you could pair later if you wanted but it depends on how many you want off stock birds tho my self personally will pair in feb have a round on darkness to fly in the races but my birds for the year after will be bred later left on nat and just trained to about 50 to 60 miles and just left to moult and mature to many good birds lost as ybs i think well look at brom all his best dont get raced as ybs makes you wonder