Not all of the vitamins, minerals and trace elements are present in grains; therefore, these should be given to the pigeons in some other form. Some pigeon owners give spinach and shell grits, but these are still not enough to meet the nutritional requirements of a racing pigeon. They now add vitamins to water once or twice a week for added energy. Only once you have identified whether your pigeon is indeed in need of further speed can you really work on the potential reasons for the slow performance. You can measure the speed of your racing pigeon through the traditional and electronic timing methods. But although both can be effective, the traditional method may pose some conflicts when the winning bird suddenly does not continue on entering its loft, and hence the time recording does not become accurate Lastly, you need to make sure that you are closely connected with your racing pigeons. Vets know how they can be kept in shape so always listen to their advice. Give your birds a healthy diet. Going for natural feeds can help fight off diseases and provide them natural cure as well. A healthy diet for birds consists of fruits and sprouted seeds. Chocolates and coffee are not in any way advisable to be fed to them as these may cause harm to their general health. I can feel pigeon racing professionals laugh in jest at this genuflection, but let's not forget that most of us have been led to the sport because of these same reasons. As someone who spent much of his childhood racing pigeons, I have learned invaluable lessons that I still find useful as an adult. The sense of responsibility that one acquires in raising these magnificent birds is something that I'll always treasure. Buy pigeons from a friend or a reputable source It is always easier to trust someone whom you already know. If you have a friend who's also a racing pigeon fancier, then that's good for you. He can walk you through the ropes of finding and buying pigeons of the highest quality, but are not that expensive. During the Industrial Revolution when people started to revolutionize their way of thinking, racing pigeons were used as news-carriers not to aid a war, but to keep people informed about the society. Julius Reuter, the founder of the world-renowned Reuter News Service, was actually established as a line of pigeon posts.