rollerpigeon1963
262 posts
Jun 13, 2008
6:58 PM
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Thom,
You and I live in the same region and have about the same problems with BOP's. Let me explain what I do when it comes to flying and breeding.
First of all I have to use fosters! These birds can be holdover birds or late hatches that you never got out or ones that just wasn’t old enough to handle the 6 month lockdown. These birds will help you in the long run know it or not. Because you are breeding from the same family of birds. That has basically the same genetic make-up.
I start my breeding season around Feb 14th. I pair the birds together and they start setting right away. Some time the weather gets me from time to time with the deep freeze in Feb.
I usually get my first rounds in the kit box by the middle of March and by the first of April I can start to fly them. This year was a great year for me I was able to get 23 birds in the kit box for the first round.
And I usually breed until about the middle of June. This year I might go until the end of June by one more round. But that is it nothing no later than the end of June. They will only be 4 month old when they have to be locked down and that is cutting it close.
Now I am able to fly pretty good most of the summer except for a few young BOP sharpening there skills. Just this morning at 5:45 I had one get caught by a resident cooper. So I will go back to flying in the evening for a while. This will make the cooper go else where getting a early breakfast.
But back to the subject at hand! You live close to John Bender he lives right around the hill from you. And If he is flying all summer and getting attacked they will be close by watching your birds for a easy meal. So you might have to fly later in the day to prevent loosing any birds. I flew mine tonight around 7:45pm and they flew for about 45 minutes. These are my first round and they look really good. One of my best years so far with the birds. But I still have to remember they are squeakers and I do have a resident cooper.
Remember every bird you loose you loose a ton of information. And when I said those late hatches will help you out in the long run well. If you have a couple pair of fosters that your not using to breed you can use those late hatch birds as test pairs? Because you are breeding around the same few bird its just they haven’t been proven in the air but you have so many of there brothers and sisters that can help you along with the information you might need.
Thom after a couple of years breeding and flying like this you will have plenty of birds to fly and choose from. Right now I have banded almost 100 birds.
Right now is a good time for me because we got moved back from 7-12’s to 6-10’s. Yesssssss one day off LOL LOL I need to finish my horse barn and get a fence up just bought some more property that connects to mine.
If you need to talk just give me a ring! 464-3234 I think I can explain a little better than what I can with this letter.
Your good friend Brian Middaugh
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RUDY..ZUPPPPP
1724 posts
Jun 13, 2008
7:44 PM
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How u been cuzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....................
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RUDY PAYEN
PANCHO VILLA LOFT
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Electric-man
1715 posts
Jun 13, 2008
11:04 PM
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Way to go Brian! Thom is a great guy! One of my favorites here! Nice to see someone with your character and knowledge help him out!
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Val
"Site Moderator"
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Oldfart
705 posts
Jun 14, 2008
9:04 AM
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Brian, Thanks for the input it helped a lot. I can't breed in the numbers you can because of my location. My holdover birds are doing a lot better this week as I have been flying them every chance I get. So far I seen hawks everyday but no attacks. I change fly times and kit size daily. I think I am doing much better this year, I'm flying my holdover hens with the young birds and the cocks by themselves. I am finishing my breeding for the year, banded my last squeek yesterday. Again, thanks, stopby sometime. I'm not positive but I think John Bender moved or will move this year.
Val, I'm blushing.;-))
Thom
Last Edited by on Jun 14, 2008 6:33 PM
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