# Winter Breeding



## red2x (Nov 20, 2008)

For those of you that are in the far north like me (Minnesota) do you do any winter breeding?
Last year I tried it for the first time and set a timer with a light bulb to turn on early in the am hours and to go off when it got light. I would set it to turn on early enough so I had 16 hours of light by the time it got dark and that way the parents would naturally settle into the nests at night. 
Well, it worked like a charm and all my birds layed and hatched within days of each other and I though I had it all figured out. The problem was between 10-14 days. The parents would stop sitting on the nest full time and the young didn't have enough feathers and every single baby died. 
I paired my birds in late Feb. but we still have freezing temps well into March and even April. So, How do you keep your young alive for that 1 week window where the parents don't sit 24 hours and the young don't have enough feathers?

I have 3 new pairs that I bought this year and am excited to get them breeding and would like to start in late Feb. again but not if I have to go though the pain of some of them freezing to death again


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I'm going to try the same thing this year. I'm glade you post, I was worried about that same thing. You may have just saved all my babies, Thanks, Now for a fix, I think I will rig up a heater in the loft for that week or so that they will need it. If some of you guys and gals don't think it would make them sick, The temperature change that is, I would close up most of the loft from outside air which I don't think it would hurt for such a short time. I'm also going to use that pot stuff you use in hanging planters in the nest bowls to help keep them warm. Do you all think this will work?


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## rpalmer (Mar 10, 2011)

So far this year we have been lucky. The lowest temperature has been something like 18*(F). My young have their parent made nest changed out at day 4 or 5 with me filling their terracotta nest bowl with straw. I make sure that the bottom has layers running opposite to each other to help keep the straw from being moved and letting the cold nest bowl touch the squabs. I also build up the sides with much more that even the best or biggest pigeon nest would be. So far, I have had luck with this and change the nesting material daily. I don't want anything to chill them of weaken them. But 18* isn't all that cold.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

red2x said:


> For those of you that are in the far north like me (Minnesota) do you do any winter breeding?
> Last year I tried it for the first time and set a timer with a light bulb to turn on early in the am hours and to go off when it got light. I would set it to turn on early enough so I had 16 hours of light by the time it got dark and that way the parents would naturally settle into the nests at night.
> Well, it worked like a charm and all my birds layed and hatched within days of each other and I though I had it all figured out. The problem was between 10-14 days. The parents would stop sitting on the nest full time and the young didn't have enough feathers and every single baby died.
> I paired my birds in late Feb. but we still have freezing temps well into March and even April. So, How do you keep your young alive for that 1 week window where the parents don't sit 24 hours and the young don't have enough feathers?
> ...


When the young are at that age They are getting big enough that the parents can not cover them as good. So they can chill. Is you loft closed up enough for winter. IF so Then late feburay should work as figure 10 to 14 days before they lay. Then 17 days to hatch so you are close to April So you should be safe. Might think of deep dish dog bowls a liitle pine shaving in the bottoms And pine needles this could help them cover them better. Be sure the water does not freeze as the parents will get off the nest trying to get water for them And they will freeze.


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## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

Maybe re lee's last point may be the best, "Be sure the water does not freeze as the parents will get off the nest trying to get water for them And they will freeze."

It gets pretty cold around here, I have things shut up so there's no draft but I don't have any heat and aside from a few first laid eggs freezing, my babies get along fine. I put sand in the bottom of dog bowls as its a pretty good insulator then pine needles.


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## red2x (Nov 20, 2008)

Thanks for the replys. My loft is draft free and I put a good thick layer of pine shaving in the nest bowl. You may have hit on something with the water. I don't have a heated water bowl. I just change out the frozen water twice a day. I think I'll do the heated water and plenty of bedding and see how it goes. 
Anyone else have any ideas or tips?


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## windyflat (Jul 19, 2007)

half my pairs are on 10-12 day eggs now.

Tom


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## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

Nine out of my ten pair are on 10-12 day old eggs also. Don't know what to think about the tenth pair...going through all the motions with no egg?


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## loonecho (Feb 25, 2010)

Well Red 2X, I may be farther north than you. Near Detroit Lakes MN. I have three pairs put together now and expecting eggs in about 5 days. Of course I just built a new loft and it is insulated with windows on the south to allow the sun to shine in and warm things up during the day. I have had pigeons hatch as early as the first of Feb during a *cold winter (in my old loft)and they have done fine. So far my birds seem to be pretty good at keeping the babies warm. Even when they get too large for the parents to cover them, they will still sit over them providing enough heat to do the job. If need be, I will put an oil filled radiator in the loft to keep the temp above freezing. I think even 40 degrees is warm enough. Built some fountain heaters so there is always fresh water available. 

Jim*


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## Kal-El (Oct 10, 2008)

I tried winter breeding when I first started racing because I was told that older young birds will give me a better chance of competing. I found that out to not be true. I had a hard time settling the young birds on the cold and snowy days. I lost too many young birds. I also tried the heater idea and covered my loft so that no warmth would escape. That also proved to be disasterous. My electricity bill went through the roof and my birds became sick because there was no ventilation. Since then, I started my breeding in March and it's worked out great. Young birds born during those times begin to mature at the height of young bird season, as to older young birds start to exhibit the habits of old birds (i.e. not wanting to fly as much).


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## markp1969 (Nov 23, 2010)

If your lights turn off while they are off the babies, they may not be able to get back to the nest. Thats why I use a red heat lamp to act like a night lite and a heat source in my breeder's loft.


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