rollinfever
152 posts
Mar 29, 2010
2:34 PM
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Im having a hard time getting rollers; but when i do get them they always get lost. when i buy them i lock them up for at least a month and i use a cage to get them use to the surroundings. but im not having a good turnout. i lost many already birds that cost me up 30 dollars per bird. there kit and breeding pen are underneath a big christmas tree. Moreover i live in the older homes and across the streets there are new homes that wild/feral pigeons prefer. my pigeons would always end up circling over the new houses like if thats there home. im really having a hard time homing them..any help would be appreciated. thanks
Last Edited by on Mar 29, 2010 2:35 PM
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wannaroll
175 posts
Mar 29, 2010
3:04 PM
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how much are you feeding them the day before you release them? I would hold back their food for a day. You pretty much want them starving when you release them for the first time.
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Dave - Hesperia, CA.
(San Bernardino Mountain Spinners)
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Sound Rollers
285 posts
Mar 29, 2010
3:10 PM
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Can they see the loft and kit box from the air?
John
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Oldfart
GOLD MEMBER
1696 posts
Mar 29, 2010
3:24 PM
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rollinfever, You are in a bad situation. You are a novice and learning some hard lessons while trying to get started. I would recommend that you try to get the two best pair of old birds you can and breed from them. Their young will be more likely to know where home is if they are settled while very young. While you are breeding, paint your kit box a very distinct color that will stand out from the rest of the buildings and will be easy to see from the air. Use the search function to study up on homing or settling your young birds and or breeding them. I hope some of this helps.
Thom
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nicksiders
GOLD MEMBER
4272 posts
Mar 29, 2010
4:41 PM
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Some fliers even paint a large red circle on a white roof to mark the kit box and the more creative even paint a bulls eye on the roof.
The homing ability of most rollers is weak. Much of their homing abilities is by eyesight, so you got to make the kitbox as obvious to them as possible. We have all went through the same difficulties so hang in their.
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A True Friend Is Hard To Find
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Nick Siders
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Pinwheel
190 posts
Mar 29, 2010
5:16 PM
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I share that similar condition sometiems with my birds. I have one particular pair of birds that there young seem to consistently want to fly over things that isnt there home and seem to lack any homing. While most other pairs through youngsters that work well with the portable thing I do. They are very conscious about flying up on top of their loft and then take to flight. I have found if the birds arent use to flying and landing on their loft, they are easier to loose. I have lots of trees around me, and my birds have to dive through the trees to land on their loft, Its not a well sighted structure in my opinion but I have a few birds that will home real well to it, and to the portables in different locations.
- I would work on trap training them, letting them come out on their own and trapping, and let them be real familiar with you. My birds with a little patience will land on my hand with food and it makes it easier to get them back inside, since I dont have a trap system in place. Rather I open a door for them to go in, and usually Im trying not to let others out when im putting the ones I flew away. But I fly maybe once a week/every two weeks. So I dont fly much which makes it even more of a challenge because there is little conditioning other then coming to me for food. Thats it.
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Flying in someone else's backyard: Portable Kits
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Pinwheel
191 posts
Mar 29, 2010
5:22 PM
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How many do you let out at a time?
What is your trap system? Bars? hole in the roof?
Do you have a dropper?
Do you have a signal or call for feed time?
Last Edited by on Mar 29, 2010 5:24 PM
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johnjay
51 posts
Mar 29, 2010
5:31 PM
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I use to have this problem also.....when you get birds that are homed some where else, it is harder for you....you should consider TAPE and let them out for about two months to make sure they get use to their new home...
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I am never oppressed by the
narrow confines of my existence.
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Bill from NJ
118 posts
Mar 29, 2010
6:28 PM
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R-fever,
Thom gave you some good advice.
Breed from what you have and fly the baby's born from your loft.
Also, do not flag then or spook the birds too early either.
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http://users.boardnation.com/~npraforum/index.php
http://performingrollers.org/
Last Edited by on Mar 29, 2010 6:28 PM
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JMUrbon
1009 posts
Mar 29, 2010
7:34 PM
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I have taken lots of older birds that were strong on the wing and settled them. Try taping the first 4 or 5 flights on one wing for a week and releasing them on the roof. They can fly from roof to roof and from the ground to the roof but not much further than that. Then when you liberate them only do one or two at a time. Having something on the loft will give them a focal point to return to and of course like Dave mentioned I would starve them for at least a day. I dont feed mine for 2 days befor they are liberated. Then they are really not interested in flying at all. they will follow you with a feed can. Joe
I almost forgot to tell you that you need to use the blue masking tape. It pulls off easily and doesnt pull the feathers or damage them. You just need to press it tightly onto the feathers at first and then it will stay till you remove it.
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J.M.Urbon Lofts
A Proven Family of Spinners
http://www.freewebs.com/jmurbonlofts/
Last Edited by on Mar 29, 2010 7:37 PM
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