Sound Rollers
187 posts
Jan 23, 2010
8:14 AM
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Ok, this is what I plan to do. I have 2 pair of Norm Reed Rollers. I was planning on cage breeding but then thought about it, why not open loft for now and fly out the young? From there look for good birds and then start a more precise breeding program.
All advice welcome.
John
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Oldfart
GOLD MEMBER
1614 posts
Jan 23, 2010
8:21 AM
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John, You can never be sure who the father is even if they pair up. If that does not matter then the birds like it best. I free loft my foster pairs but never my breeders.
Thom
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Sound Rollers
188 posts
Jan 23, 2010
8:32 AM
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Right Thom, should I treat these two pair as foundation breeders although I have never seen them fly?
John
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Pinwheel
129 posts
Jan 23, 2010
8:44 AM
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Not sure how qualified I am on this.(not very). I think both approaches are doable. But there may be a point in time when you want to cross back to a parent, and if you open loft, although monogamous beings, some say that another cock might on purpose breed another hen. I feel if you have an open loft with only those two pairs, you can be certain they will stick to their own. I think it depends what you are going to want to do in the long run a few years down the road. I personally like your approach you want to take, and use what you can see and fly as a foundation and not wanting to loose the original pairs just so you can say they are "foundation" worthy.
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Flying in someone else's backyard: Portable Kits
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Oldfart
GOLD MEMBER
1615 posts
Jan 23, 2010
10:20 AM
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John, I would prefer to fly birds out before basing my program around them. That is not always possible. I would not fly the birds you have now but instead fly their young. Keep very careful records and then decide if the results are worth your time. I also would single cage breed.
Thom
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Sound Rollers
189 posts
Jan 23, 2010
1:05 PM
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Thanks Thom and Pin
John
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bigwilly
1103 posts
Jan 23, 2010
1:15 PM
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just curious. Where did you get you Reed birds from. Do U know how they are bred? I like the Reed birds alot
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BIG WILLY
TOPP FLIGHT/NCRC
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JMUrbon
869 posts
Jan 23, 2010
1:54 PM
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The problem with most open lofts is that the birds do not have enough room to breed inside their nest boxes comfortably. I cant say in my loft I have ever seen a cock jump another hen after they are on their first round of eggs. I lock my pairs down inside their boxes until the first egg is laid and after that they have free roam. If the boxes are not large enough they will certainly breed out in the loft and there is a much larger chance of another cock jumping in on the action. Joe
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J.M.Urbon Lofts
A Proven Family of Spinners
http://www.freewebs.com/jmurbonlofts/
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Oldfart
GOLD MEMBER
1616 posts
Jan 23, 2010
2:52 PM
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I have watched my fosters very closely and like Joe, I have never witnessed a cock treading any hen but his mate. I keep my breeders seperate in order to be certain I know my birds linage.
Thom
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rtwilliams
GOLD MEMBER
569 posts
Jan 23, 2010
5:41 PM
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John
Do you have Fosters?
If so use a kit box and place four nests in it. Take your hens and place your cock with them. The Cock will breed both hens, and can actually raise the young in this manner. I would use fosters, however and pump three rounds off the hens. I would then give them a week break, and do the same with the other Cock. This works up to three hens.
You need lots of foster to keep pumping them though.
Benifits, lots of young birds fasters, and you know who the daddy is. You also can compare all all possible breeidng combinations faster.
Downside, A little more work with the fosters, and record keeping.
I will being doing this year. I did it last year with much sucess, however as it was an experiment year for me, I did not use my best stock. This year my best Cock will be with my best three hens for four rounds.
Good Luck
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RT Williams
Last Edited by on Jan 23, 2010 5:46 PM
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Sound Rollers
191 posts
Jan 24, 2010
8:51 AM
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Big Willy, I got my birds from Norm Reed, Im waiting for the pedigrees. Thanks all for the great posts. I think I'll put them in Breeding cages and let the fosters have the open loft, I like the control factor.
John
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