Widowood

[Old Pied]

Thanx All. Will have to get hold of this book as soon as possible. I checked Amazon, but cant seem to find it. Any other suggestions where i can get hold of this book. I really want to make this work.

[OLDYELLOW]

maybe off ebay

[OLDYELLOW]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=pd_rhf_s_1?ie=UTF8&search-alias=stripbooks&keywords=dave%20allen%20a%20widowhood%20year

[adam owen]

he has a video and dvd in boddy ridewood failing that you can have mine

[owen101]

i have read a book that was blue forgot the name but theres a full series of the books will find ot the name for you

[OLDYELLOW]

dont know if this is of any use but heres the link :

http://www.downarchive.com/dl/widowhood+year+by+dave+allen.html

[Craig05]

Hello Old Pied

Fellow countyman here.  i am new to the widowhood in the Uk having raced in SA all my life but have had some info on the system from Sid Barkel (Jacks brother).  my thoughts would be to pair the birds up in March after the moult and let them rear one round to ensure the cocks have claimed there boxes.  I know the old bird racing starts in June, but it might be worth racing semi widowhood or roundabout or just off the second round of eggs for the first 4 or so races and then as the season gets to the interesting part (Middle-Long distance) and the days start getting a bit longer i would start them on full widowhood.  if you have to and it helps the birds want to mate or breed, it may be worth leaving the light on in the loft for a couple of hours a day to make the birds think that its the breeding time of year with longer hours of light.

I must admit we never tried the widowhood in South Africa but having seen it first hand over here, i cant see why it wouldnt work.  i dont think it was given enough chance over there, and fanciers that tried it and didnt win after the first few races, probably went back to natural system.

 

[aaron21]

http://www.everythingforpets.com/the_widowhood_year_book_.pet/use.id.5.item_id.756.dept.86/

[OLDYELLOW]

Hello Old Pied

Fellow countyman here.  i am new to the widowhood in the Uk having raced in SA all my life but have had some info on the system from Sid Barkel (Jacks brother).  my thoughts would be to pair the birds up in March after the moult and let them rear one round to ensure the cocks have claimed there boxes.  I know the old bird racing starts in June, but it might be worth racing semi widowhood or roundabout or just off the second round of eggs for the first 4 or so races and then as the season gets to the interesting part (Middle-Long distance) and the days start getting a bit longer i would start them on full widowhood.  if you have to and it helps the birds want to mate or breed, it may be worth leaving the light on in the loft for a couple of hours a day to make the birds think that its the breeding time of year with longer hours of light.

I must admit we never tried the widowhood in South Africa but having seen it first hand over here, i cant see why it wouldnt work.  i dont think it was given enough chance over there, and fanciers that tried it and didnt win after the first few races, probably went back to natural system.

 

like you say some may have tried it and not got good results straight away because havent given it the time to master it , and reverted to the natural system like any system choose one and stick to it chopping and changing wont make fer a good season

[Old Pied]

Hi all

 

Thanx so much for info. Got hold of the book.

 

Will keep you up to date, first of all I must get them threw a propper moult.

 

Regards

Old Pied

[wilkins]

i think the feeding method in the book may be alittle out of date

[Old Pied]

Hi 'wilkins'

 

Can you perhaps elaburate on what you mean with 'the feeding method in the book may be a little out of date'.

 

Widowood still new 2 me, and I am made to believe that the feeding method of these cocks are very important (as with all racing birds) in order to be successful . So please assist, would like to hear your few.

 

Regards

Old Pied

[OLDYELLOW]

Hi 'wilkins'

 

Can you perhaps elaburate on what you mean with 'the feeding method in the book may be a little out of date'.

 

Widowood still new 2 me, and I am made to believe that the feeding method of these cocks are very important (as with all racing birds) in order to be successful . So please assist, would like to hear your few.

 

Regards

Old Pied

im sure the feeding would be fine as most be on natural anyway however instead of mixing all mixes im sure you can buy the mixes

 

 

[Guest stb-]

widowood     better widowhood

[kev43]

DAVE ALLEN" the living legend " widowhood expert,, is a gd video  2 watch aswell  

[Guest Owen]

Just a point.  I fly widowhood exclusively. And I have now got my own system. Like most people I started with the Dave Allen way and things have moved on from there. As has already been said, the system and the method of feeding has changed. So has the relationship between the cock and hen as far as showing the hen is concerned. A lot of people do not like to train the cocks after the racing starts, they will tell you that the cocks do not need it because they fly themseves fit. Even that has changed.

So my advice would be to list up the methods advised by Dave Allen and then compare them with the methods used by Widowhood Flyers in your neck of the woods.

[wilkins]

Hi 'wilkins'

 

Can you perhaps elaburate on what you mean with 'the feeding method in the book may be a little out of date'.

 

Widowood still new 2 me, and I am made to believe that the feeding method of these cocks are very important (as with all racing birds) in order to be successful . So please assist, would like to hear your few.

 

Regards

Old Pied

i think that birds need less protein now as we have the new fat/energy mixs, a mix like vl superstar is fine to use with around 10 % energy mix added rather than maples etc  the birds digest this protein a lot quicker plus they will need the extra fat if raced over 250 miles  regularly as once the carbs are burnt they will need the fat to fly on or they start wearing down there on body muscle , peas/beans do not carry the fat that sunflower etc does,,,, a top flier i know (national winner) told me just use gerry mix and over 200 add 10-20% energy mix, no break or re building needed on this mix plus you have the fat in the bird for when they need to call on the reserves, if you a sprinting to 200 you dont need the energy mix

 

 

[Guest gladdo]

in my view im sure the hens will beat the cocks .... cocks can be very sulky if things not going there waysay a smash ... .hens are very hardy and will fly back paired to me !!!!! im only 2 years but has anyone ever tried racing hens on widowhood !!!!! mikey ...

[Old Pied]

Thanx Kev

 

Just this morning I ordered the dvd 'Wonderful Widowhood' by John Halstead. Have you watched it before.? Hope it will assist me in my 'new adventure' on 'widowhood'.

 

Do you perhaps know if the video you mentioned is still available, and where?

 

Regards

Old Pied

[just ask me]

Just a point.  I fly widowhood exclusively. And I have now got my own system. Like most people I started with the Dave Allen way and things have moved on from there. As has already been said, the system and the method of feeding has changed. So has the relationship between the cock and hen as far as showing the hen is concerned. A lot of people do not like to train the cocks after the racing starts, they will tell you that the cocks do not need it because they fly themseves fit. Even that has changed.

So my advice would be to list up the methods advised by Dave Allen and then compare them with the methods used by Widowhood Flyers in your neck of the woods.

 

i would agree owen but as a starter trying widowhood ain't it a good place to start as Dave wrote the book in such a way that a novice could understand  i feel the methods in the book would give any new starter a strong base to work from then as time goes by changing it to suit the birds and fanicers needs   its definitely worth a read  

[Roland]

Widowhood is the art of flying the Hens. Widowerhood is for flying the Cock birds.

Australia is the same... but there they main only fly y/b's / yearlings and are after the long haul races. As you have no Evening light, I guess any distance race has to be a two - three day race is and when attested. I'd plumb for the lack of sunlight hours personally.