cocks. This is
the #1 system known and if one comes along that is better for racing old birds I will let
everyone know about it. Every other system favors the hens.

#24. Do birds drink during a long or tough race? In the heat pigeons stop and drink or
even land in the water to drink during a race. I would not be surprised if they drink
several times during a long day. My cock “Dragon” that won the New England Open
600, in 95 degree heat on the day by a huge margin had sea weed on his band. So do
not try to fool yourself. If they are hot and see water they will drink during the race.

#25. Why all the losses during young bird season? The biggest cause is the young birds
are not trained young enough. Pigeons learn best when young. If you wean in January
you better start training those young by old bird season or your losses will be great.
Light and dark systems push the birds to maturity so they must be trained out to about
35 miles long before the molt is finished. Treat for respiratory an canker before you start
training.
#26. You can feed your breeding pigeons any type of feed and raise beautiful
youngsters as long as you have many types of minerals in front of the breeders. Vitamin
deficiencies do not affect the pigeons nearly as much as mineral deficiencies. Brown,
black and pink minerals, oyster shells, grit mix and magnesium blocks will lead to
spectacular young.

#27. Need to save one of your champions that looks like he or she may die. Put a
500mg capsule of amoxicillan down the birds throat. You will have to wet the capsule so
it will slide down as you push it with your little finger. This is a last resort but in many
cases the bird will turn around. The 500 mg is a high dose and can be repeated a few
days in a row. I have had super results doing this.