Bluesman
53 posts
Nov 26, 2004
3:13 AM
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Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving Day.
What ways do you all use to mark a Roller so you can tell which one is doing what while flying?I am looking for some ways to mark my birds other than the magic markers that stay on the white feathers untill they moult.Especially the darker birds.Thanks,David
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Mother lode lofts
308 posts
Nov 26, 2004
6:37 AM
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Dave I clip tail feathers, a notch here and a clip there, you can come up with many different cuts on the tail.
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redneckhippie15
79 posts
Nov 26, 2004
11:14 AM
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I use food coloring. Mix it with a bit of water and paint the underside of the tail or wing with a brush. Let em close the wing while it is wet and spreads around on the side too.
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Never watch you birds fly with your mouth open!
redneckhippie*blue dot lofts*
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JUrbon
35 posts
Nov 26, 2004
7:16 PM
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I use the same method as Scott and I have tried just about every thing out there. I also use the tail trim to mark the old birds when I put a young kit in the air as I like to put a few older birds with them and by marking their tails I can tell if I have a young bird starting to roll or if is one of the older birds.
Kenny, The problem with the food colorings or die's is that it doesnt work worth a hoot on the dark birds and I raise a whole bunch of them. Ribbons from the band work ok but not after they get above a couple hundred feet. The tail trim stays with them until they moult and is easily seen from quite a distance. Joe Urbon
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Bluesman
54 posts
Nov 27, 2004
3:21 AM
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Scott & Joe.Could you go into a little detail on this Clip & Snip.It apparently don,t affect the rolling or you wouldn,t do it.The dark birds are the ones I have problems with mostly.After a couple of hundred feet they all look alike.Eyes aren,t what they used to be.I don,t want to be taking to big a snip tho.I have a couple I need to remove from my # 1 kit but can,t figure out which ones short of using the Remington.Talk about Kit Masters: Why is the ones that go stiff always the ones in front? haha.Thanks,David
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JUrbon
36 posts
Nov 27, 2004
9:17 AM
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David, I usually cut about 4 feathers on the left or the right and than or the center, I have even cut both sides or the entire tail short. I will sometimes cut on an angle to one side or the other or both and you end up with tails that look kinda like a wedge in the air. Pretty easy to see and that is what I needed as I raise somewhere in the neighborhood of 60-65% self blacks and the remainder of the birds are selfs also in the checks and ash reds. I will sometimes have 10-12 self blacks in one kit, Tell me that isn't hard on the eyes.LOL. Joe Urbon
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Mother lode lofts
310 posts
Nov 27, 2004
9:25 PM
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Dave I know my kitbirds more by thier tail cuts than their band numbers. You can cut the tail tail feathers completly off and it has no effect on the roll or bird in general. As for using the tail cuts to identify it's all to the imagination.
1. Clip three feathers on the right side
2. clip two feathers on the right side but leave the outside one
3. center notch
4.center notch with a clip on right.
Reverse these to the left side,do it on both sides,combinations ect. ect.
Keep in mind that the best thime to ID the bird is when it pops out of the roll at with point the tail spreads
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