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The Original All Roller Talk Discussion Board Archive >
I am new to rollers what do I need to know?
I am new to rollers what do I need to know?
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pigeon-man
1 post
May 17, 2005
3:55 PM
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I just got good quality rollers...2 show and 2 birmighams...I have homers and frills and chinese owls but I am just getting into the rollers. They are a few years old and I should get eggs soon. Should I have any specific nest box? They have never been out and I am not going to let them out because they are the last of a certain line and I dont want that line to die out. I dont want to risk losing them. I am going to wait till they have babies. What is it like when they roll? They are in with all my other pigeons is this ok? Are they good and easy prey for hawks? All help is appriciated! Thanks!!!
Aaron
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Alan Bliven
143 posts
May 17, 2005
5:03 PM
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Read this article written by the webmaster of this site. I'm sure it will help: http://www.roller-pigeon.com/page/page/944846.htm
I would not let the breeders out. Breed them like crazy and fly the babies.
Any nest box will do that works for other pigeons, they are very prolific and great parents.
They roll by making extremely rapid backwards summersaults in mid air falling towards the earth while flying in a tight kit (flock)
Hawks do get them while flying. They are easy hawk bait compared to most flying breeds such a Homers etc but better hawk evaders than the fancy breeds.
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Alan
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Rick Mee
19 posts
May 17, 2005
7:07 PM
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The best thing you can do is join the NBRC. In doing so you will get a membership directory each year, which will put you in touch with some of the other members within your area. Raising rollers can be done in a chicken pen, I prefer individual breeding compartments to ensure legitimacy, and I take very good care of my birds. When they get about 30 days old take them away from their parents and put them in a kit box, allowing them to have all the feed and water they want until they are filling their crops about 1/2 full, all the while having a wire training cage that covers the trap door (which should be in the up and locked position so they can come in and out at will) and extends up on to the roof so they can get a good look around. When they start filling their crops about 1/2 full only feed them 1 cup per 10 birds, so this breaks down to 1/2 for 5, 1 cup (measuring) for 10, 1.5 cups for 15, 2 cups for 20 and so on. Only feed them once per day, and whistle to them when being fed so they associate the whistle with feeding. This will prove to be invaluable later on in training. If you do not notice all the youngsters going out in to the training cage through the day, lock them out there all day long until you get home from work, then let them reenter the kit box through the bobs. Use small 1/2" X 1/2" wire for the training cage so that hawks and varmits can not get their grubby little claws and paws in through the wire. After about 7-10 days, depending upon how well they have been eating on their own, let them out after being not fed the day prior on a day when you are home from work. If any happen to land on the ground, get them up, if in a tree or on someone else's house let them be for this first time out, from then on do not let them land anywhere but the top of the kit box. Within a few days, or even weeks (depending upon the family) they will be flying all over the sky and starting to kit. If they start messing up with their style of flying once they are over 8 weeks or so old, send me an email and I will try to figure out what you are doing wrong. LOL One last thing, use wire bottom floors in your kit boxes, but make sure that you have a catch tray for spilled feed and droppings, or at least have some nice lattice below your kit box to keep them from going under the kit box and trying to get any spilled grain. Once they learn this habbit, it is nearly impossible to break them of it.
Rick Mee
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Bluesman
Pigeon Fancier
199 posts
May 18, 2005
7:57 PM
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Rick.very good post.
One thing I will add when you start training your young rollers have LOTS & LOTS of Patience.LOL. There is nothing more rewarding than watching a little fuzzy thing grow up and become a rolling blur in the sky.David
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big al
1 post
Jun 07, 2005
2:59 AM
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Rick's post was excellent. Again the NBRC is a great source of knowledge for the novice or seasoned roller person. Try to stick with only a couple of good sources for obtaining your birds though. This makes it easier to identify stregnths, faults and character traits. If you have several families of birds as a novice it can be frustrating trying to find that special nitch with your birds. In other words... some families fly high, some low, some work better on certain diets, some have a stronger character than others, some have more faults than others etc..
Imagine trying to figure out all of this with several families of birds while being new to the hobby! Whew!
Have fun and do whatever it takes to prevent frustrating yourself.
Allen
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