# Widowhood System



## james_606 (Feb 11, 2007)

Hi,
Can anybody tell me more about widowhood system? Do I have to catch and separated them everytime? Aside from not mating sooner and only during breeding season, what else are the benefit of doing it? How long can I do it? Can I even skip one if not 2 breeding seasons? Thank you so much.


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## learning (May 19, 2006)

*Ouch!*

Boy, here is one of those topics that is sure to send people off! You are going to have all of the folks that fly "natural" all saying that there is no benefit to the Widowhood System. Then you are going to have all the widowhood guys saying that their form of widowhood is the best. It all depends on what will work for you.

The basic or classic widowhood system (correct me if I am wrong guys) is that you mate your widowhood cocks with their hens roughly a month or so before the race season begins, let them raise a round and go down on the second round of eggs. During this time you train the cocks pretty hard. About two weeks before the first race you take the hens and the eggs away. The eggs can be put under pumpers or whatever. The hens are put in a separate area. The idea from here is that the cocks see their hens just before they are basketed and upon returning from the race. The motivation is seeing their hen as well as getting back to their "territory" or nest box. Of course there are a million variations on this basic idea. Some guys train hard, some guys don't train at all. Some guys show the hen when they basket the birds for a race, some don't...the list of personal variations goes on and on.

The widowhood guys would tell you that the benefits to this type of system is that it is much easier to keep the birds in form, i.e. you are not worried about nest condition, etc. The racing team is also much less stressed due to not having to worry about raising youngsters, defending the nest, etc.

The "natural" guys will tell you that it is a waste of your hens. Some seem to feel that a hen on 10 day eggs is a sure bet in a long tough race over a widowhood cock.

Bottom line...both systems work, and both systems require compromise to some degree. In the end it all comes down to what you are comfortable working with and what fits your schedule.

Now, all you widowhood flyers out there, please chime in and correct all of my errors in describing the system!

Hey, you could always do what some guys down here do and that is only fly youngbirds. They don't mess with old birds at all!

Hope this doesn't cloud things up any worse for you!

Dan


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## james_606 (Feb 11, 2007)

Thanks a lot. That's ton of info. Does/can widowhood system be applied with YBs? Thanks.


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## learning (May 19, 2006)

That's a good question. I know that there are a lot of people who use a modified widowhood sytem with their more sexually mature youngsters, pairing them with older hens. If you do your research there is plenty of information out there on the internet.

Dan


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## Jiggs (Apr 1, 2005)

It basically means you make the bird fly home faster to be with its eggs/chicks. I wouldnt worry about this too much as some of the best flyers in the world dont bother about it too much


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## abisai (Jan 30, 2007)

There are several variations on the widowhood system.

The pair are allowed to raise one set of youngsters. Then they are separated and trained seperately, not being allowed to see each other. Just before the race they can see each other, but not mix. After the race they can spend an hour or so together, then seperated again. He supossedly flies his fastest to get back with his hen. A take off on this is the "jelousy plan" where another cock is allowed in the racers nest box with his hen, while the original cock is locked up within eye sight. The cock can see his hen with this amorous cock making advances, but can't stop it. The confined cock will be excited and more eager to return home once released at the race site. Both methods are used for short distance races while the cocks emotions are still high.


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## learning (May 19, 2006)

abisai said:


> There are several variations on the widowhood system.
> 
> The pair are allowed to raise one set of youngsters. Then they are separated and trained seperately, not being allowed to see each other. Just before the race they can see each other, but not mix. After the race they can spend an hour or so together, then seperated again. He supossedly flies his fastest to get back with his hen. A take off on this is the "jelousy plan" where another cock is allowed in the racers nest box with his hen, while the original cock is locked up within eye sight. The cock can see his hen with this amorous cock making advances, but can't stop it. The confined cock will be excited and more eager to return home once released at the race site. _*Both methods are used for short distance races while the cocks emotions are still high*_.



There are a lot of guys out there that are kicking butt in the long races using Widowhood as well, so I wouldn't just limit to short distances. Again, it is just a matter of what works for you and what fits your schedule.

Dan


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## 1pigeon (Apr 5, 2006)

james_606 said:


> Hi,
> Can anybody tell me more about widowhood system? Do I have to catch and separated them everytime? Aside from not mating sooner and only during breeding season, what else are the benefit of doing it? How long can I do it? Can I even skip one if not 2 breeding seasons? Thank you so much.



I asked the same question when i was first joined this forum like a year ago and very beginner. but the answer was "just pair up birds and watch them grow" (ok)
Today i know why..I think they tried to tell me that it just about me and my pigeons. The systems come second..early this year i was sick so bad a few times and really wanted to given up pigeons ..But evey time i got in to the lofts i suddenly changed my mind and fall in love with those lovely birds again(and again)
I used Natural system because i still want to study the natural ways of my pigeons ..the way they fed the way they bred ext .And i see that each one of them are very different.....Now if i want widowhood system do i have to choose the right cocks for my widowhood system? ..If so i will choose(just me) the Natural system cocks that driving hen hard or the cocks that won on driving hen..Because (just me again) i think widowhood system for me is "the whole bunch of cocks that coming home want to having sex!!" And this way i just let cock come back and see his hen over and over till race finished...
I don't think i have eough knowledge for widower on egg and feeding youngs.Because i don't understand ...
But if you are beginer just pairing your birds and watch them grow...


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## shibu (Sep 11, 2011)

Do we need best hens for pairing? or a ordinary hen for that cock is enough? this may look lik stupid question, i know


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