Pairing up

[FoxesFan4Ever]

Hi all,

 

Please excuse my well known ignorance again but I  have 3 pairs of birds who regularly sit together sharing a perch.

They seem to be doing a lot of grooming of each other and 1 pair appear to be feeding each other.

I know they are old enough to pair as I have had eggs which came to nothing so should I be doing anything to help them as I have no nest boxes or anything yet..just a few box perches.

Also if they were to lay more eggs now, should I send them to the last 2 races?

 

Thanks all

 

[Guest spin cycle]

sounds like it ..particularly the pair 'necking'. you could put some straw on the loft floor and,personally, i'd leave the hens at home until they've laid and sat a few days...alternatively you could wait until someone more experienced comes on and puts us both straight . all the best

[Guest Owen]

I would split them up quickly before the hens are in egg. Keep them seperate, no see, no touch. Exercise them seperately. Then run them together for about 1/2 hour before you basket them for a race. They ought to come well with that sort of incentive.

It would be no use pairing them so that they go to nest. There will not be enough time left to get them sitting and on a small youngster. Besides, I don't like to race young cocks when they are driving mad. They are easily lost when they are in that condition.

I have raced my youngbirds seperated most years and they really put the effort in. Especially the hens.