Missouri-Flyer
1533 posts
Mar 23, 2008
7:52 AM
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Looking back at my past breeding records, I have noticed that I have switched up matings on most of my pairs at one time or another. In doing so, I am looking for that special pair that will give the goods more-so than the other matings.
Yes, I understand that we get a click pair every now and then, but for those that dont switch matings, how do you know if your pairings are producing the best that they can if you havent tried them on other mates?
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Jerry
Home of "Whispering Wings Loft"
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RUDY..ZUPPPPP
1419 posts
Mar 23, 2008
7:57 AM
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Good post jerry.........................
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RUDY PAYEN
PANCHO VILLA LOFT
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victor1967
40 posts
Mar 23, 2008
10:24 AM
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im like you in that i want to know what pair together make me my better rollers.when you switch mates,is it the cocks or hens,do you saperate them for any time?can you please tell me what has been working for you.
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Electric-man
1337 posts
Mar 23, 2008
11:23 AM
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I too am in this process! I'm narrowing it down, but it takes time! I have yet found that 1st click pair, but I'm seeing better young birds in the air this year. Hope that means I'm on the right track!
I would like to get it down to 4 to 6 breeding pair by next year!
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Val
"Site Moderator"
Last Edited by on Mar 23, 2008 11:23 AM
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rollerpigeon1963
235 posts
Mar 23, 2008
12:33 PM
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Jerry,
I believe we all do it to one extent to another. I like to mix my birds up each year. I wont switch during breeding season because my season is so short. One to two rounds will have a negitive impact on my young birds. I usually start putting my birds together around the middle of Feb. and I seperate them the middle of June. Now I will put the hens in a pen of their own and same with the c@cks. The next year I will switch them up a little.
When I use the individual breeding cages I'm for sure which bird bred to which bird. Because you never know when they want to take back their old mate. This way here its pretty simple.
Now if I would switch mates during the year it will only mean one thing! less birds to fly. If I get two rounds from a pair and then pull them and give them a different mate. I usually pitch the next round of eggs because I'm not for sure who is the daddy. So on her second round with the new mate I feel more secure on who are the parents.
Look at it like this pair the birds up middle of feb.
March 16th first round due to hatch
March 26th to March 30th they lay round 2
April 13th to the 18 round two due to hatch
April 28th to May 1st they lay round 3
May 15th to May 19 round 3 due to hatch
Now with no fosters I can get three rounds from my pairs.
So at the most 6 birds are going to tell me how I did for the year breeding? What happens when you have BOP's or your first round sucks because of freezing weather and only half of the bird survive the cold? I think this is a pretty crappy plan so that is why I foster as much as I can.
Now if I switch up a pair during the breeding year that is even less amount of birds that is going to tell me how I did. So I plan and study what birds I want to pair up and stick to it for the entire year. And the following year I will switch them up a different way.
Some people say why don't you breed longer in the year or during the winter. Well its pretty simple I have to lock up the birds come the end of Sept because of BOP. now I cant fly them until april because of BOP's If I keep them up and dont fly them they get stiff and hard to work with when you do get them out. If they are not on the wing good when you lock them up for 6 months its very hard to get things going the next year. With only 6 months of flying time you need all the time you can get, Don't need the headaches of working with tree sitters, non-kitters or stiffs. Just isnt worth it.
So if you have problems with BOP's and you will have to regulate your breeding program for the max.
Might be way off coarse but just a idea on what a few of us have to think about and deal with when it comes to breeding season.
Brian Middaugh
Last Edited by on Mar 23, 2008 12:40 PM
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Missouri-Flyer
1535 posts
Mar 23, 2008
1:44 PM
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As always Brian, very informative.
I keep my pairs together for the season also. I have switched after the molt, and got a few rounds before breakup with use of fosters, but in general, I keep them together for the season.
This year I pulled a few from the A team and paired with their parents to see what happens. So far, I am excited about the outcome. I have a few youngsters that were born in late Jan. that are showing performance in the air already... I am sending Val these birds and hope he flys them out and gives me an honest opinion as to thier performance, as I am sure he will..These that I am sending him were bred off of my best producing pairs from last season, but these babies are from the father daughter, son/mother matings that I experimented with this spring. He should get some outstanding birds from these.
I plan on switching again next season, and that should tell me what I need to know, as this year is my 4th season of switching, and have seen the goods from switching pairs.
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Jerry
Home of "Whispering Wings Loft"
Last Edited by on Mar 23, 2008 7:13 PM
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sippi
160 posts
Mar 23, 2008
6:43 PM
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I have a couple of click pairs that I had kept together for three years. But I dont feel that will move me forward so this year I switched. The results have been great. I put the cock on his daughter and the January birds are rolling well already. I will put the hen on a son to see who is the prepotent one/s. Hopefully both are. Then I am going to put the pair back together for one round. I do have the luxury to breed year round if I wanted, but I like to rest my birds. I am also using a lot of fosters this year. I think a click pair can help and hurt your program. It will give you a great kit if you raise enough but when you lose them you are back to zero.
Sippi
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Scott
281 posts
Mar 23, 2008
6:57 PM
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Jerry, my advice is to quit looking for "click" pairs and instead start looking for those that produce the most consistantly reagardless of the mate, and then circle the wagons around them,they are rare but with determination can be found, and just may already be on your property once you identify them.
In most lofts this will eliminate many of what they consider stock birds (cretainly did mine), but it is how you move forward and up the percentages of good birds as such birds have a much better chance of producing thier like.
Sure even with such birds there are particular mates that they work better on but a whole they will put roll on a duck.
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Just my Opinion
Scott
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rollerpigeon1963
236 posts
Mar 23, 2008
7:14 PM
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Scott is correct!!
Click pairs are nice but you want birds that will produce with everything else in your loft. Because if you have a loft full of click pairs you will not be heading in the right direction. What I mean you will stay the same year after year. And after the second year you haven't made any improvements where will you be say in 5 years?
If you have a click pair put the c@ck back over its mother or daughter and same with the hen put her back over her father or son. This way you can pinpoint which side has the goods. This will give your line a new direction and a better grasp on what your looking for.
Just a few ideas and also this will help you get to the next level.
Thanks Brian
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