Stick or Split - What would you do

[Guest lenwadebob]

Paired my birds up on 29th December. Cocks were all settled to their boxes, and hens were buzzing. All birds were on Barley until I paired up. Now 12 days later not a sign of anything laying. Never known this before, always gone down within 10 days, so I ask the question, should I leave them alone or split them up and put them back together in a week or two.

[pjc]

leave em bob, they'll know when the weathers going to improve.

[fletch]

just cold spell mate keep them together have they been building nests and all the usual signs

[aye ready]

could be the cold weather but i always give the birds mixture 1 wk before pairing

[david.j]

paired 9 prs on 31st all happy making nests its 10 th day today will be checking to see if any eggs shortly but i must admit thought about splitting them on wed but let them get at it theyll lay when ready

[catchthepigeon]

I cant believe anyone is pairing up in these sub-zero tempretures It wont take much 4 youngsters to get chilled in this weather

[OLDYELLOW]

id take cocks out fer a few days leave hens with boxes might fire cocks back up been away from there boxes , and if hens lay put her cock back in jmo i like to hold hen back in cage on pairing for 3 to 5 days untill im sure are paired up makes cocks and hens more eager

[OLDYELLOW]

I cant believe anyone is pairing up in these sub-zero tempretures It wont take much 4 youngsters to get chilled in this weather

 

i've  not paired my racers up yet too cold , ill wait till weather picks up

[Guest mick bowler]

Bob mine are the same, most were pre-paired, and then properly paired boxing day, i have only 5 pairs sitting from 18, and thats just in the last day or two. I will give mine another 3 days and if no more than 50% laid i will throw the eggs, split and leave for 7 days.

[mark proctor]

id take cocks out fer a few days leave hens with boxes might fire cocks back up been away from there boxes , and if hens lay put her cock back in jmo i like to hold hen back in cage on pairing for 3 to 5 days untill im sure are paired up makes cocks and hens more eager

;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)

 

[Guest Owen]

It is the dark days and nights that will be adversely affecting your birds. The reduced hours of natural light. The cold is not much help but the cold will not reduce their ability to lay.

If you are going to want to breed early you need to have artificial lights. If you provide heating it will be a convenience to you more that a benefit to the birds

If I were in your current situation, I would examine the hens to see where their pelvic bones are and make your decisions based on that. For example, if no bones are opening, split them up. If on the other hand most are starting to open you will be better off leaving them. However, if you want to raise good youngsters you must give them light. They need that to enable the old birds to feed them well enough to grow well. It is also critical to provide calcium for the birds because they will not be getting adequate sunlight to produce vitamin D. If you do not do that you are risking the hens having egg binding. To be brutely honest, if you have not planned for early breeding you are running a high risk of breeding crap youngsters and injuring the old birds to boot. I am not an early breeder normally and I don't find any difficulty beating those early youngsters with my not so early youngsters. It is ultimately about the quality of the youngsters you breed.

[jimmy white]

Paired my birds up on 29th December. Cocks were all settled to their boxes, and hens were buzzing. All birds were on Barley until I paired up. Now 12 days later not a sign of anything laying. Never known this before, always gone down within 10 days, so I ask the question, should I leave them alone or split them up and put them back together in a week or two.

 

i would split bob,, i have found if they dont click right away,, they could just sit with each other for long enough, and be quite happy, im not one for early breeding but maybe split them, with a light on each evening if poss, and a little heating mix,,,, then try again in a week or so,, it would probably be quicker in the long run,,,good luck

[Guest anto]

i would split them not worth the hassel this weather or do as owen says check all the hens see are there vents starting to open

any thats not split for a week  

[Guest lenwadebob]

It is the dark days and nights that will be adversely affecting your birds. The reduced hours of natural light. The cold is not much help but the cold will not reduce their ability to lay.

If you are going to want to breed early you need to have artificial lights. If you provide heating it will be a convenience to you more that a benefit to the birds

If I were in your current situation, I would examine the hens to see where their pelvic bones are and make your decisions based on that. For example, if no bones are opening, split them up. If on the other hand most are starting to open you will be better off leaving them. However, if you want to raise good youngsters you must give them light. They need that to enable the old birds to feed them well enough to grow well. It is also critical to provide calcium for the birds because they will not be getting adequate sunlight to produce vitamin D. If you do not do that you are risking the hens having egg binding. To be brutely honest, if you have not planned for early breeding you are running a high risk of breeding crap youngsters and injuring the old birds to boot. I am not an early breeder normally and I don't find any difficulty beating those early youngsters with my not so early youngsters. It is ultimately about the quality of the youngsters you breed.

 

Thanks for your reply Owen. I have had artificial light on since the beginning of December (on at 4 am and off at 10am, so the birds go to roost under natural light) Will check pelvic bones in the morning and take it from there, thanks.

[Guest Owen]

I am glad to help Bob. I have been in your position some years ago and I know how frustrating it can be.

Owen

[p charlton]

mine are on about 12 days they are looking ready to lay mine are just in cages but look in top nick

[Guest youngboy]

its prob the weather as some have sed so leave them together because you dont want to stress them by splittin and puttin them back!!

[gorsy bank lofts]

i put 3 pairs together, 10th dec that i wanted extra ybs out of this yr

all laid within 12 days and 5 out of 6 eggs have now hatched.

these are old birds,not previously paired together no lights on or heating.

 

so i guess if they want to go down they will

(would not have paired within last fortnight though)

[Guest frank dooman]

stick with it bob i had the same last week just like you thought about parting them glad i didnt the following day they started to lay and in the last 3 days 11 pair down my mate paired the same day as me (boxing day ) still has none think about it if you split and the hens then lay your f----- stick with it it is milder now

[Guest lenwadebob]

Thanks for your replies. I think the general consensus of opinion is leave them together, so that's what I will do  

[pigeonpete]

Paired my birds up on 29th December. Cocks were all settled to their boxes, and hens were buzzing. All birds were on Barley until I paired up. Now 12 days later not a sign of anything laying. Never known this before, always gone down within 10 days, so I ask the question, should I leave them alone or split them up and put them back together in a week or two.

 

Bit to cold mate, They will go down eventually, But will be at all different times. jmo. So maybe seperate them till after blackpool, so they will be just that bit keener again  

[kirky]

same for me only half of stock laid but are now rearing ybs no problems with cold rung them yesterday 7 days old, no heating or lights.

[ohiogsp]

I have a very hard time believing it is the weather. I live real close to canade and it is very cold and I also know people in northern canada that are breeding now. I think you made a mistake with the barley. You might do that in the fall for a week or 2 to get the weight off but why not have some fat on them for breeding. The fat will be gone after the first round anyway but that is the parents safety net, so to speek. You don't want them too thin for breeding. I would put a very high fat and 18 percent protein mix in there right now and get them some weight and they will start breeding.