Breeding
Hi Jim
Welcome to the Forum and the sport in general
You'll find there's many different approaches to all forms of Management.
At my loft, once the birds had completed their moult I'd have them on a largely depurative/barley based mix and then put them onto a widowhood/breeding type mix 10 days before mating.
In terms of medication, the birds would have been wormed and treated for cocci at least 2 weeks prioor to mating
Once sitting I gave them a 5 day canker treatment in the water. By doing this I absolutely knew that the parents, when feeding the newly born squabs were 100% clean and healthy
An important part is the "pre-mating".... I used to put the hens in the box and lock the cock on the outside for "x" hours a day for 3-4 days. By doing this they start to mate without the physical interaction. By doing this you lessen the chances of the cock being hyper-aggressive towards his hen when they do have physical contact with each other
Hope this is of help
Mike
Welcome to the Forum and the sport in general
You'll find there's many different approaches to all forms of Management.
At my loft, once the birds had completed their moult I'd have them on a largely depurative/barley based mix and then put them onto a widowhood/breeding type mix 10 days before mating.
In terms of medication, the birds would have been wormed and treated for cocci at least 2 weeks prioor to mating
Once sitting I gave them a 5 day canker treatment in the water. By doing this I absolutely knew that the parents, when feeding the newly born squabs were 100% clean and healthy
An important part is the "pre-mating".... I used to put the hens in the box and lock the cock on the outside for "x" hours a day for 3-4 days. By doing this they start to mate without the physical interaction. By doing this you lessen the chances of the cock being hyper-aggressive towards his hen when they do have physical contact with each other
Hope this is of help
Mike
Hi Jim, and welcome.
You will find there are as many different replies to that as there are fanciers.
A bit depends on what sort of loft arrangement you have, and whether you are breeding from race birds or stock pigeons that are prisoners.
I am pretty casual about it, I often just let the pigeons chose their own mate and nest box, and wean the babies when they start jumping out of the box.
It is hard to get breeding pigeons wrong. They are the ultimate survivors and will just about breed underwater.
If your breeding is not going well, either the pigeons are stressed, by overcrowding or health issues, or your loft and fittings are no good. Or the hygiene is inadequate.
Pigeons will happily nest in any old box or corner, they aren't fussy. Healthy pigeons, a good diet and a box where they feel safe, they will do the rest.
You will find there are as many different replies to that as there are fanciers.
A bit depends on what sort of loft arrangement you have, and whether you are breeding from race birds or stock pigeons that are prisoners.
I am pretty casual about it, I often just let the pigeons chose their own mate and nest box, and wean the babies when they start jumping out of the box.
It is hard to get breeding pigeons wrong. They are the ultimate survivors and will just about breed underwater.
If your breeding is not going well, either the pigeons are stressed, by overcrowding or health issues, or your loft and fittings are no good. Or the hygiene is inadequate. Pigeons will happily nest in any old box or corner, they aren't fussy. Healthy pigeons, a good diet and a box where they feel safe, they will do the rest.
Greetings from the land down under.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
I think important to make sure your hens are not fat
Treat as Mike says with worming twice 12-14 days apart well in advance
I am very tight on corn now even though it’s cold there be no corn sat in my trays and I leave them Looking for more in January
About 28-30 grams I like to make them feel the winter a bit
I know there not be fat when pair feeding mostly barley ,as Mike mentioned add heavy corn near to the time
I also dry yogurt on the corn of the hens food a few days a week for about 3 weeks and I use a bit of oil on the corn two days a week
Plenty of of fresh grit and minerals daily I never leave it sat around though
Best of luck
Treat as Mike says with worming twice 12-14 days apart well in advance
I am very tight on corn now even though it’s cold there be no corn sat in my trays and I leave them Looking for more in January
About 28-30 grams I like to make them feel the winter a bit
I know there not be fat when pair feeding mostly barley ,as Mike mentioned add heavy corn near to the time
I also dry yogurt on the corn of the hens food a few days a week for about 3 weeks and I use a bit of oil on the corn two days a week
Plenty of of fresh grit and minerals daily I never leave it sat around though
Best of luck
Be ideal Jim
Just check the weight is ok unless your having them out regular then they should be flying for fun
Welcome to the site Jim. As said you could get many different answers. Mine have been split up and kept in since October. I have paired them up today. I don’t treat for anything. Just one latebred cock who is a bit boisterous but other than that all in their boxes happy this evening. I would hope to have them all out of their boxes and settled within the next 3 days. I will start letting them out for exercise in a few days. The hens had access to an aviary all winter and all the birds were fed with a 50:50 depurative and all round mix since the end of the season. Food put down in the mornings and any left taken away in the evening. Now they will be being fed in their boxes.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
Jim, one piece of advice I will give you which will absolutely help to breed good youngsters is, keep your nest boxes clean. The more time and effort you put into that, the more you will be rewarded.
If allowed to, pigeons will never nest in the same place twice. It's instinctive. They abandon the dirty nest and build another one. In the loft we make them raise round after round in the same box.
So it's up to us to keep that box clean. I have a different approach to many, I get bundles of newspaper. Every day I take the soiled paper out and put clean in. I also have spare nest bowls and felts and never hesitate to change out a bowl that's a bit messy. Very often I see the parents rush in and start feeding and standing over the babies the minute I have cleaned out the box.
It's all about keeping it simple. Don't worry about what brand of corn you are feeding them or what sort of additives you are tipping into them. Keep them clean, scrub your drinkers and give them fresh grit every day.
The little blokes will grow like mushrooms.
If allowed to, pigeons will never nest in the same place twice. It's instinctive. They abandon the dirty nest and build another one. In the loft we make them raise round after round in the same box.
So it's up to us to keep that box clean. I have a different approach to many, I get bundles of newspaper. Every day I take the soiled paper out and put clean in. I also have spare nest bowls and felts and never hesitate to change out a bowl that's a bit messy. Very often I see the parents rush in and start feeding and standing over the babies the minute I have cleaned out the box.
It's all about keeping it simple. Don't worry about what brand of corn you are feeding them or what sort of additives you are tipping into them. Keep them clean, scrub your drinkers and give them fresh grit every day.
The little blokes will grow like mushrooms.
Greetings from the land down under.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Welcome to the site Jim, a lot of advice already give to you. Myself I loved the breeding side of the sport, Observation plays a big part on the breeding side of the sport. Also keeping your diary up to date, eggs laid, eggs hatched then of course the day you put rings on the babies. At all time keeping the loft clean, and as you clean observe