Do you keep cocks and hens separate during the off-season?
Some guys at the club keep them apart to prevent unplanned breeding. Others let them stay together year-round.
What’s the advantage either way?
For widowhood flyers, separation is essential year-round (that’s the whole system).
For others:
Separation pros:
- Control breeding timing
- Birds moult better without breeding stress
- Cocks stay calmer
Together pros:
- Less management
- Natural bonding maintained
- Some say hens condition better with their mate
I separate mine from end of racing until pairing time. Gives them rest and lets me control when breeding starts.
I leave mine together and just remove nest boxes during moult.
They pair up and go through the motions but without nest boxes, most don’t lay. Occasional egg on the floor gets removed.
Less work and birds seem happy.
Depends on your setup and how much space you have.
If you have room for separate sections, separation gives more control. If space is tight, leaving them together is fine - just manage expectations.
Neither way is wrong. Just different management styles.