Boxes

[Devo1956]

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.?

20 Y/Bs in total
I'm getting 6 from the fella who I get the OLR birds off
6 from another fella
and 8 off another fella
These are all eggs at the moment so looking around August time I think to get them here.

Ok Tony, Good luck mate.

[Tony-P-]

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.?

20 Y/Bs in total
I'm getting 6 from the fella who I get the OLR birds off
6 from another fella
and 8 off another fella
These are all eggs at the moment so looking around August time I think to get them here.

Ok Tony, Good luck mate.

Devo, so going back to the plans I should be making, any hints or tips mate

[Devo1956]

20 Y/Bs in total
I'm getting 6 from the fella who I get the OLR birds off
6 from another fella
and 8 off another fella
These are all eggs at the moment so looking around August time I think to get them here.

Ok Tony, Good luck mate.

Devo, so going back to the plans I should be making, any hints or tips mate

Just my pick Tony, I would say number 1 was a Jannsen, but just my thoughts.

[Tony-P-]

Ok Tony, Good luck mate.

Devo, so going back to the plans I should be making, any hints or tips mate

Just my pick Tony, I would say number 1 was a Jannsen, but just my thoughts.

i think this answer was for something else Mate

[Devo1956]

Devo, so going back to the plans I should be making, any hints or tips mate

Just my pick Tony, I would say number 1 was a Jannsen, but just my thoughts.

i think this answer was for something else Mate

Yes sorry Tony, i have had a long day. I would say get the loft ready, and find out more about the birds you will be getting. It will be all about preparation for your future plans, in the mean time use the site to get more knowledge.

[Tony-P-]

Just my pick Tony, I would say number 1 was a Jannsen, but just my thoughts.

i think this answer was for something else Mate

Yes sorry Tony, i have had a long day. I would say get the loft ready, and find out more about the birds you will be getting. It will be all about preparation for your future plans, in the mean time use the site to get more knowledge.

sound Devo, will do

[Andy]

Morning Tony.
I think you would be ok using the late breds you’re getting in to breed from next year. You’ve only got a relatively small loft with no real provision for keeping prisoners. The last thing you want is birds that you can’t let out. Keep it simple. There is no need for you to breed in January. You could wait until February or even March and still get 2 rounds from each pair that would be old enough to race as youngsters. If you feel you need a few earlier youngsters, and I don’t think you would, buy a small kit in early next year.

[Tony-P-]

Morning Tony.
I think you would be ok using the late breds you’re getting in to breed from next year. You’ve only got a relatively small loft with no real provision for keeping prisoners. The last thing you want is birds that you can’t let out. Keep it simple. There is no need for you to breed in January. You could wait until February or even March and still get 2 rounds from each pair that would be old enough to race as youngsters. If you feel you need a few earlier youngsters, and I don’t think you would, buy a small kit in early next year.

Thanks for the tips Andy, so get the birds in, once old enough train them to the loft, then around January / February start breeding from them.

I can then race the late bred birds as old birds ?

And my own bred Y/Bs I can race them later next year ?

[Diamond Dave]

Tony, at 7 months, the y.birds will be unreliable for breeding. Yes, you may get some that do breed successfully but it will be hit and miss.
With regard to older stock birds - ask yourself if you have the room to have birds that are not flying out. Maybe you could keep some in s small shed somewhere else?

[Andy]

Morning Tony.
I think you would be ok using the late breds you’re getting in to breed from next year. You’ve only got a relatively small loft with no real provision for keeping prisoners. The last thing you want is birds that you can’t let out. Keep it simple. There is no need for you to breed in January. You could wait until February or even March and still get 2 rounds from each pair that would be old enough to race as youngsters. If you feel you need a few earlier youngsters, and I don’t think you would, buy a small kit in early next year.

Thanks for the tips Andy, so get the birds in, once old enough train them to the loft, then around January / February start breeding from them.

I can then race the late bred birds as old birds ?

And my own bred Y/Bs I can race them later next year ?

Yes Tony. What I would do is you say you have 20 youngsters coming in July/August. I would start letting them out shortly after you get them. They should be young enough when you get them to not be able to fly much. Get them used to a routine of coming out and trapping. You may lose the odd ones off the loft but it will make things so much easier for you if they are broken.. Then around November/ December time I would separate the cocks from the hens. I assume you have 2 sections in your loft? Then by end of February early March you should be able to pair them up ok. I have a pair of hens here that hatched out on the 23rd June last year. They were paired up on Boxing Day and laid early January. Hatched and reared 4 nice youngsters. About 6 and a half months old when laid their first eggs. If you’ve got youngsters coming in July/August they have either already hatched out or not far off. So by end of February/March they should be around 8 months old.
It would be up to you if you wanted to race the ones you’re getting as old birds. I would be tempted to not race the ones that give you the best first round youngsters and take a second round from them.
The youngsters you breed you will certainly be able to race next year.
Also I would aim to breed a round from every pair that you get paired up. You need to prove their breeding potential as much as their racing one.
Others will certainly have different opinions but these are mine.