How many of you have paid hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars in perch fees for birds that didn’t make it to the first race? Or even worse - after paying the entry fee, your birds were lost before the final race? Not only are you losing money, but you also don’t have the assurance that your current breeding schedule will be successful. Without results from completing a race series, you lack measurable breeding data.

​I asked Mike Ganus and Mathieu de Clippel how they prepare young birds for shipping to one loft races. Mike Ganus because he sent me 45 birds over a 3-year period and not one got sick. Mathieu De Clippel because he’s the Product Manager with Versele-Laga of Belgium and is involved in the Belgium Master One Loft Race.

From these conversations, I put together pointers every breeder should consider:

1. Breed out of birds that have participated in one loft racing.  Breeders that have been in a one loft race have a stronger immune system to fight the diseases found in one loft races and will pass the immunity on to their babies.
2. Vaccinate your breeders for PMV 30 days before mating.
3. Vaccinate the babies at 22 days old in for PMV and pox.
4. After the babies are weaned for 4-5 days, feed nothing but peas and whole corn for 6 days. This teaches the babies to eat the big seeds.
5. At 42 days old, vaccinate the babies again for PMV.
6. At 45 days old, look for the best youngsters and ship them out. At 45 days old, the babies are protected and can handle the stress of shipping much better than at 25 to 30 days old.

I would like to thank Mike Ganus and Mathieu De Clippel for their time and helpful information.

We would love your feedback and any breeding tips you have!