I wonder if your feeding system will work in a very humid climate, I race pigeons in the Philippines. I feel like they work harder flying in this kind of climate, hot and humid. Do you think 70-80% barley mix during training and racing is still enough to get them in a competitive level?
My system will be super for the Philippines. You need to have the body weight perfect for flying in heat and humidity. I race the last month of my old bird race season in heat and humidity and the pigeons excel. @@jcoolpigeons
@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons Excellent! Can’t wait to try it out next season. I just need to find some quality barley seeds over here. Will paddy rice be ok too as substitute if barley is not available?
Thank you very much, I really like your way of simplifying things with all frankness and clarity i advise everyone to try to understand your method and follow it you are a professional and honest man
You're very welcome! If I can help a little it make me happy. I have been at this game for 50 years and gained much experience along the way. I have been able to fly at the top since I was 18 years old so it has been a 44 year run.
You can flag fly the birds for exercise. Feed correctly and beat the competition. Only flag fly once day maybe Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for an hour and feed them right.
There was book about the flag system and using traditional American stains ! I visited the author who was racing Leen Boors , on Widowhood ! He was crushing his club!
@@curttempleton591 Hmm 🤔 Interesting I Know the book that Your talking about it’s not easy to find these days but if what Your saying is true I definitely need to get My hands on a copy.
@@curttempleton591 I am sure that flag flying the pigeons can give exercise. If someone cannot train and has time to flag the birds they can certainly get some work in. No matter what feeding is so important.
Excellent video, I've been waiting for a concise video that simply breaks down each system one after the other. Thank you. I have been flying natural but, I'll be the 1st to admit I don't put a ton of effort into old birds as of yet (waiting for retirement for that).
I do not think so. Good bacteria is known to be an acid loving bacteria and bad bacteria likes the opposite, alkaline. I think Apple cider vinegar discourages the bad bacteria and also affects the canker organism.
If possible race the celibate hen system. It is the best. You can also race the cocks but they must go out to fly and race more like traditional widowhood.
Good stuff! When I started, I pretty much decided I'd race to the perch because all the talk on motivation, etc. seemed to be all over the place. I don't have my sexes split at the moment, but it's mostly because of numbers. I may divide the loft before going into racing season and split them.
Totally off point. Love watching your videos. Just had a sparrow hawk I’m hit my garden injure 2 yb and scare away 5 others disaster only have them out 10 days. Afraid he will come back. What can I do to keep the predator away!!!
I use an Air Dancer. I get the babies used to it and then push this up against the loft and the pigeons are comfortable but the hawks hate it. I use a 20 foot but if you live in a neighborhood a 10' may work well. airdancers.com/
Hi Andy, This happens and they could be just young or they were worked hard during the season which slows the molt. If you see this next year you can cut tips of the flights and wait two weeks. You can pull the flights and let them grow in long before the old bird race season begins.
Hey Frank! Thanks a lot for your videos. We started 2 years ago to race pigeons, this year will be my first OB season. I don’t have the choice to use the Natural System for my 2024 season, but i really loved the idea of playing celibate hens. Aniway, i was wondering for the future: my breeding section and my OB racing section can see each other. Is it problematic if my celibate hens are constantly seeing and hearing the breeders or there is no problem at all? Thanks again for all what you give to help the pigeon community, it’s really helpful.
See my last reply but you need to put a cloth or something that air will move through but the pigeons cannot see through. There is a wind break cloth that you can use. Send me photos to look at and I can make suggestions. The celibate hens cannot see other pigeons.
@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons yes sorry, i did ask the same question on two videos, but as this video was older, the one of this morning remembered me about this 😂 Sorry and thanks again
In this series of videos you can see how I feed and how much. It is important you do not over train when you feed like I do. ruclips.net/p/PLfjpm1Kc9E0UkXcdnfTrnV_VKTkfNozbt
if what you are saying is true would it be correct to say that you would be as competitive in Belgium or Holland? Jellema won Barcelona using the natural method which to you is the worst. The recent list of national winners are not celibate hens
I was wondering if the last two system is only good for up to middle distance and not as good in the tough longer distance ? Most times in the tough long distance it’s a natural system bird that gets home first but then there are loft who said they clock widowhood cocks.
You must keep in mind that nearly 100% of the European ship hens to the Barcelona mated and most on a small baby. If they are all mated on a small baby the odds are a mated hen on a baby will be the best. This is what they have always done. If they flew the same hens celibate they would have great results. Many Europeans just started racing hens. Most only flew cocks for decades. The hens fanciers were always superstars like Gaston De Wouwer, Remi De Mey, Flor Vervoort etc. These guys dominated. I thought they were some kind of pigeon master but they were racing hens. Sometimes doing what your grand father did is not the best.
Many widowhood cocks win long distance and the celibate hens would do even better. See answer below and I will put here. You must keep in mind that nearly 100% of the European ship hens to the Barcelona mated and most on a small baby. If they are all mated on a small baby the odds are a mated hen on a baby will be the best. This is what they have always done. If they flew the same hens celibate they would have great results. Many Europeans just started racing hens. Most only flew cocks for decades. The hens fanciers were always superstars like Gaston De Wouwer, Remi De Mey, Flor Vervoort etc. These guys dominated. I thought they were some kind of pigeon master but they were racing hens. Sometimes doing what your grand father did is not the best.
@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons Sorry to say, but I'm afraid you are jumping to conclusions. Really think Europeans didn't try out celibate hens on these famous international flights? EVERYTHING is tried out to win them! I myself succesfuly flew widowhood hens in the early 1970's (though not at these flights). And of course I wasn't the only one. As I lived in the neighbourhood, I remember Bertus Wijnacker (famous on these internationals) giving it a try: after 4 or 5 seasons we all concluded that although he classified the same percentage of birds, his percentage of top classifications had gone down dramatically. I was told Bertus himself came to the same conclusion. I suppose it has to do with the special caracter of these flights; many days in the basket, the heat of summer in the south of France, sleeping somewhere on a roof during the night, start flying early in the morning etc. Seems having a nest provides a more durable motivation or something.
Good evening, I'm an Italian pigeon fan. I was wondering if I only keep the males without the females. Do the males remain without females all year round? Thanks 
Hello, At the end of the race season I put the celibate hens in the cock loft and let them raise a round. I also have some great late bred from my top racers.
You could keep the cocks unmated their entire career. They will get very possessive of the box and territory. They do not ever need mates to race very successfully.
@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons goodevening is it possible that u can give me a feeding programme please ?? I also heard u say that u use champion mix we dont have it here in south africa but van robaeys .....
Frank thank you so much for all your information it's so helpful to a relatively new starter like myself. On previous video you said roughly a bean tin full of barley per day for 10 birds on your system. How much more do you think you would need to feed if these birds were on open hole.? Thank you
120 miles even across the see is not a long flight. You must have them light and buoyant and they should eat a barley mix or depurative mix six days a week and let them eat rich grains on return from the race for the one day.
Hi Frank, thanks for your time and great content you put on these videos. I’ve learned a lot. Do you think it’s ok to send birds from 250 to 420 miles on OB season. I had to skip 300 and 350 for different reasons. These birds didn’t race young birds. Pls advise me on this matter. This is only my second year racing old birds. Thank you
Hello, They can go from 250 to 420 without any problem at all. Do not worry as long as the look good and the body weight is correct. I go from 317 to 508 all the time with my pigeons.
Miss flying the Old birds
I like old bird racing the best.
Your videos are so informative. I’m gonna try to apply your system to my racing team. I need a mentor like you ☺️
I am happy you enjoy. I am having fun.
I wonder if your feeding system will work in a very humid climate, I race pigeons in the Philippines. I feel like they work harder flying in this kind of climate, hot and humid. Do you think 70-80% barley mix during training and racing is still enough to get them in a competitive level?
My system will be super for the Philippines. You need to have the body weight perfect for flying in heat and humidity. I race the last month of my old bird race season in heat and humidity and the pigeons excel. @@jcoolpigeons
@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons Excellent! Can’t wait to try it out next season. I just need to find some quality barley seeds over here. Will paddy rice be ok too as substitute if barley is not available?
Paddy Rice is a fine substitute for barley.@@jcoolpigeons
It was good to hear details and differences among the systems. Thanks, Frank.
You are very welcome
Thank you very much, I really like your way of simplifying things with all frankness and clarity i advise everyone to try to understand your method and follow it you are a professional and honest man
You're very welcome! If I can help a little it make me happy. I have been at this game for 50 years and gained much experience along the way. I have been able to fly at the top since I was 18 years old so it has been a 44 year run.
Hi Frank,your videos are priceless,I have learned so much from them, thanks for what you do for the sport.I'm a rhode island pigeon club member
You are very welcome and I am happy to help a little!
Thanks for the review of each system.
I was thinking about using The Flag Flying System, by the way You really got some Nice Feng Shui going on in that Room there.
You can flag fly the birds for exercise. Feed correctly and beat the competition. Only flag fly once day maybe Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for an hour and feed them right.
There was book about the flag system and using traditional American stains ! I visited the author who was racing Leen Boors
, on Widowhood ! He was crushing his club!
@@curttempleton591 Hmm 🤔 Interesting I Know the book that Your talking about it’s not easy to find these days but if what Your saying is true I definitely need to get My hands on a copy.
@@curttempleton591 I am sure that flag flying the pigeons can give exercise. If someone cannot train and has time to flag the birds they can certainly get some work in. No matter what feeding is so important.
Excellent video, I've been waiting for a concise video that simply breaks down each system one after the other. Thank you. I have been flying natural but, I'll be the 1st to admit I don't put a ton of effort into old birds as of yet (waiting for retirement for that).
When you retire you can fly some celibate pigeons and make the game easy and increase the results.
@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons I'll probably do it next year when I fly old birds again, as easy as you made it sound.
What’s a good system for molting before the raise season?
I like the Dark System. See this: ruclips.net/video/qdP_moSfWl0/видео.html
Hi Frank is it true that Apple cider vinegar also kills the good bacteria?
I do not think so. Good bacteria is known to be an acid loving bacteria and bad bacteria likes the opposite, alkaline. I think Apple cider vinegar discourages the bad bacteria and also affects the canker organism.
@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons thank you for your input Frank👍
I have learnt a lot watching your videos different class
Glad you enjoy. I am having fun
here in China ,we can only race yearlings, any system could suggest
If possible race the celibate hen system. It is the best. You can also race the cocks but they must go out to fly and race more like traditional widowhood.
Good stuff! When I started, I pretty much decided I'd race to the perch because all the talk on motivation, etc. seemed to be all over the place. I don't have my sexes split at the moment, but it's mostly because of numbers. I may divide the loft before going into racing season and split them.
Split them and race them separated. So easy and they will fly great.
@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons That's my plan.
Totally off point. Love watching your videos. Just had a sparrow hawk I’m hit my garden injure 2 yb and scare away 5 others disaster only have them out 10 days. Afraid he will come back. What can I do to keep the predator away!!!
I use an Air Dancer. I get the babies used to it and then push this up against the loft and the pigeons are comfortable but the hawks hate it. I use a 20 foot but if you live in a neighborhood a 10' may work well. airdancers.com/
Hey Frank
I have a problem. Most if my young birds from last year didn't molt their last 2 flights. I can't work out why? Any suggestions?
Thanks
Andy
Hi Andy, This happens and they could be just young or they were worked hard during the season which slows the molt. If you see this next year you can cut tips of the flights and wait two weeks. You can pull the flights and let them grow in long before the old bird race season begins.
Hey Frank! Thanks a lot for your videos. We started 2 years ago to race pigeons, this year will be my first OB season. I don’t have the choice to use the Natural System for my 2024 season, but i really loved the idea of playing celibate hens. Aniway, i was wondering for the future: my breeding section and my OB racing section can see each other. Is it problematic if my celibate hens are constantly seeing and hearing the breeders or there is no problem at all?
Thanks again for all what you give to help the pigeon community, it’s really helpful.
See my last reply but you need to put a cloth or something that air will move through but the pigeons cannot see through. There is a wind break cloth that you can use. Send me photos to look at and I can make suggestions. The celibate hens cannot see other pigeons.
@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons yes sorry, i did ask the same question on two videos, but as this video was older, the one of this morning remembered me about this 😂
Sorry and thanks again
No worries. I wanted people in both videos to see an answer. You will do great.
Great advice frank ,
How many grams feed pigeon once a day?
In this series of videos you can see how I feed and how much. It is important you do not over train when you feed like I do. ruclips.net/p/PLfjpm1Kc9E0UkXcdnfTrnV_VKTkfNozbt
Thanks. So you say not to race with the kocs at all?
I race both celibate cocks and celibate hens. I may clock seven hens and two cocks on the average. If I could only race one it would be celibate hens.
if what you are saying is true would it be correct to say that you would be as competitive in Belgium or Holland? Jellema won Barcelona using the natural method which to you is the worst. The recent list of national winners are not celibate hens
I was wondering if the last two system is only good for up to middle distance and not as good in the tough longer distance ? Most times in the tough long distance it’s a natural system bird that gets home first but then there are loft who said they clock widowhood cocks.
You must keep in mind that nearly 100% of the European ship hens to the Barcelona mated and most on a small baby. If they are all mated on a small baby the odds are a mated hen on a baby will be the best. This is what they have always done. If they flew the same hens celibate they would have great results. Many Europeans just started racing hens. Most only flew cocks for decades. The hens fanciers were always superstars like Gaston De Wouwer, Remi De Mey, Flor Vervoort etc. These guys dominated. I thought they were some kind of pigeon master but they were racing hens. Sometimes doing what your grand father did is not the best.
Many widowhood cocks win long distance and the celibate hens would do even better. See answer below and I will put here. You must keep in mind that nearly 100% of the European ship hens to the Barcelona mated and most on a small baby. If they are all mated on a small baby the odds are a mated hen on a baby will be the best. This is what they have always done. If they flew the same hens celibate they would have great results. Many Europeans just started racing hens. Most only flew cocks for decades. The hens fanciers were always superstars like Gaston De Wouwer, Remi De Mey, Flor Vervoort etc. These guys dominated. I thought they were some kind of pigeon master but they were racing hens. Sometimes doing what your grand father did is not the best.
@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons Sorry to say, but I'm afraid you are jumping to conclusions. Really think Europeans didn't try out celibate hens on these famous international flights? EVERYTHING is tried out to win them! I myself succesfuly flew widowhood hens in the early 1970's (though not at these flights). And of course I wasn't the only one. As I lived in the neighbourhood, I remember Bertus Wijnacker (famous on these internationals) giving it a try: after 4 or 5 seasons we all concluded that although he classified the same percentage of birds, his percentage of top classifications had gone down dramatically.
I was told Bertus himself came to the same conclusion.
I suppose it has to do with the special caracter of these flights; many days in the basket, the heat of summer in the south of France, sleeping somewhere on a roof during the night, start flying early in the morning etc.
Seems having a nest provides a more durable motivation or something.
Awesome tips for me thanks Frank .
Happy to help!
Thanks for everything. I learned a lot whit your videos
Glad to hear it!
Good evening, I'm an Italian pigeon fan. I was wondering if I only keep the males without the females. Do the males remain without females all year round? Thanks

Hello, At the end of the race season I put the celibate hens in the cock loft and let them raise a round. I also have some great late bred from my top racers.
Hi, I ask you one last thing but if I keep celibate males all year round without females because I don't have space to keep females
could this be fine, I've finished the races, do I have to pair them up?
You could keep the cocks unmated their entire career. They will get very possessive of the box and territory. They do not ever need mates to race very successfully.
You do not have to pair them. Keep it simple
Best system to race young birds??
I would think the Dark System is the best for young birds. I did a video on that.
Goodafternoon Frank im from South Africa racing in cape town should i separate my sexes during the racing season
Separate the sexes. You will race much better with much less work.
@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons goodevening is it possible that u can give me a feeding programme please ?? I also heard u say that u use champion mix we dont have it here in south africa but van robaeys .....
Frank thank you so much for all your information it's so helpful to a relatively new starter like myself. On previous video you said roughly a bean tin full of barley per day for 10 birds on your system. How much more do you think you would need to feed if these birds were on open hole.? Thank you
For open hole feed once a day until they start to leave a little tiny amount of barley.
Thanks Frank, what feedings would you recommend for hens with the last 120 miles across the sea. Cheers Robert
120 miles even across the see is not a long flight. You must have them light and buoyant and they should eat a barley mix or depurative mix six days a week and let them eat rich grains on return from the race for the one day.
Thanks Frank, it's a 550 mile race with the last 120 miles across the sea .
That is a tough flight. If they are in the basket for several days I would load them with all the fat seeds they can eat for two days before shipping.
Hi Frank, thanks for your time and great content you put on these videos. I’ve learned a lot. Do you think it’s ok to send birds from 250 to 420 miles on OB season. I had to skip 300 and 350 for different reasons. These birds didn’t race young birds. Pls advise me on this matter. This is only my second year racing old birds. Thank you
Hello, They can go from 250 to 420 without any problem at all. Do not worry as long as the look good and the body weight is correct. I go from 317 to 508 all the time with my pigeons.
@@FrankMcLaughlinPigeons thank you!!
super stuff
Glad you enjoyed.
Great thanks
You are welcome
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