Planning for next season

Sun Oct 02, 2022 9:58 pm

I have been starting to go through my records and making a note of all the birds I have in the loft and starting to plan for next year. As you know I am planning on racing North next year.
Going through the birds I think I’ve got 26 cocks and 38 hens. A lot more hens than cocks, although some of the young hens may yet turn out to be cocks. Of the 26 cocks 10 are 2 year olds and over and 16 yearlings. 2 of the older cocks won’t race, giving me 24 cocks to race. Of the 38 hens 12 are 2 year olds and over and 26 yearlings. 7 of the older hens won’t race, giving me 31 that will. So a total team of 54 to race. 8 of the yearlings are later bred ones. I will be happy to give the yearlings 2 or 3 races up to 300 miles. This still gives me 13 older birds that could fly either Thurso 500+ miles or Lerwick 600+ miles.
I don’t mind having more hens than cocks and would rather have it this way than the other way round. I have 24 nest boxes so the number of cocks is about right. I’m not planning on breeding early, or probably as many as this year, so will have a spare section in the young bird loft for the spare hens. I may think about racing a different system early in the year with 8 pairs flown on natural and 16 pairs flown on “widowhood/roundabout” using 2 hens per cock.
Have plenty to think about during the winter.

Mon Oct 03, 2022 6:08 am

Plenty is about right mate

. If me would maybe consider splitting into 2 teams and race the spare hens as one team

Mon Oct 03, 2022 7:56 am

Buster121 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 03, 2022 6:08 am Plenty is about right mate . If me would maybe consider splitting into 2 teams and race the spare hens as one team

I am thinking about different ways I can do it. I have 2 old bird sections, one was the stock section, which now I don’t have any prisoners I can have race birds in. I have 8 nest boxes in that section and 16 in the other section. I could have all these 24 pairs on natural and keep the spare hens in one of the 2 youngbird sections. Still giving me a section for around 20 youngsters.

killer · Mon Oct 03, 2022 12:38 pm

Nothing wrong with 2 hens being mated to one cock , ( Jealesty)

George and Morgan · Mon Oct 03, 2022 5:01 pm

good luck Andy whatever you decide will you train more ,same or less for north road racing

Mon Oct 03, 2022 8:04 pm

George and Morgan wrote: ↑Mon Oct 03, 2022 5:01 pm good luck Andy whatever you decide will you train more ,same or less for north road racing

Still have a lot of thinking to do before next season. I have got to see what race program I have to race in. May not be many races available as only the CSCFC are flying North. I will keep members updated with my thoughts. I will look to give them 3 or 4 trainers before the season starts but that will be all. Last year I didn’t train the old birds at all.

Mon Oct 03, 2022 10:31 pm

It will be interesting to see what program the CSCFC have for next year. Last year they had 5 races originally, 4 old bird and 1 young bird. They did end up having more as we were able to duplicate birds between the BBC, BICC & CSCFC. Giving more races. But being the only national going North it will be interesting to see whether they try to fit in more, maybe going with the NRCC on the longer ones. Although I would like more if they only had the 4 old bird races that would be ok. They would be 3 weeks apart. So if on natural I could get them ready to compete in all of them without worrying about hens due to lay. 3 of the 4 races originally put down for last year would be under 350 miles. Ideal for the yearlings. The other race was at Thurso 523 miles. Fine for the older birds. I think they could try to include Lerwick at 621 miles if they go with the NRCC. The older birds could then be split between Thurso and Lerwick.