The Moult

[Diamond Dave]

I didnt realise how influential the moult would be to the individual types of racing and most systems timings have been perfected to suit.
It's left me wondering what would happen if you left the sexes together over the winter - when would the moult start naturally?
Has anyone ever tried this and how does it pan out?

[Murray]

Mine have always lived together through the winter until last year when with the new loft I was able to separate them tbe able to pair them all up at the same time.
They moult perfectly.
The moult is as natural as breathing for any bird. If they are in good health, in a good, i.e. suitable loft, and not having to face abnormal stresses they will moult quite happily.
In a loft that has pigeons which have had a bad moult, the fancier needs to have a very good long look at himself.

[Buster121]

Mine are together 24/7 and moult fine

[Diamond Dave]

Do you two lads race to any particular system then and so - when does the moult actually start naturally.....

[Buster121]

Dave I no longer race but when I did I used to do natural, this year mine started dropping flights end May start June, now is that because I don't race them, keep throwing eggs as no babies wanted and both sexes together, or some other reason I do not know the answer, another thing they don't fly out either

[king]

I didnt realise how influential the moult would be to the individual types of racing and most systems timings have been perfected to suit.
It's left me wondering what would happen if you left the sexes together over the winter - when would the moult start naturally?
Has anyone ever tried this and how does it pan out?

Since I stopped racing my birds are together 24/7. The moult starts the same time as when I raced, when racing I could slow it down somewhat but the moult was never a big problem for me. My aim was always the longest race, which was normally flown around the longest day. With YBs I flew natural and again I still got them to over 300 miles.

With the birds being together 24/7 I normally close the boxes in 0ct. And let the pair sit together on the box front. They remain this way until mid Feb when the boxes are re-opened. I may get the odd egg when I first close the boxes but they are normally ok. None normally lay until I re-open the boxes, when I do they lay very fast, with the majority down on eggs in 8 -10 days.

[Diamond Dave]

All very interesting - so where has the need arisen to
split the sexes over the winter?
Where you guys keep them together, is that because you pair the same pairs together every year?

[Andy]

Birds will start the moult naturally in late spring. But this can be adjusted by the timings of pairing, rearing or just sitting eggs. Feeding young will generally slow down the moult. Paired youngsters will hold flights longer than unpaired ones. The darkness system, light system etc are all ways of adjusting the timing of the moult.
Mine birds are still together at present and sitting pot eggs. I will separate them at the end of the month, by then they should almost be through the moult. I do select my pairings for the following year over the winter so do need to separate them for that. Mine also still fly out once a day at present but won’t once separated.

[Buster121]

All very interesting - so where has the need arisen to
split the sexes over the winter?
Where you guys keep them together, is that because you pair the same pairs together every year?

Mine are paired for life literally