[Jroyalimage]

Ok so I have 5 tipplers and 3 of them have babies they are raising. I got each of these birds at different times and I've bonded with each of them individually. My first bird "sandy" loves building a nest. Whenever she is out for her free flight time she's picking up sticks and grass and occasionally a strand of hair from one of my horses (you'd be surprised how much horse hair she puts in her nest)
Right now they are kept in a small loft that sits in my horse paddock in the woods. Well it used to be the woods. The horses have done an amazing job of clearing out anything that wasn't deeply rooted in the ground lol.
My birds spend a lot of time locked up and I've heard of people allowing their birds 24/7 access to free flight. Do any of you guys leave your coops open or allow you birds to come and go as they please? Is this just asking for trouble? My birds are pretty cautious and are pretty good at making sure the coast is clear before doing their "happy bird" laps. Is there a way to allow the birds to come and go without letting in the predators?

 

[DarrehL]

I used let go of my birds everytime. Back then I didn't know a thing or two about them. (I didn't have my own coop) As for now , I have my own, I make sure there are no predators around then I open my coop for them to fly. I release them at 3:30 p.m and by 5:00 they go back in. So I dont think "free lofting" is a good idea cause you'll never know what might happen. IMO.Just release them everyday.

P.S I use a trap door.

 

[mateeb4u]

It may caus to become your pigeons feral

 

[Jay3]

Not safe to let them just come and go. You won't know what is around when you are not there, and if they can get back in, so can a predator. People have had hawks get in and do a lot of damage to many birds. Also rats can get in and they will kill them. Raccoons too, and weasels.

Also, birds that are on babies should not be let out. If something happens to them, then you have orphans. This has happened so many times that it is hard to believe that people still do that.