In brief:
- Plan in January — execute from February through August
- Clear objective: how many quality youngsters do you want to produce this season?
- The breeding register is mandatory — without data you cannot evaluate anything
- Nestboxes are the limiting resource — calculate how many pairs can be active simultaneously
- The breeding season and the racing season coexist — plan for both
An unplanned breeding season means random youngsters, chaotically formed pairs and the inability to evaluate what worked. A correctly planned season gives you clarity, control and valuable data for the following season.
January Planning: Setting Your Objectives
- How many youngsters do you want? Work backwards: if you want 20 quality youngsters and your success rate is 60% → you need ~33 hatched youngsters → ~40 fertile eggs → ~20 pairs × 2 eggs
- How many nestboxes do you have available? This is the real ceiling on your production
- Which pairs are active? Make the list of all planned pairs 1–2 months before pairing
Detailed Season Calendar
- January: planning, breeder health checks, nest preparation, vitamin E supplementation
- February: pair round 1 (first eggs within 7–10 days of pairing)
- March: first round youngsters hatch, second laying round
- April: ring first round, third laying round, first young bird training
- May–June: rounds 4–5, races for adult pigeons, young bird training
- July: final round (if you have energy and space), young bird selection
- August–September: moult, season review, selection decisions
Breeding Register — Minimum Structure
You do not need sophisticated software. A simple A5 notebook with basic columns is sufficient:
- Column 1: Pair number (e.g. P01, P02...)
- Column 2: Cock ring + hen ring
- Column 3: Laying date
- Column 4: Number of eggs / number fertile (after candling on day 7–8)
- Column 5: Hatch date / number of youngsters hatched
- Column 6: Ring numbers applied
- Column 7: Weaning date / number of youngsters weaned
- Column 8: Notes
Managing Breeding and Racing Simultaneously
Both activities inevitably coexist in May–July. Practical solutions:
- Clearly separate breeders from race pigeons — different sections of the loft
- Race cocks do not have active nests in race week
- If you use the Widowhood system, cock breeding is suspended during the active racing season
Concrete Action Steps
- Dedicate 2–3 hours in January to season planning — time well invested
- Prepare all nestboxes (clean, disinfect, fresh material) before introducing the first pair
- Complete the breeding register immediately after each event (laying, hatching, weaning) — not "later"
- At the end of the season: calculate success rate per pair and decide which pairs continue
Organisation is not bureaucracy — it is what transforms a reactive loft (solving problems as they arise) into a proactive one (preventing problems). The difference shows in the number and quality of youngsters at the end of the season.