Huub is someone who can not be classified as a small fancier. He tries to place his pigeons on all the flights that count for the overall championships. That is the reason he plays the long distance flights and therefore he has to keep extra pigeons.

At wintertime there are about 175 pigeons at his lofts. For the normal flights there are 30 widowers available to play. 

Besides that he has also 18 widowhood cocks to place in the more-day long-distance flights. 

At the end of December the breeding pairs are mated (about 30 pair) and in the beginning of January the widowhood birds for regular flights will be paired. When the widowhood youngsters are just 14 days of age, the parents will be separated and part of the youngsters will be placed at the youngsters loft with there mom, some of them will stay with the cock to make the relation between them stronger. The pair will be reunited before the first flight, after they have mated again they will be separated on eggs that are just 6 or 8 days old and this is the method of widowhood, the pigeon that is send of far away and will do his best to come home as soon as possible to be reunited with his of her family. This game shall be played until the last one-day long-distance flight.

The widowhood birds for the two-day long-distance flight will be paired in the beginning of March.

Since last year (2005) Huub also competes with 12 hen pigeons. He was inspired to play the game of widowhood hens by several German friends who race Huub’s hen pigeons already successfully.

Like the combination A. Bauer - J. Hofman (http://www.j-h-brieftauben-augenzeichen.de). This combination has been buyers since 1993 and it can be said that 50% of there loft is originating from Huub Hermans.

The early young birds will be darkened and will not be separated. To simulate them as much as possible they are on al schedule of training 40 kilometres a week. The late bred requires not so much special care because the are mainly short distance pigeons.

Medical care is a high standard at Huub Hermans lofts, therefore every three to four weeks, vet Peter Boskamp (http://www.pigeonvetcenter.com) from Beek is being consulted. The droppings are tested and from a couple of birds the throat smear will be taken for further examining. Depending on the results, treatment will take place. Every two weeks in flight season the birds will be given something against trichominase (Metro) and something to prevent throat and airway diseases and keep them clean (SA-mix).

Furthermore the pigeons get an obligatory yearly paramixo and will be given a paratyphoid cure and injection.

Huub has been using many natural products of the Kreutzer firm from Echt (http://www.kreutzerkruiden.com),  especially homeopathic products like Pigeon T, garlic and contamination are given.