INTRODUCING YOUNG COCKS TO THE WIDOWHOOD LOFT

[PIGEON_MAN]

JUST WONDERING WHAT OTHERS THOUGHT WAS THE BEST TIME TO INTRODUCE YOUNG COCKS THAT HAVE BEEN ON DARKNESS INTO THE WIDOWHOOD LOFT,I HAVE TRIED BOTH WAYS I.E.PUTTING THEM STRAIGHT INTO THE WIDOWHOOD LOFT AS SOON AS RACING IS OVER,ALSO LEAVING THEM TO MOULT OUT AND PUTTING THEM IN THE LOFT AFTER THE MOULTS FINISHED.WHAT ARE OTHER MEMBERS THOUGHT,S ON THIS,PERSONALLY I HAVN,T NOTICED MUCH DIFFERANCE,OBVIOUSLEY THEY SETTLE DOWN BETTER TO THEIR NEW SECTION THE SOONER YOU GET THEM IN THERE?

[Guest WINGS 04]

I JUST PUT THEM IN BUT I FEED IN THE BOX SO THEY HAVE TO GET ONE OR GO HUNGRY

[ribble]

don't think it makes much difference,the one thing i find that does help is moving the old birds and shutting there boxes.then when young cocks have claimed a box i return the old cocks a couple at a time.

[ACE LOFTS]

i lock them all up then let 2-3 out at a time until there used to flying up and down there box.

[Mike Lycett]

Our young cocks are in there already.  Leave em in there with the old cocks & let em sort it out.  48 hrs and they don't blink an eyelid at each other.  Has no effect on the YB moult either.  Anyone tries to tell you it does it talking rubbish.

[Guest]

This is a very good post, and some good answrers, lots of myths about this subject. Dont move them till they moulted dont move lofts till the moulted i've never found a problem with it. Tip: To kick start the moult in the pigeons, take the water away for 24hours then put it back again

[Wiley]

Same as mike here,we have a few young cocks already in one of our widowhood section so in my case its re-introducing the old cocks into there old section

[Roland]

I believe it is a lot simple, and cock birds not so ardent if you put the Cock to The hen in HER nest!

Especially of course when mating to new mate.

[jimmy white]

i think theres a similar posting on another thread , would agree that [as long as   theres plenty room] simply put the young cocks in,the widowhood loft, and theyll sort themselves out in no time atall, and the sooner the better

[Beanz]

Don't think it really matters, its up to the individual as whichever way you do it as long as the birds are settled in the loft come racing time

[Roland]

Beanz, Sory to disagree with you, but I'd rather the hen not get beat up or 'Sorted' at all if possible. The agression is a lot less when a Cock bird is introduced to the Hens and HER nest... Likewise Ferrets, alot more peacefull night lol.

[NANCYVIEWLOFTS]

we take the old cocks out and close their boxes then we put the young cocks in to claim their boxes

once fully protective of their boxes we put the old cocks back in one or two at a time over a period of one week

then we take them all out and start to introduce the hens that they will be paired to next season into the loft and get them used to their boxes

we find that when we come to pairing up time all the pairs know their boxes because no matter what box a cock has it will follow the hen into every box and mayhem is the orderof the day

its just our way as we dont keep many birds

[Beanz]

Roland if you put a block of wood about the size of a pallet block or half a house brick the hen can get out of the way and so doesn't get beaten up as you put it. she is higher up than the cock and can hold him at bay.

[Roland]

Have them all year round as they like perching on them.

[andy]

Our young cocks are in there already.  Leave em in there with the old cocks & let em sort it out.  48 hrs and they don't blink an eyelid at each other.  Has no effect on the YB moult either.  Anyone tries to tell you it does it talking rubbish.

 

MIKE,

        AGREE 100%. IVE USED THIS METHOD FOR 11 YEARS NOW.

[Guest slugmonkey]

I am going to fly a widowhood system and am going to use the loft I have now for a widowhood loft I am going to put in boxes to replace the perches I am just assuming I will be able to let these young cocks claim boxes at will how many cocks would you recommend that I start with I have about 30 birds in this loft they are very undercrowded at this number I think I could go down to 20 and be ok

[Wiley]

20 widowhood cocks should be fine im racing touch wood 21

[Guest slugmonkey]

I am going to have another 60 on natural in another loft I read about a widowhood system a few years ago that sounded too crazy to be true so I have to give it a go I wont even talk about it it sounds so far fetched that I am sure that I will be made fun of, I can hide these birds in the others I am flying and if it works then I will divulge how it works !!!

[Wiley]

well be nice to know a system share it slug!how big are your lofts!