Well its that time of the year, pairing up all done. So its all about getting the nest box ready for breeding. Myself would spray the breeding box and sprinkle some mite powder in., if i could get any beer mats. I would dip them in creosote and place under the nest bowl, in the nest bowl i would put a nest felt in. Also a good handful of straw. i would also scatter some straw on loft floor. This was for the cocks to take up to breeding box, and give to the hen to finish off the bowl. So already to lay the eggs.
Its a good practice to record whats going on in the breeding, when eggs are laid, also date of hatching and when youngsters are rung. Keeping all information on hand to go back on, So after a few days of youngsters in the bowl, i check for growth of the youngsters at this time i may ring them and record. Has youngsters are growing i put a food pot in the box, for extra feed for mother and father. At this time the youngsters are watching their parents feed, its not long before they a re leaving the bowl and feeding themselves. I always have a drinking trough on the front of the box, again youngsters watch their parents drink. They soon join in and there development is on its way.
At around 24 to 26 days pending on growth, and making sure the youngsters are ready to be weaned. The youngsters will go in young bird section, the first thing i do is dip the youngsters beak in drinking fountain. I may do this a couple of times to make sure they are drinking. Observation is so important i feel, so a few times observing what is going on with all birds. This was my way of breeding youngsters, others may differ in their methods.
At this time vaccination of the young birds will take place, before joining other youngsters in the section. Its important again to record all information about each individual.
Breeding youngsters
Good post again Devo.
I think to a degree the preparation for pairing up begins either at the end of the previous racing season and again a couple of weeks before pairing up. By this I mean when separating the old birds up and putting the young cocks in. All the hens are put into the young bird loft. The young cocks are put into the old bird loft with the remaining old cocks for the winter to claim their nest boxes. The problem I do have is I also have box perches in the old bird racing section and some of the young cocks prefer to take a box perch than a nest box. I also take all the nest box fronts out during the winter. Partly because it makes it easier for cleaning out and also allows for cocks going into the wrong box to escape easily.
The next thing I like to do is introduce the hens to the cocks a few times during the couple of weeks before pairing. I find this generally go down quicker when paired for proper.
Nest bowls are put in a few days before pairing. I don’t use nest felts and put nothing in the bowls. I just put a good pile of straw on the floor and leave them to build their own nests.
I must admit that this hasn’t worked quite so well this year. Because I decided at the last minute to pair up early than planned the introductions didn’t happen. I paired up on Wednesday. The stock pairs were selected pairings so were shut into their boxes. These 8 pairs all went down together well. I like to get all the pairs out together as soon as I can and before they start laying. Although this has the possibility of not guaranteeing parentage of the youngsters it does prevent eggs getting broken by birds going into the wrong boxes. These mistakes are made before eggs are laid. All 8 pairs are going in and out of their boxes but some issues do occur when certain pairs are let out together with a couple of hens trying to go back to their mates from last year. I have 5 pairs out together so far.
The race team has been more problematic. I decided that with the race birds that rather than selecting the pairings I would just put the hens in and allow them to pick their own mates. This is because I’m not planning on breeding from any of the race team so don’t mind who pairs to who. I thought that leaving the fronts off would make this easier for the birds. This hasn’t proved to be the case. Proving that after years of experience you can still make mistakes and are learning all the time. Although some pairs went down quickly I have had a problem with some pairs trying to take over more than one box. I had put a few fronts back in and shut some of the offending pairs in. This afternoon I decided to put all the fronts back in and see what happens over the next couple of days.
As Devo says record keeping is essential. I have a breeding book which contains all the pairs. I then keep a record of the date the first egg is laid, the date hatched, ring number of youngsters, colour and sex plus any remarks I feel I need to keep a record of. Obviously one of the main things I have to record is when moving eggs that I know which pair I have put them under. I like to move eggs at around 7 days and put them under a pair that laid the same day, or one day either way if no other option.
So moving on. Once the eggs are laid I then select the ones I want to keep. Some eggs from the stock birds would be moved under the race pairs to allow the stock birds to go down again. When the youngsters are between 21 & 24 days old I would wean the youngsters into the youngbird loft. I would do things a bit different from Devo at this point. I never dip a youngsters beak in the drinkers. I think that they will find the water themselves. I must say that over all the years I have had pigeons I’ve never had one youngster that hasn’t found it. I also don’t vaccinate or treat the youngsters for anything. The youngsters will be vaccinated prior to training. I wouldn’t treat a youngster if sick. Any sick youngster would be removed from the loft. The first thing I do when going into the young bird loft is to cast my eye over them for any youngster that isn’t doing. Again if any not doing they are got rid of.
I think to a degree the preparation for pairing up begins either at the end of the previous racing season and again a couple of weeks before pairing up. By this I mean when separating the old birds up and putting the young cocks in. All the hens are put into the young bird loft. The young cocks are put into the old bird loft with the remaining old cocks for the winter to claim their nest boxes. The problem I do have is I also have box perches in the old bird racing section and some of the young cocks prefer to take a box perch than a nest box. I also take all the nest box fronts out during the winter. Partly because it makes it easier for cleaning out and also allows for cocks going into the wrong box to escape easily.
The next thing I like to do is introduce the hens to the cocks a few times during the couple of weeks before pairing. I find this generally go down quicker when paired for proper.
Nest bowls are put in a few days before pairing. I don’t use nest felts and put nothing in the bowls. I just put a good pile of straw on the floor and leave them to build their own nests.
I must admit that this hasn’t worked quite so well this year. Because I decided at the last minute to pair up early than planned the introductions didn’t happen. I paired up on Wednesday. The stock pairs were selected pairings so were shut into their boxes. These 8 pairs all went down together well. I like to get all the pairs out together as soon as I can and before they start laying. Although this has the possibility of not guaranteeing parentage of the youngsters it does prevent eggs getting broken by birds going into the wrong boxes. These mistakes are made before eggs are laid. All 8 pairs are going in and out of their boxes but some issues do occur when certain pairs are let out together with a couple of hens trying to go back to their mates from last year. I have 5 pairs out together so far.
The race team has been more problematic. I decided that with the race birds that rather than selecting the pairings I would just put the hens in and allow them to pick their own mates. This is because I’m not planning on breeding from any of the race team so don’t mind who pairs to who. I thought that leaving the fronts off would make this easier for the birds. This hasn’t proved to be the case. Proving that after years of experience you can still make mistakes and are learning all the time. Although some pairs went down quickly I have had a problem with some pairs trying to take over more than one box. I had put a few fronts back in and shut some of the offending pairs in. This afternoon I decided to put all the fronts back in and see what happens over the next couple of days.
So moving on. Once the eggs are laid I then select the ones I want to keep. Some eggs from the stock birds would be moved under the race pairs to allow the stock birds to go down again. When the youngsters are between 21 & 24 days old I would wean the youngsters into the youngbird loft. I would do things a bit different from Devo at this point. I never dip a youngsters beak in the drinkers. I think that they will find the water themselves. I must say that over all the years I have had pigeons I’ve never had one youngster that hasn’t found it. I also don’t vaccinate or treat the youngsters for anything. The youngsters will be vaccinated prior to training. I wouldn’t treat a youngster if sick. Any sick youngster would be removed from the loft. The first thing I do when going into the young bird loft is to cast my eye over them for any youngster that isn’t doing. Again if any not doing they are got rid of.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
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George and Morgan
- Posts: 2062
- Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2022 8:59 am
- Location: west Oxford
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i'm the same Andy never dipped a yb beak in water or put a hen in with the ybs as some do to show them how to eat but if they are happy with it carry on it's just not for me
I have a slightly different approach to raising youngsters. Let's face it, pigeons will breed under water. 
I do keep the nest boxes and nest bowls clean. I find the parents are more attentive to the babies when the box is nice and clean. Strange, but true. Other than that I have a pot of food and a small drinker in each box, the babies learn to eat and drink and wean themselves when ready. Often when they are quite small. They join in with the older ones and away they go.
I feed my normal mix. Sometimes I add extra peas for the youngsters, sometimes I don't. It makes absolutely no difference to them. They all come out the same.
I have seen pigeons raising youngsters on the grain silos out in the country. They get the wheat or barley that is spilled. That's all. They raise big strong young birds.
Raising them on a proper grain mix in a safe, dry house, I don't worry very much. They come out fine.
I do keep the nest boxes and nest bowls clean. I find the parents are more attentive to the babies when the box is nice and clean. Strange, but true. Other than that I have a pot of food and a small drinker in each box, the babies learn to eat and drink and wean themselves when ready. Often when they are quite small. They join in with the older ones and away they go.
I feed my normal mix. Sometimes I add extra peas for the youngsters, sometimes I don't. It makes absolutely no difference to them. They all come out the same.
I have seen pigeons raising youngsters on the grain silos out in the country. They get the wheat or barley that is spilled. That's all. They raise big strong young birds.
Raising them on a proper grain mix in a safe, dry house, I don't worry very much. They come out fine.
Greetings from the land down under.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Let’s face it wild birds don’t get any help or medication. The likes of young swallows fly thousands of miles to migrate at only a few months old. Survival of the fittest. I think this is the best way to build a good reliable family of pigeons.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
Dehydration is one of the worse things to happen to not only a youngster but also other birds, it effects other body organs leading to secondary infection system. So when young birds are moved to a new section, when they have been separated from their parents. I would rather spend 5 seconds dipping their head in drinks fountain, knowing they have had some fluids until i check them again later. This is all about my loft management and how i care for my birds. like i say we all do things in different ways. But i do think prevention is better than cure.
I do agree with you mate. But I have only had the odd youngster over the years that has struggled to find the water. My thought is that if they can’t find the water in the drinkers sat in front of them they aren’t likely to find water in the crates or more importantly when racing from the distance when they are most likely to have to stop for a drink on the flight home.Devo1956 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 15, 2022 9:24 am Dehydration is one of the worse things to happen to not only a youngster but also other birds, it effects other body organs leading to secondary infection system. So when young birds are moved to a new section, when they have been separated from their parents. I would rather spend 5 seconds dipping their head in drinks fountain, knowing they have had some fluids until i check them again later. This is all about my loft management and how i care for my birds. like i say we all do things in different ways. But i do think prevention is better than cure.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
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George and Morgan
- Posts: 2062
- Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2022 8:59 am
- Location: west Oxford
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agree Andy if yb can't drink or eat when weaned with other ybs round them drinking it's out
I agree mate. We all have different ways and reasons for doing things. No different way is right or wrong. Hope you didn’t take my comment the wrong way mate by me applying that your way was wrong. Just not the way I do things.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.