Moult

[dal2]

My old birds are through but some of the darkie yb still have two to go. I won't pair these that still holding but not had this before as most young should be on the last now.. Weather?

[Delboy]

My old birds are through but some of the darkie yb still have two to go. I won't pair these that still holding but not had this before as most young should be on the last now.. Weather?

 

All my dark ybs are on their last

[dal2]

All my dark ybs are on their last

Usually get mine out at least once a week but this year with the rain and gales nor been happening. Maybe that's the problem

[Delboy]

Are you using lights in your loft?

[dal2]

Are you using lights in your loft?

No. Birds mucked out at first light and fed half then fed other half at 3 pm as always

[ally mac]

Usually get mine out at least once a week but this year with the rain and gales nor been happening. Maybe that's the problem

Mine pretty much through it. Had cocks out today. Just getting them back in loft only for sparrow hawk to grab one. All fine though :-D

[Wiley]

Mine are on last or completely through, but i dont use lights on the darkness pigeons during the season

[Delboy]

No. Birds mucked out at first light and fed half then fed other half at 3 pm as always

 

Strange one Dal, I only feed once a day after the clocks go back and keeping them in should help them rattle through it quicker so cant understand it?

[alex young]

My darkies usually hold a couple of flights into the new year(mainly hens)but they were out exercising daily. This year they were kept in until 1st Dec. and they are all through the moult with just a couple still growing the last flight but the weather has been very mild.

[eastcoaster]

Same here a few almost complete but don't do darkies but late breds are still throwing as picked up six flights yesterday and they are looking great .

[dal2]

Looks like I am behind the game......too many birds this year. 45 up from 28/30 think of that might be a factor

[kingziemckay]

am on natural,and my ybs are threw the moult

[dal2]

am on natural,and my ybs are threw the moult

That great. Is there a diffo in your results racing your yb against darkies?

[Kyleakin Lofts]

Later bred YB's are still some to go, but the older ones are through or just about.

Last year my "yearling" late-breds managed to finish the programme to Fraserburgh 27th June, but for two that dropped 3 flights during the same week, 20th to 27th.

I sometimes have late-breds with 3 to 5 old flights when racing.

[paddymac]

am on natural,and my ybs are threw the moult

Same here with all the natural Ybs through the moult, I have a few latebreds which are on their 4th/5th flight but they were bred specifically for stock so not too worried about them.

[yeboah]

My birds mostly all through moult just a few on their last

Youngsters were just natural this year ,when the clocks changed let all the racers run together for first time turn lights on at night and feed them they sit happily together cocks don't chase hens ,hens don't lay

When they start to show an interest will split them to celibate for forthcoming season

Hen I timed from Portsmouth this season was a darkness youngster and was still carrying nest flights the other hen two minutes behind her was also a darkie she was third section ybn so doesn't seem to effect their performance she had completed the moult

Not measured what I give them at this time of year but it's not a lot as they are all my best pals at feed time lol

[clockman]

Later bred YB's are still some to go, but the older ones are through or just about.

Last year my "yearling" late-breds managed to finish the programme to Fraserburgh 27th June, but for two that dropped 3 flights during the same week, 20th to 27th.

I sometimes have late-breds with 3 to 5 old flights when racing.

 

How many miles is Fraserburgh to you and how did they do this year?

[Novice]

That great. Is there a diffo in your results racing your yb against darkies?

Personally I dont do darkness but I have managed to top the fed at the young bird final the last 2 years. I don't bother with the shorter races to be truthful but I think this shows if they are bred later they can still compete. Down this year seems very abundant.

[dal2]

Personally I dont do darkness but I have managed to top the fed at the young bird final the last 2 years. I don't bother with the shorter races to be truthful but I think this shows if they are bred later they can still compete. Down this year seems very abundant.

Well done Robert top flying by a top fancier. .....we always had nat young up until maybe 5 years ago. ..sadly we were nowhere

[Novice]

Sorry I didn't mean to blow my trumpet . It depends on when they are bred to still maintain good feathering. Both were later bred. When I breed earlies in an effort to compete they seldom make the final.

However those days are all behind me now.

[dal2]

Sorry I didn't mean to blow my trumpet . It depends on when they are bred to still maintain good feathering. Both were later bred. When I breed earlies in an effort to compete they seldom make the final.

However those days are all behind me now.

Three fanciers in our club were on darkness out if the eleven.......they won every race.......tough going Robert. ... too tough for natural I think mate

[Novice]

I feel they can still win if raced natural. You can't really compare as these 3 guys may also have had a superior motivational system.

Motivated pigeons will always win but I often find myself asking why a particular pigeon came to the front on a given day.

Many still baffle me.

[Wiley]

Going off topic, but do you feel with young birds motivation is really that important? My best young birds over the years always raced to the perch...and pigeon basics very own George Bairds best young bird of the SHU, was the same. Although you seem to get a turn from a young hen just started to show out...

[ALF]

Sorry I didn't mean to blow my trumpet . It depends on when they are bred to still maintain good feathering. Both were later bred. When I breed earlies in an effort to compete they seldom make the final.

However those days are all behind me now.

We had our older ybs on darkness this year and to be honest found it easy enough and all our ybs or I should say most will be darkies next year it just makes things a lot easier and you know you will get every yb to every race if you wish

 

Ps...we had a later bred natural yb whose 1st race was 127 mls and then went twice 150 mls approx and both yb national races approx 270 mls timed on the shift out of both as she was still holding enough feathers on her head

 

 

Nearly all darkies on their last flight out once a week for a bath and just over an ounce a day of moulting mix...

[dal2]

Going off topic, but do you feel with young birds motivation is really that important? My best young birds over the years always raced to the perch...and pigeon basics very own George Bairds best young bird of the SHU, was the same. Although you seem to get a turn from a young hen just started to show out...

I have a door and split them cock and hens religiously and won every year and said that 109% it was the way to win with young......this year we had to alter lofts cos we have too many and raced them all into the same end never splitting and only shoving bowls in for the last two races.....still done well. My neighbour had a team of darkies on sliding doors. ...they were superb