rabbit229 Posted May 30, 2015 Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 Hello chapsThis is my first year racing and I have hundreds of questions but I'll save them for later! I'm a little confussed on darkness ? My question is" if I pair up my birds on the 10th December we have natural darkness How many weeks/months are they ment to be in darkness? If I pair them on the 10th dec when would they molt? Hope some one can clear this up for us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankdooman jnr Posted May 30, 2015 Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 I pair up on Boxing Day and the young boys birds are on darkness till end of June if that helps mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gulkie Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 I would have thought that pairing up at that time of year Why would u keep them on darkness till June that's 6Months surely 8 to 10 weeks is enough to see them through The body moult,that being the objective ???. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbit229 Posted May 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Yes that's my question. So only takes 8-10 weeks so am I right in saying they will be on natural darkness. No need for darkening the loft is they? Or is they??? A friend has told me natural is all they need at that time of year. So I can't see why ppl put them selfs through all the extra work by pairing later in the year. It just don't make sense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gulkie Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Rabbit I'm not an expert on the subject but pairing at that time of the year I would think that they would shed all their body feathers , but after 8 to 10Weeks coming of the darkness they would start to cast flights which defeats The purpose,my young are on darkness but I don't pair up until the 14 th February I'm afraid I don't see any benefit of pairing that early .just my opinion . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbit229 Posted May 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Right now this is making more sense. So first it's body moult then the flights. Are you ment to pair the yearlings after they have moulted all there flights? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dal2 Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Right now this is making more sense. So first it's body moult then the flights. Are you ment to pair the yearlings after they have moulted all there flights?Am important part of darkness youngster is insuring that they get thru the moult between september/November Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony C Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Right now this is making more sense. So first it's body moult then the flights. Are you ment to pair the yearlings after they have moulted all there flights? The whole aim of darkness is to deter them from throwing their first flight. A body moult kicks in which you could say is a by product of this and isn't the main aim of darkness. Once they throw their fifth flight the body moult will commence again, they'll body moult twice in one year. In essence your trying to time the moult so they're in the best possible condition (feathering) whilst the young bird races are flown. When paired as yearlings the following year I personally wait until the last flight is fully grown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbit229 Posted June 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 What happens if they don't moult all the flight? Do you pull themAnd why is this so important they shed all there flights Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ovy1255 Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 once the wing moult starts keep an eye on the cover flights [bars] --once they start to go the bird loses thrust from the wings and wont compete as well as having a full wing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony C Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 Mine have never failed to throw all their flights. Would I pull a flight to help them finish the wing moult? No From what I understand, if they fail to finish the wing moult and carry their 10th nest flights they'll cast these when they throw their first flight as yearlings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbit229 Posted June 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 May sound like a dumb question but how many times will a pigeon moult it's flights Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony C Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 May sound like a dumb question but how many times will a pigeon moult it's flightsOnce a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbit229 Posted June 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 Ok thanks. So why don't we put the older birds in darkness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony C Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 If you mean yearlings, 2 year olds, 3 year olds etc. These generally race from mid April for 12 weeks, prepared properly they'll not body moult in this period. Depending on what system raced you try to get them to throw their first flight as late as possible. They'll go into the body moult on or around the casting of their 5th flight which is to be avoided whilst racing. Its regarded they'll cast their first flight sitting their 2nd set of eggs (around 10 days of sitting). Natural fliers will pair up as late as March to hold back the moulting process. Widowhood fliers pair up much earlier but don't allow them to sit their 2nd round of eggs after 10 days, again to stop them casting their first flight. Darkness with youngsters ensures you race them in the best possible feathering, forethought & preparation with old birds ensures the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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