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About the loft
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2025 10:28 am
by Devo1956
We all have different ways we work around the loft, and remember it is a 365 day sport. Some members have more time than other members, so it is all about a loft system that works for you and your birds.
Time spent in the loft while carrying out loft duties is time to pick up on what we may have missed. Building up the partnership with your birds is a must do, giving them the safe environment needed.
The health of your birds is paramount, if you want your birds to perform come race day. But remember its not just about racing, there are other seasons throughout the year. So keeping it clean, is part of the dream.
Re: About the loft
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2025 11:12 am
by NeilA
Mine is chaos at the moment
I’m not sure what system my cocks are on or what I am doing
How things were I was in two minds to race old birds and I got behind
So Tried something different
21 yearlings 3 old cocks all free mating but 22 hens there not racing
I built 5 box’s very small ones inside the front of the loft low down , stuck a little box high up over the trap area and 4 normal widowhood box on the side plus the original 16 at the back trying to create different private territories
3 of the 5 on the front of the inside are occupied al low level
I have a cock claimed 2 normal ones in the back an old cock also claimed 2 and has a hen in each on the side
There’s another cock building a nest but he’s hens half the time in with another cock and 2 cocks taken a box as territory but not took a hen yet defend it from any other cock
So it’s all a bit strange and confusing I was putting box number rings on hens yesterday then thought does it really matter there just all going to be let in the loft Saturday not boxed
My plan was based on a good ex fancier telling me territory matters not the hen with yearlings plus my 3 time fed winner never had a box he had a floor space
So with time against me I thought give it a try which isn’t like my normal structure with the cocks
I will call it the lazy system I think as that’s what I have been
Re: About the loft
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2025 11:33 am
by Devo1956
Neil you can only do what time allows you, so that is why the system as to work for you and the birds. We can be given advice on what we should do, but you have to ask the question, would it work for you, if the time does not allow you.?
Re: About the loft
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2025 12:02 pm
by NeilA
True Devo
I got behind due to circumstances
Didn’t really catch up so kind of view as a opportunity to try something out
Not ideal but yesterday I was encouraged by them and I could kind of see in the two yearlings how territory might work
The guy explained he never really bothered with the hens for the cocks once the territory was claimed and he was a loft manager to a very well known name
I thought how can that work as we know roundabout doesn’t really fit for cocks ,
But we are here now so need to get on with it
Re: About the loft
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2025 3:50 pm
by Andy
NeilA wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2025 12:02 pm
True Devo
I got behind due to circumstances
Didn’t really catch up so kind of view as a opportunity to try something out
Not ideal but yesterday I was encouraged by them and I could kind of see in the two yearlings how territory might work
The guy explained he never really bothered with the hens for the cocks once the territory was claimed and he was a loft manager to a very well known name
I thought how can that work as we know roundabout doesn’t really fit for cocks ,
But we are here now so need to get on with it
Be interesting to see how you get on with it Neil. Yes territory is key for widowhood cocks.
Of my 12 widowhood cocks 9 have either a pair or a single youngster in the nest now, just being rung. Another week and the hens will be removed. I have one cock who’s hen was slow laying so has just been given pot eggs. Then the 2 gay cocks. I tried pairing them up and they weren’t to bad with a hen whilst shut in the box. But as soon as I let them out they weren’t interested in the hens and just went back to cooing at each other. They have got their own box though. I removed the 2 hens and have just left them to it.
Re: About the loft
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2025 4:24 pm
by NeilA
It’s a bit new as though I don’t breed from racers anyway I am normally much more structured but I never new if I had to move my lofts so I was starting to think just leave it for a year hence giving away or moving on the old bird team but 4
I is at stock and 3 remained
then I thought maybe break the yearling in the summer to a new loft but things changed so here we are with the current situation
But it’s certainly a busy loft with a lot of activity although very confusing currently .
Be interesting how the gays go I had two yearlings last year but had no luck with them I started after a while to race 1 of them and leave the other at home but that’s didn’t work for me , hopefully your have better luck
Re: About the loft
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2025 4:58 pm
by Andy
NeilA wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2025 4:24 pm
It’s a bit new as though I don’t breed from racers anyway I am normally much more structured but I never new if I had to move my lofts so I was starting to think just leave it for a year hence giving away or moving on the old bird team but 4
I is at stock and 3 remained
then I thought maybe break the yearling in the summer to a new loft but things changed so here we are with the current situation
But it’s certainly a busy loft with a lot of activity although very confusing currently .
Be interesting how the gays go I had two yearlings last year but had no luck with them I started after a while to race 1 of them and leave the other at home but that’s didn’t work for me , hopefully your have better luck
Speaking to members down the club last weekend it doesn’t sound like anyone who has had gay cocks have done much with them. So not holding out much hope. It’s a shame really as they were a nest pair from Trev. He bred them off birds he had from Alan Still and they are basically from the Darren Mays family of birds so should be sprinters. They did both race as youngsters.
Dave Staddon said that he had a pair of gay cocks this year too. Funny thing is he also said they were a nest pair.
Re: About the loft
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2025 6:08 pm
by NeilA
Hopefully they will click Andy
Re: About the loft
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2025 9:56 pm
by Steve Howells
NeilA wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2025 11:12 am
Mine is chaos at the moment
I’m not sure what system my cocks are on or what I am doing
How things were I was in two minds to race old birds and I got behind
So Tried something different
21 yearlings 3 old cocks all free mating but 22 hens there not racing
I built 5 box’s very small ones inside the front of the loft low down , stuck a little box high up over the trap area and 4 normal widowhood box on the side plus the original 16 at the back trying to create different private territories
3 of the 5 on the front of the inside are occupied al low level
I have a cock claimed 2 normal ones in the back an old cock also claimed 2 and has a hen in each on the side
There’s another cock building a nest but he’s hens half the time in with another cock and 2 cocks taken a box as territory but not took a hen yet defend it from any other cock
So it’s all a bit strange and confusing I was putting box number rings on hens yesterday then thought does it really matter there just all going to be let in the loft Saturday not boxed
My plan was based on a good ex fancier telling me territory matters not the hen with yearlings plus my 3 time fed winner never had a box he had a floor space
So with time against me I thought give it a try which isn’t like my normal structure with the cocks
I will call it the lazy system I think as that’s what I have been
That’s pretty much my loft every year
the only thing I do in the loft is feed water clean. Where they nest who they pair two, or even if they pair is up to them. It’s their home so what they do in it is up to them.
Re: About the loft
Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2025 12:42 am
by Murray
Neil you may be very pleasantly surprised, those cocks being allowed to do pretty much as they choose may be the key. You can only try.