nightmare begins

Started to pair the yearlings to day and settle them in to their new boxes can't wait for the fighting to start

I just left mine to it mark, let them pick their own mates...........eggs took quite a while to arrive but it was worth it because very little fighting.

Can't do it Dave I've got this thing about pairing for shape and size think I need counseling

I think we all do mark, being a pigeon man is an illness..........

markevans wrote:

Can't do it Dave I've got this thing about pairing for shape and size think I need counseling

MMMMMMMmmmmmmmmm "Shape & size"     Sends me back etc to my courting days somehow for some reason.

markevans wrote:

Can't do it Dave I've got this thing about pairing for shape and size think I need counseling

we all like a pair with a bit of shape and size

oldstrain wrote:

markevans wrote:

Can't do it Dave I've got this thing about pairing for shape and size think I need counseling

we all like a pair with a bit of shape and size

Careful I know the hedgehogs are right up our a**e here etc but we may have to watch ourselves with this one regards posts or a few may finish up on the banned list here.
That's it, the   is gone.  

decided after much deliberation not to pair at all this year but good luck to all members whatever shape and size you go for I hope you breed plenty of winners

markevans wrote:

Started to pair the yearlings to day and settle them in to their new boxes can't wait  for the fighting to start

Fun days hey Mark one box open at a time

After a day in the race loft and stock loft I need some were soft and quite to go

we leave our race cocks in there sections till january 31st then move them to the hens section and let hens go to the race section where the cocks were they soon pick a box then we open the door 14th feb or close to 99% of the hens will stay in that box and the cocks that been there all winter will pair to them a lot les hassel then we bring the stock eggs to the race birds some of the races we do breed off we find the yearlings settle better and eggs are laid within 10 days all the way through the lofts some a bit quicker the odd one later we have 42 pairs this year and all laid withing 12 days i dont think forcing widdowhood birds to take the hen you provide is right would you like someone to pick your mrs lol but happy birds should be winning birds

I only raced 12 cocks so kept 14 widow hens incase some cocks didnt take a fancy to certain hens. About a month before pairing up I'd lock the cocks in one half of their box and let the hens in to the widowhood loft on a saturday afternoon just before dusk. Sunday morning shift the hens out and after a few weeks they had picked their own mates. Week before pairing used to open boxes and make sure they were all happy and no fighting. This was the week I would lock hens in one half box overnight then split again on sunday morning. Once paired no locking in boxes, fighting or messing about little pots of water. Yes it took a bit effort but no real problem with just 12 pair and they were all on eggs in about 10 days so just picked a few to try youngins off and floated single reared off stock under the others for feeders. Liked cocks to rear one yb each before racing and took hens away before they laid second round. Get a few training chucks in on drive to the hen but dont have her lay infront the cock. This way the cocks were kind of always on drive for the season. Only raced cocks but they raced as a team.

you have to try things yourself barnie following in suit is 2 years or more behind somethings may seem daft but try um as you do and see what happens theres no rules in this game for motivation

birdy2011 wrote:

we leave our race cocks in there sections till january 31st then move them to the hens section and let hens  go to the race section where the cocks were they soon pick a box then we open the door 14th feb or close to 99% of the hens will stay in that box and the cocks  that been there all winter will pair to them a lot les hassel then we bring the stock eggs to the race birds some of the races we do breed off we find the yearlings settle better and eggs are laid within 10 days all the way through the lofts some a bit quicker the odd one later we have 42 pairs this year and all laid withing 12 days i dont think forcing widdowhood birds to take the hen you provide is right would you like someone to pick your mrs lol but happy birds should be winning birds

G your spot on again

But you have plenty of stock which allows you to breed and get the required gene pool which allows you to allow the birds to pick there own hens if you float the stock eggs

You lucky man