# pulling flight feathers?



## desmet (Jun 5, 2007)

Have any of you ever pulled all of your young birds flight feathers? A good flier that I have spoken to says that he does this to his young birds every year just before he starts their training. After their flights grow back then he puts them on the road. He says this stops them from dropping any flight feathers during the young bird race season. I have heard of pulling a couple of flights before, but not all of their flights at once.
What do you all think?


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

desmet said:


> Have any of you ever pulled all of your young birds flight feathers? A good flier that I have spoken to says that he does this to his young birds every year just before he starts their training. After their flights grow back then he puts them on the road. He says this stops them from dropping any flight feathers during the young bird race season. I have heard of pulling a couple of flights before, but not all of their flights at once.
> What do you all think?


I think, the fact that you asked our opinion, tells me you already knew what would be said. I know that some flyers pull the 9th and 10th flight, but ALL of them?? That's pretty far out there if you ask me. I don't care how good of a flier this person is. What he does is very cruel.


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## desmet (Jun 5, 2007)

*Pulled flights*

To tell you the truth. I didn't know what to expect. I was a little wrong on how many to pull. Not that it's gonna change your opinions, but he pulls 5 on each side. That's still a good bit I know.
I think that it's a little rough myself, but I don't think it's as bad as pulling out a toenail.(lol! point well taken) I was really just trying to find out if any one on here has ever done it, and if so. Did you notice any difference in your results? 
I think I'll be a little hard pressed to get an answer now that you guy's have shown how strongly you feel about it but that's okay. I appreciate and respect your opinions.

-Desmet


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Well, people who pull the flights do it so that the bird has a full wing when race season rolls around. I personally put my birds on lights and run my light bill sky high and if they have a full wing, good, and if they don't, I race them accordingly.
We weren't trying to be harsh with you, so don't take it wrong. You said you had been racing for 2 years or so? We've only been racing for 6 years and in that short amount of time, I've seen some crazy and inhumane "s---". 
It's things like this and worse that give all of the racing folks a bad name, and believe me, in some circles, our name is MUD. 
It's truly amazing what some people will do to get a piece of paper that says the won a race.


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

Hi Desmet,
I think the only reason that people here pull any feathers is if they come across a bird who has had its wing/tail feathers badly clipped for some reason (some rescues are birds that have had one wing clipped along w/ some tail feathers so someone can use the bird to train their dogs on  ), if a blood feather is injured, or if there is some serious problems with a new feather coming in. Then the damaged feathers will be pulled (abit quite reluctantly) to get new ones in sooner.

IMO, it forces a bird to grow feathers in an unnatural cycle and puts additional stress on the bird.


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## desmet (Jun 5, 2007)

You didn't come off to harsh to me. Imo all you did was state how you felt about it, and in a sense, thats why I was asking. I have never done it before, but I was curious as to weather it made a difference or not.


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## 1pigeon (Apr 5, 2006)

desmet said:


> To tell you the truth. I didn't know what to expect. I was a little wrong on how many to pull. Not that it's gonna change your opinions, but he pulls 5 on each side. That's still a good bit I know.
> I think that it's a little rough myself, but I don't think it's as bad as pulling out a toenail.(lol! point well taken) I was really just trying to find out if any one on here has ever done it, and if so. Did you notice any difference in your results?
> I think I'll be a little hard pressed to get an answer now that you guy's have shown how strongly you feel about it but that's okay. I appreciate and respect your opinions.
> 
> -Desmet


Desmet i pulled my birds flights.....Why.... For me purpose of pulling flights is to get my birds ready for race with all 10 flights and for the beginner like me this is an only idea to pulling my bird flights.
And and and before i pulled my birds flights i cut that flight by half.Wait about 2 weeks till that flight die out and it will pull out very very easy.
My club racing on september and this year i have 30 YB banded on January 7th..So i think my birds will finished moult 6th-7th flights around August.So i just have only 3 flights to pull .Remember it take 45 days for flight to grow back up.I pulled around May 20th.
Desmet you want to know who pulling flights .i think many many did ..You see when the time come and there birds won't have there flights ready for them they will do any thing..And we can tell which flights were being pulled by just looking at the flights.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

When you pull out a feather before it would naturally be released, it would seem that you damage the follicle and create a bit of scar tissue. You might have short term gain, but long term loss. Just a thought.


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

desmet said:


> Have any of you ever pulled all of your young birds flight feathers? A good flier that I have spoken to says that he does this to his young birds every year just before he starts their training. After their flights grow back then he puts them on the road. He says this stops them from dropping any flight feathers during the young bird race season. I have heard of pulling a couple of flights before, but not all of their flights at once.
> What do you all think?


 What great Masters of this sport pull ALL of the flight feathers ?  I don't know of any and it sounds rather amateurish to me. There are other proven systems which insure that the bird has all his flight feathers, and it does not require pulling out feathers. I would love to compete againest your flier friend, as I suspect he does not have any real competition.....


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

I had a flier in Albuquerque fly four of my birds. The last race two of the older birds had dropped their 10th flights. He kept them back and did not race them. He breeds 100 yb a year and does not fly the ones that will not do well. Those two birds he kept back won him three old bird races this season. Pulling flights or not, it is a good lesson to learn not to fly birds that will not fare well. I think his first round is done with the molt and his third round still has its primaries during most of the season. His second round usually becomes the heart of his old bird team. They may not make it to every race. Not having anyone to race against makes it easy for me. I save the third round back, train them out to 150 miles and fly them around their molt. I keep the best of the bunch for breeders, and pass the rest on. 

Randy


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