your thoughts please

my birds have been together 18 days now 38 pair racers 9 pair stock, my loft faces north and is made of stone, 18in thick walls pantiled roof with large sky lights,with aviarys on the front, all birds have been treated and fed the same, apart from the racers fly out, all stock laid within 8 to 10 days and only 1 race hen 10 days, all birds are imaculate and in very good health, race birds still go out for exercise on good days if they want to, and fly well but no more eggs, i had same problem last year,i decided to part them, and re-paire them for channel raceing in may, of which they flew well, and after that they bred like mice, in better weather, so i think the loft is to blame ?, what do you think. ps if no eggs by weekend i shall part them and not bother.  

do you let your racers pick there on mates

stormqueen wrote:

do you let your racers pick there on mates

YES BUT THEY ALL GOT TOGETHER IN 2 DAYS

well its not that.
for the last 6 years now we have done this. with our racers. and we just could not catch the stock birds eggs to put under them.
was told this year by one of your cub mates . to put the hen in the box with the cock.
and just watch them. so will be trying that this year.
cant help you there mate.  

I THINK ITS THE LACK OF SUNSHINE BECAUSE THE LOFT FACES NORTH, AND THE SUN DONT GET HIGH ENOUGH THIS TIME OF YEAR

THANKS ANYWAY STORMQUEEN

all right we have not paired up yet.
so we might have problems ourself.
but best of luck with them.#john

ive heard others having the same problem dont be fooled by all who have eggs and y/b a lot use heat and lights

the weather and air preasure over the last 2 weeks has changed so many times

p.s how many wild birds have you seen paired up and building nest

ANSWER none

i have seen wood pigeons getting on with it, but you have a valid point  

i have just let mine go together what ever way they  want  they will usually be slower going down but i aint in no great hurry  its still very cold  and with all this rain about  its not great  for man nor beast i might add mine have not flown out since september   as i like my yearlings sitting before they go out too many s/hks hanging about

i see what you say sean but my birds are all in the same loft same treatment same food same, yearlings to 5 year olds no eggs, stock all laid as should, strange?

hi edgie, what i do about a month before paring i really ration there food
as they have just been sat in the loft all winter from september , i also like you let them choose there partners as i find its more easier and not to stressfull for me and the birds . ive not paired up yet waiting for this wet weather to go away first i think its
not stoped raining here since xmas im way behind on my jobs to do just can,t get out and do them . any way hope it works out for you .

my stock loft faces north edgie and all have laid I do have heaters but have not used them...but kev makes a valid point about feeding and mine were on 100% barley for 2 weeks prior to pairing ...you could try giving some hemp or hemp oil on the corn but of course you don't want to overdo it ...atb hope you have some change of luck and see some eggs soon

I seem to have no trouble breeding every year and have a lot of youngsters about 100 each year, However this year my pigeons paired up perfectly but didn't lay like last year.

Last year I had eggs 10 days but this year only a few laid that quick but most took 14 and longer, so what Im saying is each year is different and it could be just one of those things, for me I know the problem because Im experienced, the problem for me has been the time!!!
Every year I pair 14th feb but this year because I don't want to do darkness anymore I have paired over a month earlier and that's the problem.

I have now got 40 hatched out youngsters and only 2 clear eggs but they were slow and its the time of year to blame, I do agree with others sunshine plays a part in the birds hormones and its needed.

One thing this year has lacked its SUN we seem to have just had cloudy rainy days with over cast skys, it should be colder but that means its usually clear and sunny, sun is the key and we haven't had much, so If you loft isn't set up to catch the rays when they do come, I would say that's one big problem.

My loft faces the morning sun east, and with clear pan tiles the sun comes in all day the birds are out in the avary as well and get more sun that way too.

no disrespect to your answers lads but are you reading my post properly,i am a very experianced fancier, they all face the same way, they all get fed the same ,they all live in same loft, same conditions, races no eggs, stock no probs, what is the reason ? out of any i would say races were fitter as they fly out.  

edgie wrote:

no disrespect to your answers lads but are you reading my post properly,i am a very experianced fancier, they all face the same way, they all get fed the same ,they all live in same loft, same conditions, races no eggs, stock no probs, what is the reason ? out of any i would say races were fitter as they fly out.  

edgie reading your post again the only thing I would think is that the birds flying out have no interest in going to nest just like the wild birds wonder ifg u had kept them in for a couple of weeks before letting them pair might have been different sean

Edgie, maybe their just carrying on with the habbit they learnt last year,
ie breeding later in the year, and your stock are doing what they did last year,
think nature has its cycles.

edgie wrote:

I THINK ITS THE LACK OF SUNSHINE BECAUSE THE LOFT FACES NORTH, AND THE SUN DONT GET HIGH ENOUGH THIS TIME OF YEAR

Not much I can say to help Edgie     "Unfortunately" Thou !!!!! trust me when I say. Sunshine      etc really does get the hormones ticking over, when you let the birds out to play.  

yes knackerd it always makes you feel better  

Hi ;any chance of a photo or two of the loft where your having the problem inside please ;

killer wrote:

Hi ;any chance of a photo or two of the loft where your having the problem inside please ;

dont know how to do them mate sorry.