Moon Cycles
The Discussion Centre: General Topics: Moon Cycles
Since Roly & Bill Shuba are bitching about the lack of topics, is there anyone willing to give their opinion on pairing to the full moon. I know a few of the older flyers swore by the system. But times have maybe changed does anyone have any opinions. Perhaps somebody can explain how this all originated in the first place & why. Thanks.
To Ali. My understanding is that it originated from farmers who sewed their crops by the same system and still do. Many years ago a book was written by a man called Belding out of England and he made some very strong claims as to the value of it. Today it is as you say, a beliefe that is only talked about by the older flyers which doesn't mean that there is no truth to it but, I never tried it or studied it past hearing about it. That's all I can tell you. Hope it helped a little.
The main reason - unless you believe in the 'moon Madness syndrome etc. is that via pairing to a full moon is that when the y/b's are hatched the parents have moonlight to feed the youngsters at night.
And no I'm not bitching about lack of topics as I realise they will come and go as one topic BRANCHES OUT into an offshoot. This won't or can't have the oppertunity to if Eye Sign straight away jumps on it to smother and stiffle it and not allowing it to breathe and gain strength. That is realism and fact. That is and does happen constantly.
Or should we just post. Hey how's Eye sign going to stiffle and kill the topic that I would really like to hear about and possiblely learn abit about'??
Hi Ali
I pair up my birds using the moon, three days before a full moon, I try to put my birds together, in the stock loft.
Years ago, when I was raising cockatiels, budgies and canaries, I met an old Italian fellow, he couldn't express enough to pair up my birds using this time frame, the more I asked around, the more others said the same thing, this also goes for planting tomatoes in the garden,(something my grandmother use to do in England).
They said it had something to do with the power/strength of the moon, it ensured strong healthy young. I just did as suggested by these old timers, who was I to question these elders, they'd been doing this for years, and it worked for them.
My race records show that my birds have done pretty good racing, against our club members, and have placed up there with the rest on the combines.
Roly's probably right, maybe it is so the parents can feed the young by moon light.
The full moon has alot more of an affect on our planet, than we think, just go the bar on a full moon, that should convince anyone of it's powers.
Some of my ex's best breeding time was on a full moon, and I always have to stay home and watch the kids, but that's another story 
Thanks guys its jogging a memory that it was D.V.Belding from the UK & I'm not sure if he's still around now or not.
They call the moon MANS OLDEST CALENDAR & just looking at some of the claims for it on the web maybe we'll keep this one as an X FILE.
Roly and Ali are right. Heard the full moon breeding theory from my Scotish pard and from a very good older flyer who was also a farmer. Now I am the older flyer and say use lights 24 hrs a day in the breeding loft so the parents can feed the babies around the clock if you keep feed constantly before them. Just banded some new babies with Japan bands that I am sending to Lonnie Patterson at 5 days of age. Feed 805 NC17, 10% Show turkey and 10% Athlete, keep the lights on and you will be surprised at their growth. No Shorty not an expert but pay attention and use common sense, not some blathering old wives tales. You? Lets race. Bye Billy
Billy, you have convinced me to rely on my old methods which worked for years. But trying to improve I have become confused by all the different methods going around. So you really leave the lights on all night? I don't think my neighbours would appeciate all the noise. Thats OK, I will stick to what I know. Thanks for the reply.
PS I did look into moon cycles affect on breeding by making a note of when my birds were born. After the race season there was no correlation between birth times and performance. Only one season, and not a lot of birds, but I decided to put it in the same basket as eyesign.
Yes that's probably the best thing for someone with your problem. It's not every ones cup of tea, especially those with insufficient mental capacity to understand it. For a novice your off to a great start. You'll be a typical pigeon know it all within 6 months.
I am sorry I metioned eyesign Bob and belittled it in your eyes, but please don't stoop to sarcasm. I respect your right to believe in it. I would have thought you were a better man than that, especially as how you are an Aussie.
HI Shorty i do the same as wild willy lights on 24 hrs for breeding pairs. babies get light 20 hrs till the end of racing season. hope this helps. this moon thing i find makes no sence. we all know the coldest days of the month are just before the full moon and just after. birds or others dont do much in the really cold weather.
Did you know laying chickens to make them lay proprely. they get the same amount of vitiam A AND D lets say 400 units each. also a chicken will use all its calcium in one day just to lay that one egg. and it must be replaced for the following day. wow what a intake just found this really neat.i think there calcium in take is 4 percent in the feed every day. they can also make the eggs bigger or smaller from working the feed.
Agree with Rodgers, but the breeding hens should get plenty of Vit ACD from their feed, supplimented by adding vits to the water about twice a week while feeding young. Calcuim I am not sure. But it does not hurt by supplimenting the regular grit about 50/50 with oystershell grit, giving the hens a calcium pill down the hatch before they lay the first egg. Any comments. Lets race. BYe Billy
Hello mr. taylor bill what have you used for ecoil.most meds for this are to be used 10 to 14 days. the fellow next door has 40000 broiler chicks if they get a bout of ecoil they use penicillan g pottassium. for five days. have you ever heard of this. i found it different just using it for the five days,no i dont have any health problems with the birds.
Dave R. what I am talking about is a prebreeding clean up program prior to putting the breeders together, lasting about 3 weeks. For ecoil I am using amoxicillian. A good topic to discuss and argue next Oct. Thanks for asking. Lets race. Bye Billy
David R. Are you interested in meeting for breakfast tomorrow, same time?
Hey Billy , If the birds have nothing , there is nothing to clean up with a prebreeding med. program .
Oscar, I am such a cautious guy, I dont take a chance they dont have diseases. Had paratyphoid in my breeders about 1992 and ruined my whole year. Never let it happen to me again. Thats why I do it even though the birds look, seem and are healthy. An ounce of prevention makes sense to me. I know you and many other very good flyers disagree. So be it. We are still pals. Lets race. Bye Billy
BILLY T, booth went on to say your a real eye man when it comes to a 25 year old in a mini skirt.eye man you are like it or not. cautious is good when it comes to the above .so you think iam bored A.
Rodgers Booth is also a good squinter at the well endowed hens. See his black eye. Jan hit him with her purse when she caught him. Lets race. Bye Billy
Back to breeding around the full moon.
I read that it is because the UV rays are stronger during a full moon, that it helps with their developing homing instinct. But for it to work you need to get the moonlight into the loft where the young are growing. Through wire or plexi as glass windows cut down the strength of the UV rays.
Also it is not as important when the eggs are laid, it is when they hatch at the full moon that counts. The moon gives off more UV for more days then.
My hen that won 2 OB club races this year is a full moon baby. I tried it my first year but there is so much to see and learn and I was very late getting set up, that I did not do it this year. I tryed Eyesign breeding this time.
I was under the understanding that the full moon meant that the parents had 'Moonlight to help feeding the y/b's around the clock ...
The reason I don't particular go for allowing 'Around' the clock feeding is I don't personally think they need it, if indeed they do it. I rather think Rest is more important and what not, like once digested the body can recupperate from it's exertions.
Just my tuppence worth.
Whether it is to feed or just get a drink..I leave a night light running im my stock loft..night sensored so it comes on by itself.
Not bright but eneogh to fly to the drinker and back to the nest.
Just my ?? tuppence worth..lol..will look that word up sometime.
What I read was from searches done last year on the subject. Time moves on with more info all the time. By this time next year, maybe they will know HOW THEY HOME. I leave no lights on at night but I feed 5 times between sunrise and sunset.
How great the thirst of Knowledge Connie.
The art of being wise is to know how to use Knowledge.
You will either be brill ... or so confused that it will set you back ... like most of us from time to time.
Most importantly, know why you do anything, what you means / objectives are and what you hope to acheive.
Quickly spot what doesn't work and why ... the rest then is easy lol. ... After you have worked out what and why works with which systems. But euzubelence, will get you far. Healthy birds, every thing else follows. That is the biggest secret in flying, there isn't any thing else ... except getting a system that is easy to do within your means!
Then watch out Ron.
LOL. Roly, I will likely be so confused that it will set me back. Just to understand what everyone was saying about eyesign I had to combine Jack B's book and MikeV's article on eyes and then I could finally 'see'. I have even been asked to grade some birds this year, by a non believer. LOL.
Did I ever show you the letter Jack Barkel posted on his site, about the eyes I had graded? 'Sam' had posted some of his bird's eyes and as Jack was busy, I graded them for him. ( We do that on the site) I guess he complained to Jack. I guess a lot of fanciers don't follow Jack's teachings so they can not understand what I'm saying, so now I seldom grade, only privately. LOL.
*****
Jack's post:
Subject: Connie the eye sign woman.
March 21, 2005
Hello Sam and All,
Let me say that Connie is way ahead of many eye sign people that have been at the game for years, who profess to have found something special in the eye that no one else knows about. She has even been asked to pay the expenses for one of these experts to go to Canada and evaluate her pigeons.
If you put that person on a stage with Connie, and did a real test I know who would come out of it with lots of egg on their face and it would not be Connie. Sam the chapter on eye sign in the book, will only point you in the right direction, showing you where to look and what to look for. The thing that makes this a useful asset is practice. Connie spends most of her time looking into pigeons eyes, and as they say practice makes perfect.
She has a great grasp and understanding of the subject, and if she wishes to reply to answer questions on eye sign, I am delighted to sit back and listen to what one of my protégés has to say in answer to the questions.
I am here to help where I can and will always be there to help, but it is great for me to be able to sit back and read answers that I believe in, and feel those answers are beneficial to other readers of the SAPML.
Well done Connie, one of the greatest Iridologists I know is a woman, I have learned a lot from her, and you are the first woman I know that has turned this art into selecting racing pigeons. I have no doubt it will not be long before Canadian fanciers will be seeking your indulgence.
Keep at it, and WELL DONE.
Jack
*******
{http://mysite.mweb.co.za/residents/jackbarkel,http://mysite.mweb.co.za/residents/jackbarkel}
Egg on faces eh! Keeping mind tightly under the sitting pair lol
Hi Connie
I think I said something the same a year or so ago in relation to your progress in the study of eyesign. Just remember, if pigeon racing is 100, eyesign is only 5 of that 100.
Connie, in my experience leaving the lights on in the loft when the races get over 300 miles is a good idea. The birds can eat around the clock if you leave enough feed. Forget the moon. Not a factor in distance racing. Better strategy after the race showing full moon to the competition. Well fed and conditioning is. Lets race. Bye BillyT
Yes Mike you did, Thank You.
You and your article really helped me 'see the light' of what I was looking at / for in the bird's eyes. Not only what I wanted to breed but what I wanted to look for in my racers. Until then I had some good headaches with the subject.
I just added up my Club positions in 05 OBs and it goes like this:
4 wins, 6 seconds, 3 thirds, 3 fourth and 2 fifth places (1 was the only bird I sent to Hearst for a 5th)No score for the Long Lac though because the only bird I sent was the red I bought back from the EOC one loft race and he took almost a week getting here. LOL. He will go again next year to LL, God willing.
Not too bad, flying 3-5 birds a race usually, against a couple of really good flyers.
BillyT, Do you not worry about burning out your birds with that much light? (Not being critical, just curious)
No way Connie, the more you can pack in the feed, vits,suppliments, etc at the distance earlier in the week the better the stamina and results. Even the sprinters can then handle the distance. Lets race. Bye BillyT
Well I personally feel that once the 'Cup' is full the rest runneth over.
Granted as it empty's it can be re - filled I guess.
Connie..congrats on your club results..I am sure if one of my old club members had those results we wouldn't have to split the club so He can now get results like yours..lol
Personaly I would have rather You and Mike had
taught him some of your Eyesign theories and I wouldn't have had these problems?
I could have kept getting beat and thought it was just because I didn't Know eneogh about eyesign..lol
Just My thoughts..lol
Hi Jimm,
Thanks. Sorry this is so long
I doubt if even eyesign could have helped your club member. LOL. My last years' Old birds were not Eyesign birds. They were just my left- overs that did not get picked for breeding racer/ breeders when we started breeding with ES this year. They were bred for me mostly by my son, with birds he had been using since 1999. A kinda hodge- podge mix. In their YB year, they did not do much in the EOC or the club, but I have been told I baby my birds with how they fly. In OB with the EOC and club, they did OK as yearlings, even making it to the 60's and 70's placings and the above Club results.
Next year (to me) they will officially be classed as OBs- 3 years old and I can't wait for the races in the spring so they can strut their stuff. These same birds did nothing as YBs and in a normal loft would be in birdie heaven right now. All my good birds on the YB sheets from last year were in the stock loft this time around as ES breeders. The hubby thought I was off my head racing what he said should have been scraped after YBs and keeping my better ones back to breed from.
I am leaning towards all the people that breed from their best as having a good point. But I am starting to think ES helps find those good ones before it is too late and also saves time by mating them together correctly. My hubby could vouch for that as he still says his non eye sign birds were the better birds this year. He says his Good ones, would have beat mine but they got lost in the races. (But they are somehow better) It can take years off the selection process.
Here are this year's ES bred YBs results while flying in a club with 18 flyers. Our clock only holds 12 spots, divided by the 2 races each week and we leave 1 hour and 1/2 early just to clock off in time. I was thinking of getting an eclock for next year but unfortunately there is a limit of 10 set per race now (I 've heard second hand any way).
North Bay-
club- 15/ 279 birds- 11th, 25, 71, 72, 73
combine 405 birds- 22nd, 48th, 105, 107, and 108
Mattawa-
club, 11/ 231 birds- 19th, 30, 34, 43, 49, 59, 61
combine, 642 birds- 35th, 66, 74, 101, 155, 179, and 181
Martin River club 10/275 birds, 50th, 51, 60, 61, 105
combine, 455 birds 85th, 86, 97, 98, 152.
North Bay club 13/ 93 birds 11th, 12, 13, 14, 18, 28, 33.
combine, 217 birds, 29th, 31, 32, 33, 38, 54, 62
Average so far... sitting 5th place.
Champion Loft points... sitting 13th.
Mattawa 113 birds, 36 clocked in race time.
Ours (17) were 11th, and 30th.
combine 325 birds, 61th and 103.
Temagami 295 birds, 70 clocked in race time.
Ours (10) 23 and 59th.
Combine 37th and 87. We only had 9 birds on the day but Sunday morning they started arriving home.
(One poor hen came out of the North, like a jet. She was just ahead of the orange/ black rolling clouds. Poor thing just beat the rain, then it came down in buckets for the 3rd time today, Sat. 3/ 05. Her number won't show up on the race sheet, 11345 as the clock was already full.) MY FUTURE COMBINE WINNER- maybe a cock bird now. LOL.
Temagami
Club: 10/ 86 birds total 23 29 30 32 33 35
Combine 163 birds 42 54 60 62 64 66 100% returned.
New Liskeard
Club: 9/ 187 birds 54 66 68 72
Combine: 347 115 145 148 158
Missing 1 late late bred and 'the pool guy'.
Martin River 17/ 80 birds club- 8th, 11 12 18 23 25 30
combine- 201- 31st, 37 39 52 60 62 76.
Engelhart 4th loft to clock- 11/ 194 birds club- 8th, 43, 58
combine- 380 birds- 40th, 83, 108.
(Notes from my Diary)
Well only 4 more races to go. Good thing (for the hubby). It was raining on Saturday. When the birds got home they roof-landed and shook some water off. The hubby was in the bathroom when the first bird 11345 got home, so he trapped OK, after he shook and preened a bit.
The next 2 birds followed him home and hubby got upset when they sat to shake some water off. They look up to the sky and watch 3 birds from the second race arrive home. They also sit and shake.
Out comes the ladder. Up hubby goes. He goes to one end of the roof, trying to herd them to the center traps and they fly to the other end. Back and forth they go. I was really tempted to go knock him off the roof this time but I did not because some one had to stay on the ground for the other birds that were returning. LOL. But it was close.
Hubby gets even madder and comes down the ladder. He hits the ground and a hawk skrikes. The birds scatter. I go stand in front of the aviery and the birds come back after a while.
After a couple more birds it was time to leave for strike off. The joys of young bird racing with my hubby. LOL.
*****
Marten River club, 8/ 80- 12, 13, 17
combine 115 birds- 30 31 35
99% return on the day in pouring rain.
Temagami club 6/ 58- 1st, 20, 21, 27, 28
combine 162 birds- 1st 46 47 57 60
100 % return on the day in pouring rain.
09/18/2005 20:20:19 Golden Triangle
Temagami Sept 17
Race Date09/17/2005 Members/Flyer 8: Release Weather:Sunny & calm
Release Time:9:30:00 Birds:58 Arrival Weather
vercast & rain
Pos Member/Flyer Name Ring/Band No ColSx BrdDistancearClockedToWin VelocitNom
1 C Steacy 05 CU 11345 LCH 6 417.908 8 15:48:20 0:00 1104.9355
2 R Parks 05 CUGTR 5081 BC 7 378.439-1 15:15:51 3:44 1094.2061
3 A Jenkins 05 CUOTT 5527 R 10 402.517-4 15:39:14 5:13 1089.9758
4 T Saunders 05 CUGTR 5375 BB 11 379.729 1515:26:19 13:40 1066.0263
5 R Parks 05 CUGTR 5063 BB 2 378.439-1 15:25:28 14:21 1064.6043
6 G Strader 05 CUOTT 5594 MEAL 8 414.272-8 16:00:24 15:45 1060.8345
7 A Jenkins 05 CUGTR 5562 BLKC 2 402.517-4 15:50:15 16:39 1058.4000
8 R & E Ridder 05 AU 3774 BC 10 359.586 2 15:17:17 25:22 1035.4678
9 R & E Ridder 05 CU 10025 BB 2 359.586 2 15:17:19 25:24 1035.3684
10 R & E Ridder 05 CU 10045 BCWF 3 359.586 2 15:17:20 25:25 1035.3188
11 T Saunders 05 CUGTR 5325 BCHP 3 379.729 1515:37:26 25:54 1033.7672
12 T Saunders 05 CUOTT 5558 BCH 2 379.729 1515:37:26 25:54 1033.7672
13 R & E Ridder 05 CUBLRI 0657 BC 4 359.586 2 15:18:08 26:21 1032.9396
14 Rosedale Lofts 05 CU 0151 BLK 2 375.956 2 15:35:58 28:34 1027.3363
15 R & E Ridder 05 CU 10001 BBWF 5 359.586 2 15:20:07 28:40 1027.0880
16 R Parks 05 CUGTR 5096 BCWF 3 378.439-1 15:41:41 32:15 1018.1559
17 R & E Ridder 05 CU 10017 BB 6 359.586 2 15:33:16 43:56 989.9071
18 Serenity Loft 05 CUGTR 5103 BCWF 4 360.126-1415:38:55 50:09 975.9153
19 R Parks 05 CUGTR 5085 BC 4 378.439-1 16:00:2652:58 969.2611
20 C Steacy 05 CU 28354 BB 2 417.908 8 16:41:56 53:35 967.7964
21 C Steacy 05 CU 28360 BC 3 417.908 8 16:42:06 53:45 967.4231
22 R & E Ridder 05 AU 10051 BB 7 359.586 2 15:44:06 56:32 961.2402
23 R & E Ridder 05 CU 10041 BC 8 359.586 2 15:46:53 59:46 954.1412
24 R & E Ridder 05 CU 10022 BC 9 359.586 2 15:48:09 61:14 950.9450
25 Serenity Loft 05 CUGTR 5134 BBWF 2 360.126-1415:50:05 63:06 947.2483
26 R Parks 05 CUGTR 5075 BB 5 378.439-1 16:24:53 79:58 912.1410
27 C Steacy 05 CU 28371 BC 4 417.908 8 17:10:36 82:15 907.5531
28 T Saunders 05 CUFLA 0199 BCH 4 379.729 1516:32:09 86:07 899.7523
29 C Steacy 05 CU 28374 BC 5 417.908 8 17:21:03 92:42 887.4163
30 G Strader 05 CUGTR 5282 MEAL 2 414.272-8 17:20:02 96:05 881.1363
31 T Saunders 05 CUGTR 5366 BCH 5 379.729 1516:45:10 100:27 872.8344
32 G Strader 05 CUGTR 5270 GRIZ 3 414.272-8 17:25:05 101:11 871.7715
33 T Saunders 05 CUFLA 0194 BCHP 6 379.729 1516:46:58 102:26 869.2383
34 R Parks 05 CUGTR 5086 MEAL 6 378.439-1 16:53:41 111:46 852.9336
35 T Saunders 05 CUFLA 0192 BC 7 379.729 1517:29:42 149:2 8791.7914
36 T Saunders 05 CUGTR 5365 BB 8 379.729 1517:29:44 149:30 791.7364
37 A Jenkins 05 CUGTR 5615 GRIZ 3 402.517-4 18:08:47 160:29 775.7907
38 Serenity Loft 05 CU 10086 BC 3 360.126-1417:14:12 160:43 775.6235
39 A Jenkins 05 CUGTR 5582 GRIZ 4 402.517-4 18:22:03 174:15 756.4477
40 R & E Ridder 05 CU 10039 BB 10359.586 2 17:30:12 179:50 748.8501
LOFTS THAT DID NOT MAKE THE BOARD
First YB race win at Steacy Family Lofts. #11345 is out of two of my 'The Very Best' rated eye birds. It's the nest mate to the other bird, 11346, that I sent to the Le Tour, it was lost.
11345 WON THE COMBINE PART OF THE RACE TOO!!!
My bird beat 2 other birds, both by 2:24 minutes. (eClocked)
Wow what a year!!! We had a bird survive Le Tour for 6th, 8th and 9th. We won a club race. We also won a Combine race.
La Sarre- special- we flew in the
East 10/ 106 birds- 33 37 38 39 52 53 55, if we had of flown with West we would have been 2nd.
Overall- 197 birds- 34 43 44 46 80 81 87