How best to get stock birds in the best condition for breeding

[NeilA]

Yes totally understand
My stock don’t get the light like I want they face west but also have a large willow tree 12 m infront of them plus a solid aviary roof so far from ideal

[MIL]

Dave

Pigeon that exercise reguarly will naturally be "fitter" than prisoner stock. That's obvious

However, Stock birds can and should still be in excellent condition.

My Stock birds would glide through your hands like silk. So silky you could drop them

As they don't exercise it's important to keep an eye on the diet, and a total must is the constant use of avaries.

I'd have mine on barley/depurative once they were through the moult until 10-12 days before mating. Then they'd hit a more meatier mix

If I had no aviary then I wouldn't keep prisoners, my Stock would fly out.

There's no temperature too cold for the birds to be out in the aviary. Even if it were -10 I'd still bang em out.

Fresh air never hurt man nor beast

[NeilA]

Agree Mike
Temperature wouldn’t stop fit pigeons pairing
Isn’t natural breeding station pretty open

[Diamond Dave]

Dave

Pigeon that exercise reguarly will naturally be "fitter" than prisoner stock. That's obvious

However, Stock birds can and should still be in excellent condition.

My Stock birds would glide through your hands like silk. So silky you could drop them

As they don't exercise it's important to keep an eye on the diet, and a total must is the constant use of avaries.

I'd have mine on barley/depurative once they were through the moult until 10-12 days before mating. Then they'd hit a more meatier mix

If I had no aviary then I wouldn't keep prisoners, my Stock would fly out.

There's no temperature too cold for the birds to be out in the aviary. Even if it were -10 I'd still bang em out.

Fresh air never hurt man nor beast

Do you leave them in the aviary overnight Mike? Should I force them to spend the daytime in the aviary? At the mo, I leave it up to the birds to go in and out as they please.

[MIL]

I never left them out overnight. That was just for my security/peace of mind I guess

At this time of year when they aren't paired/sitting then yes I'd bang em out in the aviary and not allow them back in

You can always put a drinker in the aviary for water if you so choose

[Andy]

My hens have access to an aviary all winter. But if I shut them out I would have a sparrow hawk sat on it. Occasionally they won’t come out into the aviary and I know a hawk has frightened them in.

[Murray]

In Bendigo where everything flew every day, the old stock birds were as fit as young birds. They laid on time, hatched pretty much 100% and raise supeb babies.
They are back in their old loft, many are back in the same nest boxes, but the "valuable" ones are still locked up so I dont lose any more.
Some are doing great, raising super babies, but some are slow laying, or raising singles and a few aren't doing as good a job of raising them. They just aren't as happy.

[Diamond Dave]

Thank you everyone - I love this site and really appreciate all this extensive knowledge that everyone gives so freely.
Hope everyone has a very happy and healthy new year.

[Trev]

Good to see that you got some decent answers and suggestions Dave, I hope breeding goes well for you mate. I always used to float my first round eggs under my race birds, not only did it mean the racers had reared at least one baby it meant I could get a second round out of my stock birds nice and quickly.
I don't like having prisoner stock birds as I personally don't think they breed as well, having said that of course most of the top lofts and studs are probably all prisoners so they must do ok. I have had a few prisoners over the last few years but I don't think I've got the best out of them, my problem is that I don't have a flight for them and the shed is too small and dark. I will have some again this year but hope to get a bit of a flight on the shed before I get them.

[Diamond Dave]

Thanks Trev and good luck to you with yours too mate.