Darkness y birds.

[fred smyth]

Goiin to put my young birds on darkness this year   But I will have to keep them is same loft as my 12 late breads. I going to train the late breads with y birds but not race them. What efect. Will darkness have on the late breads.

[greenlands]

That's a new one on me Fred,I might be wrong but I would think it would start the body moult ???? as it would with the young birds.

Lindsay

[Guest]

How late will the latebreds be? As the forced darkness should stop on the longest daylight day (21st June) so it shouldn't affect late April/May bred youngsters

[Guest Owen]

I would guess that the result will be the same as the young birds. The latebreds will go into a body moult and retain their fights until the Autumn. I have no experience of this situation at all but I would like to know the answer to your question. Bearing in mind that the flight feathers have not been changed, and that it would be normal for the next years moult to start with the flight feathers, I would'nt like to guess what will happen.

A very interesting question. I hope someone will know the answer.

[fred smyth]

How late will the latebreds be? As the forced darkness should stop on the longest daylight day (21st June) so it shouldn't affect late April/May bred youngsters

 

I'm talking bout this years late breads aug July bread. I got no old bird team next year only starting up.

[Guest]

Fred If you are only now just thinking of starting to put this years July/August hatched youngsters on darkness as the hours of natural daylight will be less than the 10 hours required for darkness and as the winter progresses natural daylight hours will decrease to 7 1/2 to 8 hours which will be natural darkness. I would say you would be better putting these latebred youngsters on the light system, artificial light for 15 hours a day and get them right through the moult ready for racing the O/B program in 2010. That's if I have got your thoughts right :-/

[fred smyth]

Fred If you are only now just thinking of starting to put this years July/August hatched youngsters on darkness as the hours of natural daylight will be less than the 10 hours required for darkness and as the winter progresses natural daylight hours will decrease to 7 1/2 to 8 hours which will be natural darkness. I would say you would be better putting these latebred youngsters on the light system, artificial light for 15 hours a day and get them right through the moult ready for racing the O/B program in 2010. That's if I have got your thoughts right :-/

 

oh i see i said this year i ment next year.

 

i dont want to race them next year  or put them on darkness now , i want to no what will happen them if i keep them in shed  with next years y birds on darkness,

[W.D.]

Thats an interesting one Fred,I'd like to know the answer to that myself,please keep us informed of the outcome.

Suppose much depends on when you are going to move the Y/Bs in beside them, are you pairing up in Dec,Jan, or later?

I would think that they would not moult any more body feathers seeing as they are already going into a natural darkness at present.Perhaps the problem would be when you take them off the darkness next year,they might go into an early moult of their flight feathers, trying to catch up on last years lost daylight hours.

It would be interesting to hear the opinion of some of the more oldhands on here, what do you think or know lads?

[Guest]

fred boys race old hens on the darkness for the old hens national!! it brings them into good form for sum reason as my friend done it! but i would have the latebreds trained asap even if they arent bein raced or theyl go down like snow off a ditch! pigeons like humans must learn when young! but no problem with the dark

[pjc]

I don't think they will go into a body moult with the youngsters, but like others would be interested to know.

My concern would be connected to the wing moult and how far they get this year. If they hold 3 old flight/ nest flights then when they throw the first flight next year they are likely to throw the 8th as well which wouldn't be ideal for racing!

[Guest mick bowler]

Fred you want to train them latebreds before you start training your YBs. If you are going to put them on the dark then they are likely to go into a second moult around 4-6 weeks after you start. Also if you do darken them with the YBs you'll be unlikely to race them in the 2010 OB season.