More about Barley
(Internet Published) Dec 2000
Most Sheffield Tippler men would not feed barley on its own. They usually
added some kind of oil bearing seed in small quantity. Some men in the USA
have said that their Tipplers would not fly long times on 100% Barley, but
that, surely is the reason for using barley.
In training and to gain control many Sheffield men saw fit to restrict
flying rather than to encourage excessive flying. Barley is the most fat
free grain available and lack of fat in the diet is conducive to
dehydration. No wonder then, that barley restricts flight sometimes.
However, it is known that pigeons can absorb moisture into their digestive
system from the water vapour in the atmosphere. That is why, arguably,
Tipplers do well in Britain with its notoriously damp climate.
In countries where the atmosphere is very dry the Tipplers would soon
dehydrate on 100% barley, at least that is my opinion. However, I have no
working knowledge of pigeon flying outside of England, so I stand to be
corrected in the face of possible conflicting evidence.