roundbout tips and ways

Lads I didnt want to hyjack the post about naturals and got on to the roundabout, Please leave any tips or info about your roundabout system, pairing dates e.c.t as Im wanting to learn it. As I am doing it this year and havent got a clue
.lol
Things like pairing dates and do,s and dont,s please.
Thanks

pair the same time as normal rear a round of yb then seperate them cocks in the nest box section hen in a seperate section so they can,t pair up let the cocks out first then get them in to the hens section push the hens through to the cocks section and let them out when the hens are out push the cocks through to there own section .

always have partner waiting for birds when they return

if possible have a spare cock for each racing hen and same spare hen for racing cock

we tried to race both and soon as they return with no partner waiting they only do this once or twice and there season will be over as tehy will sulk

i send my cocks and hens every week mostly and have had birds with 2 and 3 wins and mine do,nt sulk,what i do is just let whatever returns first show up to each other,ih should only take minutes before you have a few back so you should be able to do it.if you start locking them up in their boxes straigth away then yes this weill happen.this is the way we get round this

i got 2 sections next to eachother with a wire door divider....would you block that door off on roundabout ray so they cant see eachother....toying with the idea of roundabout as oppose to widow

I think this is a system once again, that no two fanciers do the same, it does not have to be as regimental as widowhood systems and does not have be treated as such. I am not a fan of locking birds up but hens sections I do not like them to be too spacious or comfortable as this will stop them pairing up.
Once again we are using sex as a motivation tool, I find with this system it keeps both sexes on their toes and they must always be made aware of the opposite sex in the next section.
They can see, they can hear, they can smell the opposite sex.
But they cannot touch.
Get it right and you wont have too usher the hens into the cocks section, they will race to get into there.
As with any system, you have to pay strict attention to your birds, as your success is their motivation.
It's a bit like the donkey and the carrot trick.
There are many variations of the same system, but the birds natural desire to breed is their drive.
Little hatches with mesh windows and sliding shutters are good when strategically placed, especially when placed near extra motivation perches which are placed parallel to each other so both cocks and hens in their sections will fight for that perch just for glimpse of each other.
These are what we call the pooling perches, for obvious reasons.
Its all trial and error, don't be afraid to try new things, its a fun system, the reason I like it is that no birds are wasted.
If your birds sulk, there is a reason.
If you don't know the reason you are not paying enough attention.
Even if you lose birds it does not affect the system.
Apply some thought, alter the routine, most of all have fun with it.

oldstrain wrote:

i got 2 sections next to eachother with a wire door divider....would you block that door off on roundabout ray so they cant see eachother....toying with the idea of roundabout as oppose to widow

the cocks and hens must,nt se each other untill friday the day of basketing.do,nt get me wrong i have had hens come in with the cocks when excerising,the hens go away for ages and somtimetimes you have,ny got the time to wait for them so we let the cocks out and the hens will have to fly longer,this has,nt affected the hens as we have still scored with hens doing this,sometimes i think the hens know what they are doing lol by flying longer they know they will get their cock,even though it might just be for seconds.i think this also helps them stay happy and even more motiavated.gone are the days when we used to wait for hens to return,if they are not back after an hour or so ,out go the cocks.plus our hens get loads of rest with us locking them up all day and night.some do the same with the cocks ,lock them up in their boxes but not us as yet but we have concidered this also

thanks for the replys ray and gaz

ray do you let the cocks and hens mix before basketing or just on return or both i know this is obviously optional

Gaz b wrote:

I think this is a system once again, that no two fanciers do the same, it does not have to be as regimental as widowhood systems and does not have be treated as such. I am not a fan of locking birds up but hens sections I do not like them to be too spacious or comfortable as this will stop them pairing up.
Once again we are using sex as a motivation tool, I find with this system it keeps both sexes on their toes and they must always be made aware of the opposite sex in the next section.
They can see, they can hear, they can smell the opposite sex.
But they cannot touch.
Get it right and you wont have too usher the hens into the cocks section, they will race to get into there.
As with any system, you have to pay strict attention to your birds, as your success is their motivation.
It's a bit like the donkey and the carrot trick.
There are many variations of the same system, but the birds natural desire to breed is their drive.
Little hatches with mesh windows and sliding shutters are good when strategically placed, especially when placed near extra motivation perches which are placed parallel to each other so both cocks and hens in their sections will fight for that perch just for glimpse of each other.
These are what we call the pooling perches, for obvious reasons.
Its all trial and error, don't be afraid to try new things, its a fun system, the reason I like it is that no birds are wasted.
If your birds sulk, there is a reason.
If you don't know the reason you are not paying enough attention.
Even if you lose birds it does not affect the system.
Apply some thought, alter the routine, most of all have fun with it.

BVoss looks like i need to do a DVD of you and your systems

oldstrain wrote:

thanks for the replys ray and gaz

ray do you let the cocks and hens mix before basketing or just on return or both i know this is obviously optional

Remember reading an article by Ronnie Bigwood of TBO partnership about Hens and he said when they are on form all they need is the race rubber on and they know the cock is waiting for them

yes i suppose once they get used to the system thats all that is required

oldstrain wrote:

thanks for the replys ray and gaz

ray do you let the cocks and hens mix before basketing or just on return or both i know this is obviously optional

i let mine see each other on the friday before they go away and also when they come back.i lock the cocks in their boxes first then let the hens in

thanks ray

Thanks lads a lot of info for me to take in...keep it coming the more discussions about it the better as everyones got great and different ways.

Rudderfett wrote:

Thanks lads a lot of info for me to take in...keep it coming the more discussions about it the better as everyones got great and different ways.

Martyn this is the reason why this site is the best out there

ray do you lock yer hens up or do they just have v-perchs and grill on floor

lock them up darren,we used to wait till maybe a wednesday but they where that fresh they started to pair to each other straight away,so now we lock them up from sundays onwards.we clean them out twice a day as well to keep them in perfect condition.we do,nt feed them in their boxes anymore though,we use troughs

ah rite i see ray makes sense m8 thankyou for all your replies

When you say lock them up Ray what do you mean, are they kept in a nest box with food and water all day after exercise?

well after some careful consideration will be flying widow this season and give roundabout a pop next year maybe ,i need to make things as simple as possible what with having a young family and need to consider them aswell its easy to let the birds takeover not going to let that happen atb

Rudderfett wrote:

When you say lock them up Ray what do you mean, are they kept in a nest box with food and water all day after exercise?

no they are locked up with just water ,not any food.they get fed before we lock them up.i did,nt like locking them up at first but with cleaning them out twice a day they are in fantastic condition plus it has,nt harmed them one bit,it was our hens which flew the best for us barr a few cocks.our widowhood hens where on grills in their boxes but the roundabout just bare floors,but they are in much bigger boxes which again i think helps them to keep in condition..like i said we feed via troughs as much as they need then locked up

oldstrain wrote:

well after some careful consideration will be flying widow this season and give roundabout a pop next year maybe ,i need to make things as simple as possible what with having a young family and need to consider them aswell its easy to let the birds takeover not going to let that happen atb

wise choice darren, pigeons can very easily take over your life before you realise it........