I like to observe nature regards our dovecote birds, they are fed, watered, vaccinated etc the same as our loft birds but apart from that they open to all the elements of nature
This cote has 12 compartments, the dominant pair pick the NE comp in the summer and the SE compartments in the winter.
They breed all year round but slow down in the winter and the mortality rates fall to about 25%,
They are are street wise and almost never get taken by hawks
They never get any problems or infections and if you handle them they are in excellent condition
The fantail disappears through natural selection and survival
If the conditions are right they will lay and rear all year round
Unlike our loft birds we determine the best to get what we think is best for us rather than what is best for the birds. A bird rung on the earliest possible date in January with a 2010 ring will be the oldest and some may say the most experienced bird when it comes to racing others don't pair up till later in the year if they don't concentrate on YB racing so I believe :-/