training chickens for voluntary flight

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Do you mean exploring their physical performance capabilities or what you can do to modify their behavior?

 

[centrarchid]

New dynamic developing that may aid my efforts. Last night we had first killing frost and insect populations got hammered. Birds already consuming most insects inside their range and cooler temperatures will slow if not stop drift into chicken ranges so no insects in short supply. When I called Eduardo and Sally, both flew about 75 feet to me and ran much faster than usual. This winter it is going to get very interesting as these juveniles start coming into their strength.

 

[centrarchid]

Following video shows reliability of Eduardo (1273 g) and Sally (1000 g) in respect to responding to calls. They come now with great urgency when called and actually fly to hand only when their name is called. Sally almost flew. Both had very full crops. Empty crops they fly with. Once ground is frozen I will put feeder out late and call them in when crops are empty. Brother had grandparents and before of these birds that would fly distances i want for scratch (horse feed).

They are now at the gangly stage where flight capabilities not best. Now changing into third (first adult) set of feathers with tails no longer forming full fan. Eduardo walked into open front door and flew vertically 9 feet to location he is not allowed to roost, over hardwood floor. Kind of cool watching him try to launch from floor because so slick he cold only start with vertical. Cats have same problem.

 

[centrarchid]

Weight gain seems to be excellerating. Eduardo weighs 1468 g and Sallie weighs 1112 g. Sallie seems to be taking lead in respect to frequency and duration of flights. Weight must be at least part of reason. Eduardo seems to be developing heavier legs. I wonder if his skeletal system is heavier on the whole?

 

[centrarchid]

Getting bigger and greedier. I now must have my arm fully outstretched to get birds into picture, mostly. Molting into first adult feathers well underway. They seem very protective now of green / blood feathers. When feathers in, two people will be needed to get full bird into photograph. They will stand for it at least. Flight potential reduced but should increase greatly in by about February when testing can begin.

Eduardo = 1636 g. He has not crowed yet. His elder brothers would have been crowing for a month by now. Eduardo is growing up amongst adult males while his older brothers did not. I like the slow maturing, seems to resulting in calmer more manageable adults.

Sallie = 1230 g.

 

[centrarchid]

Looks like I have found a treat besides meal worms that my man Eduardo will fly for. Oatmeal raison cookies! They are cheaper than meal worms. He pounds them down even with a nearly topped off crop. A significant problem is I like them as well.

 

[centrarchid]

Weather and ground conditions are favoring conditioning Eduardo and Sallie for voluntary flight. Snow they do not like walking thru if they have a choice. Both birds along with red jungle fowl they free range with fly up to fifty feet horizontally from bare spot (area cleared of snow by wind or sun). They seem to put very little effort into flights. Will weigh them later this morning to see if weight reduced. May not be able to determine if actual weight reduction since measures not been taken on regular basis. Otherwise they look very good.

I used to think my games put on fat during winter but this is not born out by observations. Weight seems to drop somewhat, particularly in respect to fat reserves that make them heavy in ass. May also be a function of reduced vegetable matter intake reducing distension of posterior intestine. Weights below determined with scale, not balance photographed on.

Eduardo (weight = 1612 g)

Sallie (weight = 1175 g)

In hand they feel very different from American dominiques of similar age. Games much more muscular with weight distributed more to front. Wing loading (weight per unit wing area) much higher in doms. Doms simply have smaller flight feathers in respect to overall size.


Tails about 50% filled out.

 

[centrarchid]

Today I saw one of the red jungle fowl pullets fly in a circle that was roughly 100 feet in diamater and landed within a few feet of her launch point. I never seen my games to that, ever.

 

[centrarchid]

Another potential motivator / attractant for flights to me. A warm place to put feet when ground is cold. Both games like to stand on me to keep feet warm. Having a cold launch point plus food and warm landing zone may help motivate for the 300 foot plus flights. All that is needed now is a snow greater than 6" and I will try it.

 

[centrarchid]

today we are undergoing a rapid warmup from lower teens to lower 40's.

Interesting developements in respect to Eduardo and Sallie. Eduardo voluntarily pushed into a flight out over the pasture and nearly did a complete circle almost like a red jungle fowl did a few days ago. Radius of circle much tighter, maybe 50 feet, but upon landing he did not appear in anyway exhausted. Do not know motivation.

Shortly thereafter I called him to me and he flew horizontally from porch over snow a distance of about 20'. Bugger landed on my head which smarts as he is essesntially of adult weight. As I tried to get him down Sallie did same. Neither had a topped off crop. Neither seems overly inclined to feed up on Purine Flock Grower prior to going to roost.