# YB training and the molt question



## windaidedaviary (Feb 18, 2009)

At what stage do you guys stop yb's from training because they're losing too many feathers? It's obvious with the flight and wing feathers. But, how much of the overall loss if feathers would be a good cut-off point to keep them in? For road training that is...


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## learning (May 19, 2006)

My birds were on a light system that accelerated the molt. They are now complete and should stay that was through the race season. They look like yearlings.

Dan


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## ohiogsp (Feb 24, 2006)

learning said:


> My birds were on a light system that accelerated the molt. They are now complete and should stay that was through the race season. They look like yearlings.
> 
> Dan



Mine too. I used the light and the dark. 

AS for stopping training from the body molt. If they are falling apart I would stop and this will help them get through it faster by resting. As for the flights they are alright to train as long as they don't drop 2 flights at the end of the wing (like 8-9, 9-10, 7-8). Missing 2 end flights is very bad.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Mine continue to train, unless they've been hit by a hawk or something to where they're missing a lot of flights and tail. Usually with the wings and tail, they will only moult two at a time. And by that, I mean the 9th on both wings, or the two 1sts in the tail (two in the very middle, makes a big gap).
Only during racing will I hold a bird back because of the moult.


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## windaidedaviary (Feb 18, 2009)

I usually let mine loft fly regardless of degree of feather feather loss. But, I'm in the city and these yb's don't range far enough to excercise themselves, so I take them on the road as much as I can. I just don't want to do harm to the one's losing too many feathers and I don't know how much is too much. When loft flying they can rest on rooftops if they need to. Just don't want them getting in a bad habit of stopping to rest on the road, or straining too much trying to get home in bad feather.


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## Airbaby (Aug 9, 2008)

We keep training or racing unless they are missing the 4th,5th,6th flight feathers, or if they are molting heavy around the ears. But i would recommend to you that if the bird dont look right then just leave it home and you know what i mean, when these birds a going through a heavy molt its like they just few through a window fan


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## ohiogsp (Feb 24, 2006)

Airbaby said:


> We keep training or racing unless they are missing the 4th,5th,6th flight feathers, or if they are molting heavy around the ears. But i would recommend to you that if the bird dont look right then just leave it home and you know what i mean, when these birds a going through a heavy molt its like they just few through a window fan



Why the 4th -6th flights? I have heard the old myth don't race them on the 6th but I did this many times last year with no difference in results.


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## Airbaby (Aug 9, 2008)

This is what i have been told/taught and it makes sence to me...because those flight feathers are on right on the joint of the wing and it is really sensitive to pigeon trying to fly...now for the 6th I have heard is even more important (or i have read anyway) I dont remember where i read it but some handlers somewhere took notes and or did some kind of study and found more birds were lost from training/racing who were missing there 6th flight than any other flight feather.


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## pigeon_racer (Jan 12, 2009)

windaidedaviary,

As long as I don't train over 30 miles my birds have handled training just fine. I don't race them if their ears are uncovered, I don't lose them but it seems to bother them so much that they fly slower and have more of a tendency to stay out overnight on long flights. Same with the flights, I don't like to race them when the 4th, 5th, or sixth flights are missing, but training of 30 miles or less doesn't seem to bother them as long as they aren't sitting around looking dumpy. When they do this it doen't necessarily mean they are tired, but they may be suffering from some disease. I use loft flying as my guide, if they enjoy loft flying, then they train.

Ralph


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## JohnG (Jul 14, 2009)

pigeon racer is on the ball


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