| Author: Bob Rowland | Title: More on Flights - Introducing the Power Moult |
| Date: 2004-06-17 19:12:12 | Uploaded by: webmaster |
|
This is a continuation of the article I wrote introducing the Power
Moult to the pigeon sport. Before I go on, I feel it necessary to have
everyone read the first article again as there are those that seemed to
have missed the point that this system is several hundred years old. I
am not the creator of the system nor am I the first person to do this
system.
Previous Article
The person that told me about this system also told me that it dates
back to the mid 1200's so unless someone has found the fountain of
youth, there is not one single person alive that was the first to do
this system. Actually, many of the systems have been provided for by
Mother Nature and we are just now learning how to manipulate what Mother
Nature has provided for us. The light and the dark systems were always
possible but we were not aware of how to do them until someone
accidentally found the key to the treasure chest. From there, many have
now used the systems with great success.
In my first article on Flights, I also stated that I have been pulling
flights for more than 30 years but this has also been misinterpreted by
some thinking that I was trying to claim that I have been doing the
Power Moult System for those 30 years. The only flights I pulled during
those 30 years were the last 3 on the wing and also all the tail. I was
told by another person that these are the power flights and if any of
them are missing when you try to compete in your futurities or other
special races that one is at a disadvantage. So with that, since about
1969, I always cut the last 3 flights and allowed them to dry out for
about 2 weeks and then I would pull them. This method helped my pigeons
to have tight feathers when racing. Then in 1993, I learned the trick of
the darkening system and I used that until moving here to Florida in
1998. Realizing the Dark System was not what I felt would hold me all
the way through the races, I went back to cutting and pulling the end 3
flights and did this until 2002.
Now back to the Power Moult: The person that told me about this system
always said I must "pluck my pigeons feathers" so they could grow the
new ones but I felt that this wording of "plucking feathers" did not do
the system justice so what I did contribute to the system was the title
of "Power Molting". This is my total extent of contribution to the
system that has been around for so many years but was not a common
practice in the pigeon racing circles. Being skeptical of this new
method, I did not try it immediately but did pull all the flights that
remained to be molted on a few pigeons that had low nests in my stock
lofts. That was in 2001 and then in 2002, being that I felt comfortable
in what I had seen on my experiment, I then did my race team for the
years of 2002, 2003, and now again for 2004.
When I wrote that first article, the person that told me of the Power
Molt System also told me to make the public statement about the system
and also to establish a date where it was revealed. The initial article
was to be followed up with a joint article by myself and that person and
it was his plan to then have a complete article along with photos I took
of my pigeons during the growing of their feathers. This was planned to
be in color and on a web site. Perhaps one day the site will be up and
running and the entire system will be shown and he will give the
scientific data as to what occurs and what Natural Hormones are enhanced
while this system is being used.
For those that are planning to try this system, it is extremely critical
that the pigeon is at least 60 days old when you pull flights. If they
are older that is even better and it is only necessary to pull the
flights that have not already molted. If the pigeon has already molted 5
flights, then only the last 5 flights and the tail need to be pulled. I
have pulled as many as 8 flights on each wing and if done properly, this
gives us a pigeon that is not using their energy to grow feathers while
racing.
When I pull the feathers on my pigeons, they are made comfortable as
most sit on the floor until they grow new feathers. While they are
locked in growing new feathers, they are not susceptible to being eaten
by the hawks. A pigeon that is heavy in a natural moult is very
susceptible to becoming lunch for Mr. or Mrs. Hawk.
The only downside I have noticed with the Power Molt System is that the
pigeon will have a very slight mark at the end of the feather right at
the quill but when the pigeon molts those feathers naturally the
following year, the feathers are full length and have no tell-tale signs
of ever having been pulled.
The Power Molt takes approximately 45 days for the pigeons to grow all
their feathers so I pull these feathers a minimum of 75 days before my
first young bird race. This gives me 45 days to grow the new feathers
and another 30 days or more to train them and condition them for their
Young bird races.
The most critical points to remember about this system is that you must
feed the pigeons just as you would when you have young ones in the nest.
Their feed must be of excellent quality and they must also have adequate
amounts of minerals and then the feathers will be beautiful. For those
that question this approach, just as I did, all we need to remember that
Mother Nature has provided the pigeons with the ability to grow every
feather on their body and to also grow flesh and muscle during the first
30 to 45 days of their life. Realizing this helps us to understand that
this new approach of Power Molting is possible and in my opinion, the
way to go.
In conclusion, this is the system I use here in Florida but this may not
be the system for you. If your races are finished before the first to
middle of October, then the dark system or light system may be more
comfortable for you. However, the Power Moult is a system that I feel
very comfortable with for the racing I do here in Florida. If you are
the champ in your area then by all means continue doing what has worked
for you but if you are looking to get an edge on your competition, then
this may just be the system for you!
One final word: A calendar is a top racing persons best friend. Don't
try to think this out without planning and using the calendar.
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