LONGS ROLLER LOFT
12 posts
Oct 30, 2005
3:55 PM
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I have approximately 15 squeakers that will be ready to start training in about two weeks. The Hawks have moved in earlier this year. and I think I'm going to try something that I have never done before. I'm thinking about holding the squeakers over till about late February or March. Then trying to put them in the air. Has any one done this with any success. If the Hawks thin out I will try to put them in the air.
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yours in the sport Rick
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rollerpigeon
Site Moderator
382 posts
Oct 30, 2005
5:51 PM
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Hey Rick, thats 4 or 5 months, I am of the opinion that holding them that long will stunt both their physical, mental and rolling development. The sooner they are on the wing the better.
If this team had a least a month or two on the wing I think you could get away with it. You are going to have to take your chances with this team. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
Rick, I'm wondering why did you breed so many this late in the season?
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FLY ON! Tony Chavarria
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LONGS ROLLER LOFT
13 posts
Oct 30, 2005
6:16 PM
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Tony of the 80 birds I have raised this year I have lost five to the hawks three in the last two weeks. Normally I have no hawk problem till late December. I hope they were just passing through. A plan to stay locked down for about two weeks.
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yours in the sport Rick
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Shaun
179 posts
Oct 31, 2005
9:38 AM
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Just a thought or two on this subject. One of my birds which has never been flown and which is locked down ready for breeding (part of a kit of 20), got out the other week. My fault, the door didn't shut properly. I thought I'd lost it as it was out, up and away. However, by letting the flying kit out, I was able to draw it back. It took 3 days to get back in, but at least I got it back. But, now, to the real point. That bird comes from great stock, but when it got out it had never flown. It was five months old. It flew all over the place and would not join the other kit of birds. Once it was back in, I took the view that now it was inadvertently settled, I might as well give it a shot with the rest of the kit. On a number of successive outings it steadfastly refused to play ball with the other birds. It flew at different heights and went in different directions. I gave up and put it back in the other loft, where it belonged.
But, this experience coincided with what I was warned by George Mason, who supplied all the birds. He said he would never recommend flying out birds which had never flown as youngsters, as they hadn't been developed or trained for it.
Shaun
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J_Star
89 posts
Oct 31, 2005
10:02 AM
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Shaun,
If you give it a couple of weeks, he would kit with the rest. But don't expect it in a coupe of days.
Jay
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Shaun
180 posts
Oct 31, 2005
10:19 AM
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Jay, I'd like to give it a further try, as I've nothing to lose, but this hen was let out each day with a kit of 17 for over a week, at the end of which, there was absolutely no change. It would fly all over the place then land on a house roof, sometimes sitting there for a lengthy period, before eventually deciding to come 'home'.
I'm actually quite interested in this theme, as it does pose the general question as to whether previously unflown birds can do the business when they're finally let up in the air, after being locked down, whether they're four months old or perhaps much older.
What are your thoughts, Jay? Anyone else?
Shaun
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nicksiders
267 posts
Oct 31, 2005
11:46 AM
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Try to avoid early mornings or late afternoons to fly. That is when the hawk likes to eat and chances are he may find something for breakfast and may not want to eat early for his dinner.
He can't eat all of your birds, but you can certainly slow up thier progress by locking the squeekers down until February. If you do lock them down fly these squeekers twice a day once you resume so they can get into shape and start rolling. If you don't you may get discourage and cull them before they get into shape due to the lack of roll.
Just a thought...........
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J_Star
92 posts
Oct 31, 2005
1:09 PM
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Shaun,
Really, give it a chance to fly for couple of weeks with the kit and she will come around. The reason she comes down early because its wings are not strong yet. The wings will get there eventually. The reason it sits on top of the house for a long period of time because it is not very hungry and it has been cooped up for a while and wants to stay outside for as long as it can. But if you fly it hungry, it will be more than happy to trap when you call them for feeding.
My family of birds usually takes about two to three weeks when they first start flying to kit. And some will stray away for a little while, but with patience, they will clean up and fly like a team. Same thing with my older birds after a long lock up is over and start flying the birds again. They will go all over the sky for the first week or so and after that they are back to their normal routine. Just be patient with it and it will come around. What you got to lose, think of it as an experiment and give it a try then give us your feed back in couple of weeks...
Jay
Last Edited by J_Star on Oct 31, 2005 1:12 PM
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Shaun
181 posts
Oct 31, 2005
2:52 PM
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Jay, you've convinced me; I'll give it a whirl. As it happens, within the 20 Masons I've got locked down for breeding, there's far more hens than cocks, so I can afford to take a risk flying this particular hen.
Thanks for the advice.
Shaun
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LONGS ROLLER LOFT
14 posts
Oct 31, 2005
3:13 PM
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I have approximately 15 squeakers that will be ready to start training in about two weeks. The Hawks have moved in earlier this year. and I think I'm going to try something that I have never done before. I'm thinking about holding the squeakers over till about late February or March. Then trying to put them in the air. Has any one done this with any success. If the Hawks thin out I will try to put them in the air.the hawks worked me over again today two different Coopers lost one trash bird that I was going to cull anyway.
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yours in the sport Rick
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J_Star
94 posts
Nov 01, 2005
5:27 AM
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Rick,
When I posted sometimes back that squeakers born after the month of June are no good, I was blasted as it was none but bullsxxt. The reason they are not of worth is because the predator problems we have. I assure you that the hawks know when a pigeon not strong on the wing. The problem is when a hawk attack, you might loose a few because of overfly, not just one. You can not fly them worth of anything so you can weed the bad ones out. Therefore, either you take a chance and fly them and expect to loose a few when they become strong on the wing, then lock them up or just lock them up and hope that they will come around when you fly them again. When I got a kit of squeakers last winter, it was completely distroyed by the hawks. I will never keep squeakers this time of year. I will do them injustice. It is your choice...
Jay
Last Edited by J_Star on Nov 01, 2005 5:30 AM
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