Hens For Racing

[Diamond dave]

Like many fanciers, I have lost a good few birds this year. I only usually keep 10 widowhood cocks in a small backyard loft and have mostly lost my widowhood cocks.

I was thinking of racing natural next year and using the hens that have been kept widowed over the last few years. These are birds that have been in hen boxes for the most part of the racing season and then in their own section over winter.

Can anyone tell me if they have succesfully brought hens out of this "retired" state and done any good with them.

They would have all raced as young birds up to around 140 miles. I would like them to race up to maybe 350 miles in thier first year back and maybe 5-600 miles the following year.......

 

D.D.

[alex young]

Dave,it shouldn't be a problem.If it was me I'd exercise them whenever possible throughout the winter to keep them in good shape,they will cover a lot of ground in an hour and should get back into the habit of trapping well.I'd also race the hens on widowhood for a few weeks then maybe repair them for the longer races.This is just an option.atb.

[gladiator lofts]

Instead of racing natural why not race roundabout i think that it is a waste of good hens by just racing cocks we race roundabout and even get hens and cocks home together with no problems its all to do with motivation then on race day all they want to do is enter loft as regards to bringing hens back in to racing i find that as long as they were educated as youngsters then i think you will be very surprised with tnem next season all the best