Widowhood Cocks out with their Hens

[MIL]

Each to their own. I just don’t think it makes the slightest bit of difference when not switched on for racing.
You say about the cock not considering the hen inside the loft! How does that work all week then when they are exercised around home and let into an empty loft. Or training without the hen being there on return, which is something I would never do anyway.
Not saying your wrong Neil just an interesting topic they we probably won’t agree on. As said before for me it’s the love of home and the box that is more important than the hen.

I'll stand by my perfiormances, my scores of Federation wins up to 9,813 birds, my Regional Champion Titles (Sprinting) and 2nd National Ace Champion of the RPRA (Sprinting)

[Andy]

Each to their own. I just don’t think it makes the slightest bit of difference when not switched on for racing.
You say about the cock not considering the hen inside the loft! How does that work all week then when they are exercised around home and let into an empty loft. Or training without the hen being there on return, which is something I would never do anyway.
Not saying your wrong Neil just an interesting topic they we probably won’t agree on. As said before for me it’s the love of home and the box that is more important than the hen.

When the cocks in the transporter I don’t want him thinking that his hen is not waiting in the loft to answer your query

I would never train not to a hen Andy
The hen is always there

When I let them out mine fly and then out the sky and in that’s not the same as walking about the garden with his hen to me it’s part of routine the system they know it’s time to go out and know when I drop the board it’s time to go in that’s there routine part again so very different to a kind of open loft for a hour or so

Regarding the box I do agree it’s territory but then the roundabout system in the main the hens percentage wise out perform the cocks when I talk to friends who do this system or the total widowhood they love there hens racing more than cocks
Now to me the cocks had his box all week if he beats his hen he’s only having that again or a odd hen thrown in like you say they race to the box but if I put Mike at his peak with 12 true widowhood cocks in a garden flying against another top fancier with 12 cocks on roundabout system ( not hens)
I would take Mikes 12 cocks so what is the difference ? both have a box all week the widowhood cock is guaranteed his hen the roundabout cock may be disappointed a few times if it was the box only then they would perform equal
So the difference is the hen that he’s had a nest with maybe

Cocks are territorial I agree but if it was only the box why do you train to hens or race to hens ?

I’ve never had much to do with the roundabout system Neil but it’s my understanding that aren’t one sex let out to exercise and whilst out the other sex is moved into the empty section with those being out trapping into the section with the nest boxes in? Then the opposite sex at the next exercising period. This would then mean that the cocks would only be in the section with the nest boxes in for part of the day with the hens in there the other part. This could then explain why the hens do better than the cocks on this system as the cocks don’t have their box all the time.
The chaos system seems to be the one working better down this way for more equal results from both cocks and hens. With this both sexes are exercised separately but trap into their own respective sections, the cocks with the boxes more like widowhood cocks, then on the Friday both sexes are allowed together for the day.
Yes the hen is important as reward for the cocks after they have been in the basket. Basket always hen is my way.
Mine are shut out during their exercise period once on widowhood and trap instantly when I drop the board. Infact they will be looking as soon as they see me in the garden.

[NeilA]

Each to their own. I just don’t think it makes the slightest bit of difference when not switched on for racing.
You say about the cock not considering the hen inside the loft! How does that work all week then when they are exercised around home and let into an empty loft. Or training without the hen being there on return, which is something I would never do anyway.
Not saying your wrong Neil just an interesting topic they we probably won’t agree on. As said before for me it’s the love of home and the box that is more important than the hen.

When the cocks in the transporter I don’t want him thinking that his hen is not waiting in the loft to answer your query

I would never train not to a hen Andy
The hen is always there

When I let them out mine fly and then out the sky and in that’s not the same as walking about the garden with his hen to me it’s part of routine the system they know it’s time to go out and know when I drop the board it’s time to go in that’s there routine part again so very different to a kind of open loft for a hour or so

Regarding the box I do agree it’s territory but then the roundabout system in the main the hens percentage wise out perform the cocks when I talk to friends who do this system or the total widowhood they love there hens racing more than cocks
Now to me the cocks had his box all week if he beats his hen he’s only having that again or a odd hen thrown in like you say they race to the box but if I put Mike at his peak with 12 true widowhood cocks in a garden flying against another top fancier with 12 cocks on roundabout system ( not hens)
I would take Mikes 12 cocks so what is the difference ? both have a box all week the widowhood cock is guaranteed his hen the roundabout cock may be disappointed a few times if it was the box only then they would perform equal
So the difference is the hen that he’s had a nest with maybe

Cocks are territorial I agree but if it was only the box why do you train to hens or race to hens ?

I’ve never had much to do with the roundabout system Neil but it’s my understanding that aren’t one sex let out to exercise and whilst out the other sex is moved into the empty section with those being out trapping into the section with the nest boxes in? Then the opposite sex at the next exercising period. This would then mean that the cocks would only be in the section with the nest boxes in for part of the day with the hens in there the other part. This could then explain why the hens do better than the cocks on this system as the cocks don’t have their box all the time.
The chaos system seems to be the one working better down this way for more equal results from both cocks and hens. With this both sexes are exercised separately but trap into their own respective sections, the cocks with the boxes more like widowhood cocks, then on the Friday both sexes are allowed together for the day.
Yes the hen is important as reward for the cocks after they have been in the basket. Basket always hen is my way.
Mine are shut out during their exercise period once on widowhood and trap instantly when I drop the board. Infact they will be looking as soon as they see me in the garden.

On roundabout the cocks only go in the hens section while the hens are out so a hour twice a day tops then they go out so they have the box section 20 out of 24 hours or if flown once 23 out of 24 so no they would be in the cocks section 95 per cent
The chaos system seems to just be like a total widowhood to me where you hope pairs take to another partner if there partner isn’t home I think it’s a bit over thought as a new system

[Andy]

Thanks for that info Neil. As I said I have never looked at the roundabout system.
I agree about the chaos system but it does seem to work for both sexes. Those doing it don’t appear to have to much trouble trapping them if both sexes arrive together but not for me.

[NeilA]

Thanks for that info Neil. As I said I have never looked at the roundabout system.
I agree about the chaos system but it does seem to work for both sexes. Those doing it don’t appear to have to much trouble trapping them if both sexes arrive together but not for me.

Never tried roundabout myself either Andy
If I could I would fly widowhood cocks to stay at home hens and have another team of mostly yearling race hens that could trap to there own section but on a Saturday be allowed to walk into the cocks section so slowly they start to want to pair to the race cocks
But the cocks hen he nested with is always at home for him then about the third race remove the stay at home hens as normal and allow the race cocks to bond with the unpaired race hens for a hour or so

[Andy]

Thanks for that info Neil. As I said I have never looked at the roundabout system.
I agree about the chaos system but it does seem to work for both sexes. Those doing it don’t appear to have to much trouble trapping them if both sexes arrive together but not for me.

Never tried roundabout myself either Andy
If I could I would fly widowhood cocks to stay at home hens and have another team of mostly yearling race hens that could trap to there own section but on a Saturday be allowed to walk into the cocks section so slowly they start to want to pair to the race cocks
But the cocks hen he nested with is always at home for him then about the third race remove the stay at home hens as normal and allow the race cocks to bond with the unpaired race hens for a hour or so

I’m just going to race the cocks on full Widowhood. I have got 8 latebreds that I may race to the perch. I think I would need a bigger loft and more time to be able to exercise cocks and hens if I wanted to race both sexes.

[MIL]

I agree Neil, and that's my findings from chatting to lots of good fanciers all over the UK

Roundabout / Chaos are systems that generally get the best out of hens as opposed to cocks

You wanna get the best out of your cocks? Race em on true widowhood where his hen is waiting for him all the time

[NeilA]

Thanks for that info Neil. As I said I have never looked at the roundabout system.
I agree about the chaos system but it does seem to work for both sexes. Those doing it don’t appear to have to much trouble trapping them if both sexes arrive together but not for me.

Never tried roundabout myself either Andy
If I could I would fly widowhood cocks to stay at home hens and have another team of mostly yearling race hens that could trap to there own section but on a Saturday be allowed to walk into the cocks section so slowly they start to want to pair to the race cocks
But the cocks hen he nested with is always at home for him then about the third race remove the stay at home hens as normal and allow the race cocks to bond with the unpaired race hens for a hour or so

I’m just going to race the cocks on full Widowhood. I have got 8 latebreds that I may race to the perch. I think I would need a bigger loft and more time to be able to exercise cocks and hens if I wanted to race both sexes.

Time is my issue
Out 630-715 leave then home at times 4pm other times 530 or the Mondays 730- 8pm
Stops me doing the darkness as I never really know when I will be in
One thing I aim is home 515 Tuesday to Thursday so they go out set times
Monday stay in with a tray of barley removed when ever i get back

[NeilA]

I agree Neil, and that's my findings from chatting to lots of good fanciers all over the UK

Roundabout / Chaos are systems that generally get the best out of hens as opposed to cocks

You wanna get the best out of your cocks? Race em on true widowhood where his hen is waiting for him all the time

Agree mate

[MIL]

In the last 3-4 yeqrs of racing Dave and Ken raced Dad's birds on the chaos

Did the cocks win 1st Fed? Yes, on occasions they did

Thing is though, it was noted every week that there were like 85% of the hens home and only 25% of the cocks

Now; it don't really matter that much if your hens are winning; but it is a system that suits hens more than cocks


Me, I'm an out and out widowhood man personally