Giving up

[yinepu]

Sorry to hear that Sour

I love mine.. so I can imagine how hard it was for you to give them up..



darn hawks.... grr

 

[hookedonpigeons]

Have you looked at any other breeds to keep? I raise picas,a spanish pouter. I have raised them for three years and have only lost one bird. They are realy good at out running hawks. Horseman theif pouters are good fliers to. Stupid Hawks

!!

Thanks

 

[sourland]

For me the joy is in watching a flock of birds performing together. My backyard is surrounded by 40' or taller trees. In order to come in to the lofts the flock has to circle and bank 3 or 4 times. The hawks strike from above just as the birds are about to hit the lofts. On the straightaway or in the open sky my 'hawk educated' birds were able to out fly the hawks. The location is just not suitable for flying birds.

 

[fowlsessed]

Well you could always cut down the trees. But if that's not an option than it does sound like they don't have a chance once the hawks learn an effective tactic like the one you mentioned.

 

[aaabirdman]

So you will not even consider keeping at least 2 to five birds as pets? even if you can't see them fly

 

[hookedonpigeons]

The loft that the picas are kept in is sourounded by gigantic red oak trees. The picas will always head for the trees if they spot a hawk. The thing about rollers is that when they are chased of by a hawk,they cant find their way back home. My picas have allways come back after a hawk chase.
One day I had a kit of birds flying and then a american kestral( a small falcon about the size of a pigeon) went after my best cock. These birds are known for their endurence and ability to out run their prey. The other birds landed and got fed. I left his individual pen open and that evening he was back in his pen! I estimated that he flew about 6 or 8 miles from home then lost the falcon. He was very hungry and thirsty when he got back.

Thanks

 

[sourland]

Interestingly enough after several hawk induced overflies I bred from the birds that returned, and eventually developed a family of birds that had a relatively good homing instinct. When I first started out an overfly generally meant no birds returning, butI was able to improve their homing ability. One of the problems with rollers (I think) is that due to their relatively small size their energy resources are easily burned up resulting in weakened birds that don't have enugh strength to return home. Our animal control agent frequently brings me 'lost' homers that are little more than feather and bone - these are birds easily 3 times the size of my rollers. It amazes how rapidly these birds rehabilitate. Upon release they generally return to their homes.

 

[aaabirdman]

So you really won't consider keeping a few extra birds

 

[sourland]

Maybe.

 

[albert w]

Hahaha @ the "maybe"!! Once a pigeon wo/man, always a pigeon wo/man.