Electric-man
2377 posts
Jun 25, 2009
8:35 PM
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Already over 100 and heat index is reaching around 110. I have 3 09 kits in training. Oldest kit, was doing great but lately just flying low and getting lower. 2nd oldest is flying higher,and bigger patterns. 3rd kit is to young to worry about.
Question, should I mix the first two kits together, say 50/50 and see if I can break the low flying habit? Been flying them all on mix, should I go straight wheat or just add protien to the mix at their age.
I'm only getting 10-15 min flying with both kits and I'm flying late in the evening(only choice with work schedule).They are coming down with mouths open and some start acting like their regurgatating.
Should I just not worry about it with the temps as they are and be patient?
I have two mentors and they are both great flyers, but they are kinda at a disagreement on this subject. Hope I don't offend either one of them here, but I'm asking for more opinions. Guess I'll go with the majority! LOL
Any suggestions? ----------
Val
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PR_rollers
GOLD MEMBER
3141 posts
Jun 25, 2009
8:51 PM
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val mix in the one's that are flying low with the one's flying high throw in a few at a time..but if they come down with their beaks open I wouldn't worry about making the time its the weather ..
they were doing fine before the heat right?
as with the wheat can't advise on that because I can't seen to find it here in the island so my birds fly on straight mix all the time ..I just deduct a little here add a little there when need be....but since they are still young keep feeding them mix..good luck.
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Ralph.
Life comes down to the choices you make, and then living with the results.
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fhtfire
1985 posts
Jun 25, 2009
10:07 PM
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Val..if you are flying in the heat....they will want to stay low....just like we dont like running in the heat....if it is to hot...I will not fly my birds...but you can take them a block away in a box and release them...they will have to climb to find home....I have been having the same problem...I dont really worry about it....if feed is good and they are healthy...it could be just a phase too...
But keep your eye out for the lowest birds.....they may be pulling the kit down....and if they are on the top perch in the kit box...pull them out a fly and see what happens....I have had one bird hold the whole kit down before...
Hell that just happened on my convention fly...one bird hit and half the kit stayed low....because the hurt bird landed......
Rock and ROLL
Paul
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JMUrbon
715 posts
Jun 25, 2009
10:22 PM
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Val I trained birds for many years in the afternoon and believe me we get some serious heat here. You will have dificulty for a short time but as long as you continue to fly them in the heat and take them down the road like Paul said. they will get use to it and start flying better for you. Just be careful because if they start flying in the heat soo much they will try to lift to get to cooler air and you will have kits skying out. Joe
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J.M.Urbon Lofts
A Proven Family of Spinners
http://www.freewebs.com/jmurbonlofts/
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Pumpkin Man
116 posts
Jun 26, 2009
5:49 AM
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Val,
What I do is fly mine early. I could probably get my first kit up about 6:15 usually it's more like 6:40. I get 1st kit trapped back in and put kit 2 up and leave the trap door open if I run out of time. I have bob style trap and when they come in they don't come back out. Granted I don't get to see second kit fly but I'm trying to do what's best for the birds at this point. If you leave before daylight this won't work, but if I was leaving at daylight I would put em up and figure out a way to construct my kit box so that they will come in while I was gone and be safe. I might change to the pvc 45 degree traps I see some using. Only drawback of course is you can't watch them those days. As long as you know their kitting I wouldn't worry too much. Watchem the mornings you can, weekends etc. I know it's better to watch them, but if I had real heat I don't know that I would be helping the birds any flying them in the afternoon. Right now, I'm after best fly time for young birds which in my opinion is sunrise. I think I would feel that way whereever I lived. I know work comes first, it's gonna be impossible if you leave when it's dark unless you got kids, wife, neighbor kid or someone to let em out for you while your gone. Good luck.
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0221
346 posts
Jun 26, 2009
7:04 AM
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I fly My pigeons at 5:15-5:30 every morning, They fly at 400 to 500 hundred feet for 45 minutes to an hour. 3 -6 months old on straight wheat, they don't come down panting. If you put good pigeons in with the bad, well you've know the story, one bad apple spoils the bunch. Better to fly one kitt a day first thing in the morning, than to teach those pigeons bad habits. good luck.
Oh by the way, its going to be 107 here today. (It is crazy to feed flying rollers mix in this heat).
Last Edited by on Jun 26, 2009 7:08 AM
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J_Star
1989 posts
Jun 26, 2009
7:40 AM
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Val, seek out some kind of conditioner and condition the birds to give them stamina for those kind of days. You will be happy with the results.
Jay
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winwardrollers
265 posts
Jun 26, 2009
8:19 AM
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Val
I like to fly the two oldest rounds together once they get old enough...It sounds like you are at that point. After fly fill one kit box then let last fill the other..birds will not have same perch but that is ok...they will be moved around when they are older as well and will get use to new birds around them all the time.
It is hot but some time birds don't feel 100%...Make sure you have clean water...do not.. medicate water every day that could be a problem...dropping will tell you...look at the dropping for good health.
Don't worry about the fly time as much as pattern/height they are flying when young birds.
Feed them a handful of millet/safflower when they come in and have rested..give the birds that are heaving a chance to cool down before you feed....some times birds come down when they are not in shape maybe you feed.. to much.. for the hot weather.
I would be flying the kit every other day at this point..some want fly time when they are young I want a better concentration of roll so the young learn good habits.
Add older hen or two to the kit that will take them up.
good luck.
bwinward
Last Edited by on Jun 26, 2009 9:42 AM
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Oldfart
GOLD MEMBER
1076 posts
Jun 26, 2009
1:41 PM
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Val, I was feeling sorry for my birds and it's only 90 here but the humidity is awful. Worst is still coming so if you get a handle on it, please share!
0221, I'm showing my ignorance but why is mix bad? Do your birds sky out on straight wheat? How long can you feed them just wheat and is it hard wheat? Lastly, what is the humidity like where you are? Thanks in advance!
Thom
Last Edited by on Jun 26, 2009 1:47 PM
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0221
349 posts
Jun 26, 2009
2:59 PM
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How do you know who eating what? If You feel like your birds need other grains, feed it to them seperatly, If its hot and humid they want fed milo, wheat, barley and such as that. you can throw them a hand full of millett now and again. Most people don't get the full potential out of there birds because of over feeding. My young birds get wheat, if they they need boosting up, I throw them some pelletts, Thom we don't get the humidity enough to even speak about. I would think you could get away with feeding yours even less in the summer months. My birds fly at 400-500 hundred feet in training and for about an hour. when I'm comming up on compitition day, I feed them less and less until they shorten up there time and come down into view. I might add throw away any silly spoon or cup you measure your feed with. Give them what it takes to fly like you want. The least quality feed possible, more or less depending on what they do in the air. have fun, Al.
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Oldfart
GOLD MEMBER
1077 posts
Jun 26, 2009
3:17 PM
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0221, I like the use of pellets. I feed mine by how much they eat. I give them what I consider to much but watch them as they eat. When they stop eating and just start standing around in the feed pan, I remove the pan. If I think a young one has not gotten enough. I put all the rest in the fly pen and allow the youngest a little more time. I feed 50% mix, 25% wheat and milo mix. and 25% pellets. I have been thinking lately of trying straight pellets on one kit and comparing the results to the other kit. I will rethink and possible try your method. Thank you for your time and expertise.
Thom
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Scott
2258 posts
Jun 27, 2009
10:52 AM
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Al, every sack of feed wheat is different as far as nutrition value, how due you compensate for that ?
I have always fed a mix cut with Wheat to youngsters, I want them growning, now I use alot of Wheat on my oldbirds,but even they will get ragidy in the roll after a period of time.
But I was thinking of what you were saying here and I was thinking wheat and then Salflour for the fat and protien, I am not a big fan of peas as they take too log to digest where the salflour blows through, plus some birds are just better at chasing down rolling peas in the feed tray than others, just thinking out loud here is all.
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Just my Opinion
Scott
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Scott
2259 posts
Jun 27, 2009
10:57 AM
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Val, I always get my youngsters up in the evenings, once up strong I fly early Am in the Summer.
The youngest kits fly evening,they get used to the heat in time, I have flown in over a 100 deg in Summer with little problem.
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Just my Opinion
Scott
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Sunflower
GOLD MEMBER
452 posts
Jun 27, 2009
11:43 AM
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Scott,
In the summer, I mix my flyers feed. 50lb wheat, 50lb milo and 10lb safflower. They seem to do well on that mix in the heat. I still feed my younger bird a 15% mix until they are old enough to fly for a good duration and then cut them to the wheat, milo, safflower mix. Don't put any of them back on 15% until it gets below 30 degrees consistently.
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Keep em Spinning
Joe
Last Edited by on Jun 27, 2009 11:44 AM
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0221
350 posts
Jun 27, 2009
11:55 AM
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Scott, I feed my breeders pellets, I wean My youngstes off on pelletts and wheat, then as they grow and time goes on to just wheat. I've found in My family a day or two's rest is better than giving them better quality food. If they got really rough, I'd give them some pelletts. I have walk in kit boxes, everyday I go in and look at those birds before flying them, I pretty much can tell what to expect before I release them. I never want them acting like there starving to death and I don't want them chasing each other around. We could go on about feed for ever. You know you can't really tell anybody how to feed there birds, only how you feed yours and what works for you. When your on about feeding rollers, you give them whats required for there age and if there in training or building them up or breaking them down for performance. You know as well as I do, youve got to be able to read your pigeons. Very few people I've met ever put the time in. Have fun. Al.......
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winwardrollers
266 posts
Jun 27, 2009
2:39 PM
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Pellet make the birds soft to the hand and roll sloppy.
A few pellet can keep the birds in condition but I would not fly the birds on pellets..some use pellets to get their birds ready for competition but then get then off and back on hard food to finish them off.
Sunflower....post 452.. has a pretty good mix going with the wheat, milo, safflower for the young birds.
Right now I am feeding my young white/red wheat and a handful of safflower and maybe of pea every now and then.
The birds get ragidity like Scott was talking about when they are on to lean of a feed.... time to do somthing differant for sure...I have lost some good birds over the years not watching the condition of the birds.
bwinward
Last Edited by on Jun 27, 2009 2:41 PM
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0221
353 posts
Jun 27, 2009
2:47 PM
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Winwardrollers, Thats why everybody needs to do what works for there family.
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Scott
2260 posts
Jun 27, 2009
3:08 PM
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This is pretty much it in a nut shell Al,and like you hit on is another reason why setups where you can see and handle the teams at all times is so important.
(You know as well as I do, youve got to be able to read your pigeons. Very few people I've met ever put the time in. )
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Just my Opinion
Scott
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Electric-man
2378 posts
Jun 27, 2009
8:15 PM
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Thank you for your responses!
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Val
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DeepSpinLofts
1436 posts
Jun 28, 2009
6:04 PM
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Val... it's currently 103.8 degrees fahrenheit in the Suisun Valley out here in Northern California and I plan to fly YB's in about 2 hours. Then it should be at least 5 to 10 degrees cooler.
...well anyway
Birds have been flying okay in the heat, but they do come back to their loft with beaks wide open screaming for cold water.
NOTE: I put ice cubes in the birds water container and they just love it!
Marcus
Deep Spin Lofts
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