# Pulling Flights



## Josepe (Jan 10, 2011)

How many pull flights on their YB's and when?


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

I don't.


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## GaryWCo (Apr 19, 2011)

Mostof the flyers in my club cut and pull the 9th and 10th. I'm trying the Beiche System in 2013. He advocates cutting the 9th and 10th around April 1st. Pulling the 9th and 10th and, four tail feathers around April 15th. Then locking down the birds for the next 5 to 6 weeks.

Timing can be adjusted for your race schedule.


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## MH Flyer (Nov 7, 2012)

Agree with GaryWCo all depends on racing schedule. 9 & 10 flight is pulled, June 1 - July you cut the 9 & 10 flight were it meets the top feathers. you let them dry out one week then you pull them.Some will still drop flights one at a time up to the 8 flight. But the most important ones are 9 and 10 for racing. Adjust according to your first race schedule. Our race starts in mid September.


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## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

For the first two rounds I use a light system and cut and pull them after I've trained them out to 5 miles or so then lock them up till the end of June so I can start training after the 4th of July. For the later hatches I just let nature take it's course.


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

GaryWCo said:


> Mostof the flyers in my club cut and pull the 9th and 10th. I'm trying the Beiche System in 2013. He advocates cutting the 9th and 10th around April 1st. Pulling the 9th and 10th and, four tail feathers around April 15th. *Then locking down the birds for the next 5 to 6 weeks.*
> 
> Timing can be adjusted for your race schedule.


 And that IMHO, is the big handicap with that system. I like it when my competitors have their birds locked down for a whole five or six weeks. That is at least 15 to 18 missed training tosses.


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## Josepe (Jan 10, 2011)

Warren,
How many training tosses do you normally do in YB season?


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

And when do you start? Two weeks after the birds first start routing? Or a certain amount of time before the first race??

Go on..... tell us ya secrets lol.


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## Country84 (Nov 12, 2012)

Noob question, but why do you pull feathers?


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

I understood it was to speed up the growth of new flights so they do not loose them during the race season, So in a way fiddling with nature and speeding up the natural moulting process.


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## Pijlover (May 5, 2010)

I heard its for getting better/stronger flights that is required for racing, pulling and then rest is done for the same reason


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## Country84 (Nov 12, 2012)

Oh ok. And you only do that on of the year birds?


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## lawman (Jul 19, 2005)

NZ Pigeon said:


> I understood it was to speed up the growth of new flights so they do not loose them during the race season, So in a way fiddling with nature and speeding up the natural moulting process.


If you cut and then pull the 9th and 10th flights? Then you are manually moulting out the feathers and are less likely (depending on race schedule) to have to stop the birds from racing when these flights normally fall out. 

This typically is only an issue for youngbirds or late hatchs being flown in old birds.


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