for wings04

[PATTY BHOY]

The Roundabout System

The big advantage with this system is that it doubles the strength of your team right away, i.e. if you have 16 cocks in your race team it doubles to 32.

Many a time your hens can be better than your widowhood cocks, and will beat them in racing.

 

It is good for the hens, as they will be flying daily.  I have had widowhood cocks with 17 firsts beaten by hens.

 

If roundabout has a disadvantage then it is the time required to exercise both lots of birds, i.e. when the cocks have exercised for 45 mins. you have to do the same with your hens.

 

Time is usually at a premium in the morning when you have to go to work.  If this is the case then just exercise the cocks in the morning then both at teatime one after the other.

 

If you are retired, on shift work or have a partner then you can exercise both sexes morning and evening.

The Loft

Ideally it should have a corridor, with the breeding compartment at one end, open door.  It is best if the hens are kept in a compartment at the opposite end, with either young birds or stock birds in between, if this is not possible then make sure that the hens and the cocks can't see one another, all glass should be obscure.

Pairing Up

Pair up around 3 months or 104 days before the first race, this works out at around the 1st Jan.

 

Ensure that the cocks tread their hens without any interference.

 

When they have been sitting for 5 days, treat for Trichomonosis for 10 days then give them multi-vit for 3 days, this takes you to day 18. The first egg should hatch on the 19th day.

 

At this time of year it is advisable to bring the first eggs into the house to protect them from the frost.  Put a dummy egg in place until the hens have laid their second eggs, then you can replace the first eggs.  This helps to cut down on losses due to the first eggs not being covered.

 

When removing the first eggs it is advisable to mark with a pen which bird they have come from.  Wrap the egg in cotton wool and place in an egg box, carefully turning the box over a couple of times a day. This prevents the yolk from settling.

 

Week 1

When the youngsters hatch, feed 1 ¼ oz per old bird once a day, twice a week mix a handful of Homoform and 5mls of Cod Liver Oil.  Place all this in a container and thoroughly mix together,  (helps to produce ace birds).

Week 2

As the youngsters get onto hard corn, feed 1 ¼ oz per old birds twice a day add a handful of peanuts and a handful of Versalaga Success pellets into the old bird mix.

Week 3

If you can, try to feed them 4 or 5 times a day, still feeding 1 ¼ oz per old bird each time, by evening the youngsters will have full crops and the parents are full.  This helps to produce good sound youngsters.

 

[PATTY BHOY]

If you leave standing corn in front of them they tend to just pump the youngsters full of water, the results will be rubbish, (this is a fact).  No pots to be used in nest boxes until the end of the third week.

 

Taking The Hens Away

Remove the hens when the youngsters are 17 days old leaving the young birds with the cocks, they will rear them well.

 

When the young birds leave the nest bowls put gallipots of corn in the boxes and they will start to feed themselves.  Continuing to feed 1 ¼ oz per old bird 4 or 5 times a day.

 

Removing the hens prevents the cocks and hens from throwing their first flights.

 

Wean young birds at 28 days old by putting some nice clean straw in a corner of the loft, feed as before in gallipots 2 or 3 times a day until full.  

 

DO NOT LEAVE CORN IN FRONT OF THEM.  

 

Remove what they do not eat each time.

 

Re-Pairing The Birds

Rear youngsters as widowhood i.e. take hens away when youngsters are 17 days old, letting the cocks rear till 28 days, when they are weaned.  Re-pair them 5 weeks before the first race.  

 

To keep everything nice and peaceful put them back in the same nest boxes with their old mates, this way they settle down quickly with no fighting.

 

They will lay around 8 days, treat them for canker after the second egg has been laid. Replace these with pot eggs.

 

Start to train at this stage; the cocks should go from day 2 of re-pairing, weather permitting.

 

Start them around 5 miles working up to 25/30 miles: All cocks go, hens, fastened in boxes. All hens go, cocks sitting fastened in boxes.  Alternate this on different days.

 

Hens to be fed exercised and watered the same as the cocks. After 10 days sitting remove the hens, let the cock sit for a further three days.  Then remove bowl and eggs.

 

 

You are now on ROUNDABOUT.

 

[PATTY BHOY]

COCKS and HENS

No more training after the first race just let them fly around home. Exercise cocks twice a day, 45 mins. morning and teatime. SHUT THEM OUT, whilst they are out clean the loft out, when they start to exercise properly they will go right out of sight. If you are in a good position you can see them going like a swarm of bee's.

 

They will come back from a different position, doing victory rolls across the loft (when flying around the loft the birds should be all over the sky, not in a bunch).

Before you let them in put 2 peanuts on the floor of each box.  Do this every time they go out to exercise, all year round. When they get used to it they will go skybox to get them, they love peanuts.

 

Mon. to Fri. put 1/2 tspn. hemp seed in each box after evening feed. I recommend feeding together in a trough; this encourages them to eat better.

 

Daily Exercise Routine

Hens go out first.  

 

Lock them out; let them fly for 45 mins. whilst they are exercising clean out their section.  When you have finished open the door to the cocks compartment, go in and run the cocks down the corridor into the hens compartment, you have no need to handle them.

 

After the hens have flown for 45 mins. put 2 peanuts on the floor of each nest box, open the doors and the hens should trap straight back to the boxes they bred in.  Shut the doors and give them their morning feed, following the weekly regime.

 

Cocks go out now.

 

Send the cocks out by releasing them from the hen’s compartment; shut the doors after doing this.

 

When the hens have been fed, open the compartment door and drive them down into their own compartment, they will be reluctant to go. If they are being kept in the next compartment just open the door and drive them in closing the door at the back of them. One or two will dive back into their boxes.  If this happens just lift out and pop them back into their own compartment.

 

Cocks re-entry.

 

Whilst the cocks are exercising clean their boxes making sure that the bedroom is locked, this has to be kept locked all week up to Friday tea when you are basketing, in the other half have a wooden block for them to perch on.

 

Put 2 peanuts in each box on the floor.  After 45 mins open the doors and the cocks will trap back to their boxes.  Shut the door and feed the cocks as daily routine.

 

 

 

 

Then leave alone until teatime. Don't disturb either cocks or hens through the day.

[PATTY BHOY]

THEY MUST REST QUIETLY.

 

IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT ROUNDABOUT COCKS AND HENS ARE NOT DISTURBED THROUGHOUT THE DAY!

 

Racing

 

You will need to decide how you intend to race ie; cocks one week and hens the other, then the DRILL is whichever you send then the nest mate is at home waiting for it to come back.

 

If you are racing this method show the cocks or hens before they go.

 

It may be that you want to compete in a mid week club as well, here you could race hens on a Wed. and cocks on Sat. If this is the case just show the bowl on Tuesday and Friday as follows.

 

Tuesday

 

Let the cocks out for exercise at teatime, whilst out put the bowls in the bedroom.  Feed the hens, let them drink, 10 mins later let them down the corridor, or open the compartment door, so they can get back to their nest boxes.  Lock them in their bedrooms, then basket, after five mins. Allow them to tread Wed. and Sat. on return from the race. Leave together for half an hour, and then return hens to their own compartment.

 

When hens are basketed open the doors and let the cocks return to peanuts, then feed.

 

Feed the cocks before the hens return from the race.

 

Introducing The Cocks Or Hens For Racing

 

FRIDAY TEA

 

Allow the cocks into the closed section (bedroom) put the bowl (bed) in, then go and have your tea.

 

On return fasten the cocks into the bedroom, and then collect your hens in a basket, an open top one if possible.  The reason for this being that it is used on occasions to motivate the cocks.

 

If in a compartment next to cocks, open the door and let into the cocks two at a time, when these are basketed let another two in.

 

For the first couple of races take the hens out a couple at a time, put them into the open side of the nest box. Let them sweep and show to their cock for a couple of minutes.  Open the door into the bedroom, after she has entered shut the door (keep them in the bedroom end).  

 

[PATTY BHOY]

If the cock is widowing right he should get down into the bowl and start calling his hen.  You can send either of them but check colour of skin and condition first.

 

Then the hen should stand over him and start preening his neck, to which the cock should close his eyes and start calling, then his wings will start to flick.

After a couple of minutes quietly slip your hand under the bird and put him or her into the basket, they are ready for the race.

 

DO ALL THIS QUIETLY AND CALMLY.

 

Remove the bowls after all the birds are in the basket, as they will get soiled by the birds that are left in overnight.  Leaving their partners in gets them really randy.  This also saves handling them again. Make sure they are fastened in the bedroom side.

 

As you basket the birds quickly examine them.  Open the wing and check the flights.  Look for cover flights on wing twilling. Next turn the bird over and part the breast feathers along the keel.

 

The skin at this point should be a rosy pink, if it is dark you have been feeding too much protein, if it is scaly like dandruff he won't win. Add more depurative to the feed, with garlic oil and yeast powder.

 

Next look for form spots, if they are present they are found in the middle of the keel just under the skin, usually red blood spots watch it for a few seconds you will see it pulsing with it's heartbeat, this is a good sign.  ***POOL***POOL***

The ace form of all is guttering, to find this you have to check the tail flights.  Look at the tail feathers at the rump end; if the cover flights underneath are curling up over the outer edge of the tail flights, this is guttering.  This occurs only when the birds are in tiptop condition.  ***POOL*** barring accidents you should win.

 

Feed the remaining birds prior to the return of the others and ensure that all box fastenings are working.

 

If the hens can see the cocks approaching as on open door and a clear fly in.  The place will erupt with excitement when the cocks enter the loft.

Clock them quickly and quietly then fasten them in as soon as you get the chance.

 

Leave together for half an hour then remove the hens, on longer harder races leave hens in for one hour.

 

 

 

As you get used to the system you can send both cocks and hens together.  First of all have a widow basket with spare cocks and hens in.

 

Example 1- if the cock arrives first, lock the spare hen into the bedroom.

Example 2- if the hen arrives first, lock the spare cock in the bedroom.

This is so that they can play up to each other without contact until their mates return. When their mates return then remove the spare bird and let the cock and hen in together.

 

This is known as MIX and MATCHING and it works!

 

 

 

[PATTY BHOY]

EXTRA MOTIVATION

(AT BASKETING TIME)

 

Apart from the normal presentation of the hen after 3 or 4 races try something different.

 

1.     Let the cocks go into the bedroom with the bowl, lock them in and let the       hens loose in the loft.  Go for your tea, 1/2 hour later let the hens into the bedroom a couple at a time.  After a couple of minutes when the hen is standing over the cocks put them in the basket.

 

2.     Bring a basket with the hens in (as open topped as possible).  Leave them in the basket in the middle of the compartment.  Again lock the cocks in the their boxes and go for your tea.

 

On your return release the hens all together, the cocks will go berserk. Let

the hens in with the cocks.  When the hens are stood over the cocks

preening them, his wings should be twitching by now, this is the time to

basket them.

 

3.     Leave basket of hens in the middle of the compartment, let the cocks loose they will all try to get on top of the basket to get at the hens. Go and have your tea.  On return fasten the cocks in the bedroom for 5 mins. then basket . Leave hens in basket on their own until cocks have left for the race.

 

4.     Fetch the hens in, let loose for 30 mins. with the cocks whilst you go and

have your tea.  On your return they will both be in the bedroom, basket the cocks.

 

5.     Let hens into the compartment with the cocks fastened in the bedroom, after 5 mins. basket the cocks, take them 3-5 miles. Fasten the hens in bedroom to await the cock’s return (if possible let your wife or partner take them).  On their return let them in with the hens, then basket. When he is flicking his wings.

 

6.     Lock the cocks in the bedroom, in the other half stand a mirror upright so he can see himself, he will think there is another cock taking over his box, after 30 mins basket and send to the race. Have the hens in the bedroom ready on their return, this really motivates them.

 

I have won as many as 12 races on the trot using this method. The secret is not to let them get bored.

 

VARIETY! VARIETY!  VARIETY!

 

 

 

 

[PATTY BHOY]

Day     Morning Exercise     Morning Feed     Water     Evening Exercise     Evening Feed     General Notes

Sat     Nil     Feed hens race mix before cocks return     Add 1tspn Gerdon ‘I’ per drinker     Nil     Per head-                                       1oz depurative, plus 1 spot garlic oil.

Sprinkle 1 tblspn yeast powder over and mix      Using Gerdon helps top stop cross infection from the race

Sun     1 hour let them have a bath outside     Per Head

¼ oz depurative & 1 spot of garlic oil

Sprinkle 1 tblspn yeast powder & mix well.     Plain Water     1 hour shut doors     As above     Garlic oil and yeast powder helps to clean the blood of toxins

Mon     1 hour lock out     As above     Strike or Entrodex in water     As above     Per head-1 oz 50/50 race mix & depurative

Feed ½ tspn hemp separate in each nest box.      Gem-Thepax helps to make good gut flora

Tues     As above     Per head

¼ oz 50/50 depurative and race mixture, plus 1 spot wheat germ oil.     Garlic water all day     As above     Per head:

1 oz race mix.                                 For every 10 birds mix in one handful of Homoform.

Feed ½ tspn hemp separate in each nest box     Garlic water-Cleans the skin up, see next page for recipe.

Wed     As above     Per head

¼ oz race mix and 1 spot wheat germ oil     Multi-vit in drinker     As above     Per head:

1 oz race mix

Feed ½ tspn hemp separate in each nest box.       Give the birds half of their feed, before you let them out for exercise, feed the remainder on return.

Thurs     1 hour, then bath outside to relax     Â¼ oz race mix     Breeth-eze in water all day     As above     Per head:

The same as Wednesday     Place 2 peanuts in each box before they come back in do this each time they go out.  Do this winter and summer.

Fri     Nil     Per Head

Feed daily ration (1 ¼ oz) of race mix all morning, if they have not eaten all, do not feed any more after 1pm     Clean water     Rest all day     Nil     After 1pm darken the loft and let them sleep, they will be travelling all night I the transporters.

 

[PATTY BHOY]

GENERAL NOTES

As an alternative to Gem-Thepax you could use Adherb on the corn, this also helps to keep their guts right.

Garlic water-peel 4 cloves of garlic and chop up, pour 1 pt boiling water over and leave overnight, in the morning add 7 pts cold water.  There should be enough here to fill two drinkers.

When the birds are out exercising place two peanuts in each box before they come back in, do this each time they go out.  Do this winter and summer, and you should not have a problem with the birds trapping.

REMEMBER_ by giving your birds half of their feed, morning and evening before you let them out to exercise and feeding the remainder when they return keeps you in control.

IMPORTANT

Each time they spend more than one night in the basket (holdover or channel racing), always treat for Canker follow this with three days multivits.

A good one to use is Aviform Ultimate. Doing this should keep your birds healthy.

[PATTY BHOY]

does this help wings

[Guest WINGS 04]

thanks m8 will keep going over it

[Guest phillip]

"does this help wings"

 

PATTY BHOY , thank you . Not only WINGS who benefits from this info . I have also copied the info , as I have been looking for info on this same subject .

 

Only one question . How much time do u spend with the birds to use this system effectively , I work from early till late and do not have much daylight hours available during the week .

[Guest lenwadebob]

Well done PATTY BHOY....... brilliant post for 'new starters' and 'old hands' alike  

[greenlands]

Best bit of reading I've had for a while,always flew natural,might give it a go now I understand it more.

Thanks mate for your time and effort.

Lindsay

[Fair Play]

Whew! to think I took this up as a Hobby  ;D ;D

[PATTY BHOY]

hope this helps other fanciers.

[Guest frank dooman]

great post pat the only thing i would change would be not showing the hens as much and to keep that for the special races you realy want but you have realy explained the roundabout too a tee well done

[ally mac]

A great read, could you , or someone do the same for natural, PLEASE.

 

Al.

[ALF]

RIGHT PAT TELL THE TRUTH NOO ...WHERE DID YE COPY IT FROM???????? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Albear]

A terrific gesture providing from A - Z his own roundabout method. An excellent read and of great help to anyone contemplating roundabout and a great check for those flying it .

[whiteknight]

Great read .