lofts could quite easily house
double the number of pigeons
currently housed so there is
certainly no overcrowding
problem here.
THE SYSTEM
The old bird race team usually
amounts to between 30 and 40
and both cocks and hens are
raced on total Widowhood. In
addition, for the 2016 season, an
additional 12 cocks were raced
Celibate. The young bird team
usually amounts to between 60
and a 100, depending upon the
level of predation by the local
BOP. Stock birds and racers are
mated on the weekend of the
Blackpool Show in mid to late
January. This allows the partners
to float eggs from the racers
under the feeder pairs as they
like to race the old birds “dry”.
Once their domestic duties have
been completed the racers are
got into trim for racing by
regular daily exercise in good
weather. Once they are doing 45
minutes voluntary exercise at
each session they are then put in
the training basket and ideally
Dave and Kim would like them to
have between six and eight
trainers out to 25 miles beforethe first race. However, this is not
always possible because of the
ever present threat from the BOP.In the early part of the season,
when the weather is often coldDavies & Coombs’ second stock loft.Kim Coombs feeding the YB’s in their aviary.