Young Birds Old Birds

[geordie1234]

I have read a fe top fanciers let their old birds and young birds run together.

 

Does anyone do it? What's the benefit or what is the draw backs?

 

I am not thinking of doing it was just thinking why do us fanciers do it? If a few top fanciers do it how is it good enough for them and not us?

[andyyy]

I was told by a top fancier not to do it because of the old birds learn ybs bad habits, See the logic to be fair. Though i keep a few old hens with my ybs for a week or two after parting find it helps learn them a bit

[geordie1234]

What if your old birds have been taught not to have bad habits lol

[andyyy]

true, Just if you have natural birds they do tend to mess about abit cos they're so happy xD

And widowhood cocks can just get a bit daft now and again

Like i say, someone told me that so i stuck to it. However my uncle flew pigeons years ago and he kept them together and trained them together, Didn't harm them

[geordie1234]

[Tony C]

Youngsters are often parted into a sterile loft, sprayed, cleaned out, new bedding etc. ........... they have nothing to fight health wise. In the nest they carry a certain amount of immunity passed onto them by their parents, once weaned this ceases. I have heard of fanciers that put a few old hens in with their youngsters in the belief that it helps stimulate and build up the youngsters immune system just by being in passive contact with them.