Hows the breeding season going

[re lee]

Been kinda slow here lately Hows your breeding season going on younbirds. I have just lately put my birds together I have several infertile eggs. and am getting a few fertile eggs. I expected the first round to shoot several blanks. But am looking for the second round of eggs to be better in fertile numbers. So how many have you raised and whats the goal. And what breed or breeds do you raise

[Doves1111]

I raise and breed American Fantail and Pheasant Pigeons... Ringneck and Diamond Doves.

It is still cold here for the middle of March, but some of my birds are starting to act like it is Spring...One of my Pheasant pair have babies that are 2 1/2 weeks old and are on another set of eggs again. My 2 Fan pairs both have had infertile eggs...I think I have to trim their tails more. One of my Ringneck dove pair had a baby hatched today, and another pair have 2 babies. I also had 4 baby Diamond doves born this month. So far...so good!

Dawn

[Birdmom4ever]

We raise primarily rollers, but have a few fantails as well. Got one nice set of youngsters out of our youngest American fantail pair. See pics under threat "New Grandfid" (under pet pigeons). Of the rollers, have a nice looking almond youngster in the nest, a lovely deep red baldhead, and three more healthy babies coming up. We've had a very wet winter and spring so far, but not cold.

[re lee]

My birds are starting to kick in the breeding mode. Have 1 set of eggs pipping now. And the old cock hit which is good. Thought he might have gone infertile but hes still got it. If Im lucky I will hit my goal of 65 . Before its over.

[Birdmom4ever]

Speaking of fertility...how long are cock-birds fertile? We have an Old Dutch Capuchine, very nice looking red with white head, tail and flights, that we adopted two years ago. The couple who had him previously found him injured after a big storm 10 years before that. He was an adult when they got him, so he's at least 12. He paired off with one of my favorite roller hens. He acts old. Through most of the winter he spent all his time inside the loft, usually on the floor or in their nest box, which is just a foot off the floor. He's healthy but seemed reluctant to fly. Perhaps he has arthritis, because he seems to feel the cold and damp. But in the last few weeks he's actually been flying up to the landing board and spending time out in the sunroom, which is good to see.

I usually replace their eggs with wooden ones, but the last few rounds I didn't. I didn't think old Jacob could fertilize the eggs at this point anyway. For several rounds it seemed I was right--the eggs were clear. But this month, surprise--one of the eggs is fertile! Is it possible he's still viable? Or has his mate had a fling? We don't have any un-mated cocks in the loft and his mate (Little Mouse) isn't usually one to flirt. I'm kind of hoping for a Capuchine-Roller cross. I don't let my birds interbreed willy-nilly, but the occasional crossbreeding experiment is fun.

Here's a photo of old Jacob (sorry it's not real clear):

[sirpigeon]

I raise white-headed starlings and rare colored homers. I have 21 young in the nest now out of 12 breeding pairs. I will be putting some pairs on dummy eggs next round! I'm looking forward to being able to let my birds out. I haven't seen the hawk around in about a week so hopefully the hawks are heading north.

[Motherlodelofts]

Robert I put nine pair down a monthe early for me (New Year Weekend) it was a slow start plus I lost a two due to cold when the second round was laid. I don't think I'll put them down that early again as I don't think that I am much forther along than when I start beginning of Feb.
But I am weaning off the last for a twenty bird team and with fosters on eggs plus what are in nests on eggs and young ones the next round will give me another team much closer in age which makes things a whole lot easier. I was able to get one round off of a 11 year old hen but after that she quit, I will try again later in the Spring once warmer weather settles in. I have a 10 year old hen on her 3rd round on her click cock , She's still going like a young hen, her Sister which is a year older quit on me last year. I have several hens that are 7-8 years old so I stocked a few of the best out of the fly team and they were part of the problem early on due to never being bred before and more in fly condition than breeding condition, they are now hitting it well. It is allways exciting to see what comes up out of new pairs made of your best. Thats it, pretty much full swing now. I'll breed 80-90 for myself and a 20 bird team for a guy in Hawaii that was high bidder on my birds that was donated to National Club raffle

[re lee]

Sounds like things are moving a long. As for how long a bird will fertile Depends on breed family line. How in bred. Health thru out age. .Hens can go longer then cocks sometimes on breeding use. I put my birds together end of feb. to first week of march. I do not use feeders. But have been thinking about going to it. as it helps get the numbers out faster. and birds can be repaired to test different aspects in the same year. I might just build a feeder loft before next season.

[go4pigeons]

I am off to a pretty slow start. A January stroke has limited my activities and I basically have just been feeding the birds for some time. I finally got out and put in some nest boxes this week. I have 2 pair of Fantails together and 2 pair of Swallows. My rollers are eager to get going but I have not paired them up yet. A little at a time as I feel like it. Al

[upcd]

My birds are moving right along. The rollers are the fastest breeders, then followed by the west of england, following up by the indain fantails. Because Calif. has good weather breeding can be done all year. I try to always to bring in young birds. And breed young to old. I really enjoy life with my birds. It's like spring time with those babies.

[Birdmom4ever]

A friend gave me some lovely new rollers this year. They are baldheaded blue bars, but what is unique about them is that their wing bars are white, not black. I paired one of them with a solid red cock and one of their offspring is a beautiful silver check with white bars.

[pigeonsR4me]

New to group. Hope to learn a lot and maybe share an experience to two too. My two pair of Dragoons have given me 7 banded babies. They are also on eggs again, so they are doing great.

[TAWhatley]

Hi PigeonsR4Me and welcome to pigeons.com! Thank you so much for the great picture of a Dragoon!

Terry

[pigeonsR4me]

Originally Posted by TAWhatley

Hi PigeonsR4Me and welcome to pigeons.com! Thank you so much for the great picture of a Dragoon!

Terry

Thanks for the welcome Terry. Here is a snap of one of my swallow pigeons too.

Peter

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi Peter,

Welcome to the group and gorgeous specimens you have there! They look very well looked after.