TheWoodLoft
10 posts
Aug 12, 2005
10:24 AM
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We have a baby roller that was born with a deformed leg and it cant walk on it. I wanted to know if there was anything we can do for it or if it will be able to survive with it's leg like it is. We were told from a friend of ours who also raises pigeons that we should cull it! I don't want to do that, is there any other option. Your input would be greatly appreciated!!
The Wood Loft
Shannon
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J_Star
23 posts
Aug 12, 2005
11:46 AM
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Sorry to disappoint you, but it is a cull. If not, it will live to live a miserable handicapped life.
Jay
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big al
81 posts
Aug 12, 2005
6:53 PM
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Hey Shannon,
Typically this condition is the result of a calcium deficiency in the baby because of a calcium deficiency in the parent's crop milk. It's important that the feed of your breeders is supplemented with calcium. I use pellets early on with a little added grit and oyster shell.
I've also seen this happen when the nesting bowl is slippery with nothing in the bottom of it to help the babies brace themselves and balance their weight during their rapid growth which can cause a leg or two to grow deformed.
When this has happened to me in the past I "Arranged a meeting". (Culled) It may be a little cruel to keep it around.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps----------
Big Al
"High Plains Spinner Loft"
Last Edited by big al on Aug 12, 2005 6:55 PM
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rollzilla
2 posts
Aug 12, 2005
7:01 PM
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Try tieing 2 bands together kinda like hand cuffs about an inch apart, if you catch it early enough it will straiten out good enough to fight for food
Rollzilla
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big al
83 posts
Aug 12, 2005
8:43 PM
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Rollzilla,
You're right that has worked for me on an occassion or two! However it doesn't work too well if calcium isn't pumped into the baby during this period.
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Big Al
"High Plains Spinner Loft"
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rollerpigeon
Site Moderator
338 posts
Aug 12, 2005
8:58 PM
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I agree, the culling of this pigeon, while not a task that any animal lover looks forward to, needs to be performed.
Here is a link that should provide some guidance and avoid any unneccesary pain to the bird:Humane Culling
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FLY ON! Tony Chavarria
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rollzilla
3 posts
Aug 13, 2005
12:21 PM
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Hey Al :) the leg thing for me has always been because of the lack of nesting material, and once i catch it and by the time the bird is weaned it is hardly notacable and works about 99% of the time, so the calcium is not necasary, when i notice a calcium deficiancy it is allways with the hens laying soft eggs (with my birds anyways)
Rollzilla
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TheWoodLoft
12 posts
Aug 15, 2005
5:02 AM
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Thank You all very much for the advice! Just as I thought, but was not hoping for. culling a baby isnt easy this will be the 2nd baby we have lost since we started. This same pair lost 2 babys just befor we got them and they have broke 3 eggs since we had this pair and now this baby. We arnt having any luck getting babies from this pair! We just started flying 7 young that we're born and raised here and they are doing great. We lost all the parents though do to flying and not comming back. 4 PAIRS!!! BUT, we have 2 breeding pairs left and 7 young young and 2 older 2005 birds that are all flying rolling and trapping great!! Thanks again everyone! We will get there!
Shannon
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Dunn2701
3 posts
Aug 15, 2005
2:34 PM
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I have a quick question. I fly my birds out of a portable kit box. I have a couple different areas to fly at but like to stay at one park i fly at. The problem is the park has large power lines with a few transmission towers that go right through the park. Well i have noticed a difference in flight for my birds from there and my other spot where there are no lines. Does anyone think these power lines are affecting my birds? I think it is.
My other concern is that, has anyone ever had a bird not come back home for no reason. I had one bird that landed on one of those towers i mentioned above. Well he stayed there and when i came back to fly he would get up and fly with my birds and land on the ground. Well he just stayed there. I came back and tried feeding him. I am thinking he found a nearby feeder or something. He has been gone for about three weeks now. Just last week i flew young birds, well about 2 months old or so, they have been trained really well out of the portable, and four of them decided not to come back home. I didn't feed them the night before and flew that morning about 7 am. When young birds don't eat they are really hungry. Well, i got four of the eight back. I was only about two miles away from my house and one found his way back home to the loft. I was amazed about that. He has never been lose at home other than out in the wire cage. I just wanted to hear some of your guys thoughts.
Thanks a lot !!
2701Dunn
Last Edited by Dunn2701 on Aug 15, 2005 2:35 PM
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J_Star
25 posts
Aug 16, 2005
5:56 AM
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Dunn2701,
This is my observation and opinion only. I found that when some young rollers start their rolling, it tend to scare them off. Some will fly away from the kit trying to coupe with it while others tends to deviate and leave for a day or two, then when they come back I’ve noticed that their control with rolling has improved tremendously. I think that when those birds are developing their roll and kept in the kit box, it does bother them. So, leaving for a day or two allows them to work their issue. This is just my observations and I always wondered about it.
Jay
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Dunn2701
4 posts
Aug 16, 2005
6:50 AM
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I never thought of that. The problem is when you go back the birds are gone. I have flown in the area with my babies twice and they are not coming back. Thanks for the good point. I will keep flying there to see if they are still alive and i might still come back home.
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J_Star
26 posts
Aug 16, 2005
9:01 AM
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The lost birds are on top of the trees in that area. If they are not trained to go pick food off of the ground, then they wouldn't do it now. They have to be real starving and very thirsty before attempting to go to the ground to forge for their feed.
Next time, try and tape their wings with masking tape and let them out on top of the mobile kit box couple of times in the area that you fly them. This way they can check out the surrounding before taking the tape off and releasing them. I found that doing this even with squeakers tends to minimize my losses at an early age. It is just something to think about.
Remember that they can see things that we don't normally see, such as the sight of hawk or other pray bird from a distance away and instinctly scare them away. If they are not seasoned flyers and know the where about of their kit box, then they will get lost easily.
Also remember that when they are young, they get tired easily and want to land shortly after flying for a while. Not every young have the same strength. So, some of the young ones might of landed on top of the trees in a far distance to catch their breath for a while but to you it seamed as forever.
Next time, it is best to select a location to fly your birds where there is close by places for the birds to land on when they get tired so that they can be within eye distance and keep an eye on them. When we fly in our back yards, there are allot of houses where the birds take a brake and land on roof tops to catch their breath. Also don’t forget the trees. Those are just a few things that you need to keep in mind when you fly portable. It is just my opinion and how I see it.
Jay
Last Edited by J_Star on Aug 16, 2005 9:04 AM
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siddiqir
24 posts
Aug 16, 2005
10:22 AM
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TheWoodLoft, it sounds like youngster has “spraddle” legs. To avoid this problem use right nesting material. I used to have same problem and many younsters died on me.
I now use plastic weave nestbowl with nesting pads and since then no youngsters with “spraddle” legs
 
Hope that helps.
Last Edited by siddiqir on Aug 16, 2005 10:24 AM
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upcd
6 posts
Aug 21, 2005
2:14 AM
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I have noticed over the years that splayed legs happens when people use no nest materal or wrong nesting. You can use straw.grass,pine needle,felt circles,tabacco stems. Once you find a splay leg, you can use a woman make up songe. You cut 2 hole into it then place a leg in each. Make daily adjustments. And supplement the baby. I am taking care of 2 splayed legged babies right now. Got them from a newbie. They used cups without materal. God willing they can be straighten out we'll see.
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