Moult

[Novice]

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...

That's the point Ryan. A youngster canbe flying to the perch and still be motivated. There may be things going on around it which we don't see but which are motivational factors. The territorial instinct is the strongest instinct a pigeon has it may simply race well because it is really happy with the territory which it has made its own.

There are numerous pigeons which have flown well as youngsters and have then been transferred to a different section as yearlings and have flopped. Put them back into their old area for the important races and watch them go.

[Novice]

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

I have just finished reading an article by Professor van Grembergen who claims to have won Belgian Young bird Nationals a few years ago against darkies with birds with perfect swallow tails. He claims this can be an advantage in certain circumstances.

He also states that a long tail adds stability but also that it increases the amount of effort needed for flight. Just another aside.

[Rooster J. Cogburn]

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?

 

Some of mines still have two to go as well. I took them off darkness later than I normally do this season so my thinking is this is the reason.

 

They should finish I think, have heard people with darkness youngsters chucking the last one in March even.

 

On another note I handled a toppin yearling at a friend's loft in September, one of his best old birds this year and she still had a nest flight having been on darkness and not completing the wing moult. I also know of a yearling that made the top 10 Open SNFC at 500mile that was the same.

 

Obviously we'd aw prefer it to be completed, but does it really matter ?

 

Think the only time it would need to be looked at is later on in the old bird season in case the doo throws the end flight along with its 2nd or 3rd.

 

[Kyleakin Lofts]

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

 

I'm the shortest flier in the Fed. Fraserburgh is 165 miles.

 

Untrained and unraced latebreds.

 

season 2014 10 latebreds out of Portlethen 130 miles.

season 2015 10 latebreds out of Fraserburgh, the other 2 out of Portlethen.

 

[yeboah]

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

We all had a turn at winning in our club early doors with yb s

But once they got to Stafford KT completely dominated with his darkies

His results in the fed open race top 20 were outstanding he was also furthest flyer that day

If youngsters are at top of their game

The darkies will dominate every time in the right hands

[geordie1234]

That's the point Ryan. A youngster canbe flying to the perch and still be motivated. There may be things going on around it which we don't see but which are motivational factors. The territorial instinct is the strongest instinct a pigeon has it may simply race well because it is really happy with the territory which it has made its own.

There are numerous pigeons which have flown well as youngsters and have then been transferred to a different section as yearlings and have flopped. Put them back into their old area for the important races and watch them go.

 

Something to defo give a go good idea

 

I read once that a french fancier raced all ybs and yearlings to the perch celibate cocks on v perches etc...he done this to find out the true racers