UkPigeonRacing

I was just looking at Ad Schaerlaeckens' Logbook. It is a daily goldmine of advice and observations.
He recommends weaning the babies at 23 to 25 days. I tooka picture of the screen and put it up here. You have to remember he is Dutch and his phrasing is a bit different, but the point is clear enough.

I agree. I wean at 21 to 24 days. Have weaned at 18 days. Some of mine were a bit backward when weaned this year due to the problems I had with the wet droppings but were still weaned at 21 days. They had no covering of feathers under their wings when weaned. They soon picked up once weaned. I think they are better off weaned early and allowed to fend for themselves than becoming to dependent on being fed by their parents.
I found when I was dairy farming that calves taken away from their mothers about 6 hours after birth, after their first feed of colostrum from the mother, were much quicker to get on the bucket and less stressed than those left to bond with their mother. Funnily enough the cows themselves seemed less stressed too.

I usually look to wean between 21 and 28 days but do look for them to be feathered up under the wing before I do, so the age will vary.
It is easier when you have a young bird section, which at the moment I don't. Other than the youngsters hatched in my small shed, most of my babies are just left to wean themselves these days.

Trev wrote: ↑Tue Mar 19, 2024 8:34 pm I usually look to wean between 21 and 28 days but do look for them to be feathered up under the wing before I do, so the age will vary.
It is easier when you have a young bird section, which at the moment I don't. Other than the youngsters hatched in my small shed, most of my babies are just left to wean themselves these days.

Same here

25 to 28 days, when they are feeding themselves and taking in water. along with some grit and minerals.