Flying natural cocks

[Guest Hjaltland]

I get my best results from hens when flying to chipping eggs but not with the cocks, so much so that my loft is full of hens which have been successfull - but I struggle with the cocks, I've tried flying the cocks when driving to nest and in other  positions but they are nowhere as good as the hens. Whats the prob?

 

Your advice on what you think is the ideal nest position for natural cocks would be appreciated!

[Wiley]

i always got told the cocks were better on a bigger youngster 10-12 days old i may be wrong tho

[Tony C]

Feeding a big youngster I've found best.

[REDCHEQHEN]

I have little experience - only can go by our winner from Clermont ( 391 miles) a yearling cock who was feeding a 10 day youngster, it was the first time we had sent to one of the longer races. We did have a 3rd from Lille from a 2 year old cock on chipping eggs (approx 318 miles) - this is the first year for us racing cocks  over the channel though.

[Guest anthony]

I think that there are more than one good position for the natural cocks to be raced on,it is a matter of observing and know your birds.First, sitting9 to 14 days,driving to nest (for the old cocks),with youngster in the nest over 7 days.

[ACE LOFTS]

i think u should send them with 1-2 youngsters that r about 14 days old but 2 - 3 days before basketing take the hen away and let the cock think he is bringing it up on his own it will bond the cock to the youngster and he will be more keena, while the cocks r out flying let the hens in to feed the youngster so it doesnt take it out of the cock.

 

this works a treat.

[Guest Hjaltland]

Thanks for all your answers.

 

I've tried flying to older youngsters but never having taken away the hens. Good idea to let the hens in to feed some and ease the burden on the cock, would he be looking to his hen again normally at this stage?

[birdman55678]

One question on removing the hen from the babies, do you ever have a problem with the cock bird deserting the nest and neglecting the squabs?  Thanks.  Ed

[Guest]

Ed,

 

I've always found that the cocks are far more attentive parents than the hens

[birdman55678]

Thanks Linda.

[liverpool_boy]

i think the cocks ar the best on widowhood thats what i fly had a team off natural for distance racing but went all widowhood this year and find that if you put that bit extra in the widowhood cock's for distance i.e training theme after 3 hundred mile it worked for uz this year 3rd sectian flying 518 miles that waz our first time scoring over 500 mile

[jimmy white]

and a brilliant result that was too,,,,,,,,,,,,im sure   jack barkell wont mind me printing the first paragraph of an e mail from him quote,,,i beleive all extreme distance candidates, should not have sex during their build up, all birds should be flown celibate to preserve their build up of energy,power and stamina. i know there are good prizes aquired by various nesting positions, but this urge to be home does not compare with the extreme fitness of a bird deprived of sex.

but to answer your original question ,,,,, if it was natural, i would prefer sending an older cock feeding one youngster, then just looking at the hen to begin to drive

[Guest]

found cocks to be sitting 5 to 7 days do quite well

[Guest ben]

Hi Hjhatland,

                   sorry to disrupt your thread,but mid-summer 22nd june,it is supposed to be light 24 hours per day up your way,is this right?,if it is clear bright do you reacon they liberate the Lerwick birds to late in the day,6-630 ish,do you reacon they could be tossed 3-4am if no fog about,because i remember reading about ,i think it was danish,or maybe sweds,who flew north,liberated 12 midnight ,and few hours earlier could give 600 mile birds a chance to come on the day.

[Ronnie]

Ive got a mealy who is sitting 18 day eggs at the moment and ive never seen a pigeon so keen.He is normall placid but he's turned damnright viscious if you go near his box at the moment.

[Wiley]

Ive got a mealy who is sitting 18 day eggs at the moment and ive never seen a pigeon so keen.He is normall placid but he's turned damnright viscious if you go near his box at the moment.

 

This is the right time to get pigeons tame when there on eggs or a big young un i find,as they will always fight you and protect there nest.

 

 

[Guest Hjaltland]

Hi Hjhatland,

                   sorry to disrupt your thread,but mid-summer 22nd june,it is supposed to be light 24 hours per day up your way,is this right?,if it is clear bright do you reacon they liberate the Lerwick birds to late in the day,6-630 ish,do you reacon they could be tossed 3-4am if no fog about,because i remember reading about ,i think it was danish,or maybe sweds,who flew north,liberated 12 midnight ,and few hours earlier could give 600 mile birds a chance to come on the day.

 

Hey Ben!

 

The daylight here at midsummer at midnight is such that you can read a newspaper then.. i needs me glasses!

 

I wouldnt consider slippin pigeons at that time though.

 

The first ever Lerwick lib in 1898 was at 3:30 am ... its broad daylight up here then with the sun just peeping on a clear morning. I think that the current libs could be earlier than 6:00 or 6:30...(there's my neck on the line!) it all depends on the cloud cover and weather that time of day.. experience has probably shown that to give the birds the best chance the libs are best held till then. I would think someone from the NRCC or other feds involved would have some history of libs from Lerwick and could cast some light :-) on this..

 

Then of course there's the politics of it all..

 

[schouwman71]

7-10 days sitting ,ive had good results from that.

[Guest ben]

Thanks for reply haijatland :