Double R
59 posts
Aug 08, 2007
10:02 AM
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Hey Guys,
My question is if my young birds are flying for about an hour in this heat, should I cut their feed back so they only fly for about half an hour? Would you say that they are getting to strong on the wing, possibly increasing the chance of an overfly? They're ages range from 3 months to 5 months. Just wondering if I am setting my self up for trouble when the weather cools..
Robby
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MCCORMICKLOFTS
1495 posts
Aug 08, 2007
10:29 AM
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Ah, very observant Robby! The answer would be/could be..yes. I've seen it happen to me in the past...have them flying good during the summer and fall heat, but when the cool temps and first storms roll through...poof...gone kit.
I wouldn't worry about it right now other than trimming some feed to get them under an hour. This time of year they need good oil seeds for the molt. It is, in essence, retarded and foolish to expect anything more than just flying them during this time of year. Usually the tell-tell sign you are going to lose them when it cools is suddenly, and in concert with the cooler temps, they start performing like you've never seen them perform before. That's when it is time to get out the boat anchors set the mooring lines.
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Double R
61 posts
Aug 08, 2007
5:53 PM
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Thanks Brian, since I am only flying young birds that I raised this year, I don't want to let them keep getting stronger until one day poof their gone. Then I have to start all over again..
Robby
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MCCORMICKLOFTS
1499 posts
Aug 08, 2007
8:43 PM
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Well prepare yourself because it will happen at one time or another. I don't believe I know of a single roller flyer that hasn't experienced an overfly at one point or another. Half of the time it is completely unavoidable and we never know the answer to why. The other half is usually our fault, but its generally too late before we realize it.
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Shaun
531 posts
Aug 09, 2007
12:21 AM
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Brian, after over two years of flying, I've never come even close to an overfly. My Mason birds just don't fly high enough and the Moseleys aren't that way inclined either. George himself told me that he's only had two flyaways (as we call them) in 40 years. So, I might be pretty safe for a while yet.
Shaun
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trevsta65
160 posts
Aug 09, 2007
2:00 AM
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i fly masons also shaun i had an overfly last month lost six birds never lost that many at once before damn peregrine pushed them up in the clouds it was a fairly overcast day some really big dark clouds came through birds went into them and the rest is history .by by birds never to be seen again who knows where they were when they came out.cheers trev
Last Edited by on Aug 09, 2007 2:31 AM
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Shaun
532 posts
Aug 09, 2007
4:36 AM
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Trev, although I'm plagued by a sparrowhawk, I've yet to see a peregrine. They do lift when chased but they're always in sight. Actually, I did lose a handful of birds a while ago when a flock of racing pigeons flew overhead and took my whole kit with them. It took them hours to return and a few were missing and never came back.
Shaun
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J_Star
1116 posts
Aug 09, 2007
4:44 AM
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I noticed with my family is that in the summer time when the air is thin and make the birds lift high up is to cut down on the Wheat and add Canadian Peas. This keeps then within perfect viewing distance. The mix is 1/3Wheat-1/3Peas-1/3Milo.
Jay
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trevsta65
161 posts
Aug 09, 2007
5:08 PM
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shaun i had some youngsters out the other day when a swarm of racers came through [i call them swarms]sucked up up the birds like a vacum cleaner thought they were gone for sure to there credit they got out of it and came home i was lucky birds had only been flying a couple of weeks .cheers trev
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