Winter Breeding

[Bowbroom]

Although we did it, usually pairing the weekend after Blackpool show, I never took to it but if you want your YBs in good feather in late August/early September for the longer races it has to be done.
I’m convinced that spring bred birds mature into better birds.
If a really cold snap happens whilst the birds are sitting either eggs or small YBs then the risk of chilling is obvious unless heating is installed which then begs the question are the costs are worth it?

[Spieker-Loft]

On one of the other threads Dave was talking about the prospect of pairing the Stock birds up at the end of November

I've never mated that early myself - but it got me to thinking

For those that have: Do you use lights / heaters?

Do you have a floor covering down on the floor just to take the chill off in case we get some biting weather?

We couple up start of december and usually have them watch first week in january been doing this since 3 years now and works well for us. As you asked tho preperation is key.
They have light on 2 weeks before mating already. They get 5-7 days e-50 vitamins and heating aswell. So far i never worried to much about the weather conditions tho because i feel like the past years we had better weather in december compared to january/feburary. We have done it the first 2 years without heating and it worked just as good to be honest. The hardest part is definitely to get them going.And the light and Vitamins do help alot with getting them in the mood that early already

[Spieker-Loft]

On one of the other threads Dave was talking about the prospect of pairing the Stock birds up at the end of November

I've never mated that early myself - but it got me to thinking

For those that have: Do you use lights / heaters?

Do you have a floor covering down on the floor just to take the chill off in case we get some biting weather?

We couple up start of december and usually have them watch first week in january been doing this since 3 years now and works well for us. As you asked tho preperation is key.
They have light on 2 weeks before mating already. They get 5-7 days e-50 vitamins and heating aswell. So far i never worried to much about the weather conditions tho because i feel like the past years we had better weather in december compared to january/feburary. We have done it the first 2 years without heating and it worked just as good to be honest. The hardest part is definitely to get them going.And the light and Vitamins do help alot with getting them in the mood that early already

Do you still darken them Leon ?
My pal breeds to get the rings on early December just to avoid having to darken them to make his life a little easier not needing ti be home to darken down etc
He does have to start training early May which isn’t a issue to him as he works 18 miles pretty much on the line of flight for his fed

We can't get rings in december. But yes i do still darken the youngsters aswell as lighten them later. Its in interesting system really. We let them out for training until they start doing their first rounds around the house and then 1-2 weeks after that they won't get out the loft again until may. We do loose 2-3 birds the first time we let them out the house again. But it is still much less then we would loose to the hawk in the span of those 3 months if we let them out daily. We live in a valley surrounded by forrest so its a hotspot for BOP. There were times where we lost 2-3 young birds a day to them having all the rings returned to us by the farmer in whos garden they were laying. But yes we do still darken and lighten them. Even tho if it was fully up to me i would like to try it without darkening and only lighten the YB but my father insist that we do both. But i understand his reasoning we race youngsters very well so why change it

[Anthony webster]

I paired Nov last Yr baby's hatched Dec 24 no lights were used ,baby's were ok but prefer April bred baby's my self training baby's when old birds are due to race is a ball acre and I see no difference other than alot of work n personally think younger baby's are faster.

[king]

I'm sure many fanciers pair early because they see others doing it and think they will be disadvantaged if they don't follow suit. On the old Pigeon Chat I lost count of fanciers who paired up early having problems, birds not pairing up, birds not laying, clear eggs. Often they used to split the birds and start all over again. Then many would moan that they couldn't get the YBs out due to bad weather. Some local fanciers had often lost YBs flying out before I paired up. And those pairing early do the late pairing fanciers a big favour providing food for the BOP.
I always pair early March. And the hens often all lay within 12 days including those aged 10+.

[Bowbroom]

In the end people will do what suits them I just think that it’s better to try to work with nature than try to manage it, our YBs that flew Rennes, 372 miles were hatched the last week in March

[Spieker-Loft]

Sounds a good way of doing it
Do they roam a good time out of sight before you shut them down ?
If not how many short training flights do you give them
My friend must have done 15 at 5 miles same 10 miles maybe more

For the first month after letting them out again only training around the house to build up condition and stamina. after a few tosses from 2-5km and then until the first race probaly 20-40 tosses depending how we feel that year between 25-50km. And no they dont roam much before shutting them down just a few rounds around the house. But it always depends how many youngsters we also got. This year we had about 80 so we let them out a bit longer then usually because we had enough to justify loosing a few to bop. But usually as soon as they do their first rounds around the house locked down for 2-3 months usually until may then 1 month just training around the house and after that 2-5 training tosses a week all depends on weather and motivation. We started training less and less over the years because i don't see to much of a difference in performance. Only difference i do see is their homing ability definitely increases with training. I tend to not loose many pigeons during the races compared to most people i know that don't train. Could also have different reasons like Health etc but i do think that training does give them that edge of returning safer. Performance wise i don't see to much difference.

[chrisroscoe]

i use to pair in dec lol just because it was the only time i had free if im honest lol

[Anthony webster]

i use to pair in dec lol just because it was the only time i had free if im honest lol

I be pairing Xmas time 1st round for pal who's 88 yrs old
20 from 2nd round for another 88 Yr old friend some for 2 top pals n I will have 3rd round

[chrisroscoe]

i use to pair in dec lol just because it was the only time i had free if im honest lol

I be pairing Xmas time 1st round for pal who's 88 yrs old
20 from 2nd round for another 88 Yr old friend some for 2 top pals n I will have 3rd round

i do miss the birds, just dont have the time for them still