Santandercol
19 posts
Apr 04, 2006
9:47 PM
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I have one pair setting on eggs in a nest box which is one of two double boxes near the floor.Another pair started setting in the other bottom set of boxes right beside the first pair.The cock from the first pair keeps on trying to kick the other hen out of the box next door even after she has laid one egg in it.I'm worried I'll end up with broken eggs.Is there anything I can do to stop the aggressive cock from forcing her out of the nestbox,or should I just let them sort it out natural like?This second pair have already raised one round on the floor,and they kinda deserve at least a basement suite.
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Kellinos
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fhtfire
401 posts
Apr 04, 2006
10:28 PM
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Take a piece of string and tie the cocks legs together. not real tight...give him enough string to walk...but barely walk..to where it feels uncomfortable for him. I take a piece of string and tie it around one band and then tie it to the band on the other leg. If he does not have a band..I tie it to a spiral band or a snap on band. It really works. The cock will not try to fight if he does not feel up to his best.
I just did it to a cock the last couple of days. I got two pair of Breeders from Mort and I locked them up in there boxes for a couple of days. Then I let them out and they had claimed there boxes...everything was fine until one cock kicked the other cock out of his nest. they had fought for a long time..because the were bleeding on the wattle and beak....one cock had claimed is original box and now another box. So I tied a string between his legs....the other cock claimed his old box.. and the tied up cock would not fight. I left the string for a couple days and then removed it...still no fighting....I mean..think about it...you would not get in a boxing match with your show laced tied together...you would get wooped!
rock and ROLL
Paul
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Santandercol
21 posts
Apr 05, 2006
6:31 AM
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Yeah,O.K.,I'll try that.I'd be screwed with MY legs hobbled like that if someone wanted to fight 'cause I've always been the type of guy to run rather than fight!!!Not that I'm chicken.Just a better runner.Thanks Paul.
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Kellinos
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ron
11 posts
Apr 05, 2006
6:41 AM
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That worked for me also,i got two snap bands and made a set of leg cuffs.worked great.
good luck
ron
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fhtfire
402 posts
Apr 05, 2006
7:45 AM
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If I were you...I would make like three or four of them. The seem to break them after a day and a half. I just use kite string. I was going to use some bad ass string that would not break....but then I started thinking about the bird getting hung up on something...I would much rather have the string break if it is really stressed...I really do not want my bird hanging upside down by a nail or something.
rock and ROLL
Paul
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J_Star
374 posts
Apr 05, 2006
10:18 AM
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Use the thread that you take out of the feed bag when you open it.
Jay
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siddiqir
182 posts
Apr 05, 2006
10:41 AM
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Well, since we keep these birds in small place THEY will fight even if both have their own breeding place. The simple way of doing it is to lock them or some how block them entering in each other breeding pen...
I use breeding cage and lock them up during breeding season. No broken eggs...I hope it helps. Here are few pics of breeding cages...I used to do open breeding...and have lot of problems
 
Last Edited by siddiqir on Apr 05, 2006 11:01 AM
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Santandercol
25 posts
Apr 05, 2006
4:14 PM
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Yeah,I guess to be really successful at breeding I'll have to build some wire cages.I've used plywood to start here and found a few problems.Namely moisture and smell.Sid,do you let your birds out of their cages at all during the breeding season.I love to watch them in the aviary,and their interactions.Thanks for the pics of your breeding cages .I cant afford fancy ones like Tony has so your examples help alot.But is there enough room in those cages to fit squeakers and another round of eggs if the breeders are fast?
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Kellinos
Last Edited by Santandercol on Apr 05, 2006 4:21 PM
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Velo99
335 posts
Apr 05, 2006
6:35 PM
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Kell,
Check these out. I could have put some wire floors in but really didn`t think about it.
12x12x42. Gave me three 14 inch compartments. When you block off one end you still have 28 inches left.
I built them mostly from scrap off job sites. Took me three-four weeks to gather it.
I use a clean nest bowl every round. The birds usually just move to the other end and set up house again.I clean the other end up and vacuum it out,wash the nestbowl,flip it over so they don`t soil the bowl.
I found another useful by product. The padding from a floating wood floor is about an eighth thick felt pad with adhesive backing. When the floor guy throws a nice piece away I grab it. I can make 10 pads from a 2`x2` piece. They stick nicely to the clay bowls I use.
yits
v99
Last Edited by Velo99 on Apr 05, 2006 6:38 PM
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Santandercol
26 posts
Apr 06, 2006
9:52 AM
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Thanks for the pics.
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Kellinos
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siddiqir
187 posts
Apr 06, 2006
10:03 AM
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Hello, I do not let birds go out when breeding however my loft have screen door and they get nice surrounding view. The best way to do it is to buy a wire and build your own cages. It will cost you a lot less. Plus you decide how big and how tall cages you want (what and how many you can fit in yout loft).
Thanks, -Rauf
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Santandercol
27 posts
Apr 07, 2006
6:29 AM
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Hi Rauf,
What are the pieces you used to join the wire to build the cages,and where did you buy them?I was thinking of using plastic tie straps for this but those little metal pieces you use look more tidy.
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Kellinos
Last Edited by Santandercol on Apr 07, 2006 7:19 AM
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C.J.
92 posts
Apr 07, 2006
8:48 AM
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If you already haveplywood don't throw them out. Just build a wire subfloor and place a tray inside.
C.J.
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siddiqir
189 posts
Apr 07, 2006
10:05 AM
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I bought wire from http://www.klubertanz.com/
It was 2-3 years ago. Now you should do search for "galvanized welded wire" either on yahoo or google and will end up 100s of sites offering galvanized welded wire. I am not saying the above site is not good or have expensive stuff however you should compare prices becuase lot of website now offering it online. When I bought mine I hardly find few sites which offer online.
I was very pleased with wire and price were really good. The shipping took little longer. Homedepot also sell wires but they are low gauge and I would not recommned. You would need J clips, J Plier and wire cutter. J Clips are very cheap, J Plier and wire cutter sould cost 10 dollars each(I bought from ebay)...make sure when you buy wire cutter it should able to cut the wire (look for gauge). Download their catalog (PDF format) and look for Welded Wire section...they have many different type. Do not buy pre-build cages if you looking to save...plus you may fit less in your loft...just do little math how big you want how much space is available in your loft and buy wire...just make sure when you build cages leave space about 1" or 1 1/2" at the bottom so you can slide in card board or piece of plywood to catch the dropping and when full slide out and clean it and put back....
I use 14 gauge wire 1" x 1" for floor (loft and kit box). For cages I use 1" x 1/2" wire floor. All other side and top button you can go with 2" x 2"...I hope it helps.
Last Edited by siddiqir on Apr 07, 2006 10:08 AM
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Mount Airy Lofts
184 posts
Apr 07, 2006
10:26 AM
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I remember as a kid, I would all ways fight my pigeons with any challenger let it be mine or some one elses. Grand old time those days was.
I still am big fan of letting them duke it out. Let them be pigeons when paired up is my theroy.
Heck, some times I will still let my tougher birds duke it out just for the kicks.
I'm old school when it comes to raising pigeons.
Nothing more interesting in the foster loft then watching two cock birds fight it out. Almost as interesting as watching good rollers in the air.
Thor
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Bluesman
Pigeon Fancier
727 posts
Apr 07, 2006
12:01 PM
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Take a light stick about 4 feet long and tap him on the head a time or two.Try not to let him see you do it.Just a light tap.If it don,t work the first time tap him a little harder the next time.Works most of the time.David
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Shaun
336 posts
Apr 07, 2006
1:18 PM
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Hey, Thor, I had to laugh at what you just said there. Just as I was in the loft observing the ranks today, a cock fight started. One daft bugger wanted to slug it out in a box with another resident pair on eggs. The two cocks started going at it madly, with the hen steadfastly sitting there. But then, she really got the hump and went for the intruder, big time. Her cock stepped aside and let her at him. At this point, I could sense eggs being smashed, so I rushed over and put my hand over the eggs until the invading cock was turfed out. Phew, nothing broken, but what a grin.
Shaun
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siddiqir
190 posts
Apr 07, 2006
1:41 PM
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I used to do open breeding...the only thing cocks do (all day) is jump around from pen to pen and distrub hen on eggs. The only thing work for me is to lock them up for breeding. If you have big loft then you may not need to lock them up...but again I do not know because I do not have big loft. My loft is 8' (L) x 4' (H) x 4' (W).
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Shaun
339 posts
Apr 07, 2006
1:58 PM
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Rauf, I haven't had much trouble at all with an open loft. Its 8' x 6' with 8 pairs, so they have enough room to flap about. I've found that observing all their activity is part of the fun of pigeon keeping, for me. However, from time to time, I get the odd cock - it's almost as if he forgets which nestbox is his - which will stray into another box and all hell breaks loose. I haven't had a broken egg yet, so it can't be a regular event. However, as Thor says, when you watch them at it, it's intoxicating. You could almost imagine a few mates along taking bets as to who will win. I've seen small rollers take on much bigger ones and still overpower them. It's that sheer will to see the intruder off your territory.
Shaun
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Santandercol
28 posts
Apr 08, 2006
7:06 AM
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CJ,
I like your suggestion."Cept now have to wait till breeding season is done to do major renovations.Still have some room for more cages in my loft so think I'll build some new ones.That one cock that was fight ing in the box that wasn't his has hatched out his young so he is a little preoccupied feeding at the moment.Also my rollers are really starting to lay eggs finally so time to make some fostering happen.Don't need a whole bunch of Show Homers,but they seem like good parents to foster with.Thinking if I'm patient,I'll have a kit of youngbirds soon enough.Guy in Vancouver is offering me free a working kit but not till after their Spring fly Apr.29th.So much wanting to have birds flying I'll take those and build another kitbox for my youngbirds.Have one 4x8x8 breeding loft design from redrose lofts and am adding another 4x12x8 to finish things off and with 2 kitboxes will be well established!!35 ft of one side of our front yard is birdland with my chooks 'n all!!!Heaven!!!Thanks for all the input guys.
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Kellinos
Last Edited by Santandercol on Apr 08, 2006 7:07 AM
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Bluesman
Pigeon Fancier
728 posts
Apr 08, 2006
10:41 AM
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Kellinos.Why not use rollers for fosters?You can pick them up pretty cheap sometimes. They don,t eat near as much as Homers and you don,t want your young to be overfed either.I have used larger breeds to foster and the young grow to fast and usually wind up having problems like being to fat to get off the kit box.Something to think about anyway.Plus I like the looks of rollers better than Homers.LOL. David
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Shaun
340 posts
Apr 08, 2006
11:35 AM
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David, that's very sound advice and something I wouldn't have thought of. Actually, I have a useless roller which I use as a foster. He's easily the size of a racing pigeon and he does have a tendency to raise big buggers. Thinking about it, he must produce a huge cropfull, which he then force-feeds into his babies - the equivalent of super-size MacDonalds. His youngsters do trim down once they get flying, though.
Shaun
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Mount Airy Lofts
187 posts
Apr 08, 2006
8:24 PM
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Shaun,
Believe or not, the best fights are tag teams. I some times would see a pair just pound on any inturder.
On the same note, I remember as a kid I had this Champion - Champion fighter. (grin) This bird kicked but... so I let it roll with a fighting cock (chicken). It was one heck of a show - I'll tell you what. My bird got the crap kicked out of him but he still beat a mean wing punch.
Some of the worst fights are hens that are protecting their youngs. I have seen some hens drive out huge cocks with out breaking a sweat.
Whois got a Champion out there?
Thor
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Santandercol
29 posts
Apr 08, 2006
9:56 PM
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Hey Bluesman,Yeah,these are show homers I have along with 3 pair of rollers.They are fat and lazy and barely fly!!I was trying to get some young ones to fly today and had one of the old hens out on the aviary to see if she would help to make the fat squeakers fly.The squeaks wouldn't budge but the hen flew out into the yard then ended up all over the neighbourhood,but can't get up high enough to see the loft to come home.Not good flyers.I think I'm going to get rid of most of those homers and concentrate on Rollers.I'd rather have birds that fly and perform.Patience.
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Kellinos
Last Edited by Santandercol on Apr 08, 2006 9:59 PM
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siddiqir
191 posts
Apr 10, 2006
9:42 AM
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Shaun, I believe rollers behavior varies from family to family. The rollers I have are medium size birds, all want top breeding pens(which I can not provide LOL) and cocks love to fight. So I end up locking them up for breeding...I know there must be tamp rollers families out there where cock are less aggressive one example is you Mason family of rollers.
Dave, I use rollers for fostering the one problem I noticed with them (especially when is very cold Jan – Feb) because of small body type they're unable sit tight on eggs or even cover up the babies well. Due to the small body frame they are kind of disqualify for the fostering job in my opinion. The result, only one egg hatched most of the time. I am planning to use show rollers next year and see how it will work out. I guess we need some thing not too big but big enough to sit tight on eggs and cover up babies well when it is cold. You have good point of heavy fat youngsters…and I see same thing happened if parents feed only one baby however they get trim and looks good once start flying.
Thanks, -Rauf
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Shaun
344 posts
Apr 10, 2006
9:49 AM
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Rauf, you're bang on there. One of the first crappy rollers I got last year, is the size of a show bird. He has turned out to be a great foster - but, going back to what David said, right now this big bugger has pumped so much food into two Masons born five days ago, that I was able to band them today. However, you are right in saying that once they're weaned, they trim down. I know this because I bred just three birds from this giant roller; they all started off as very large birds, but within a couple of weeks' flying, they had shrunk to a normal roller size.
Shaun
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siddiqir
194 posts
Apr 11, 2006
7:13 AM
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I have a question for fanciers who do open breeding? How do you pair up the birds for example best to best?
Thanks, -Rauf
Last Edited by siddiqir on Apr 11, 2006 7:13 AM
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Swamp Fox
58 posts
Apr 13, 2006
8:17 PM
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Rauf,
I do community, as well as individual nest box, breeding. When I select the pair(s) I want to mate up, I first put the cock bird and hen side by side in show coops so the cock bird cannot scalp the hen when trying to get her to accept him. After one day side by side, I then place them together in one small cage for another day or two. They are now ready to be placed in the open or community loft as a mated pair. Do not put previously mated birds in the same open loft after you have changed their mates. Sometimes the two original pair go back together or the hen allows the previous mate to tread her causing eggs fertiled by the wrong cock bird. Of course, there are no certainties of parents in an open or community loft. If you have available small cages or show coops, mate as many pairs as you can at the same time. Before you mate the pairs allow the cock birds to go in the open loft and claim his nest box so the fighting is over before you put the mated pairs in there.
Marion
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upcd
225 posts
Apr 13, 2006
8:48 PM
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My breeding loft is 10x30. 30 pairs. 60 boxes. 10x10 indoors and 10x20 out flight. Only during the spring and summer. Fall and winter they are divided and put into 12x12 indoor loft with outdoor suncages. Will fly during good weather.
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