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The Original All Roller Talk Discussion Board Archive >
YOUNG BIRDS
YOUNG BIRDS
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BULLFROG
22 posts
Jan 18, 2005
1:51 PM
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ooppss messed that one up
ok for my question i have akit of young squeekers that i bought. i have had them in the kit box for a week. and as they are very young i have been giving them all they want for feed. at what point do i start letting them out to fly? and how do i manage the need for food for growth and the need to keep them hungery enough to home? i may be trying to jump the gun here and if so please someone say so. i dont want to fail at the young birds as bad as i did with the old kit i lost so much of.
Last Edited by BULLFROG on Jan 18, 2005 1:55 PM
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RodB
26 posts
Jan 18, 2005
2:45 PM
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Hey Bullfrog we must be running about the same rate of knots :) , I also have just moved a bunch of squeekers into the kit box,
With feed we supply two things a filler and nutrition when reducing the volume for growing birds you want a very good nutritional packed feed , I have made sure the youngsters are all eating and drinking with no problems and like you have given them all they want for the first week with a good mixed grain , I am just starting to reduce the volume slowly and feeding only once a day now , all they can eat in 20 min and I also have a vitamin supplement in the water every second water fill to cover the micro nutrients they need .
I wormed the parents out just before they were bred and will worm the youngsters next week to make sure they are clean internaly and will be letting them out the following week and then we will begin training , they will be going on 3 mths by then .
Im following my nose but this is the way I raised performace dogs and a reduced volume feed with high nutrition worked great on them and seems to be working great on the birds , good quality feed , no parasites and look close at your birds , they will show you .
Rod
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BULLFROG
23 posts
Jan 18, 2005
3:07 PM
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ok that sounds good. i am at one feeding a day and am feeding a mix of millit milo corn and layer crumbles. do you have any suggestioins as to a good feed to try would be i know it is diffrent with all birds and climates but a starting point would be good. i have been letting them look out and have set a trainer cage on the trap pad. my birds have been vaced and wormed so we are good to go there. looks like i will be a regular on this site the roller bug has bite and i think i may be hooked:) chris
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MCCORMICKLOFTS
363 posts
Jan 18, 2005
4:37 PM
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Here's what I do. You can take any part or all of it to heart. When I wean my squeaks they are usually barely able to fly, most will still have a little skin showing under the wing for the most part. I try to put the majority that I plan on putting in that box in at the same time, though obviously some might be put in days afterwards to fill it up. They get the same breeder mix they were eating, and as much as they want for the first week or so, then I start to cut it back a little bit until they eat as much as they want, but their is none left over either. At the same time, every morning I pull them all out and make them go into the sun pen on the front of the trap door. I do this so they can see my other kits fly. If anything scares them they clammor back into the box, which helps them to associate the box with being home. In about a week or so there will usually be more than a few in the wire pen at first light as they grow more comfortable. As I cut the feed amount back I want to see them jump to the tray as soon as I put it in, this tells me they are learning to associate the tray with feeding. When I feel I have their mental hunger in order I will open the door and let them come out on their own. Some won't the first few times but that is fine. I'll let them hang around on the kit box or mill about on the ground, usually flying a kit at the same time. When the kit lands, you'll see every youngster watching them, which teaches them where to land. Some days I'll leave them out all day as most if not all will be back inside the box by the afternoon anyways. Within a few days of this I can put the tray in and call them in pretty easily. Once they are all coming in when I call, they are ready for the next step. That step comes when I see a few trying to exercise their wings or fluttering about the yard. After they have spent a while sitting on the loft I'll shoo some of them up and make them fly. Most either land right way either back on the roof or on one of the other lofts or the house. Occasionally one will disappear which means it is sitting somewhere I can't see them. They are always back by the afternoon. Next day I do the same thing, over and over until they are all flying, usually scattered all over the sky. Instincts take over from there. The biggest key is for them to learn to associate you with food and what the signal is for them to be fed. Establishing this mental design is very important. In addition, during the hawk times of the year I will tape the wings of my youngsters, usually the outside four primaries using cheap masking tape. This prevents them from flying off in scared straight line if a Cooper decides to make a pass on them. I only do this during the winter months. The other times I don't tape them as I have several kits going by then and young birds want to associate with other pigeons, therefore they are harder to loose with numerous kits being flown. You'll know when it is right for them to begin flying when they appear totally confident milling about on the kit box roof. It is important to get them in the air at this time otherwise they learn other not so good habits like finding places in the yard to eat or being content to simply sit on the roof like a commie. Rollers have basic instincts, we just have to learn how to convert those traits into training methods. But above all you have to learn to be PATIENT!. Good luck with your new birds. I think you'll have the hang of it before you know it.
Brian.
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