polarbear
103 posts
Jun 01, 2010
7:53 PM
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I have a question regarding the time i have some of my birds flying. They consist of 9 2009 late hatches, just started flying in february.
They are flying in a nice kit and at a good height, the problem is they only fly about 10 to 12 minutes. I have flown them 2 times a day for 3 weeks straight, and now i am down to 1 time a day, and they still only fly 10 to 12 minutes.
The 9 birds are feed 2 tablespoons of wheat, 2 tablespoons of milo and 5 tablespoons of 15.5% mix with no corn. I have changed the amounts for a week or so at a time and still no change in fly time.
I am wondering if i should change the protein, more or less is my question. Or what suggestions would you guys recommend? I have also allowed them at times to eat all they want to see if that would increase fly time at all and still nothing.
So if anyone has suggestions or comments it would be appreciated.
THANKS
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Tony Chavarria
Site Publisher
4077 posts
Jun 01, 2010
8:23 PM
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Consider this:
In my opinion, the birds are perpetually hungry. Period. If it was one maybe 2 birds coming in early, blame the bird. But because the whole group is in it together, it is the management, not enough feed.
1: Feed them up for 3 days and don' fly them, just so you can rule out hunger.
2: On the fourth day, let them out and get them flying double the time they are now. Use any method to keep them in the air. Kit flag, hose, whatever.
3: Each day, try to keep them up 5 minutes more than the day before until they are flying the time you want them flying.
Note: each day after you fly them, let them eat as much as they want for about 10 minutes then remove the feed tray. Repeat this until they are flying the time you want. Also, watch to see if there isn't one particular bird that is pulling them down. He will ruin the others by imprinting the habit of landing early. Just some thoughts. Good luck!
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FLY ON!
Tony Chavarria
The highest form of ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about.” – Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
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polarbear
104 posts
Jun 02, 2010
8:56 PM
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Tony, thanks for the tip.
I am feeding them up until I fly them on friday. I will let you know how it comes out.
There is no birds landing early, I already removed that one about 2 weeks ago. Also I got a pvc pipe about 4 foot long and attached a bright red rag to keep them flagged up. In the past I did the same trick and it worked out ok.
Ill keep you posted.
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Scott
3066 posts
Jun 03, 2010
8:30 AM
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If they act hungry feed them more.. if they don't chase them up until they break the habit..its really that simple
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Scott Campbell
" God Bless "
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Tony Chavarria
Site Publisher
4082 posts
Jun 03, 2010
9:02 AM
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Geeh, of course! How did I miss that? /sarcasm
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FLY ON!
Tony Chavarria
The highest form of ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about.” – Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
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Scott
3067 posts
Jun 03, 2010
9:10 AM
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It aint rocket science
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Scott Campbell
" God Bless "
Last Edited by on Jun 03, 2010 9:11 AM
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Tony Chavarria
Site Publisher
4083 posts
Jun 03, 2010
9:40 AM
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It is if you never dealt with it before. Why approach solutions to questions assuming the person asking the questions knows what you know or has the same experience or time in birds as you? Sounds arrogant and condescending, and doesn't help either.
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FLY ON!
Tony Chavarria
The highest form of ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about.” – Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
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polarbear
105 posts
Jun 03, 2010
10:48 AM
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Tony, thaks again, I like a good smart ass answer now and then. Scotts answer is correct, in that its not rocket science and was not take as a insult.
The birds have been give all they can eat and they still were only flying for about 10minutes. I will flag them as well as try to get them to eat more. If in a month or so they dont improve its down the road for them.
Fault can be given to me as they were raised in november and i did not get them up in the air as soon as i should have. However I will not make that same mistake with this years young.
Scott do you still have that rooster that nailed you in the tenders? I read that story a few months back and still laugh my a-- off about that.
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PR_rollers
GOLD MEMBER
3618 posts
Jun 03, 2010
3:32 PM
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Polar also try flying the kit very early in the AM..see what happens, if you not doing that already..good luck..----------
Ralph.
Pigeons are not our whole life, but they damn sure make our lives whole!" ~
Last Edited by on Jun 03, 2010 3:34 PM
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JMUrbon
1047 posts
Jun 03, 2010
8:44 PM
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Polarbear, They could be neither hungry or overfed. The thing with pigeons is they are creatures of habit. They have developed a habit that you need to break them of. The first thing I do with a kit that wont give me the time I desire is haul them up the road a block or two. If that dont work take them further. I have always figured that if they didnt come home what was I out. A bunch of birds that didnt want to fly in the first place. Actually I have never had them not make it back. the logic of taking them up the road is that it is a natural instinct to elevate to find out were they are. You do this for a couple days to a week and they should be just fine. Joe
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J.M.Urbon Lofts
A Proven Family of Spinners
http://www.freewebs.com/jmurbonlofts/
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rtwilliams
GOLD MEMBER
656 posts
Jun 03, 2010
9:05 PM
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Polar
When my kit gets to fat they do the same. You might consider taking the fat from the diet, just feed the wheat/milo, 50/50, and see if you can get them in shape.
Staight milo will get them skinny.
Also cut the feed down, if your weather is warm, they do not need as much.
Maybe it is rocket science, how much fuel to fly the rocket for how long?
Good luck and take notes, then you will learn what to do next time.
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RT Williams
Brink of Rolling Loft
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polarbear
106 posts
Jun 03, 2010
9:25 PM
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Thanks for all the replies.
I will try a few things out with them and see what works out. Currently I am feeding them up alittle bit for 3 days to see if that helps. If not i will put them on 50/50 wheat milo and go from there.
RT are weather in Oregon is been cool and wet, 5 inches of rain last month and our high temps were only in the high 50s low 60s.
Minus all the rain not to bad of weather temp wise to fly in.
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polarbear
107 posts
Jun 05, 2010
9:14 PM
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Hey tony, thanks for the advice on feeding the birds up. It seemed to help today, they flew for 35 minutes before any landed, they were a little slow to trap(5min), but i will take that over only 10minutes of flying any day.
I also allowed them to eat all they wanted for 6 minutes(the time it took to smoke a Winston), so i will see what they do on sunday as far as fly time.
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michael salus
237 posts
Jun 06, 2010
4:53 AM
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Polarbear, If they are slow to trap it's time to cut back on the feed or you will have birds sitting out and that can be a pain. Mr Urbon, is right , take them down the road a bit and they will soon be flying longer and at a good height... hopefully..lol. Good luck.
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MJ "Peace"
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Tony Chavarria
Site Publisher
4085 posts
Jun 06, 2010
5:43 AM
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Hey polarbear, glad to hear feeding it up worked for you. I just did the same thing with a lavendar and a black self hen. They went from 10 minutes to 32 minutes. The black self hen trapped in less than 30 seconds, the lavendar trapped in about 5 minutes.
Keep the same feeding regimen for a few days while slowly reducing the feed until you find the sweet spot between desired flying and trapping time. Trapping time of about 2 minutes or less for younger birds is sufficient. Keep it up!
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FLY ON!
Tony Chavarria
The highest form of ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about.” – Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
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Tony Chavarria
Site Publisher
4086 posts
Jun 06, 2010
8:02 AM
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Flew the same young birds and today (Sunday morning) with a nice breeze, they flew for almost an hour! The black self trapped in about 30 seconds again (currently she actually lands on the landing board. Not the loft or the kit box roof!) The others trapped in about three minutes. Just stay with it. Good luck!
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FLY ON!
Tony Chavarria
The highest form of ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about.” – Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
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JDA
GOLD MEMBER
847 posts
Jun 06, 2010
7:28 PM
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Tony...would like to see a picture of that young bird kit landing on that nicely made kit box of yours.(-: JDA
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Tony Chavarria
Site Publisher
4088 posts
Jun 06, 2010
8:25 PM
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LOL, ok, I will give it a shot.
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FLY ON!
Tony Chavarria
The highest form of ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about.” – Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
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polarbear
108 posts
Jun 07, 2010
6:17 PM
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Much better results today, they all flew for 27 minutes and i did not have to flag them once.
I repeated the same feed quanities today and will see how they do on tuesday. They also all trapped within 2 minutes of landing.
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Tony Chavarria
Site Publisher
4090 posts
Jun 07, 2010
7:16 PM
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Hey Joe, I got a video of that black hen landing on the landing board, but today she decided to sit on it. I usually have the feed tray in the kit box, today, I forgot to put it in. I will try again tomorrow and see if I can get it on video. Either way, I will post what I have.
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FLY ON!
Tony Chavarria
The highest form of ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about.” – Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
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Tony Chavarria
Site Publisher
4091 posts
Jun 07, 2010
7:19 PM
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Hey polarbear, looks like problem solved for both you and me! Nice job!
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FLY ON!
Tony Chavarria
The highest form of ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about.” – Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
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JDA
GOLD MEMBER
848 posts
Jun 07, 2010
10:17 PM
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Tony...Sounds good.Today was a good day for my black hen and her mealy bar nest mate,They flew for about 1/2 hr and trapped in after watching a Merlin glide through the neighborhood.JDA
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