# How long do I need to break a pair?



## dingweding (Jun 2, 2012)

I have two pair of young fantail, A&B and C&D live in the same loft. they now paired up for a few months. For some reason, I would like to break up them, to pair A with D, and pair B with C...

thus I put B and C in a separate cage elsewhere. now after a few weeks, A & D become a pair, so do B& C.

However, I have to put these 4 birds in the same loft sooner or later, obviously I do not want them to back to old partner, such as A pair back up with B.

so how long should I keep the new pair together seperately to stop them back to old partner?

Many thanks


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

And why do you want to break them up?

Reti


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## dingweding (Jun 2, 2012)

because breeding, you always plan to breed this hen with that cock etc, however before I started, they pair up with other birds, that is why I need to break them up.

I do not think it is uncommon for anyone who breed pigeons.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

It's unnatural though and very stressful as pigeons mate for life.


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## tjc1 (Aug 22, 2012)

It sometimes happens that a pair will not produce young.
This is because one of the birds is barren. In such case they
should be separated and a new mate for each furnished. It is
best to shut the two birds to be mated together in a box with
a wire partition between them until they become acquainted
with each other, after which they will usually mate, although
they do not always do so. Dont let them see the other mate
as this is stressful. 
If it is something special you want then go for it but I wouldn't mess with mother nature if they are happy. Just my opinion. as it is stressful to the birds. Some fanciers say it can kill the birds. Others do it all the time to get a special trait.


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## Bella_F (Nov 29, 2008)

dingweding said:


> so how long should I keep the new pair together seperately to stop them back to old partner?
> 
> Many thanks


I broke up a father/daughter who paired because he already had a mate, and she needed a mate all of her own.

I put her in a separate enclosure with a less dominant male, and it took a week for them to pair . When I put them back in with the others, she continued to mate with her father but she has a nest box with her new mate.

EDIT. I should add that the mating between Father/daughter has decreased since she laid her eggs with her new mate. They used to mate every day, and lately I haven't seen much of it, if any.


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## dingweding (Jun 2, 2012)

personally I do not think it is very stressful for them. However I will not do this for no reason ofcourse.

Normally active cock bird coo for most hen, even after he already paired up. And for young hen, in this case, after just one day, she already paired up with new partner and I can see they plan to build nest.

I do not want them lay eggs in the cage, however, I worried, if I put them back, they will back to their old partner.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

if you don't want to worry about hanky panky in the loft and want to be sure the pairs you have young from are only theirs..then to know that 100% is you would have to keep the pairs seperated in seperate places...like breeding cages..large ones for them to move around in and stretch. this one is a gazebo and the birds are tended to from the inside of it.


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## Abe H (Apr 29, 2011)

I have broken up pairs before and have really never had issues putting them back in the breeding coop. Obviously had them seperated for at least 2weeks...also the reason I do it is because I do not like what the pair has produced and try them with different birds till I like what they give me.


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