Yearling Widowhood Cocks

[Diamond dave]

I'd love to know your thoughts on whether it is important for a yearling widowhood cock to rear a round of youngsters in it's box prior to racing?

I've got three that didnt go down with all the older racers.  

[jimmy white]

i would say its very important to have yearling widowhood   cocks sit and rear a pair of yb,s in their box

[Guest speckled]

well if ya are going to let them go down now  :-/ &  thay are in the widowloft, them 3 pairs will be  behind, when the others have had hens taken away , to get ready for racing,theres will still be there.If thay are bonded to there box then i personally wont bother,just  let them keep bonding,& may be  that thay are a litlle immature. Some birds just never pair.For a widow cock aslong as hes bonded to the box, the rest will come.Mine wont be birng any youngsters up this year.Speckled :-/

[southbankhs]

I WOULD SAY YEARLING COCKS ARE BETTER TO HAVE REARED A YOUNGSTER IN HIS BOX  

[Diamond dave]

Hi Speckled

You are extremely clever! That is exactly my situation - However, Last year I turned the birds round from North to South. The older birds are northroad pigeons that are now flying on the South and I consider the current yearlings to be the future of the loft - now, having said that, would you still not let them rear a nest?

Thanks also Jimmy and Southbanks

[southbankhs]

DAVE THE WAY TO LOOK AT IT IS YOU HAVE JUST RACED AND TRAINED YOUR YEARLING COCKS LAST YEAR AS YOUNGSTERS TO THE YOUNGBIRD LOFT NOW YOU WILL DO THE SAME THIS YEAR BUT TO A DIFFERENT LOFT SO THE BOND HAS TO BE RENEWED WHAT IS THE PRESENT SITUATION IN THE LOFTS AT MOMENT IE SITTING EGGS /YOUNGSTERS?

[Guest]

if they are too late going down just let them sit 5 - 7 days and then split them.this may even wrk in your favour, as you have to make the cock feel like he is a 'widow' he wil sulk for a couple of days then when training/racing starts he will be so happy to see his 'loved one'!!!

[Guest WINGS 04]

when is your first race date as you could let them rear if they are only a week or so behind as you could move the young birds with the hens as long as they are more than 10 days old

[speedbird]

i always let my widowhood cocks rear at least 1young b4 racing i have in the past had widowhood cocks & some that are late laying win from the same loft.i had a widowhood cock & a hen & a cock both on young come together wining 1st 2nd 3rd

 

i have also paired up then thrown 1st round of eggs so 2nd round all lay together or after rearing a yb spliting em up then repair & all lay together that way too this way all can be put on idowhood together

[Guest]

Thats what I do, split em off after they rear a young'un and repair them to sit a second round for 7 days and train the cocks during this period so the hens are always at home for them.

[ribble]

yearlings=natural for me,widowhood=2 years+

[schouwman71]

The only time i train widowhood cocks is when they start to go on the drive,all they are interested in is there hen and they come like bullets fighting to get through the door altogether,once the hen lays her first egg the training stops.

[Diamond dave]

Southbanks

I have 10 widowhood cocks -5 old uns and 5 yearlings. The 5 old uns have hatched and are 7-10 days. 2 yearling cocks are up to 10 days behind the old uns, 2 have just laid and the last one doesnt even look like laying - though he was no trouble when pairing.

 

What would you think If I let them go down and rear the babies and let the older ones go down again but take their eggs away - but leave them paired until the yearlings younguns are away?

 

-Grateful for all your advice - thanks to all !!!

[Guest speckled]

;D ;D Thanks mate, ;D dont over do it, just "wise" would of done.If i was rearing youngsters,   yes thay would  rear a round ,if  thay are not to far behind,but my yearlings are used to the widowhood system, as thay are on a semi widowhood stsyem as youngsters.So with youngsters i have seem to be used to it, :-/  it just the loft  change thay need to get used to,    as i have  motavation boxes in my young bird loft.Just a thought. ;DExtremly clever Speck. ;D ;D ;D