rollerpigeon1963
43 posts
Aug 15, 2005
8:16 AM
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For those just starting out you ask yourself, to fly or not to fly! When getting into the hobby you need to ask yourself. A couple of things! Who are you getting your stock from and what are you going to do with them once you get them. You have to sit back and think for a while and do some studying. Do your research and read the journals if the competition side is the way your going. Then see who is doing what when it comes to competition. Now don’t look at just one fly look at a few different years. Because even the hard core roller guys have bad days too. If you are serious about getting birds buy them direct from the person you have been following. Don’t buy them second hand!
If you want to get some birds locally then visit as many backyards as possible. Watch the birds and see what they are talking about when they use the words style, speed and depth. This will give you a better understanding and knowledge on what to breed towards. The best way to choose your new breeders is from the air. So once you have chosen them you won’t have to fly them again. And since you bought them locally you can ask the person you got them from how to work them. You can find out how the person gets them ready for a fly and how they feed.
Now if you can’t visit the flier’s backyard that you want the birds from. Call him/her up and ask questions and ask how they do things. Tell them that you are new to the hobby and need help. Some of the old timers don’t like to sell or give birds away to a new guy/gal for a few reasons. Sometimes a new person is in the hobby for a short period of time and then deicide to give it up. The original breeder looses the birds he has given out without being told of there progress. Sometimes the original breeder is given a bad name because the new person can’t get anything out of the birds he received from the original breeder. Because lack of knowledge on how to condition the birds.
Now there is auction’s on different sites offering some good birds up for auction. And if some of these birds are ones that you are in search of. Then by all means give the breeder a call and ask him about the birds he donated. Majority of the time they are from the original breeder and are not second hand.
If you receive a breeding pair, use them in your loft. Breed as many of their babies as you can. This will prove their ability to pass the goods on to their young. If you don’t raise some good babies then give the original breeder a call. Tell him what you did and how you did it, and what the squeekers did in the air.
Now if you receive a young bird kit. I for one wouldn’t fly them unless you can obtain more down the road. Because you might loose some to the weather, hawks, and fly away. Breed as many squeekers as you can and select from your squeekers for future stock. Now I know that if someone sent me a young bird kit they all won’t be excellent birds. So all the pairing probably won’t work out. And you will have your share of culls until you get a grasp on the breeders and what they are producing. It’s a little longer process by doing it this way. But since you didn’t go see the birds first hand you have to do a little work to get the goods.
Now remember if you do get some birds from someone please keep in contact with the person. Tell him what you are doing and what the birds are doing. Tell him any faults that you see. This will help him and also help you down the road. He might be able to give you some inside tips on what to breed for best performance.
If you fly the birds after getting them from the original breeder you are taking some big chances. You could loose them or have them killed. And once they are lost they can’t do anything for you then. If the original breeder has used them in the loft they were worth breeding from. And not loosing to a hawk or other means. And if they were a proven pair what is this telling the original breeder about you?
You will get out of the hobby what you put into it. If you take shortcuts all you are doing is cheating yourself.
Just my opinion here!!!
Brian Middaugh
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Velo99
68 posts
Aug 15, 2005
5:50 PM
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I am in touch with my mentor at least once a month. When I talked to him a few weeks ago he said he was having a bad year in the breeder pen. I promptly took him six good squeakers to fill out his y/b kit for the year. I have raised 40 this year and have a few to spare so....
Although he only has a few years experience on me,he is starting to look to me for advice and cameraderie. We feed each others birds while on vacation etc. Nice to have a roller partner.
yits
v99
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upcd
7 posts
Aug 21, 2005
2:32 AM
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When I sell birds as a breeder I tell my client to let me know how my birds are working out. After a year if this isn't something they like I'll trade them for something they like. I keep all the numbers of people who have bought birds.And they can call for advise and help. If for some reason they need to get out of rollers I will help them find homes for thier birds. I think that part of being a good breeder.
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