UkPigeonRacing

We're just different on this one.

I hated the process of breeding. Like I said before for a clean freak I could never keep them spotless and that pi$$ed me off

Once they moved into the racing loft - thats a different story then.

Yea, we are different on that one, Mike.
I really enjoy raising the babies. Keeping the boxes clean, getting them used to being picked up and put down, seeing the stock birds loving the clean box. All of that.

And when they get big and are flying, I love it when they are flying laps after their session in the morning, and drop on the board when they see me standing in the back yard by the sputnik.

I'm a bit late joining the party on this one, but I'm not big on cleaning out. This time of year the loft only gets cleaned once a week, I then clean the whole loft, including nest boxes. Once the birds are breeding I generally leave the nest bowls alone, I clean all around the bowls but only empty the bowl itself if it gets particularly filthy and the babies are starting to look grubby, I'm a big believer in natural immunity so don't mind a bit of dirt as long as its dry.

Murray wrote: ↑Fri Feb 21, 2025 8:16 am Yea, we are different on that one, Mike.
I really enjoy raising the babies. Keeping the boxes clean, getting them used to being picked up and put down, seeing the stock birds loving the clean box. All of that.

What are the breeding of these 2 youngsters Murray?

NeilA wrote: ↑Thu Feb 20, 2025 3:17 pm

Devo1956 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 20, 2025 2:59 pm I think when you are doing all these loft tasks, is where the bond comes into play. Even with the baby chicks as they are growing, daily contact brings tameness in the loft. Nothing better than a tame loft, birds saving their energy for racing.

To be honest it’s dark when I leave dark when I return
I only see them weekends in daylight I don’t have lights
I don’t think it matters as long as you bond and spend time with them when you wean them as that’s when they are nervous in the nest they are content
My cocks sit all over me and I never bonded with them in the nest

I'm the same with day light, I will start spending longer in the loft as the evenings start to draw out. I've only just started my breeding and the bianies wean themselves anyway, I do like to handle them as often as I can.

NeilA wrote: ↑Thu Feb 20, 2025 9:51 pm Agree Mike I think they are fine on there own in the nest it’s them 3/4 weeks after you wean sticks with them I believe when there scared of the new environment and that’s the time to educate them
Your learn nothing from them being in the nest other than health . I don’t really get ybs with horrible wet dropping

mine get about 80 per cent beans and gemthepax on what they have in the box which is fat seeds / hormoform and chicken pellets so it’s all pretty solid

As I know you look at the percentages of protein etc you are feeding so have it covered, but the only thing I'd say is to be careful you don't overdo the protein when feeding chicken pellets and beans, as that will make for wet droppings. I have fed both myself but don't overdo the pellets.
With the Gemthepax, do you find the birds drink it ok ?? I do use it as well but the birds really don't like it !! I find they drink a lot less daily when that's in the water than they do when it's not !!

Hi Trev
Chicken pallets get mixed and go with the other seeds and get a egg cup full in the box each morning first light they can eat and easily digest them there 17 per cent protein so less than beans
Made up of soya wheat etc
I never put the Gem in the water it goes on the put if breed and wean they get

NeilA wrote: ↑Fri Feb 21, 2025 10:18 am Hi Trev
Chicken pallets get mixed and go with the other seeds and get a egg cup full in the box each morning first light they can eat and easily digest them there 17 per cent protein so less than beans
Made up of soya wheat etc
I never put the Gem in the water it goes on the put if breed and wean they get

Thanks for that mate.
Maybe I'll have to try putting the gemthepax on the corn instead, I've always put it in the water as it's just easier, and you know me, anything to keep it simple

Give it a try Trev less waste with it on the grub
Plus is great as a binding agent for yeast mineral etc
I use it Saturdays like that on race day on the fat seeds I give them when racing as you know I feed low traditional protein grains ,even Saturday Sunday I prefer high fat seeds rather than more traditional protein . My way in my head I’m getting fat and protein back into them before moving to high carbs again things like safflower sunflower etc rather than peas .
But it’s only my thinking and I know others do well on either a depurative or a heavier mixture on return