Feeding Our Celibate Hens Maybe less than you think!

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

PLEASE READ: I ordered a gram scale and will do a follow up video and weigh the feed see what that can holds. I will also see how many ounces of water the can holds so fanciers can use that as a measure to find the right size container. My hens only train once or twice per week between races. This year due to being so busy the hens have only been out of the loft for one long toss of about 65 miles between each race. You cannot feed like me if you are working the pigeons hard. My system is for someone with limited time. Please watch Master Feeding and you Master Racing for my racing pigeon feeding system. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIuXgJSYbc16Z5I

[@rustymeyer7887]

I started using your feeding methods this year and I have been much more competitive and won a combine race. After I watched one of your other videos on feeding it finally clicked that I was overfeeding. What I thought they needed to fly a race was really just slowing them down. Thanks for the videos, they are helping my results.

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

This is great news. Once you master feeding the game gets so much easier. It is sad when fanciers race their entire career without success. Most have them ready for a show when they must be ready for a race.

[@quinteroloft9530]

Thanks for this video. I got good results this week in the 200 mile race with your feeding and training method. Nice to see how you feed your birds

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Happy you had a nice result. Keep trying to master the feeding.

[@quinteroloft9530]

@McLaughlin Lofts I got 1, 2, 9, 18, 33, 34 in the North section out of 618 birds. The wind was north. They did really well.

[@19nnjgu8penafiel8]

​@Quintero Loft congrats man.good luck on your nxt race.

[@WinfortLofts]

Great stuff! I'm hoping to emulate some good results too!!

[@seanhuntpigeons9477]

Great videos Frank well done

[@Chiqui_The_Rich_Pigeon]

Awwww!!! This is so beautiful!! 🤩 they are so excited to have their good! Aww my heart 💘 I’m here giggling with a smile from ear to ear 😹 just gorgeous video!! 💖

[@DaveysLoft-jv7fz]

Great result for the race Frank well done .

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

It was fun to win when you should not.

[@frankmosca4613]

Damn!! Again.and again, I think you've got some gorgeous looking birds! 🙂

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Thank you! They are great pigeons kept healthy naturally. Imagine having a five year old racing star that has never had a drop of antibiotics in her life.

[@Welshfeather]

Well there you go the proof is in the pudding so to speak, great result last week 👌. Another informative video thanks frank🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿👍

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

See my pinned comment at the top. I do not work the pigeons much at all feeding like this.

[@AJOloft]

Hello Frank, which do you think is better, versele laga depure mix or an own mix of 80% barley and 20% racing mix feed? My focus is playing only on sprint or short distance races, and the bloodlines that I have in my loft are Janssens, Van Reets, and Fabrys. I am currently developing my system according to yours. Do you think the 80/20 feeding system will work on sprint races? Thank you!

[@ausfuhrpramienjagar]

.. Congrats on the 400 mile win. Good luck in the 500 👍.... Kevin

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Thank you, We must get through the 317 mile race now moved to Sunday.

[@hannesdutoit1928]

Hi Frank at what distance do you feel it becomes a long distance race? Thanks

[@Patelofts740]

3 and a half hours later and not even out of breath I absolutely love the Van REET pigeons 🎯🧬🙏🏼

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Super pigeons!

[@patrickmcgorman3274]

congratulations on this wks race u placed well and thanks for the videos always informative

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Happy you like them. We must get you racing soon.

[@MoesthakeemSolomons]

Thanks Frank

[@josepharguellesgonzales]

Thankyou for this sir frank! Very nice🫡

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

You are very welcome

[@brendachilders8075]

Too cool! I am Robin’s cousin, in Texas. My friends raise birds, but not this scale… fascinating!! Love the pics when y’all go places, just can’t pronounce most of em 🤣😂❤️🙋‍♀️

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

I did tell Robin about this. I am happy you are checking out my videos. All is great here. Lia, Robin's oldest just got her Masters in Sport Management.

[@bobbywickes8937]

Surprising to see a 5 year old still racing.

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

That five year old hen has just been incredible last two seasons. If you rest pigeons correctly they have long careers. She has scored going back to last season about 7 races in a row and was 8th or 9th Combine in the 407 mile race. She got beat by seconds from birds in the deep south. I was so close to having the top 3 in the combine.

[@bobbywickes8937]

That's incredible. Here in the UK, she'd be in the stock loft by now. Too much risk in flying her. Great to read about her. 👏

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

I actually sold her at the end of last season. The person put a deposit and never paid. I must refund the deposit on her. I have had that on my todo list.

[@kevinburnett1475]

Good day again Mr Mclaughlin how meany days for the week you should give the birds oil and vitaminarals on the feed.

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

During racing no more than once a week early to middle of the week is best.

[@KenDenverClifford]

So with that measurement you feed your pigeons less than a tablespoon per day?like is it ok for them to race 300 miles with that small amount of feeding?i follow your sytems couple of weeks now

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

If the race is under 7 hours they will be just fine. I do not work them much at all between races so the feed must be limited. See my comment at the top. I did not realize how little I actually fed them if you say it is less than a tablespoon per pigeon. I may try to put 30 tablespoons of feed in the can and see what it looks like.

[@KenDenverClifford]

@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons thank you Mclaughlin

[@DadandKidsPigeons]

Thanks Frank for another video. How many pigeons are in there for that 1 can of feed? Also, do you feed them the same amount on shipping day?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

There are 30 pigeons in the group. See this series for measurements. I feed the same amount and same feed on shipping day for short distance. kzbin.info/aero/PLfjpm1Kc9E0UkXcdnfTrnV_VKTkfNozbt

[@MaydisLoft]

Nice looking girls with that feeding system 👌

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Thank you!

[@kerbyjackson88]

Interesting. They're after it with their wings up, which is what we aspire for in flying rollers. I was definitely over feeding my young birds last year. No wonder they seemed slower than I expected, heavy and not at all corky. So that being said, since the amount is definitely smaller than I expected it to be, do you feed immediately after loft flying or return on a toss or provide a short cool down to let the harder working slow eaters catch enough breath to compete with the rest? At least in rollers, if you don't give them 15 to 30 minutes to cool down, the lazier birds gorge themselves and the harder working birds get deprived by the pigs in the flock until they eventually deteriorate and finally just fall apart on you.

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

My hens only train once or twice per week between races. This year due to being so busy the hens have only been out of the loft for one long toss of about 65 miles between each race. You cannot feed like if me if you are working the pigeons hard. My system is for someone with limited time. I do not loft fly and most of the time they are in the loft between races. On the one training flight I usually wait about an hour to feed to make sure all the pigeons are home. I then lock them out front and count them. If something is missing I will leave a little feed for the late bird or birds. You have to feed young birds a little more and will do a video on that. The young are growing but a little more is not a lot more. The young still must be light and buoyant to compete

[@kerbyjackson88]

@McLaughlin Lofts That makes sense. Would you change much if you had more time with an expectation of better results from more time/changes in system or do you think it's now more of a "why fix something that's definitely not broken?" situation? Maybe more of a subject for another video: "If I had all the time in the world ..."

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

I think about that a lot. If I had more time I may do some specific training like late in the afternoons to have the race home to beat the darkness. I would probably feed the widow cocks more and let them out to exercise around the loft. The cocks fly better on traditional widowhood. The hens are super easy and I would not change much.

[@ThundercatLoft]

Did you give them more or something heavier for the 500? Also why do you lock them out in aviary?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

For this 507 mile race they were predicting headwinds and at least a 12 hour race. I feed Energy from Versele Laga the eve before shipping day. On day of shipping I gave them all they wanted Versele Laga Energy mixed with Traditional which is all small seeds. They ate a lot but stayed light and buoyant. The birds were fed on the truck but I am not sure if they ate much. The way I feed I do not want them to eat much on the truck. I lock the hens out on the aviary so they are a bit uncomfortable and on wire and less likely to spend time cuddling in corners mating to each other. If I left them in the loft during the day they would me many most mated up.

[@aymaneessanhaji8970]

Thanks for your amazing content

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Happy you like it. Trying to give something back to the sport.

[@sheltoncourville2331]

Good morning Mr. Frank do you lock the hens out of the loft every day & Just leave them on the Avery?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

They hens are locked out front in the aviary each day during the race season. They are on wire and not so comfortable and helps prevent them mating to each other.

[@sheltoncourville2331]

@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons thanks for always taking the time to answer my questions

[@joncurtis1898]

Hi Frank, I would like to know what is the purpose of locking them out in the fly pen is for?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Hi Jon, By keeping them hungry and locking them out on wire all day they are less likely to pair up mate with each other. Some will still mate but not like if they were in the loft with plenty of feed. I have had mated hens dominate and win National Ace Awards so mated has not effected performance other than the ocassional eggs.

[@kerbyjackson88]

Frank, at what point do you put your birds on this feeding program? As soon as you start educating your squeakers or do you keep them on what the breeders were eating for awhile? At this point, I've started putting the squeakers on 4:1 mix of Barley and 17.5% pigeon mix by Winner's Cup at about one fist full per three birds. That's close to a tablespoon each, give or take. They're definitely buoyant and not pudgy, little round things now. I guess my question is, is this the correct age or is there is still a need to put more protein into them at this age for muscle development?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Hi Kerby, I feed the babies all they want of the Versele Laga Champion mix or similar for the first 2.5 months of their lives and then switch to maybe 40% barley once I need them to start exercising. I give all they want each day. I do not limit feed at all until the racing season starts. They are young and need plenty to eat right through training. About a week before the season you can get serious with the feeding.

[@kerbyjackson88]

@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons Thanks. Would you modify that if you were in an area that didn't race YB? ie. Would you follow the same plan all the way until their first OB season as yearlings or start feeding lighter at a certain age in spite of them not racing as YBs?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Hi Kerby, I feel if the pigeons are exercising and training a 40% barley is good to keep them lighter and make it easier to fly. Once training and exercising ends I would give them 100% grain mix until you decide to start exercising again. You want to up the barley before you start to loft fly and then go to the 80% barley about a week before the old bird race season.

[@kerbyjackson88]

@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons Thanks, as always. I know you don't do the hard road training or loft flying due to time constraints, but do you think it's necessarily a negative to loft fly or road train routinely? Risk of loss from BOPs, etc. aside, of course. I know you've mentioned that years ago, you pretty much did the hard road training with different types of tossing, etc. Beyond the risk of loss, do you think there are negatives that can be afflicted on them by routine loft flying and road training and keeping them on 40% barley or do you think a better result is had by not pushing them like this?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Hi Kerby, Because I have found that I can get super results without the road training or loft flying the hens I would most likely keep doing what I am doing. Rest is so important and most fanciers do not let the pigeons recover after the races because they want to exercise. If you do give the birds time to recover and up the feed some, loft flying and road training more regularly will not hurt. Just be conscious of the needed rest after each flight. I am one of the few fanciers that can win with four and five year old pigeons. I think the reason is how I apply rest throughout their career. My super 5 year old hen came home for the 507 mile race as my last pigeon. She was hit by a falcon across her rump. Not sure if she will race again this year. Here is my thoughts on rest. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqLFl5aHj5mGg9E

[@epicweblinks6469]

Frank why do you not feed more than 50% yellow maize if you control how much they eat? Can I ask: how many grams does each bird get per day? 30g?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Soon I will get a gram scale and weigh the feed. I am not a fan of Yellow maize during the racing season. The barley is much better to control body weight.

[@2W6468]

Any chance you can show a pic of the bag of the feed?…📸, and the content tag with protein/fibre/fat %…?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

That feed is Versele Laga Depure I have not been able to get Barley but like this feed. Low protein low fat. Watch my link below. Master Feeding and you Master Racing. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIuXgJSYbc16Z5I

[@19nnjgu8penafiel8]

Hi..frank.what maintenance feeds are you giving if you dont have race.thanks

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

In the off season until they finish the molt I give a 16% protein mix grain. It varies on what I can get. Once the molt is complete I feed chicken pellets and whole corn through the winter right before breeding. I did a video on my chicken pellets and whole corn. During the molt a high quality feed is very important. They also get plenty of minerals.

[@19nnjgu8penafiel8]

@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons thanks

[@mainulbakul2067]

@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons Hi Frank, in our country, chicken pallets contain dried fish, is it ok for pigeon?

[@tonykinder1069]

Notice your hens are not in boxes so how do you manage with them pairing up in corner .

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Hi Tony, They do pair up and keeping them in boxes might be better but I am not sure if they will be as happy kept in boxes. The hens that mate and cuddle still race and win like crazy. I do keep them locked out in the front of the loft during the day which helps discourage mating. I also keep them a bit hungry which discourages mating.

[@elbiocruz4568]

Great information

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Happy you like it. Read my pinned comment at the top of the page,

[@mainulbakul2067]

Hi, which is better for flyers, maize or wheat? We have hot weather here mostly in the year and winter sustain for 3 months only. We race in the winter season.

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

What country to you live in?. Can you get Barley for racing? I use maize and chicken pellets in the off season.

[@mainulbakul2067]

@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons I live in Bangladesh. We don't have barley here. paddy, maize and wheat is available. I asked you that because there are a lot of different depurative mixes, some use wheat some use mazie, so which one should i use. I can use paddy instead of barly

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

You can use Paddy Rice in place of Barley. When the Belgian feeds started adding more paddy rice the results improved for the fanciers.

[@mainulbakul2067]

Hi Frank, do you train your birds male and female mixing toss or celibacy toss?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

If I train I let the hens go about ten minutes before the cocks. If anything mixes I will separate them and put back in their own loft. Very few mix.

[@jmkbarnes1979]

So with that food measurement amount, you are basically feeding the birds less than 1 tablespoons per bird?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

I do not work them much at all between races so the feed must be limited. See my comment at the top. I did not realize how little I actually fed them if you say it is less than a tablespoon per pigeon. I may try to put 30 tablespoons of feed in the can and see what it looks like.

[@jmkbarnes1979]

I appreciate everything you do and how you continue to help everyone regardless of how many years they have been in the sport.. “Keep doing the do”

[@mohammedbennani8782]

❤

[@JohnSwinn]

Iv fed half the can they havent eaten it all so do i leave with them or remove it and try again with same amount tomorrow 15 hens

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

If you fed a half can using the same size can as me they are just not hungry yet. You should remove the excess and after a few days the 15 hens will clean up the 1/2 can fast.

[@fortytwomonthsvlog9802]

Hello how many spoon per bird you give? Thanks

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

I am really not sure. That coffee can I showed will feed 30 birds with the Versele Laga Depure. Keep in mind I do very little exercise between races.

[@fortytwomonthsvlog9802]

@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons maybe haft kilo for 30 birds? For 1day feeding?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

I am going to show a video on and weigh the feed. Must get a scale and also show volume with water.

[@easy7252]

Is it a Tablespoon per bird?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

I will do a follow up video weighing the feed and also seeing how many tablespoons I give them. It might be about a tablespoon a bird. My next video will be much clearer on the amount for 30 hens.

[@Rev792]

How much for the combine winner?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

She won back to back combines by a huge margin. It would be a big number.

[@Rev792]

@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons I'm just fooling around

[@debbiedowdal1269]

Hi Frank Great videos , could you do a video on young bird feeding

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

I will do the young bird feeding video soon.

[@debbiedowdal1269]

@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons thanks Frank

[@yousafpigeonofficial]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@neilacaster9881]

Do you still breed your cellbbut hens at all :)

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

After the season I let the celibate hens and cocks mate and sit eggs. Some years I will take a few late breds from the super racers.

[@tonykinder1069]

How much per bird do give .is around a oz per bird

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

I am not exactly sure. I bought a gram scale and will do a follow up video that will be easier to see the amount for 30 pigeons. I do not exercise much so I do not feed too much.

[@hana-houswif-ters9433]

👍👍👍👍👍👍❤

[@MoesthakeemSolomons]

I want to buy two van reed pigeons please

[@eddieortiz4276]

Wow I’m totally over feeding my birds 🙀

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Nearly everyone over feeds. Once you concentrate on getting the body weight right the game gets much easier.

[@alexadolfo2428]

Ingredients of your depurative mix ?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

This is Depure from Versele Laga I also mix my own with 80% barley and 20% breeder mix like Champion from Vesele Laga. I am not able to get a good barley.

[@alexadolfo2428]

@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons thank you so much Sir good luck for another race 👍

[@zingerdoutdoors2311]

Mr McLaughlin, I feel you are misleading people in this video!!!! The can you are using is a coffee can and it is measured and sold by weight. That 11 oz can is way bigger than 11 oz of liquid!!! The second can you are using is also a coffee can which says 1 lbs 14 oz or 30 oz which is also weight. I’m not knocking what you do, as I’m trying my best to apply your methods. I feel you need to be more specific in your measurements as not to confuse people. I follow every video and greatly APPRECIATE you donating your time and knowledge on the subject!!!!! Keep up the GREAT VIDEOS!!! Most Guys treat it all as a BIG SECRET!!! THANK YOU!!!! A FAITHFUL FOLLOWER DAN

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Hello Dan, I know this can be confusing that is why I wanted to show which size coffee can I used to measure my feed. I appreciate this. I also wanted to show what the amount looked like in the bigger can. Hope I did not mess you up.

[@zingerdoutdoors2311]

@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeonsit would be nice if you measured it in a measuring cup with liquid oz, so us viewers could get a better idea. Thanks for the quick response!!!

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

I will do a video on weight and liquid volume.

[@zingerdoutdoors2311]

@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons Thank You very much!!!! I have been finding better success following your methods. I am raising birds for my 3rd young bird season and can’t wait!!!! My pigeons are doing better than ever!!! Thanks for all you do!!!

[@JohnSwinn]

I have 15 hens what amount do I feed them

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

Check out the coffee can I used. Get the same size coffee can and feed 1/2 can per day. Remember that my birds do not work much between races. You cannot feed them like this if you train more than two times per week. See the pinned comment I put at the top.

[@1978babybear]

Do you loft fly during the week?

[@attaskyel8227]

What seeds component sir

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

The feed I gave them is Versele Laga 'Depure'. Very nice mix and easy for me. I have not been able to get barley. Everyone is sold out. I probably should have stocked up before I made all my feeding videos. lol

[@attaskyel8227]

Thank you sir!❤

[@nunomiguelparada1485]

Hello ... I don't understand ...can you explain why only depure mix? It wasn't 80% depure mix and 20% champion mix? Thanks...

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

You can feed Depure of mix your own with 80% barley and 20% Champion. kzbin.info/aero/PLfjpm1Kc9E0UkXcdnfTrnV_VKTkfNozbt

[@abbasmohamady4936]

how about u eat 1 time in day? feed them 3 time in day, if u can't feed them and u sacred about ur pocket and money why u keep this beautiful animal?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

No sure of your question. If you feed more than once a day to the race team there is a very good chance you will feed them too much. I go to the lofts in the morning and feed the racing birds. I am away from them until the next day.

[@abbasmohamady4936]

@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons Feed them 2 time in the morning and at night before they go to sleep, cuz at night with full belly is best recovery.

[@johnjacobs3502]

........

[@blowuplikeafrog3700]

Good stuff Frank. Can you make a video on how you feed for the coming 500mile race?

[@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons]

This video was rushed and I will take my time and do a very nice video on how I feed them for the long distance. I will have that ready end of next week.

[@blowuplikeafrog3700]

@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons Thank you Frank goodluck with the coming race.