# Question about breeding



## JT Lofts (Oct 22, 2011)

I have a quick question in preparing for the breeding season. I am new to competing and lucked into some GREAT birds that I plan to breed out of to compete next year. My dilema I have 5 Cocks and 9 Hens. I read somewhere that you can mate 1 cock to 2 hens by putting them in a large box where the hen that is not with the cock can still see him. Then switching him every day. Has anyone ever tried this and If so how did it work for you? Thanks in advance


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

I think mating 1 cock to 2 hens, 3 hens, etc is only good for the mating process. In other words, you mate the 5 cocks to the 9 hens. Obviously you will have 5 pairs that you don't need to worry about. As for the other 4 hens, you can mate the 5 cocks (your choice of which ones) to the 4 hens. But have 4 other cocks waiting to take the place of the breeding cocks once they have mated with the hens. The 4 new cocks will think the eggs laid by the hens are their eggs and will help sit on them. The 4 new would not have to be racers (Since the babies won't be racing pigeons) but you would want to have large breed pigeons because the babies will be racing pigeons and a roller/tippler cock bird for example would not be able to feed the babies as much as a racer would.


I'm sure some people do it, but letting 1 cock breed with 2 hens and then having the cock incubate both sets of eggs and then feed both sets of the babies will really be hard on the cock and its not recommended.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

I think you would have better success in the long run by pairing 5 to 5 and keeping the other four spare for now. Or pairing them to other birds from other places.


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