Moulting Already

[pigeonman2011]

Hi all my youngbird team have been flying around for a good while now but i have noticed that 1 or 2 of my young birds are having a moult already i havent changed anything theyve been getting the same food for ages and they havent had anything that would start them off so im kinda not totally clued up on the moult as have just started up in the sport after 10years out is this normal for a young bird to moult early..

[Tony C]

Out of interest how many flights have they thrown?

[pigeonman2011]

Out of interest how many flights have they thrown?

 

hi tony they have thrown about 3 flights each i have around 29 youngbirds every time i go into the loft theres flight feathers on the floor and outside im hoping its not stress either as i have a cat that keeps sitting on the landing board and looking in the meshed vent under overhang of the roof and its never tried to catch them as im always there when they are out.

[Wiley]

Im guessing there not on darkness system. They will continue to moult and go into a heavy body moult and continue to moult during the young bird season.

[pigeonman2011]

Im guessing there not on darkness system. They will continue to moult and go into a heavy body moult and continue to moult during the young bird season.

 

its not them all wiley its just 2 of them that are moulting

[Wiley]

Are you on the darkness?

[pigeonman2011]

Are you on the darkness?

 

hi wiley na im not on the darkness im just starting out again after 10 years out of the sport and just trying to get my head round things at moment the reason i put up the moulting post is i was sitting in with the young birds after they had been out and when i noticed one of them its feathers were very ruffled as i then thought it had hit something but on catching and looking at the bird the feathers in the crop area were just falling off i also noticed new feathers growing underneath they are healthy and go out flying for around an hour or more so its not affecting it and i dont want to stress them either.

[Guest bluemorning]

could it be mites

[Guest IB]

I think you'll find natural youngsters start to moult their nest feathers about a week after they are weaned. As for the chest, you'll notice that the bird looks a bit salt & peppery as old and new cover feathers sit side by side, and amongst the first to come in are the irridescent colours about the chest & neck. Mine are March hatched and a couple of them are on their 2nd primary. A bird that is moulting is always a healthy bird, the moult stopping is a sign something is wrong.