The Sheffield Box Pair System
(Internet Published) Apr 2001
Many years ago men often found that they had a few more cocks than hens or
vice versa. In certain cases it was convenient to cause the formation of
homosexual pairs. This they did by placing each pair in a small box loft
about 2 1/2 feet cube outside of the main loft. At first the two were
separated by a doweled partition to stop them from fighting, but in time the
partition could be removed when the pair bond was safe. All being well the
hens would produce four eggs and would incubate them or would accept a pair
of fertile eggs from a normal pair, there after raising the young ones.
The cocks, once established as a pair, would be keen to accept a pair of
eggs or they would become frustrated if kept for too long without such eggs
to foster. When such eggs were given to the cocks they would assume the role
of a conventional pair and raise the young one s normally. One of the cocks
would incubate the eggs or small squabs at night, which is something, that
conventionally paired cocks never do. The Racing pigeon men found that if
one of the cocks was removed and only returned to the box after the
remaining cock had returned from training it was a great incentive for the
trained cock to fly home at great speed in order to get back to his partner.
After a breed period together, the untrained cock was taken away again to
leave the trained cock to his own frustration. I suppose that this trick was
the foundation of the present Widowerhood system, which is quite usual now
in England.
However, the box pair system was found to be effective for certain pairs of
Tipplers, Rollers or Tumblers that were intended for high flying only rather
than a lot of time. It was therefore usual to find men with about three box
pairs and no other loft. These box pairs were not always homosexual. Very
often conventional pairs were kept in this way.
In any case, for a man with little money the system was ideal and I have no
doubt that such pigeons were excellent flyers and very seldom got themselves
lost. In suitable weather they flew to fantastic heights. In those long gone
days a lot of men flew just for pleasure.