Post-Season Recovery
- Race birds — complete rest, no training
- Maintenance feeding, not performance feeding
- Daily free exercise at cool hours (early morning)
- Passive monitoring — observe without intervening
The Summer Moult
- The annual moult begins in July for most birds
- First feathers drop — not a disease, it is a natural cycle
- Nutrition adapted to the moult: amino acids (methionine, cystine), biotin, zinc
- Higher protein feed 25–30% to support the growth of new feathers
In brief: The quality of plumage from the moult determines performance in the next season. The investment in nutrition now shows in next spring's races.
Spring Youngsters
- Spring youngsters are 3–4 months old now — they fly freely and orientate
- First local training: 5–20 km
- Evaluate orientation and motivation to return home
- Drop youngsters with orientation problems or health issues from the team
Heat Management
- Loft ventilation — install extra mesh if needed
- Cold water available all day
- Reducing density — crowding + heat = risk of respiratory disease
- Do not train youngsters between 10am–6pm on heatwave days
Warning: July is the month with the highest risk of respiratory infections. Mycoplasma and Chlamydia thrive in the heat. Any bird with noisy breathing is isolated immediately.
Health in July
- External deworming (lice, mites) — heat multiplies them
- Check and treat nestboxes with acaricide
- Liver-support supplement after the season of medications
Concrete Action Steps
- Special moult supplement from 1 July
- External antiparasitic treatment mid-month
- First training for youngsters: 5 km → 20 km progressively
- Check and clean the loft weekly