# what is the best way to get you birds breeding



## PigeonMan51 (Dec 14, 2007)

What is the best way to get you birds breeding? Like is there anything that i can give them? I know there are types of seeds like hemp and then there is other things. Just in all what can i do for them and what can i give as a boost if anything?


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## pigeon poop (May 21, 2007)

What is the world are you on about? Since when do they need boosts?! It should always come instinctivly to them otherwise you have a bad pair on your hands. I have never had a pair that wouldn't go at it...in fact they are still at it. I have never heard of something to encourage birds to go at it. Now that i think of it if you put a nest box in and some nesting materials they should get the message. Maybe it's not the right time for them. Weird....are you sure they're of opposite sex?


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## PigeonMan51 (Dec 14, 2007)

yes i pretty shor


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

Just about anyone will sell you something that will 'do' what you are looking for. Put them in a crate for a day or so and see what they do.


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## PigeonMan51 (Dec 14, 2007)

Matt D. said:


> Just about anyone will sell you something that will 'do' what you are looking for. Put them in a crate for a day or so and see what they do.


 Um i dont no really something to get them going at it. what am i looking for when i put them in a crate like them breeding are fighting flirting are what


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Make sure they are getting enough protein as that will increase the sex drive.

Also, make sure that you have done all the innoculations, and preventions, that they are all feeling tip top.


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## learning (May 19, 2006)

Depending on where you are in the world the amount of light they get can have a lot to do with it. I am in Georgia and everyone that is breeding early here has lights on to extend the length of the day. Pigeons would not normally be breeding this time of year so if you want early youngsters, sometimes you have to trick them into thinking it is later in the year. On the average I think most guys give them between 14 and 16 hours of daylight to get them going.

Hope this helps.

Dan


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Mine appear to breed for their own personal amusement. I had the flock for a month before they relaxed and paired up. I got fake eggs.


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## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

If there new birds let them settle in and then they should pair off. Once they are paired they will seek a nest site. Add some nesting boxes and nest bowls and see if that gets the cocks calling the hens.


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## PigeonMan51 (Dec 14, 2007)

they have all that bowl and every thing and i have seen most of my cocks in the bowls calling hens but nuthing


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

What kind of nesting material do you have?


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## PigeonMan51 (Dec 14, 2007)

Matt D. said:


> What kind of nesting material do you have?


um i have hay and tabacco stalks


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

Have the cocks built their nests in their bowls yet?


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

pigeonman, please let me know

1) how many birds u have
2) how long u had them for
3) what are u feeding them
4) how big is yr loft or cage
5) how big is yr nest box
6) do u have a bowl in the nest box
7) are u giving enought calcium, grit and other supplements
8) does the loft get enough sunlight


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

by the way, hemp seeds are addictive and illegal to obtain in some places. It does improve the breeding abilities.

Sometimes pigeons like the food for the size and shape and not for the flavor (they have very few taste buds)


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

warriec said:


> by the way, hemp seeds are addictive and illegal to obtain in some places. It does improve the breeding abilities.
> 
> Sometimes pigeons like the food for the size and shape and not for the flavor (they have very few taste buds)


Congrats on you 1400th post!


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## PigeonMan51 (Dec 14, 2007)

warriec said:


> pigeonman, please let me know
> 
> 1) how many birds u have
> 2) how long u had them for
> ...


i have 36 birds 
they get sunlight as they want 
i am feeding them a raceing pigeons mix and i mix with that a supplemt for breeding birds
grit i have is a red cross grit it is all red
i do have nest bowl 
the nest box is a foot hight and and two feet in 
my loft is 8feet by 12feet
and i have had them for about a year now


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## PigeonMan51 (Dec 14, 2007)

Matt D. said:


> Have the cocks built their nests in their bowls yet?


one of my pairs have


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

PigeonMan51 said:


> one fo my bird have


Put a little bit of nesting material in the bottom of your birds nesting bowls, to kinda get them building a nest. As soon as they start that they will start driving their hens around the loft and when it is all built (in about 5 days) they will call their hens to the nest and they will sit for about 4 days. After this they will lay their eggs and you'll be on the right track. Did you let your cocks into the loft to choose their nest box's before they found their hen? This usually helps when you have alot of new breeders/old birds going into a different loft, it is just a way to get them to have a box and know where they belong. As soon as the squabs hatch, you should throw some more nesting material for the cocks to build a second nest.

Oh almost forgot my 700th post!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Matt D. said:


> Oh almost forgot my 700th post!


Congratulations Matt!!


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Matt D. said:


> Oh almost forgot my 700th post!


Happy 700th post, Matt!  

Terry


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## chlee09 (Mar 11, 2007)

you can cage up a pair or take a pair and put them in a cage. give them light form 5 am. to about 9pm. do this until they have eggs and the eggs hatch.


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## PigeonMan51 (Dec 14, 2007)

chlee09 said:


> you can cage up a pair or take a pair and put them in a cage. give them light form 5 am. to about 9pm. do this until they have eggs and the eggs hatch.


keep them in the light cage after the eggs hatch


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## PigeonMan51 (Dec 14, 2007)

form the first day you put male and female to gether around how many days should that be laying eggs


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## zimmzimm3 (Aug 17, 2007)

I think so because you don't want to move a nest with squabs in it because you run the chance of the parents abandoning the nest which they often do when you move the nest.


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## PigeonMan51 (Dec 14, 2007)

but do i keep them on the light system


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## zimmzimm3 (Aug 17, 2007)

PigeonMan51 said:


> form the first day you put male and female to gether around how many days should that be laying eggs


Usually 5-7 days


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## chlee09 (Mar 11, 2007)

PigeonMan51 said:


> form the first day you put male and female to gether around how many days should that be laying eggs


it depends on the birds. i caged my black knights for about 2 weeks now still nothing


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## zimmzimm3 (Aug 17, 2007)

chlee09 said:


> it depends on the birds. i caged my black knights for about 2 weeks now still nothing


Oh sorry i misunderstood what pigeon man was saying. It is 5-7 days after they mate when the eggs are laid it depends when they breed. I don't know your set up but what i do is so a cage with a screen or wire dividers and i put one on each side then when they get warmed up to each other (the hen may bows the cock may pace) you will know when they do. If you chose to let them nest in the cage that you had the divider in then you should have the nest bowl in the cocks side. Or you can put them back into the loft. Just so you know there are a million and one ways to do things so try what is best for you.


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## ohiogsp (Feb 24, 2006)

learning said:


> Depending on where you are in the world the amount of light they get can have a lot to do with it. I am in Georgia and everyone that is breeding early here has lights on to extend the length of the day. Pigeons would not normally be breeding this time of year so if you want early youngsters, sometimes you have to trick them into thinking it is later in the year. On the average I think most guys give them between 14 and 16 hours of daylight to get them going.
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> Dan



This is right on, and especially if they were not paired before winter they will wait until later in the spring to do so. They need more light.


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## PigeonMan51 (Dec 14, 2007)

ok so if I cage them light form 5 am till 9pm in the lighting system can you just trun off the light are dose it have to get dimer and dimer in thill it is dark


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## learning (May 19, 2006)

Just make sure you don't catch a hen off her nest when you shut them off. Otherwise she may not get back to the nest before the eggs/youngsters freeze. A dimmer is probably better but I know guys that don't have one and they do fine. You just have to be careful, observent and thorough.

Good Luck!

Dan


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## PigeonMan51 (Dec 14, 2007)

were is a good plase to get the lighting system and if any one has some pic are somthing to give me a idea


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

PigeonMan51 said:


> What is the best way to get you birds breeding? Like is there anything that i can give them??




Yes. Set-up a stereo system in their loft and play them some Barry White tunes.


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## zimmzimm3 (Aug 17, 2007)

PigeonMan51 said:


> were is a good plase to get the lighting system and if any one has some pic are somthing to give me a idea


I think you just use regular lights I am sure I will be corrected if i am wrong (thats what is great about pigeon talk)


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## chlee09 (Mar 11, 2007)

zimmzimm3 said:


> Oh sorry i misunderstood what pigeon man was saying. It is 5-7 days after they mate when the eggs are laid it depends when they breed. I don't know your set up but what i do is so a cage with a screen or wire dividers and i put one on each side then when they get warmed up to each other (the hen may bows the cock may pace) you will know when they do. If you chose to let them nest in the cage that you had the divider in then you should have the nest bowl in the cocks side. Or you can put them back into the loft. Just so you know there are a million and one ways to do things so try what is best for you.




yea i didn't seperate them by screens because the cock doesn't bite the hen . i put them in a cage and light it from 5 to 9. i think they are just too young.. late hatch 07's


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## chlee09 (Mar 11, 2007)

zimmzimm3 said:


> I think you just use regular lights I am sure I will be corrected if i am wrong (thats what is great about pigeon talk)


yeap regular lights. just turn it off. you dont have to dim the lights.


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## PigeonMan51 (Dec 14, 2007)

ok and no they are older than 07


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

PigeonMan51 said:


> ok and no they are older than 07


Well if they are older how old are they? They may be too old. BTW, what breed of pigeon are we talking about. Some, when it comes to breeding, can be very different.


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## PigeonMan51 (Dec 14, 2007)

ok i got my frist egg of the year today she layed it i the night thank of the post ppl


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