Ace's Orphans

[TipplerBeni]

Hey hey


Sorry been a while
Been working like mad.
I got 6 youngsters an I think this is going to be the last round I have way more birds than what i thought i would have by this time .

I got 6 that are around the same age an they are just alittle past the pin feather stage. couple more weeks an they will be in the loft. cant wait!!!

I got 4 blue bars, 1 bb splash an a red grizzle/saddle back....

[hillfamilyloft]

Well the eggs are laid, but the birds did not understand my system. The Yearlings laid both eggs and are sitting. I put another nest bowl in the box and moved the babies out to a bed of pine needles. When I moved the babies out and put nest bowls in other boxes also the birds still liked the needles and laid the eggs in the middle of the babies. I pulled the eggs and tried to work them back into the bowls. No go. So needless to say both sets of eggs are fostered out. I put a fake egg in the middle of the babies and they just lay on the whole lot. I did not want to take a chance of the babies busing the eggs. I will pull them in about 10 days when it is safe for them to lay when the babies are out of the nest. I will then let them sit the last pair. I still do not want them raising more than two sets of babies.

As for color of the young birds. Pair one had a bar and a check. Pair two had a silver and a dark check or slate check. I will take a pic before I send them to ABQ.

I will keep you posted.

Randy

[ace in the hole]

Originally Posted by TipplerBeni

a red grizzle/saddle back....

I would like to see a pic of this one. Who are the parents to this bird.

I hope to get up your way to visit you and the birds before I head back to Michigan next month.

Ace

[ace in the hole]

Originally Posted by hillfamilyloft

Well the eggs are laid, but the birds did not understand my system. The Yearlings laid both eggs and are sitting. I put another nest bowl in the box and moved the babies out to a bed of pine needles. When I moved the babies out and put nest bowls in other boxes also the birds still liked the needles and laid the eggs in the middle of the babies. I pulled the eggs and tried to work them back into the bowls. No go. So needless to say both sets of eggs are fostered out. I put a fake egg in the middle of the babies and they just lay on the whole lot. I did not want to take a chance of the babies busing the eggs. I will pull them in about 10 days when it is safe for them to lay when the babies are out of the nest. I will then let them sit the last pair. I still do not want them raising more than two sets of babies.

I will keep you posted.

Randy

What! You're telling me you've had them all of this time and still have not got them trained to do whatever you want them to do? LOL

Ace

[Ed]

Mark I let the YB do a bit of loft flying yesterday
they are all doing GREAT
they dont fly around much and mostly sit on the roof of the loft but thats ok
I'm in no rush
as long as they are sitting ON the roof of the loft and not lost somewhere Im happy for now

[hillfamilyloft]

Originally Posted by ace in the hole

What! You're telling me you've had them all of this time and still have not got them trained to do whatever you want them to do? LOL

Ace

They are still working on training me. If they would just choose nest boxes like I planned and laid the eggs in the bowls like I planed all would be well. But no they have other things in mind. I just think they want other pairs raising the babies. I do not want to push them too hard. I will give them a rest and then let them raise another round. My goal is to race 10 and hold 6 back for stock. I may even farm out the next round and separate them so they have a good six months rest, so they will be ready for you next year.

Randy

[hillfamilyloft]

Your birds are special and want special treatment. My thoughts are that they had more room in their boxes than I have in mine. Two of the pair, I had to makeshift platforms for them because they did not like my boxes. They wanted top corners with views. All I can say is that they better win something.

Randy

[hillfamilyloft]

Now for a new dilema. I went to check on your eggs that are being fostered under my imported hen that I thought was too old to lay, and she is now sitting on three eggs. Your two and hers. So now I must foster the fostered eggs. I hope these birds are worth it. Now I need to cross my fingers on the imports egg. She is a daughter of a National Bourges winner against 13K birds. I would like to get a breeder or two off of her.

Randy

[ace in the hole]

Originally Posted by hillfamilyloft

Now for a new dilema. I went to check on your eggs that are being fostered under my imported hen that I thought was too old to lay, and she is now sitting on three eggs. Your two and hers. So now I must foster the fostered eggs. I hope these birds are worth it. Now I need to cross my fingers on the imports egg. She is a daughter of a National Bourges winner against 13K birds. I would like to get a breeder or two off of her.

Randy

Here in lies the real problem! We don't know for sure if any of them are worth it until they have been trained and raced. I would say, do what you have to do to raise the young from your imported hen. We can get more young from mine later. Do not put my birds before your breeding program!!!

Ace

[Lovebirds]

Mark, since you're on line.........had the birds out this morning. Most trapped but I had a few (9 I think) that didn't want to trap. There's been a hawk after them this morning. I know at least TWO were iyours.........haven't done a head count in a couple of hours, but one just trapped in.
I can see two birds sitting in a tree and one is on the loft, but over on the breeders side of the loft. When I chase it off, it flys to the roof and as soon as I walk away.....right back down to the breeders side it goes.
Guess if a hawk doesn't get them and they get hungry enough, they'll trap eventually..........

[ace in the hole]

With any luck they will all make it back in safely! I know there are some days when starting the young birds that they could make you pull your hair out, and those hawks sure don't help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ace

[Ed]

I had a chance yesterday to let the young birds out.
Im up to 38 young birds atm.
a lot of them are actually flying around quite a bit when I let them out now but I still have a handfull that will only sit on the roof of the loft lol
so far all is going very very well with your young birds you sent me Mark.
Ill get some pics of them so you can see how they have grown up

[ace in the hole]

Originally Posted by StoN3d

I still have a handfull that will only sit on the roof of the loft

If these birds sitting on the loft are old enough and been out enough to be flying with the rest of them. I would crate them "all" take them accross the yard in the crates. Set the crates release door facing the loft and release them all together. With any luck at all you should see the rest of the birds pull them up with them.

Ace

[Ed]

thanx Mark
I will try that this afternoon when I let them out
do I just crate up the "lazy" ones or crate all of them up and release them all at the same time
or should I release the ones that I know loft fly and release the "lazy" ones from the crate after the rest are up in the air flying

[ace in the hole]

Originally Posted by StoN3d

thanx Mark
I will try that this afternoon when I let them out
do I just crate up the "lazy" ones or crate all of them up and release them all at the same time
or should I release the ones that I know loft fly and release the "lazy" ones from the crate after the rest are up in the air flying

By releasing them away from the loft it forces them to at least go into the air. Not just from the trap to the roof! By releasing them "ALL" away from the loft ( 40 or 50 feet ) The other birds will help pull the lazy ones up into the sky above the loft instead of just to the roof of the loft.

Ace