roundabout or widowhood

[TheSaddler]

Treading does not bother me - Each fancier will have a preference though.

[Chris Little]

We have raced Roundabout in the past , the main observation was when a bird returns home and finds their mate aint in the box..... their look says it all and this affects them for the following week.

 

A couple of years ago we were seriously considering packing in racing hens , since then our last 2 channel national wins have been won by hens....  ;D

 

One final point , we currently have a super hen in our race team , she topped the fed from 220 miles , she was a lesbian hen.....

 

Chris

[rockinrick]

i fly natural cos never know with ybs wat u got in loft till you fly it .

[TheSaddler]

Chris

 

Was the lesbian hen racing to eggs or just racing to the perch and the other hen? Did you leave her with the other hens or was she boxed up?

 

I've never tried racing these lesbian hens.. From your post I think I could be missing an opportunity.

 

Cheers

[Chris Little]

Saddler

 

Our top 'lesbian' hen was a roundabout hen as a yearling, however her mate failed to return from a race, she quickly took the opportunity to eye up a hen in her rest section, when l noticed this l placed a nest bowl in the corner of the section for the 'pair'. Another hen made it a threesome and in no time at all there was 6 eggs and 3 hens fussing over the nest. These 3 hens took some beating , infact they were awesome, they all won races plus other prizes over a period of a month including as previously mentioned a fed win.

 

The top hen now a 4 year old has never been a lesbian since but still wins good prizes although at times I can sense her confusion as to what side to bat for

[Guest]

Where we gain in the USA is that most clubs have 2 releases from the same rach ppoint each week A and B

 

You can put your hens in the first race and cocks in the second

[jimmy white]

i raced widowhood cocks exclusively, but didnt start them till the 3d or 4th race

for these firts 4 races i used spare hens, [a few that had been paired the previos year]

these lesbian hens raced fantastic, topping the fed etc,,,,it as in my mind at the time to try this for a season, but then i thought about the work load, but im sure they would have raced great, really it was just because i put all my thought ,time , and attention, to the cocks, and decided to stick to my plan ,and keep it simple, but these hens could race...

[Guest]

I race two hens to one cock on a jealousy system, cocks in a little loft on their own and the hens in a 8ft x 6ft section in the main racing loft. I train and trap them to their section all week then on friday night open the widowhood loft and in they go like bullets. Come race day not one bird traps to its section but all go straight to widowhood loft. Come the following day back to trapping to own sections. No need to move the birds around just let out when need to.

 

Incidentally I really do believe these hens take some beating when they know there is another hen at home with their cocks. They cleaned up in the club for me last season. As for exercising let out once a day, and usually fly non stop for about 2 hours. Not always though today for example they were up for 3 hours before getting bored. They go off ranging like youngens - no need for training.

 

Hope this is of interest.

[Guest]

By the way sent the hens every week for 11 weeks straight, hens thrive on hard work.

Some weeks velocities down to 900 yards a minute, but they would be back in next week always fit and raring to go. Only reason stopped at 11 weeks was that I paired them for Bergerac on first eggs , gave them two weeks rest and then was 2nd Club, 5th Fed, 7th Combine, 8th Amalgamation and 4th Club, 9th Fed, 13th Combine and 16th Amalgamation 2330b Bergerac .

 

Did you guess I love hens.

[jimmy white]

now that this is a year later , thought it would be an interesting topic , but would maybe add to it about thoughts on natural system

[Guest jason]

I fly natural, do rubbish at the shorter races but as the distance increases hens do really well!

 

Jason

[Wiley]

widowhood cocks and hens

[Tony C]

The people I know that fly the Roundabout can either get their cocks coming well or their hens but rarely both.

[jimmy white]

yes ,, i also have noticed this ,,, strange really :-/   but have noticed the hens doing better as the season rolls on

[THE FIFER]

the old way, natural

[jimmy white]

i would definately prefer natural for the real long hard distance races,, and the old saying fifer  " the auld heid for the hard road" :)

[Guest CS]

I have raced rounabout for three years now and found it a very good system as you are not wasting good hens, also you then know which hens to keep for future breeding. The strike rate over the season just put the hens in front of the cock birds

fly hard fly fair

 

Agreed with you, We have been on the round about, have not changed anything... My dad raced on the round about 15 years now, countine to do the round about. We've not tried Widwood yet.