Winter breeding.

Some eggs today. Stock birds.

Having completely open loft all year round and never separating them one or two would go down in the Winter period but most did not.

Bred very good pigeon one year in October from a pair a young friend wanted a pair from and I let hatch and bring up.


Think if separated you can put them together at anytime and they will breed.

Depends entirely on your intentions regarding racing etc;

If fed properly I do not think the weather has any influence on the quality or ability of the young.

Good Luck.


Regards.

Works well every year for some birds. Some stock are just young birds so probably will not go down for a while. No matter. All through the moult without a problem. Light system for the young. June 15 longest day. Keep them on that period of light until finished racing. No stress.

MISTY wrote:

Having completely open loft all year round and never separating  them one or two would go down in the Winter period but most did not.

Bred very good pigeon one year in October from a pair a young friend wanted a pair from and I let hatch and bring up.


Think if separated you can put them together at anytime and they will breed.

Depends entirely on your intentions regarding racing etc;

If fed properly I  do not think the weather has any influence on the quality or ability of the young.

Good Luck.


Regards.
 

Must agree on average with you Misty . in days of old many here bred in winter "June/July" to have early type youngsters for Y/Bds etc. Y/Bd racing has long gone here "March/April" so not as many bother with breeding as early now. End of the day thou healthy pigeons breed healthy youngsters as such & the weather factor is just a small part of the jig saw puzzle I suggest on average.

ive some on eggs now, just deciding weather to hatch them or smash them........

Depends how many David and how many you have room for in your plans, good idea to keep all happy let them all hatch and just pick the few best reared.

Too any, Bad Idea.

Good Luck.

Regards.

Agree with that statement. Other factors here are the bitter cold days. Loft is not heated. Parents have to be on the ball. Hence with young in the nest feed always available. So they do not leave the nest to eat. Are those parents raising better young birds? Do not know yet.

Some sun. Stock getting air.

If you could go by looks and condition alone Hal, you would have it cracked, but it does not always go that way for numerous reasons, but by gum it helps.


Regards.

Racers picked by the eye. Mine!! Easier to see white ones!! Age thingy!!

True Misty. I think Hal would agree. They are certainly beautiful to the ete, that's for sure. Envious here !
Mind I was always conscious of the pigeons looks etc. I thought, believed, that if you are going to keep the pigeons A. the neighbours would appreciate the birds better if in fine fettle ESPECIALLY the colourful ones!
B. me likewise. I prefer to have good pigeon that look the part ... harder to do in many respects. Is a long and patientt game that. Think we all have ones that are agreeable to the eye. So I went for those.

A book came out in Belguim, 2005 I believe that gave the lokks, wieght sizes etc. etc. of very many national and top class pigeons. The result over whelmingly proved that good pigeons come in all shapes and sizes and colours.

I tend to feel that that the Canadian birds have a slight edge on ours regards looks and some velocities. The reason being the air is better than ours... The lakes are like oceans etc and the vast crops. The wheat etc. also helps the bouency in flight.

You only have to look in the present sports publications, Daz, to see that the best pigeons vary in EVERY aspect.

Some completely devoid of the attributes the EXPERTS say are necessary, good job too or the sport would not be what it is.


Regards.

The most important things for our birds' health are ALL Free! Including Fresh Air and Clean water. Best from a spring or well... know a club that clean out a Well 2 /3 times a week on a Rota. Benefits galore. Mole Hills. Fantastic... if one wants to spend 10 minutes 3 times a week.
Any such whims one wants are vastly cheaper at the Super Markets. Yeah my Jams juice is / are never wasted. Bottled or frozen. Kids love the bottled too... Has every goodness there is … even energy for racing. Coupled with Groats What Ho!
What are ALL energy drinks? Coffee and sugar with flavouring!
In Belgium where they basket in morning Most birds were / are feed a coffee bean or two. No good here as they would dance all night and sleep in the morning lol.

Of course you are right Daz, Nature if treated in the right manner cannot be beaten for the benefit of any animal in all respects.

But then what would the commercial boys do?

I am afraid over the years the commercial boys have done a very good job of turning the management of our sport and the pigeons in particular into in many cases ROBOTS.

There is far more money involved in the commercial side than the basic sport.

Have a bunch of cress from a spring cost nothing, but no far better to go and buy a load of drugs and aids to win etc; that can only be eventually be detrimental to the pigeons welfare not being administered through the pigeons natural digestive system etc;

Sorry but fanciers progressively over the years have been their own worst enemy.

Regards.