While I keep them in the same loft but in separate sections until February, I fly them daily all together. During the widowing period I administer the vaccines and observe their health level.
If there is a need to bring in additional breeders to the loft, this is the time I bring them in.
Before I re-pair the birds up, they receive "Vitaform" additive for 15 days.
I give them tobacco stems as nest material. People who live in the areas where tobacco is grown know that these types of nest won't shelter any parasites. As soon as the eggs hatch, I also use powder pest repellent, just incase.
For possible weakness witnessed in young birds when they start eating on their own, I have always found using "Rostres" and "Alfasilin" mixture beneficial. During the hot summer months,
If I notice a young bird not in taking enough water, I use a watchmaker's pump
to give additional water.
Normally I feed wheat "Triticum", corn "Zea mays" and common vetch "Vicia sativa" but, right before the beginning of the breeding season, I increase the variations of the seeds I use by including small potions of vetch "Vicia/Lathyrus", ispir "?", millet "Panicum miliaceum", nijer "?", radish seed "Raphanus sativus", flaxseed "Linacea family", lentils "Lens culinaris", broken horse bean "Vicia faba" and broken rice "Oryza sativa". I use about a tea cup of this additional mixture per day.
