luis
133 posts
Jan 21, 2007
8:01 PM
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Man i'm really getting fed up with breeding rollers for the Red Tails,Coopers and falcons!!Seems like everytime i fly i loose 2 and get a couple of injured birds in the process.Today the falcon hit 2 of my young birds and took one on the 3rd try right in front of my face. It breaks my heart everytime i see it.There i am making a rakect(trying to scare him off) and looking like a loonatic in the process!!No luck though.
It's hard to deal with ,seeing your prospects taken from right under your nose and not being able to do anything about it.Then the injured ones return with half their gut hanging out,really pisses me off!!.These damn birds were introduced to keep feral populations down and i've yet to see them take a commie,but they sure take my rollers!!Seems like they hide in the trees with a napkin around their necks and w/ a fork and spoon in their claws.Hope you're all having better luck than me!!
Last Edited by on Jan 21, 2007 8:57 PM
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JMUrbon
209 posts
Jan 21, 2007
8:29 PM
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I feel for you Luis. The only advise I can give ya is hold them in. I know that we bred them to fly but when it gets to the point that you are it's kinda senseless to fly them just to send them out to get sloughtered. If you figure out how to do it then please let me know because I have been locking mine up this time of year for about 5 years now and I sure would rather fly them. Joe
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J.M.Urbon Lofts
A Proven Family of Spinners
http://www.freewebs.com/jmurbonlofts/
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luis
134 posts
Jan 21, 2007
8:46 PM
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When do you start flying them Joe?I have some young ones that need to fly and hate keeping them in.I really only fly them on my days off(2 days a week)and get dissapointed when i can't fly them at all.I won't keep um if i can't fly them.With my Pouters i suffered losses but nothing like this!It's frustrating to say the least.We use to have large crow populations around here that kept the hawks in check,but i don't see as many as i used to(say 10 yrs ago).I wish we could find a solution but the fact of the matter is,we will not!!
Last Edited by on Jan 21, 2007 8:48 PM
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C.J.
889 posts
Jan 22, 2007
7:45 AM
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Luis they have got your number. Your best bet is to lock them down for awhile. This happened to me earlier in the year and I tried to out think them. I changed my flying times and days this didn't work in the end it just got worse. My birds ended up getting spooked and flew really high I lost everything. My advice is lock them down til the birds pass.You think it hurts to have them killed or come in wounded wait until every bird you have left gets spooked and over flies. That my friend is the worst kind of loss.
C.J.
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ROLLERMAN
86 posts
Jan 22, 2007
9:17 AM
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I locked My birds up november 1ST. 3 days ago one of my breder cocks desided to fly out over my head. i came out of the loft and the only thing i seen of him was 4 tail feathers laying in the yard, it just crazy to send your birds out this time of year, he will clean you out in no time at all, them pigeons like a choice pc of steak about this time of year lol.
al
Last Edited by on Jan 22, 2007 9:19 AM
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MCCORMICKLOFTS
1082 posts
Jan 22, 2007
10:15 AM
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siddiqir
287 posts
Jan 22, 2007
10:44 AM
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Luis, you can buy an artificial Hawk and when not flying birds just let him sit some where on the roof. It comes with machinery and wings are move able. A friend of mine told me that he got it from Carolina. It will make migratory or residential hawks stay away and chances are when you let kit out you would not get hit.
Last Edited by on Jan 22, 2007 10:45 AM
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luis
136 posts
Jan 22, 2007
12:58 PM
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Any chance you can get the info from your friend as to where it can be bought?I'll try anything so i can fly my birds,although i don't know how sucessful this can be.The red tails in my area keep others in check but i also have some resident coopers, and lately a son of a b.... falcon that's a killing machine.He's the one that's doing most of the damage.
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JMUrbon
210 posts
Jan 22, 2007
5:17 PM
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Luis I am afraid that the only way you will be able to fly pigeons is if they were racers and then you would still suffer some losses. Just not as many I wouldnt think anyway. Rollers are tailor made for hawks and falcons. If they miss they just take a seat because they will be comming back around soon. give em a rest if you want anything left. They should move on around mid Feb. Then you can test the skies again but as long as you continue to feed them they will stay and then you may end up with a resident and they are tough to deal with. Joe
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J.M.Urbon Lofts
A Proven Family of Spinners
http://www.freewebs.com/jmurbonlofts/
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luis
137 posts
Jan 22, 2007
6:45 PM
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Thanks for the advice Joe ,i'm locking them up for a while.I lost my favorite young bird today along with one other one,also had another bird come in injured.Apparently i now have 2 falcons in the area!!No more flying for a while.If it keeps up in the warmer months i'll have to give up on the rollers,no sense in keeping birds i can't fly.
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MILO
127 posts
Jan 22, 2007
7:08 PM
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You know Luis, dealing with predators in this day and age is an unfortunate reality. I really feel bad for you. I am in the same boat. Every year, it gets worse for me, and I continue to lose hundreds of birds because there is obviously a serious imbalance in the ecosystem. Overpopulating the skies with the most efficient killers in the food chain besides humans is just beyond my comprehension. This year I have been on lockdown for the better part of 5 months. Not a single bird from my A team has been flown at all. Why? I have to have something in the Summer for the WC. You know what's funny? Had a hand fed Cooper kill three from the A team thru 1/2 X 1" wire...lol You want to talk about mad.... I have such a passion for competition now, that to risk heavy losses by releasing them, would kill my chances. This is the longest lockdown ever. It is against my nature as a flyer...But, I hope it works...LOL
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siddiqir
288 posts
Jan 23, 2007
9:00 AM
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Hello, I contacted my friend and he told me the guy do not want to sell one or two. They actually sell in bulk. I think his main customers are farmers and they take couple of dozens at once to save the plant/crop eaten by different kind of birds.
The minimum order he take is for 1 dozen. My friend has one but he does not fly birds. He has couple of acre of land and do gardening and he put on trees to let the birds stay away.
It sounds, has moveable wings, eyes light and move too by remote. I would like to get one or two for myself and try out. I am sure it will work. If any one interested let me know siddiqir@yahoo.com. It cost 27 dollars.
Last Edited by on Jan 23, 2007 9:01 AM
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bman
179 posts
Jan 24, 2007
6:03 AM
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I was wondering if anyone had tried an air horn?
The kind with the compressed air canister.
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Ron
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Santandercol
708 posts
Jan 24, 2007
6:08 AM
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Ron,
Haven't tried one but any loud noise when the pred is in the swoop attack will help.
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Kelly
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luis
139 posts
Jan 24, 2007
11:17 PM
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Hey guys ,could you imagine us in the yard w/a horn trying to scare a falcon???I think the city might revoke my permit and send me to the looney bin!!!
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nicksiders
1266 posts
Jan 24, 2007
11:21 PM
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Ron,
Good idea. I was thinking about that just the other day. I am going to try it.
Nick
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Snicker Rollers
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Santandercol
712 posts
Jan 27, 2007
6:32 AM
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Jerry,
Might be a good idea to keep them in for 3 or 4 days till those buggers move on.----------
Kelly
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