# How to encourage breeding



## aarongreen123 (Jan 26, 2005)

Trying the light system this year, as always learning as i go. I have a small loft with 8 pairs in it. I dont use nest fronts, letting them pair naturally. I have three pairs on eggs, two more pair that have been clearly paired up for more than two weeks but no eggs, and the remainder still screwin around. Lights are on 14 hours, centered on noon. Doesnt seem to be any stress or serious squabbling going on.

Next year i will do this different by separating and pairing manually, but what can i do to encourage breeding for the remaing birds?


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## klondike goldie (Apr 20, 2009)

maybe try heating the loft....try to fool mother nature.


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## ERIC K (Mar 29, 2010)

Are they younger birds? I'd stay away from heating your loft your birds don't need it.


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## TylerBro (Mar 14, 2011)

i would say that you have to lock the cocks in a nest box to make them claim it ... then they will want a hen to go into there and bread .... 


all mine that i let pair up by them self have not had eggs .. but my ones i paired are almost done with laying ... 

You should lock the cocks down in a box for day or two ... then lock the hen in there a day so that cock will go to his box and dance for her .... this will help the pairs get in the mood to be back together 2.. i would


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## Kal-El (Oct 10, 2008)

ERIC K said:


> Are they younger birds? I'd stay away from heating your loft your birds don't need it.


I agree with Eric. And I'm sure you wouldn't look forward to seeing your electricity bill if you decide to use turn the heat on. Instead, make sure each cock claims a nest box. If your nest boxes have no fronts, you may need to find a way to lock each cock in a box until he claims it as his own. Once each box is claimed, every cock will defend it. This process should take about a week. Introducing hens will be smoother transition with less fighting.


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

Lights. Put light on the loft say more hours a day. Make the birds think it is spring. They do not want to go to nest now. Their internal clock knows its winter. It is also cold. Not time to mate in the pigeon world. I am sure some will chime in with a system. I do not pair until 1st of Feb and that is even a bit early for pairing them naturally. I tried winter breeding a few years. Without lights its tough. The old timers around here waited until Valentines Day.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

My birds are separated now. I started with the lights on last week. I have them come on at midnight and they stay on till 4pm each day this gives the birds time to get to the roast before dark at 5 pm. You need about 16 or 17 hrs of light. Last year I kept the lights on a month before I paired them. I paired them up for about a week and they all stayed paired. I had no problems with the pairings. You have to keep the lights that way till spring or when there is more hours of natural light. Although the system worked last year perfectly, I think this year I will pair them up sooner because the hens started to lay before I paired them. I am thinking a month was to long. Don't be afraid to experiment to find what works for your loft situation. I am going to open the boxes up this year to let the cocks pick their box, which I didn't do last year. I paired them in the boxes and then left the out and they all took different boxes for each round. I never knew where they would lay the next round.


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

I wait until February for a few reasons. I do not have electricity to my loft. The water freezes at night through February, and I have had winners out of all rounds of youngsters. I also only breed two rounds of youngsters. This year I will do 3 on a few pairs. Most the guys that fly my birds do not darken or light their birds so no real need for Jan1 youngsters. Those who breed early work theirs into the second round.


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## Granny Smith (Jul 16, 2011)

How about dimming the lights, a little soft music, maybe some wine.  That may get them in the mood.


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## aarongreen123 (Jan 26, 2005)

i tried the barry white, no luck I have the lights on for 14 hours should i extend that? i don't have a way to lock the cocks up this year, next year i will so i have to live with the conditions this year i guess.


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## aarongreen123 (Jan 26, 2005)

there seems to be plenty of interest in breeding, just not many eggs


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I would extend the lights. Those that are not laying are probubly not paired yet, I would think. I guess what will happin will happin this year but you can change that next year You can manipulate them into doing what you want if you chose to.


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## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

You need at least 16 hours of light. I've been in the horse business for ever and 16 hours of light will keep them from growing winter hair or help them shed it.......same idea, different species.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

aarongreen123 said:


> Trying the light system this year, as always learning as i go. I have a small loft with 8 pairs in it. I dont use nest fronts, letting them pair naturally. I have three pairs on eggs, two more pair that have been clearly paired up for more than two weeks but no eggs, and the remainder still screwin around. Lights are on 14 hours, centered on noon. Doesnt seem to be any stress or serious squabbling going on.
> 
> Next year i will do this different by separating and pairing manually, but what can i do to encourage breeding for the remaing birds?


14 hours is enough light. TRY some vitimans with high dose vit E that gets them going. AND helps bring them in to fertile. If that does not work NOTHING will I used VIT, E for many years never had any problems. USED 12 hours of light. Started vit E right after pairing the birds. BUT I allways seperated and selected each pair of birds. Even poultry vitiman will work.As long as you see it has a high dose of vit e AND you just add it to the water. For 4 days. Or get VIT E 200 to 40 unti caps. And give each bird 1 time daily for 5 days. BUT waters are easyer.


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## ERIC K (Mar 29, 2010)

you can and should add calcium in the water, helps with the egg production. I got the calcium gluconate one tablespoon per gal of water. Foys sells it $5.95. I got mine at farm and fleet store.


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## ace in the hole (Nov 27, 2007)

ERIC K said:


> you can and should add calcium in the water, helps with the egg production. I got the calcium gluconate one tablespoon per gal of water. Foys sells it $5.95. I got mine at farm and fleet store.


*I put a bowl of crushed oyster shell in the loft.*

As for the lights. I put the lights on from 16 to 18 hours two weeks before pairing. After they have been on a week I start putting the birds together just long enough to pair and then back into the cock and hen lofts. The cocks are in the breeding loft. Three days before putting them together the cocks get the nest bowls. The day before they get the hens they get pine needles for nesting. Every cock that has been through a breeding season knows what is up and is ready to go when they get their hens. My first round will all be laid within three days of the first egg.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

In our spring we get 15 hours of light so I would imagine *more* than what you normally have *in spring* by *1 hour* would be a good start. Are your spring days lighter for longer than 14 hours? If not then 14 - 15 should work.

vit - e is a good idea too, I have never had laying issues with my birds and on top of red brick and oyster shell I only buy a calci - grit which contains vit -e + they get heaps of sunlight as get open loft all day unless they are in training.

I am not quite sure that we can conclude that if vit - e works nothing will so don't give up if vit - e does not work but its definitely worth a shot.


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## triple7loft (Nov 22, 2012)

I had a pair go down great then I have a couple of pair that needs some help so I started 16 hours of lights today. Just to help the party along


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

Granny Smith said:


> How about dimming the lights, a little soft music, maybe some wine.  That may get them in the mood.


That has worked for me !!


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

SmithFamilyLoft said:


> That has worked for me !!


It's viagra important to set the mood at your age Warren.


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