anyone geting frozzen drinkers this morning

thanks amanda, very interesting reading........might try get mine down tommorrow and see what its like.

Amanda, Ian rubbing of onn you then

thanks for that amanda i have put this info in the help topic so people can see it easily whenever they want

Glad i can help lads.

weather much better had widowhood out for a much needed bath

had mine out in sun today 1 missing

is it one that was missing before

no this 1 didnt fly out it was in other side but i put her with rest when i lost 1 to make 5 prs again, will get her back seen her flying round loft, shes been outside twice went back in but didnt fly

hope so steve ,just floated all eggs off stock to widowhood loft get stock down on second round

half of mine havent had 1st round yet

when did you pair up steve i paired up 28th dec

boxing day

that was before me did you have bother with them

i gave them 3 days in split nest boxes week before, going in nest boxes together but no eggs yet 6 have 6 havent

just got to give them time steve patience

next year stock will be on garden with light and tube heater

paired up 10 days ago and still no eggs.......... some are in bowls looking as tho they are going to lay but nothing yet !!!!!

did notice today tho that whenever a cock is trying to tread the hen all the other cocks fly down and throw him off, i know they do this.........but it could be why theres no eggs yet.?

Steve, if I can give you some advice, and I may shock a few people, but here goes, It's not essential to have the lights on before breeding, believe me I've tried, more importantly is to get the birds in the best condition for winter breeding, I know a lot of people are advocating the use of lights to let the birds winter breed, but I'm different.
Also I don't blind treat for everything/anything before breeding.

Now back to your situation, you say your hens haven't laid well, slip them a dummy egg tomorrow evening between 5/7, then lay another for them two days later between 1/3, you don't have to be to precise with the second egg, but thats the time they normally lay. This will have several actions, it will relax the hens and they may lay on their own, (bring them on). It will stop the cocks from driving the hens, and again will cause calm in the loft.

when they've been sitting five days, take away the dummies and let them go through the motions again

Spot on ray brilliant info

David when i paired up i always let one pair at a time out in the morning and the lock them up in the afternoon to let a different pair out

Doing this is a bit long winded but it gives the pair time together and the cock can tread the hen correctly before being knocked of by another cock

fred holbard wrote:

Steve, if I can give you some advice, and I may shock a few people, but here goes, It's not essential to have the lights on before breeding, believe me I've tried, more importantly is to get the birds in the best condition for winter breeding, I know a lot of people are advocating the use of lights to let the birds winter breed, but I'm different.
Also I don't blind treat for everything/anything before breeding.

Now back to your situation, you say your hens haven't laid well, slip them a dummy egg tomorrow evening between 5/7, then lay another for them two days later between 1/3, you don't have to be to precise with the second egg, but thats the time they normally lay. This will have several actions, it will relax the hens and they may lay on their own, (bring them on). It will stop the cocks from driving the hens, and again will cause calm in the loft.

when they've been sitting five days, take away the dummies and let them go through the motions again

thank you for info will try that

hows the eggs going steve.....? any new arrivals yet.

im like u divid ... that whenever a cock is trying to tread the hen all the other cocks fly down and throw him off, i know they do this.........but it could be why theres no eggs yet
so i locked them all up and let one pair out at time other day and i seem to have evry pair now in nest bowls and nest done .. but got told to lock them up untill eggs r there