Sanatatea si Motivatia

Health
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larger image REST, COMFORT, A STRESS FREE ENVIRONMENT & STRONG MOTIVATION
We as humans could not be productive or successful at our jobs or athletic events without the proper rest our bodies require, stress free environments at home and work and strong motivational goals to keep us focused at our tasks.
Many fanciers sometimes forget that these same needs are important for success in our racing pigeons. When fanciers ignore sound management practices and a regular routine that allows their race birds rest, comfort, a stress free environment and instinctive motivational love of home (loft and fancier), the birds' performance will suffer. These are important areas necessary for the success of a "champion loft". Each fancier must spend the necessary quality time, attention and expense in these areas if he wants to win.
Pigeon racing is a very popular and rewarding hobby or business for many in Taiwan, but it is certainly not easy to achieve success. The racing pigeon sport demands as much from the fancier as it does from the birds, if you want great results and high scores.
Those fanciers that have succeeded have worked hard. They have patience, dedication and hopefully add professionalism to the sport and other fanciers. We know the sport can provide enjoyment, fame and financial rewards to oneself, but we hope each fancier can promote the sport in a positive way for continued growth, while achieving his own personal rewards.
Each fancier should try to plan his loft so that it can provide the following:
PLENTY OF REST AND COMFORT IN THE LOFT: There is no excuse for a loft to possess external parasites that pester birds and prevent them from comfort and rest. Feather lice, red mites, pigeon flies, mosquitoes, roaches, rodents and wild birds can cause considerable discomfort and affect the birds rest. Also, they will spread various diseases. You cannot achieve maximum comfort without plenty of fresh air, without any drafts, plenty of natural sunlight, a dry loft, without any dampness, and an completely secure from outside dangers, both animal and human.
The loft should have plenty of extra room for exercise, extra perches and extra spaces for nesting and mating boxes. Extra floor space for eating and drinking without struggling or fighting for food or drink is a necessity. Definitely do not overcrowd the flying loft. The birds must have more than enough room to eat and rest at their leisure.
If weather permits, give the birds a warm bath and let them relax in the sun at least once a week. Healthy, happy birds will always keep themselves clean and welcome the opportunity to relax in the sun after a warm bath. IMPORTANT: Only the birds that are flying this particular race series should be housed in this section. We may add a few older birds later as mates if age permits, but at the start remove all other birds from this section during the race series. This is to give special attention to these birds at all times. Also close observation by the fancier is easier.
After cleaning the loft daily and training for the day is over, the loft should be kept as quiet and undisturbed as possible so the birds can rest and relax. This also means that the fancier should stay out of the loft. Do not handle the birds or disturb them for no reason. Let them rest and relax by themselves.
STRESS FREE ENVIRONMENT: Birds under stress, mental, physical or both, go out of form or top flying condition very quickly. We all know that a race series in Taiwan can be very tough and stressful on our race birds, and many times it is a great challenge to just survive and home safely. We definitely do not need these same types of survival conditions in the loft. The birds must be happy and content with their home and feel safe at all times without any stress or discomfort. There can be many reasons birds are under stress. Every loft is different and has unique situations, such as size, fancier, etc. The major reasons for stress are OVERCROWDING IN THE LOFT, LACK OF A REGULAR ROUTINE OF FEEDING, TRAINING, CLEANING ETC. (birds need a regular routine everyday to feel safe and content), BIRDS DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THE LOFT (always tense and jumpy and cannot relax), BIRDS ARE OVER TRAINED AND STRESSED BETWEEN RACES (The birds need to relax between each race, 1 or 2 short tosses of 10-20 miles and some free loft flying if they want. However many trainers over train during the days between each race and break the birds mental and physical spirit).
MOTIVATION: Make your loft as pleasant as possible for you and the birds. Spend quality time with your birds, and you will improve your race record. Give the birds kind, gentle and regular attention so they will trust you. This should make them contented and unafraid. This loving care they receive will encourage their instinctive love of home (loft and fancier), and it will speed them up and motivate them to their best performance on race day.
Motivation is different with each bird, and the fancier must observe this. Sometimes it is just a favorite perch or nest box, or a few raw Spanish peanuts for some birds, with others it may not be that simple. At ages of 30-90 days, this motivation is mostly driven by love of loft and fancier. At 100 days old, depending on each individual bird, to the end of a race series, we may be able to use the natural motivation of pairing and nesting (sex drive). This sex drive can come in many different forms and is the strongest motivational tool the fancier possesses. The smart fancier gets maximum usage from it. The fancier must pay close attention to each bird and observe carefully its own individual motivation, likes and dislikes.
The only birds in the flying loft section at this time are the birds that are flying this particular race series. As a few birds begin to look for mates, the fancier must select a few older cocks and hens to introduce to the birds that show signs of an interest to mate. IMPORTANT: These birds must be selected very carefully, we want birds that have strong nesting tendencies and birds that will get along with other birds. WE WANT NO TROUBLE MAKERS OR FIGHTING IN THE LOFT (stress free environment).
Depending how a fancier organizes his loft, he must select the best way to introduce these older birds without disruption and without causing a great deal of confusion and stress to the other birds in the loft. Here, the individual nest compartments are very helpful in the flying section. We can lock up older cocks in the box (plenty of room) with a perch on the outside of the box for a young hen to use, if she shows an interest in this cock. This way the older cocks will not bother or cause problems for other birds in the race series. VERY IMPORTANT: WE LET BIRDS SELECT THEIR OWN MATES, NO FORCE MATING. We like the young birds to mate with older birds because when they are in training or racing, they always will return to their mate, who is waiting for them. There is no better motivation for a young bird at this age. VERY IMPORTANT: ALWAYS LET THE RACE BIRDS PICK THEIR OWN NEST BOXES. There should be plenty to chose from. Some birds may take more than one. That is OK. Remember, we want happy birds, and we will spoil them as long as they are still eligible for the race series.
Remove all birds that are eliminated from the series and their mates. Only leave the birds in the loft that are still eligible to compete. As the birds show a strong nest drive, place the nest bowls and nesting material (straw, etc.) in the loft. This is great motivation and great exercise for the birds.
All the fancier's attention must go to the remaining birds in this section that are still eligible to compete in the series. Make them as happy and content as possible. These are the birds that still have a chance to make you famous and rich!
The fancier must apply a great deal of common sense during a race series, and he must understand that the same motivational tools that make us happy as humans also apply to our birds. If you as a person are not happy with your home life, you go home as late as possible, or maybe you do not go home at all. This also applies to our birds. They must love their home (loft) and their fancier and have a strong reason to return to them under difficult conditions. If they have this motivation and affection, they will return home as quickly as possible. This is why too many long, hard training tosses become confusing to young birds at this age. They return home, only to have the fancier place them in the training basket again and take them away. They spend more time in the baskets than their own loft. They need the comfort and security of the loft and their perches or boxes at this age. Yes, a fancier must have his birds in condition to compete, but you can overwork your birds and break their spirits very easily at this age. This is why I suggest more loft flying and shorter training tosses (single tossing) instead of many long hard tosses. You can win more prizes with happy motivated birds than with overworked and stressed ones. REMEMBER, EVERY BIRD IS AN INDIVIDUAL, AND MUST BE TREATED LIKE ONE. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO EACH BIRD'S NEEDS AND WANTS. It only takes one bird in the proper condition and with the proper motivation to complete the series and win the large prizes