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The Original All Roller Talk Discussion Board Archive >
Winter breeding
Winter breeding
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Shaun
98 posts
Sep 23, 2005
12:02 PM
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My many Mason birds are starting to show themselves, ie the cocks are getting horny! As and when this happens, I separate them, as I'm not ready for the main event, until I know the sexes of all the birds. Assuming not too many keep me guessing, it should be November when all birds are through the moult and they're old enough to take on husband and wife duties.
I have no competition flying agenda to adhere to, as I'm simply looking to start a little Mason factory to watch, as many youngsters in the air as I can churn out. Oh, I gotta go off at a tangent for a moment. The other day, I didn't quite shut the loft door. As I walked away, it swung open and one of the 'breeder' Masons was out, up and away. It didn't even pause for breath. I quickly got the flying kit up, but this one had never been flown before and showed no interest in joining them. It buggered off over the houses and I could have kicked myself - £30 ($54 current exchange rate) down the drain.
Three whole days later, it was sitting on the house roof. Again I put the kit up; again it ignored them and just sat there. However, hunger finally got the better of it. Hah, now I've got you all those guys who said I shouldn't let my birds peck about in the garden. Well, my flyers landed, trapped, then I let them out for their occasional treat to peck about on the lawn. The recalcitrant youngster soon joined them. It was very 'flighty' to start with, but eventually settled down with the others, pecking about. At this point, I walked them all back to the flying loft (which the escapee had never been in before) and, bingo, I had the little bugger back. Phew...
Anyhow, back to the main thrust of my question. I intend to breed right through the winter, and it's here I'm looking for a few hints. Now, you guys whose idea of winter is the temperature dropping to 'needing a sweater in the evenings' may not be the best ones to respond. I'm looking for those where snow and ice are regular visitors.
I have a couple of burning questions, which those who have done this winter breeding/flying before, might be able to help with. Here we go:
1. Assuming the parents are 'good', then they should keep their young warm in the nest for the vital first weeks. Then, normally, we would be looking to put them on the floor at around 3 weeks old, with an inch or so of tail. The question is: given the cold, should I be looking to keep them with their parents until they're more fully feathered? Clearly, we don't want them to become too lazy by still getting fed by Dad at 4-5 weeks, but neither do we wish to freeze their gonads off.
2. Assuming the youngsters make it through the first phase, they're weaned and fully feathered and ready for training - does the cold bother them at all? I'm not talking wind or rain or snow (or hawks) - I simply mean it's bloody cold - imagine I'm standing in front of them, well wrapped up, and there's possibly 20 kids sitting there hungry waiting for my instructions. Are they saying "Come on you old git, get on with it - we're bloody freezing", or are they enjoying the (possibly sub-zero) winter sunshine?
I was thinking of having the wife knit them little jackets and scarves. Would this help?
Any tips beyond my immediate questions above, would also be gratefully received.
Shaun
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siddiqir
43 posts
Sep 23, 2005
1:25 PM
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Shaun, although I do not do winter breeding because of hawks problem and short days but here is my take
1) Let the parents feed them until they are about 4-5 weeks old. This will take out guess work (eating/drinking their own) when you take away youngsters from parents at around 3 weeks old. The stress of taking away early + extreme cold would not work in your favour
You will also notice if you let the youngsters stay with parents for about 4-5 weeks old then they will start joining parents when they get fed and hence learn how to eat and drink on their own
One thing which is important, make sure your loft facing south in this way breeders and youngsters get lot sunlight and also would not get directly hit from cold northern air.
2) Winter would not bother them much but you have to feed them really well. They need to keep their high body temp. maintained. Also do not go with tablespoon feed during winter time it is just not going to work. A cup for 10 birds work well and some time they need more if extremely cold.
Just make sure you fed them good.
hope that helps, -Rauf
Last Edited by siddiqir on Sep 23, 2005 1:27 PM
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Dunn2701
9 posts
Sep 23, 2005
2:13 PM
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I have had no luck in the winter. My cocks are not horny in the cold weather, it shuts them down. Remember the parents have to be good to keep those eggs warm. My birds like the colder weather but now just like us the birds can catch colds. so you have to watch the cold cold freezing air. I wish you the best of luck in breeding in the winter. It give the babies more time to train for competition in the spring and summer. I have never had much luck with it. I even put the breeder cages in the garage last year. Nothing,
Cameron
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highroller
52 posts
Sep 23, 2005
3:08 PM
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I've bred through the snow and cold of Michigan winter before. They do not lay as soon after the first round hatches as they do in the summer though. I found putting a flourescent light in the loft helped as well as putting a cardboard box over the nest with a small entrance hole, it really held heat in the nest.
Dan
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