UkPigeonRacing

Spieker-Loft wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2026 2:32 pm How many breeding pairs do you have tony

Tony-P- wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2026 2:56 pm

Spieker-Loft wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2026 2:32 pm How many breeding pairs do you have tony

At the minute Leon, I don't have any pigeons I'm starting up, I'm looking to build my own boxes I just needed to know sizes and which boxes are best to go with. I do like the up and over door fronts and pull out tray's think this will keep the birds a lot cleaner on there feet.

I have Y/Bs coming and of July / August around 20 birds from 3 different people, so not sure if they will be cocks or hens I will have to wait and see.

But if I can build my Boxes and get them in before the birds arrive it'll be a bonus for me at the start I should get 12 boxes across one wall, this will get me started, birds in and look forward to breed from them next year.

How old are the birds before they start to breed ?

Spieker-Loft wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2026 3:10 pm

Tony-P- wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2026 2:56 pm

Spieker-Loft wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2026 2:32 pm How many breeding pairs do you have tony

At the minute Leon, I don't have any pigeons I'm starting up, I'm looking to build my own boxes I just needed to know sizes and which boxes are best to go with. I do like the up and over door fronts and pull out tray's think this will keep the birds a lot cleaner on there feet.

I have Y/Bs coming and of July / August around 20 birds from 3 different people, so not sure if they will be cocks or hens I will have to wait and see.

But if I can build my Boxes and get them in before the birds arrive it'll be a bonus for me at the start I should get 12 boxes across one wall, this will get me started, birds in and look forward to breed from them next year.

How old are the birds before they start to breed ?

I mean Before they start to breed or before they should breed? they can start as early as 4-5 months with cocks in my opinion thats fine. But for hens i like them to be older 7-10 months atleast if i plan to keep her stock. Im not sure if it actually effects the bird to start breeding young but i like to think that with 4-5 months they are still in a huge growth phase so i dont like the hens laying eggs then and feeding their kids. Thats how i do it im sure not everyone agrees with it or might even wait longer then i wait to pair atleast hens up.

Its unfortunate that there is a pond between us and trasport isint simple otherwise i wouldve loved to help you with your breeding stock and supply you with some birds for free but the transport to the UK is either super expensive or impossible

Tony-P- wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2026 9:17 pm

Spieker-Loft wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2026 3:10 pm

Tony-P- wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2026 2:56 pm

At the minute Leon, I don't have any pigeons I'm starting up, I'm looking to build my own boxes I just needed to know sizes and which boxes are best to go with. I do like the up and over door fronts and pull out tray's think this will keep the birds a lot cleaner on there feet.

I have Y/Bs coming and of July / August around 20 birds from 3 different people, so not sure if they will be cocks or hens I will have to wait and see.

But if I can build my Boxes and get them in before the birds arrive it'll be a bonus for me at the start I should get 12 boxes across one wall, this will get me started, birds in and look forward to breed from them next year.

How old are the birds before they start to breed ?

I mean Before they start to breed or before they should breed? they can start as early as 4-5 months with cocks in my opinion thats fine. But for hens i like them to be older 7-10 months atleast if i plan to keep her stock. Im not sure if it actually effects the bird to start breeding young but i like to think that with 4-5 months they are still in a huge growth phase so i dont like the hens laying eggs then and feeding their kids. Thats how i do it im sure not everyone agrees with it or might even wait longer then i wait to pair atleast hens up.

Its unfortunate that there is a pond between us and trasport isint simple otherwise i wouldve loved to help you with your breeding stock and supply you with some birds for free but the transport to the UK is either super expensive or impossible

Amazing offer that mate I've never looked into getting birds from abroad I would know where to start or the cost of bringing them over here.
wish I did live a bit closer, like in the next village to you that would have been good.
So would you say it would be best to try and get some older stock birds to breed from rather than use the Y/B, because if people are saying to star breeding mid to the end of January these Y/B will only be about 7 months old.
Thanks for getting back to me on this mate

Spieker-Loft wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2026 9:35 pm

Tony-P- wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2026 9:17 pm

Spieker-Loft wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2026 3:10 pm

I mean Before they start to breed or before they should breed? they can start as early as 4-5 months with cocks in my opinion thats fine. But for hens i like them to be older 7-10 months atleast if i plan to keep her stock. Im not sure if it actually effects the bird to start breeding young but i like to think that with 4-5 months they are still in a huge growth phase so i dont like the hens laying eggs then and feeding their kids. Thats how i do it im sure not everyone agrees with it or might even wait longer then i wait to pair atleast hens up.

Its unfortunate that there is a pond between us and trasport isint simple otherwise i wouldve loved to help you with your breeding stock and supply you with some birds for free but the transport to the UK is either super expensive or impossible

Amazing offer that mate I've never looked into getting birds from abroad I would know where to start or the cost of bringing them over here.
wish I did live a bit closer, like in the next village to you that would have been good.
So would you say it would be best to try and get some older stock birds to breed from rather than use the Y/B, because if people are saying to star breeding mid to the end of January these Y/B will only be about 7 months old.
Thanks for getting back to me on this mate

transport from germany to the UK is super hard and last time i went to try to buy some birds in an auction in uk it wouldve cost me 150 pounds per bird for transport.

As for the stock birds. 7 months could be old enough but you could run into some trouble with some hens not beeing ready quiet yet. i wish someone else would also give some input on this because opinions there might also variate but im always rather save then sorry so i would look for some yearling hens atleast. alot of people still have some late breeds from last year even i do have a few here that are just sitting around which will probaly be for voucher auctions or i will give them away but yeah im just a careful person

Devo1956 wrote: Sun Jun 28, 2026 12:19 am Tony, once you have your loft finished, with all boxs done. And your traps done too, once you know everything is all go. Get your loft book ready, Because you want to know alot from each bird. Observation of all birds in the loft, Get it right from the start and build on.

Tony-P- wrote: Sun Jun 28, 2026 7:18 am

Devo1956 wrote: Sun Jun 28, 2026 12:19 am Tony, once you have your loft finished, with all boxs done. And your traps done too, once you know everything is all go. Get your loft book ready, Because you want to know alot from each bird. Observation of all birds in the loft, Get it right from the start and build on.

What am I looking for with each bird to put in the loft book Devo

Devo1956 wrote: Sun Jun 28, 2026 9:12 am

Tony-P- wrote: Sun Jun 28, 2026 7:18 am

Devo1956 wrote: Sun Jun 28, 2026 12:19 am Tony, once you have your loft finished, with all boxs done. And your traps done too, once you know everything is all go. Get your loft book ready, Because you want to know alot from each bird. Observation of all birds in the loft, Get it right from the start and build on.

What am I looking for with each bird to put in the loft book Devo

Ok mate, you have birds coming from three different flyers? are the ones going into the OLR from a different flyer.? So you will have to work out how many birds you will get when your loft is finished. Once you know you can start making plans, are they young birds that you can break out.?