Late dates for Darkness?

Realistically - what month and date do members think is the latest date you can put young birds on the darkness system?

I know traditionally most fanciers put their young birds on the darkness system on or around the 21st March - the Spring Solstice - but if for some reason your babies are not ready by the 21st March how long can one leave it and still achieve what you want - i.e. young birds having a full body moult but not dropping any primary flight feathers.

The reason I am asking is, because of all the problems that I have had, which you all know about, I am only just getting my stock birds to lay their second round of eggs, which in realistic terms has put me about 28 days behind schedule.

Any advice would be great.

Phil

I would be interested also. May darken them this year.

Once they are weaned as long as they are exposed to more dark than light hours they are on darkness. Each to their own regarding timings and length of darkening hours. While in the nest they are on natural lighting, my April hatched young respond to the dark hours and go into the body moult. Not all will go all the way but they get past the head moult ok, it is then up to the fancier to manage them and send when fit and in good feather - just the same as fully natural lighting.

caramel wrote:

Once they are weaned as long as they are exposed to more dark than light hours they are on darkness. Each to their own regarding timings and length of darkening hours. While in the nest they are on natural lighting, my April hatched young respond to the dark hours and go into the body moult. Not all will go all the way but they get past the head moult ok, it is then up to the fancier to manage them and send when fit and in good feather - just the same as fully natural lighting.

Differant strokes for differant folks & my Geordie mate tried the darkness last year for the first time etc here. Cracking lot of youngsters he had & truthfully they all put mine to shame unfortunately     but come race day I really didn't see all that much differance. Cheers.
*****

Knackered wrote:

caramel wrote:

Once they are weaned as long as they are exposed to more dark than light hours they are on darkness. Each to their own regarding timings and length of darkening hours. While in the nest they are on natural lighting, my April hatched young respond to the dark hours and go into the body moult. Not all will go all the way but they get past the head moult ok, it is then up to the fancier to manage them and send when fit and in good feather - just the same as fully natural lighting.

Differant strokes for differant folks & my Geordie mate tried the darkness last year for the first time etc here. Cracking lot of youngsters he had & truthfully they all put mine to shame unfortunately     but come race day I really didn't see all that much differance. Cheers.
*****

Darkening does not increase homing ability, it just gives an advantage in achieving the best feather condition to get a better performance. Young birds on darkness will almost always look terrific come racing but they must have the ability to get home.

Sorry guys - we are getting off the subject matter -

My posting is about how late in the year you can put young birds on the darkness system - not if it works or not.

Phil

ybs take on average 9 weeks to body moult that's all ya need ...I would just wean any ybs straight onto the darkness system ....I would begin to take them off beginning to end of june some leave it until end of june others take them off at the beginning ,fanciers choice but in the event of them going on the system late then I would take them off the system 26th june but no later and gradualy expose them to more daylight hours by an extra hour per day ....you could still do some training whilst on the dark towards the end ,remember so long as the darkness hours are more than daylight then that's enough theirs no need to darken for 16 hours utter rubbish all you need is 13 hours of dark per day that's plenty...so in answer to yer question phil to get a full body moult they need to be on the dark by last week in april atb

Thanks everyone - good to know my thinking lines up with most other members thoughts.

I think I have it now.

Upwards and onwards - as they say!

What do members think about bringing young birds onto the darkness system whilst others have been on it for some weeks?

Phil

personally I don't like it I don't like mixing different age ybs at all I like them all within 2 weeks so they are all developing at the same ,I think this causes a lot of problems with the health of the ybs on darkness jmo on it though,not only this they stop them ranging and exercising as the younger ones pull the others down from exercise also newly weaned don't get a fair whack of the grub ...theirs numerous reasons but up to the individual ...their birds their choice

blueskylofts wrote:

Sorry guys - we are getting off the subject matter -

My posting is about how late in the year you can put young birds on the darkness system - not if it works or not.

Phil

Chastised again those fingers of mine really are a problem etc at times .

Knackered wrote:

blueskylofts wrote:

Sorry guys - we are getting off the subject matter -

My posting is about how late in the year you can put young birds on the darkness system - not if it works or not.

Phil

Chastised again those fingers of mine really are a problem etc at times .

Not at all. If it does not work for you timing is irrelevant, stay with what you are happy with.

caramel wrote:

Knackered wrote:

blueskylofts wrote:

Sorry guys - we are getting off the subject matter -

My posting is about how late in the year you can put young birds on the darkness system - not if it works or not.

Phil

Chastised again those fingers of mine really are a problem etc at times .

Not at all. If it does not work for you timing is irrelevant, stay with what you are happy with.

OK thou you were not in my thoughts etc Caramel, with my rant above .
*****

"" so long as the darkness hours are more than daylight then that's enough theirs no need to darken for 16 hours utter rubbish all you need is 13 hours of dark per day that's plenty..""
Appreciate the info!! Thanks!

Knackered wrote:

blueskylofts wrote:

Sorry guys - we are getting off the subject matter -

My posting is about how late in the year you can put young birds on the darkness system - not if it works or not.

Phil

Chastised again those fingers of mine really are a problem etc at times .

hal yer welcome fella only to happy to give you something back

oldstrain wrote:

Knackered wrote:

blueskylofts wrote:

Sorry guys - we are getting off the subject matter -

My posting is about how late in the year you can put young birds on the darkness system - not if it works or not.

Phil

Chastised again those fingers of mine really are a problem etc at times .

hal yer welcome fella only to happy to give you something back

  You just watch what you say on Alfies big day etc that's coming up O/S or you may just finish up in the dog house also.