Newbie 08
33 posts
Sep 25, 2008
11:09 AM
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I've been flying 3 kits 6 birds per kit, C, B and A which are my top rollers I've flying these three kits for about a month and a half. I have yet to start working on breeding just flying kits right now to determine what hens and and cocks I want to start off with when I start breeding. On this forum I have been reading about guys experiences with these BOP but couldn't really relate until a few days ago I had flown C and B kit and released my last kit of the day my A kit and they were attacked. I saw this Falcon diving really fast and before I knew it he swooped right at my kit lucky for me I think the birds saw him coming and they scattered!! A couple of my young birds which are Ruby's were so scared they were at least 200 feet up and I mean they dived towards my roof one of them was so afraid he crashed into the wall of the house next door. I open my loft door and they flew directly in trembling. My other 4 that were left in the sky went to a dot in the sky where I could barely see them. They stayed up there for at least 20 minutes. I was looking for the falcon but seem he was gone. My birds all came back and I got them back in. They are on lock down and I am afraid to let them up again. I live in Northern Cal between Vallejo and Sacremento. I have two new young Ruby's that I just settled and haven't flown yet. I really want to get them up but am too afraid. Should I just lock all my birds down until next year when these preditor are supposenly not so agressive. I'm knew at this and this is my first experience with these Hawks and Falcons I don't want to loose not a one of my birds to them.
Last Edited by on Sep 25, 2008 11:17 AM
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Electric-man
2046 posts
Sep 25, 2008
11:47 AM
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Most of the BOPs this time of year are just migrating through. I lock up for a week everytime I get hit and then try it again. Maybe try a different time of day also. Keep them from figuring out your routine.
I made it through the whole winter last year by this method, lost maybe a half dozen total. They were usually my fault though. I could usually feel that something was wrong, but pushed them out anyways. Look for signs like if its all quiet outside, something is usually wrong. If other birds are out and about and it sounds normal, your luck will be better.
I am usually ok if I fly in the later afternoon here. I never fly between 10:00 and 3:00, I will pay everytime.
If your gonna fly, odds are your gonna loose a few. Just use your head and you can usually improve your odds
This is based on cooper hawks though, never had to face a falcon yet. They are a different ballgame.
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Val
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Val
Last Edited by on Sep 25, 2008 11:57 AM
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DonDon
16 posts
Sep 25, 2008
12:06 PM
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Hate those darn BOP's and do remember when they'd try and hit me. Seems they always knew which one's to get to. ALWAYS one of my best birds and never on that I really didn't care if it got eaten. LOL Know I did watch one get after one of the homers I had and I'd have loved to have seen the look on the hawks face when the homer went off and left him in the dust. LOL Been one of those roadrunner wiley coyote moments LOL
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-mannyfresh- spins
55 posts
Sep 25, 2008
1:33 PM
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yup..I've had encounters wit all dem darn bops...falcons,hawks,u name it...I live in compton[la area] n I've been hit a couple of times...lost my best one...freakin bops..but dats jus part of da hobby...like dey said earlier jus rotate yo fly times n u should be fine...good luck 2 ya
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-mannyfresh- spins
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kcfirl
494 posts
Sep 25, 2008
3:25 PM
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Dear Newbie,
I live in Orangevale, just east of sacramento. We have a little club out here and I am in touch with 10 or so guys spread between Yuba city to davis to valley springs. Predation is highly location specific. Most of us shut down in the winter, some totally, some partially.
If the birds are flyig and kitting well, I would shut them down as soon as you begin to get hit every 2 days. It sounds like you have 18 birds from which to choose your breeders. That is not much and you could end up losing all but the fast flying stiffs if you keep flying them.
If you really want to breed fro those birds and not get more from outside, a better strategy might be to just lock them up and start breeding them so you have a bunch of babies to fly out next Spring. Then you can tell which ones you want to keep breeding by their prodigy rather than how they roll themselves since the hawks will not allow you to do this well between now and breeding time.
Regards,
Ken
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Hifly11
23 posts
Sep 25, 2008
4:18 PM
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electric man was correct, look at the area, if there are no Doves out or other small birds, or even the squerals will be hidding. Don't fly your birds. Also I fly after 3 or 4PM, then there is a chance the BOP has eaten earlier in the day. Also I find the older the roller the wiser the roller is to the BOPs. A young squeaker does not have a chance.
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WaTtS UpP
1138 posts
Sep 25, 2008
4:27 PM
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it wont be the first time you get hit by the b.o.p.s if you keep flying them threw the year i think its hawk season already
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Watts uppp homeboy
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Oldfart
821 posts
Sep 25, 2008
4:43 PM
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Val, and Ken are both right, I would add that as much as you want to fly this year look into the future and next years breeding program. Even at this early stage you have some idea of which birds you might consider breeding from. Lock them down! You can reproduce them as long as they are alive!! Fly their young next year and develope your program from that start.
J.M.H.O., Thom
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Newbie 08
35 posts
Sep 25, 2008
9:56 PM
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Great advice Ken and val straight game I was thinking that same line just wasn't sure if that would be the right approach. I have 3 nice hens and three nice cocks 2008. That I'm impress with I have flown them at least 25 30 times and see them getting better with each fly. Everyone here who have said the control is all in the feeding are right on the money !! They kit really well fly for at least 30 to 45 mins and come straight to the loft and trap with in 3 minutes of landing. they roll with nice depth and velocity 20 foot average. think I'm going to lock down put those 3 pairs in breeder cages. may fly some of the others every now and then. I wasn't sure if they would breed at this time of year, But then again I'm new at this but enjoy it very much and want to see if I can breed and develope maybe a 15 bird kit for starts to my liking.
Last Edited by on Sep 25, 2008 10:06 PM
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Electric-man
2049 posts
Sep 25, 2008
10:19 PM
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Go with that plan bro! If you think you have breeder prospects, put them up! You don't want to take chances on them, not this time of year.
I only play my game with unproven birds. If it gets bad, I'll lock up in a minute. I'm not gonna feed the sharks!
If you do still fly some, keep them seperated in at least two kits. If the sharks come, they might scatter and get lost, at least your not out that way!
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Val
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Santandercol
3116 posts
Sep 26, 2008
6:02 AM
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Hey Newbie,
Hate to tell you but those falcons probably don't migrate living here on the west coast.
If you want to start breeding birds now,put some lights in your loft to make them think it is spring.Turn 'em on at 6am -off at 8pm or so.
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Kel.
Rum-30 Lofts
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Square
503 posts
Sep 26, 2008
9:44 AM
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Hay Nwebi, Alot of good advice,, really dont know if you are a part of a club or if you have other flyers around you,, but be careful... If you are getting hit on the regular,,, you need to lock down,, espically with the 'King of the Sky" its the fastest bird on earth... The only thing you can hope for is he takes just one .. I have had them tear up 8 of my kit in one sitting one year.. Also think about the ones around you ... cause you dont want to be throwing blood in the water for you fellow flyer's by flying all the time.. Thats why it need's to be a combined effort between flyers... Good luck...
P.S I think the hardest thing for Kit flyers is 'Self Restraint" at least for me it was...
Square
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"Home of the Ghost Town Roller"
K.C.R.C
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Newbie 08
36 posts
Sep 26, 2008
1:34 PM
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Guys you all are giving me so much advice and knowledge this forum is so helpful. I'm not in a club right now I just started 2 months ago. I purcashed up to 26 birds so far. Lost one who never came back and took 5 back to this feed store I bought them from. Flew them maybe ten times but they were culls didn't want to fly and they were bringing my kit down. Now I'm standing at 20. I have flown 16 of the 20 for a month and a half and have been able to determine a few that look like they can really develope to something that I'm interested in. All 16 that I have flown are into their roll they are 2008 and like I said I just purchased them at the end of July and had them settled in two weeks. I purchesed 4 more 2 weeks ago to fly 3 new squeaker Ruby's and another one from this feed store I wanted to try out. They have all been locked down all week. But I really want to fly these last four to at least get them in the air a bit. I'm sure the ruby's are going to do well for me because I have three Ruby's 2008 from my first purchase and am totally impressed with them. But I'm feeling if I don't get these last 4 in the air for a while to learn to kit next year when i fly them they will be culls. Any advice. Kinds seems like a lose lose situation here. I fly them and they get attacked and I lose them. Don't fly them until next year and they become usless to me ???
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