Darkness System Yb

[Froog]

How many of fanciers use this system?

[Wiley]

Id say 99.9% that wish to be competetive with young birds through their entire programme race this system.

[jim]

how many weeks on dark put mine on 28th march best time for coming of

[yeboah]

how many weeks on dark put mine on 28th march best time for coming of

Most come off on longest day

Put mine on 1st may nearly finished now

[geordie1234]

I'm ready to finish now I'm fed up way it lol

[big blue bar]

I've took ours off early this year to see if it helps them get through the moult before Dec

[dal2]

Took mine off last week. ......could have done it earlier to be honest. ....as soon as rough necks are gone so are the blinds

[gulkie]

Took mine off last week. ......could have done it earlier to be honest. ....as soon as rough necks are gone so are the blinds

Took mine on the 4/6/16 as last year some struggled to,get through the molt

I have found they have started to fly longer since coming of.

[old owl]

what i have been told is take them off a week before the longest day

[Tony C]

When you take them of you'll start seeing them moult their first flight. At around 10 weeks after the day you take them of they'll start body moulting again and they're past their best. Race programs differ so its a case of working back say 12 weeks from your last y/bird race to ensure they're in good nick throughout the program. The flip side to this is you may find one or two might hold their last flight into the following years old bird racing and cast their last flight when they cast their first putting them out of action for a few weeks.

[dal2]

When you take them of you'll start seeing them moult their first flight. At around 10 weeks after the day you take them of they'll start body moulting again and they're past their best. Race programs differ so its a case of working back say 12 weeks from your last y/bird race to ensure they're in good nick throughout the program. The flip side to this is you may find one or two might hold their last flight into the following years old bird racing and cast their last flight when they cast their first putting them out of action for a few weeks.

The longer on the darkness the poorer they exercise and the heavier they become, at least for me, so I always find myself anxious to remove the shutters

[Wiley]

The longer on the darkness the poorer they exercise and the heavier they become, at least for me, so I always find myself anxious to remove the shutters

 

Dal, imo it would be a feeding issue then....alot of people imo make the mistake that young birds need these right heavy mixes full of protein, but infact the opposite. Fat pigeons wont exercise, and fat pigeons do not moult as freely imo.....the lighter the mix the better a young bird will fly, and moult while still on the darkness.

 

I will be coming off dark next weekend

[dal2]

Dal, imo it would be a feeding issue then....alot of people imo make the mistake that young birds need these right heavy mixes full of protein, but infact the opposite. Fat pigeons wont exercise, and fat pigeons do not moult as freely imo.....the lighter the mix the better a young bird will fly, and moult while still on the darkness.

 

I will be coming off dark next weekend

Yer probably right......I use breed and wean until it's finished lol then onto eurowinner. The change in feed usually corresponds with the shutters coming off and the ybs going out twice a day. They take a bit of getting going as they are still carrying weight......it will all come good with patience

[geordie1234]

I'm coming off the darkness today

[Wiley]

Yer probably right......I use breed and wean until it's finished lol then onto eurowinner. The change in feed usually corresponds with the shutters coming off and the ybs going out twice a day. They take a bit of getting going as they are still carrying weight......it will all come good with patience

 

Yes dal theyd have been okay on breed and wean for 3 weeks after weaning, then theyd have been put on something much lighter in protein here. Once introducing the light feed even when on the dark they soon find out what their wings are for.

[dal2]

Yes dal theyd have been okay on breed and wean for 3 weeks after weaning, then theyd have been put on something much lighter in protein here. Once introducing the light feed even when on the dark they soon find out what their wings are for.

I bought it so I used it lol......to be fair I do it every year

[geordie1234]

I feed tic beans only until 2 weeks before the first race and always make sure I have a rusty nail in the drinker

Edited June 11, 2016 by geordie1234

[jim]

is it ok to take them of straight away or extend the day lite hours till of it

[dal2]

is it ok to take them of straight away or extend the day lite hours till of it

I do

[REDCHEQHEN]

A few in my club reverting back to natural youngsters and leaving the darkness system well alone

[Wiley]

I feed tic beans only until 2 weeks before the first race and always make sure I have a rusty nail in the drinker

 

You been on the bucky early today geo

[philg50]

This year is the first year i have done darkness and its the last ,started with 20 on it looking a picture ,lost 1 to the hawk then let them out disappeared for 2hrs got 2 back ,another 1&1/2hrs got another 2 ,i got 13 by nightfall ,4 the next day bringing them up to 17 then proceeded to have another 2 disappear this week ,left now with 15 looking tremendous but i dont know if they have a brain between them.

[geordie1234]

You been on the bucky early today geo

Naw mate I'm still in work..... forgot to add feeding porridge oats on a sunday

[big blue bar]

This year is the first year i have done darkness and its the last ,started with 20 on it looking a picture ,lost 1 to the hawk then let them out disappeared for 2hrs got 2 back ,another 1&1/2hrs got another 2 ,i got 13 by nightfall ,4 the next day bringing them up to 17 then proceeded to have another 2 disappear this week ,left now with 15 looking tremendous but i dont know if they have a brain between them.

Stick with it Philg50 the birds that you have left must have a brain if they've came back from a scatter , just think you would of probably lost the ones that are missing anyway

[ovy1255]

Everyone has different ideas---but darkness wins the later young bird races as for feed light trapping mix on a morning breed and wean on a night but make sure you give them greens, on the dark till 21st lights on till 11 after that.

Looking for full wing on last race ,dont skimp on food at end of season they have a full wing moult to get through.and stop lossing them by starting to train them,step them up steady.