UkPigeonRacing

This is a topic that is used every year before breeding. Some may agree and some may not, but everyone has different views. You may do things different, if so please tell us.

Splitting (separating) racing pigeons before the breeding season is a common management practice used to control when pairs bond, rest the birds, and test new bloodlines.


Why Fanciers Split Pigeons Before Breeding

• Rest and Recovery: Separation allows hens and cocks to recover from the physical demands of the previous racing and molting season.
• Controlled Pairing: Keeping sexes apart ensures that when you choose to pair them, they accept each other quickly instead of breeding randomly.
• Pre-Pairing (Flirting): Many fanciers separate the birds and then let them see each other through a wire partition or across a cage for a few weeks to build desire. This prevents the cock bird from bullying or becoming overly aggressive toward the hen.
• Linebreeding and Re-mating: If you follow a strict breeding strategy—such as linebreeding, inbreeding, or testing a cock with a new hen—separating them is required before you can introduce new partners.
• Synchronized Laying: Isolating individual birds or keeping them apart until a target start date helps make sure multiple pairs lay eggs and hatch youngsters at the same time


Best Practices Before Pairing Up

• Health and Condition Check: Inspect weight, breathing, droppings, and feathers weeks before pairing. Avoid breeding from birds that are too fat, weak, or sick.
• Dietary Support: Introduce conditioning feeds, grit, and mineral mixes, and gradually transition the loft to a richer breeding mix shortly before putting the partners together.

Again i will point out we all have different views.

Never split mine ever

Since I stopped racing in 2018 I haven't split the birds either. I've just in the last 10 days removed the bowls each day as the birds stopped sitting. I've just one bowl to remove, which will be when they leave the eggs. I rarely get eggs now after I take the bowls away, the birds seem to know now the season is over. The pairs will stay together in open boxes till the bowls go back in mid Feb next year. When they do most lay in 6 -10 days no problem.

I do intend to split mine after they have finished moulting and left the pot eggs they are sitting and I have already taken some of the bowls out of the stock shed. 1 of the hens has already gone and laid again on the plastic grille in the corner of the box. Doh!

Since I built the new half of the loft I did separate them last winter. For the first time ever. After the upset of the move from Bendigo they were breeding at all seasons of the year.
I hope to be able to leave them together again, I do think they are happier not separated.

Mine are split now and will be until I repair the widowhoods on Boxing Day. I have 5 new cocks in there and as most of my young birds for next season will be coming from that round of eggs I will be selecting which hens I want to pair to which cock. I am also replacing most of my old widowhood hens with younger ones. After going back to widowhood the past two years I am getting an idea on what line are working well. I removed 3 old cocks who are 5 & 6 from the team. They have been consistent and raced over 50 races each but are from my older distance lines and now being beaten by younger pigeons from different lines. The young hens are bred from these younger cocks. This isn’t to say that the distance lines still aren’t there at all as I still have what will be a 5 year old cock next year who has 7 different Barcelona international winners in his pedigree competing well in the team. I only race 12 cocks and they go to every race of the old bird season.
They will be split again though when the youngsters are around 14 days old.

Andy wrote: Tue Oct 27, 2026 7:54 am Mine are split now and will be until I repair the widowhoods on Boxing Day. I have 5 new cocks in there and as most of my young birds for next season will be coming from that round of eggs I will be selecting which hens I want to pair to which cock. I am also replacing most of my old widowhood hens with younger ones. After going back to widowhood the past two years I am getting an idea on what line are working well. I removed 3 old cocks who are 5 & 6 from the team. They have been consistent and raced over 50 races each but are from my older distance lines and now being beaten by younger pigeons from different lines. The young hens are bred from these younger cocks. This isn’t to say that the distance lines still aren’t there at all as I still have what will be a 5 year old cock next year who has 7 different Barcelona international winners in his pedigree competing well in the team. I only race 12 cocks and they go to every race of the old bird season.
They will be split again though when the youngsters are around 14 days old.

Thanks for the post, Andy.
You are really getting into the swing of the widowhood racing again.
Muzzaboy?

Andy, will you send that 5 yo cock to the distance races on widowhood?

Diamond Dave wrote: Tue Oct 27, 2026 8:01 am Andy, will you send that 5 yo cock to the distance races on widowhood?

Dave, I am not a member of any of the National or Classic clubs now so don’t have vet visits. The furthest we race with the 3Cs is Ramsgate, twice, which is only 168 miles to me.
When I raced widowhood in the past I would send the cocks as far as 350 miles. I used race the odd naturals to the longer races and mainly hens.
I am still hoping to retire and move in the next year. I will be moving but will be staying within the 3Cs boundary but could be a bit further. Be nice not being the shortest flyer.

Murray wrote: Tue Oct 27, 2026 8:00 am

Andy wrote: Tue Oct 27, 2026 7:54 am Mine are split now and will be until I repair the widowhoods on Boxing Day. I have 5 new cocks in there and as most of my young birds for next season will be coming from that round of eggs I will be selecting which hens I want to pair to which cock. I am also replacing most of my old widowhood hens with younger ones. After going back to widowhood the past two years I am getting an idea on what line are working well. I removed 3 old cocks who are 5 & 6 from the team. They have been consistent and raced over 50 races each but are from my older distance lines and now being beaten by younger pigeons from different lines. The young hens are bred from these younger cocks. This isn’t to say that the distance lines still aren’t there at all as I still have what will be a 5 year old cock next year who has 7 different Barcelona international winners in his pedigree competing well in the team. I only race 12 cocks and they go to every race of the old bird season.
They will be split again though when the youngsters are around 14 days old.

Thanks for the post, Andy.
You are really getting into the swing of the widowhood racing again.
Muzzaboy?

Unfortunately Murray after Muzzaboy returned from the Eastbourne race last year with his crop ripped open and I had to super glue him, he seemed to have recovered fine. Was trained but never returned from the first race this year. It was a difficult race but I’m sure he must have been taken by a BOP. He had had over 60 races including over the channel. Lost from 34 miles!!!