SAT Roller
72 posts
Jan 07, 2008
12:24 PM
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Looks like I should have stayed locked down.
I have not flown a bird in years and yesterday I released 8 birds after keeping them on the roof for three weeks. There were birds (doves etc.) in the neighborhood so I thought it would be ok to release them for the first time. They all made their way out of the kit box and on top of the landing board and roof when all of a sudden a Coopers hawk is on them. Of course the birds took off and I have not seen them since. I don't think changing the time of day or anything else effects these BOPs. I have not floiwn in years and this was their first day. If they had been youngsters I am sure he would have been able to get one of them.
The good news is they all made it as I saw the Cooper land in a tree after the attack without anything to show for it. The bad news is I don't think I will see any of these birds back. I was hoping to end up lofting in a couple to help me with the young that will be raised here shortly to kind of help get them back when they get lost.
When is it safe to start training youngsters in South Texas as I will have younsters early in Feb ready to go???
Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.
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Richard
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luis
482 posts
Jan 07, 2008
4:51 PM
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I know how bad it is Richard.I have(had)5 youngsters that needed to get on the wing so i've been letting them out.They took to the sky today and i lost 2.Maybe it's best to not start breeding so early!At this point the only solution i see is breeding about 200 birds a year and hope to keep a percentage of them alive,but the thought of(loosing 100 plus birds a year) it makes me sick to my stomach!
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RUDY..ZUPPPPP
913 posts
Jan 07, 2008
4:58 PM
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How u been richard ???
This is rudy from west texas...
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RUDY PAYEN
PANCHO VILLA LOFT
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washington86
123 posts
Jan 07, 2008
4:59 PM
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maybe it's best to put some birds in a cage on top of the cage so that the youngster can come back too. When my youngsters are lost, I usually place some of my flyers in a cage and would set it on top of my cage, so that they can see and come back. youngster or birds that havent been flying or haven't flown are very afraid, and any color pigeon they see, they fly too.
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luis
484 posts
Jan 07, 2008
5:34 PM
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Washington i don't have a problem with lost birds as much as eaten birds (BOP statistics !!)
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CA2TXROLLIN
1 post
Jan 07, 2008
8:17 PM
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To Richard and Rudy,
Im new to Texas, living in Victoria, were about are you guys???? any birds for sale????
Last Edited by on Jan 07, 2008 8:19 PM
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SAT Roller
73 posts
Jan 08, 2008
9:27 AM
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Luis, it definitely turned my stomach as it has been more than 5 years since I have flown/had any birds.
Rudy, I am good thank you, just been busy and all with the holidays. Looking forward to some BBQ :-)....LOL
Washington Thank you for the idea, I always have some birds I could put in a cage that would hopefully drawn them back. Years ago when I was training youngsters I always like having a few old birds that are hungry that I can throw up and basically just use them for droppers as they usually fly around a little and come right down and trap as they are very hungry when I am training youngsters.
I lost that opportunity as none of the 8 have returned and the other odd birds are really being held for further use and can not take a chance on losing them. The ones I lost were from a feller that said take them and fly them as threy were old hold overs that never flew. They are flying now, only God knows where...
I won't have the younsters ready for realease until 10 Feb or so, maybe I will hold them longer and pull some of their flight feathers in March so they are too strong. Anyone have an idea on how many should be pulled so it is difficult for them to fly very far???
CA2TXROLLIN If you are interested in buying birds please see above information on the Ruby Rollers as I am sure that Tony will help you out. No one is allowed to answer your request as it is against the rules here. Sorry
By the way I live in San Antonio as I am the SATRoller..
Thanks for all the info/help, Rudy BBQ season is right around the corner... Are you going to the covention in Texas? I hope to make it unless I have a conflict. Has A date been set yet?
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Richard
Last Edited by on Jan 08, 2008 9:28 AM
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R.Fuentes
51 posts
Jan 08, 2008
9:44 AM
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Hi Richard sorry to hear about your lose, I normally don't fly till the end of march by then all the predator's are gone in my area. By the way were some of the rollers you lost the ones you received from me. R.Fuentes
Last Edited by on Jan 08, 2008 9:47 AM
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SAT Roller
75 posts
Jan 08, 2008
12:32 PM
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Raul,
No they were from a friend in Austin, he had 60 or so that he did not get a chance to train and gave me around 12 birds. I still have the other ones and yours. Some of them that I got from you are on eggs now, I have 7 pair on eggs/youngsters total.
Richard
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R.Fuentes
52 posts
Jan 08, 2008
4:59 PM
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Richard, good to here from you again my friend hang in their before you know it you will have plenty of fine rollers in the air this spring. Depending on your area you should be clear of predators by mid march. Your friend R.Fuentes.
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CA2TXROLLIN
2 posts
Jan 08, 2008
8:49 PM
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Hey Richrad, my fault, i didnt know.....
what do you know about the BOP's in Victoria??? about when do they leave??? ive gotten hit once, though ive flown my guys ever sense ( after a 10 day lock down ).... for about a week now, no BOP's, nock on wood..... so do you think its safe to say maybe they took off early, or they just havent seen them.....
Thanks, and i appologize again
Last Edited by on Jan 08, 2008 8:53 PM
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SAT Roller
76 posts
Jan 09, 2008
6:58 AM
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CA2TXROLLIN
I am not sure as I have the same question. I live in a large housing development and in the past when I flew I never worried about BOPs as I flew year round. Doesn't look like I can do that any longer since I just got back into rollers the BOPs seemed to have multiplied x10.... I have seen attacks before when I would visit folks; however, back then it really wasn't a big deal. Today it is a big deal.....
If it gets bad and doesn't clear up and be safe to fly I may rethink raising rollers to be eating by BOPs. To me BOPs and cats are two of a kind....
Richard
Last Edited by on Jan 09, 2008 7:00 AM
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CA2TXROLLIN
3 posts
Jan 09, 2008
6:38 PM
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ok i spoke to soon, " COPPER " Alert
I JINX it... @5!& #@#
Im a bit dissipointed in myself, i went with all cocks today ( 5 ), as i cleaned the Loft.... i shooed them up, from roosting not to spoil them, and out of know were this %&^% cooper soaring thru the sky beaming dead for my roof, like a falling star, (im watching the entire thing )
i tried shooing them again, but they werent going for it this time.... BAM!! this BOP nails my guy, my heart dropped.... i felt so crappy, that i near teared.... it was my fault why dd i have to shew em.... well lock down until.....
Hey have you heard of the Catolonian Tumblers,??? there bread to out run hawks, trainned to keep up...
Im with luis BREED like crazy, though 200???? WoW!!!
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Santandercol
1755 posts
Jan 10, 2008
6:03 AM
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The Catalonian Tumblers in the States have had the tumble bred out of them is what I've heard.Mostly a show bird.
Yesterday had my 36 white homers out for some excersize and I was slacking off in the house(Too cold outside!)when I heard a bunch of birds taking off from the ground in a hurry.Went out to find 10 in the loft already waiting for lunch,15 in the air flying hard like something had chased them and the other 11 no where to be seen.A coopers hawk flew out of a pine tree nextdoor and kept going.Still no sign of the other 11.Started shaking the feed can and calling when one bird pops its head out from under the loft where there is about 1ft airspace.stuck my head under there and there was the rest of the 11 MIAs,scared shirtless waiting for the all clear.Lucky again!!!
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Kel.
Rum-30 Lofts
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Velo99
1520 posts
Jan 10, 2008
3:17 PM
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Hey all you other Tx guys.
SAT, you and CA2 moved to the wrong part of TX. lol
Me and Rudy don`t have a BOP problem to speak of.
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V99
Keep the best. Eat the rest.
Last Edited by on Jan 10, 2008 3:18 PM
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RUDY..ZUPPPPP
928 posts
Jan 10, 2008
3:28 PM
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Hey richard u need to move here to west tx....
Is uglier than hell but u can enjoy flying birds all day....flat country..lots of tumble weeds...lol
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RUDY PAYEN
PANCHO VILLA LOFT
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gabe454
108 posts
Jan 10, 2008
8:48 PM
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WOW! SEEMS LIKE ALOT OF YOU GUYS ARE BREEDING MORE THAN FLYING.I FEEL FOR YOU GUYS STAY UP,WELL TO BE HONEST IF I BREED 150 BIRDS ILL LOSE 10 BIRDS NOT BY (BOP) BUT BY THEM STRAYING OFF.
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454
TRIPLE "G" LOFT
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