Curious about regional variation in moult timing.
My birds here in Scotland typically start dropping their first flights in late July and finish around late October. Full body moult complete by early December.
Seems to match our racing calendar well but I hear guys in warmer climates have different patterns.
When do yours moult? Do you do anything to influence the timing?
Kent here. Similar timing to you - maybe a week or two earlier on average.
I don’t mess with light manipulation. Some guys swear by darkening to delay moult but I’ve never seen the benefit outweigh the hassle.
Good feeding during moult is more important than timing. Plenty of protein and oil seeds.
Midwest USA here. Our moult starts mid-August, usually done by Thanksgiving (late November).
I think the key is having moult COMPLETE before winter hits. Half-moulted birds in cold weather is asking for problems.
We race young birds through September so I actually like them to hold the moult a bit. Nothing worse than racing a bird that’s dropped 3-4 flights.
I use light control on my young birds only. Extend daylight hours artificially until mid-August to delay moult, then reduce light suddenly to trigger it.
Works well for our YB season which runs into September. Old birds I leave natural.
It’s not for everyone and requires a sealed loft section. But if you’re serious about YB racing it’s worth considering.
Interesting about the light control. I’ve read about it but never tried it.
My loft isn’t sealed enough for true darkening anyway. Would need a proper renovation.
Good point about having moult complete before winter. We get some harsh weather in January and I want them in full feather by then.