can I mate a hen to a different cock

[micko and jack]

hi chairde (friends) I have a question gangster sent me 3 pair of Indians jack the grandson thought he would throw a black hen out the door leaving an Indian cock spare now I have 3 hens very nice garden fantails who have chicks roughly 14 / 18 days old and their cocks are trying to mount them again can I put each of those hens into an empty nest-box with the spare Indian cock and then return them to there own cocks if so how do I do it

 

A lock the hens into their nest box at night and the cocks during the day and stick the hens in turn into the nest box with the Indian cock if so how long should I leave the hen in the nest box

B release the hens into the loft during the day and just let the Indian COCKS out

C cant be done

D if it can be done how do I manage it and at what age should the chicks be when the hens are ready to mate again

thanks mo chairde slan mick

[gangster]

its natural for the cocks to start chasing the hens when youngsters are 14 days old on wards  the hens will lay with big young in the nest..

[gangster]

also micko if the spare indians loose with the others he may tread 1 or more if the oppotunity arises as hens are known to drop for another cock bird

[micko and jack]

any chance some of you could post your views on this could do with the help thanks mick

[Guest cloudview]

you,ll have to create a spare hen in your own loft , because if as you say they are allready paired with young in the nest they wont be interested in the spare cock

[Merlin]

Hens will have to go into a differente section,away from there own Cocks,with the Indians,if you want him to thread them,it aint going to happen Micko if their Cocks are about,hens are ready to mate again when youngsters are 16 to 20 day old,but you first have to break them  from their original cocks,keaving original Cocks to finish off rearing youngsters,with NO hens.

[DOVEScot]

Hens will have to go into a differente section,away from there own Cocks,with the Indians,if you want him to thread them,it aint going to happen Micko if their Cocks are about,hens are ready to mate again when youngsters are 16 to 20 day old,but you first have to break them  from their original cocks,keaving original Cocks to finish off rearing youngsters,with NO hens.

 

I agree,

There is a myth that pigeons pair for life, not always true, I have ones that pair together but I have a cock that will tread anything that stands still long enough leaving the other cock to bring up his seed, hence the old addage pecking order and cock of the loft, this ensures the strong genes survive in the wild, fanciers on the other hand have a way of beating nature by selective breeding :-/

[micko and jack]

i have a spare hen the cock she was with died and she set and hatched the eggs herself and she is the hen i would like the indian to pair with after he treads the other couple of hens all im looking for is the indian cock to tread the other hens and stick the hens back with their own cocks mick

[DOVEScot]

i have a spare hen the cock she was with died and she set and hatched the eggs herself and she is the hen i would like the indian to pair with after he treads the other couple of hens all im looking for is the indian cock to tread the other hens and stick the hens back with their own cocks mick

 

You can put two hens in with one cock no problem, I have done this and all three raised the four young together