this may be a stupid question

[micko and jack]

this may be a stupid question to some but I was always told wait until you pair new birds to your loft and once they are on eggs / feeding chicks then you have a better chance of breaking that bird to your loft

so why is it and theres threads on about it all the time stock birds that haven't been out of the loft for YEARS on eggs / chicks take off and don't come back and they could have been in that loft 3/4 or 5 years breed every year escape and thats it !!

[holmsidelofts]

this may be a stupid question to some but I was always told wait until you pair new birds to your loft and once they are on eggs / feeding chicks then you have a better chance of breaking that bird to your loft

so why is it and theres threads on about it all the time stock birds that haven't been out of the loft for YEARS on eggs / chicks take off and don't come back and they could have been in that loft 3/4 or 5 years breed every year escape and thats it !!

 

I think the majority of the time when people loose stock birds even though they are paired up and sitting is because these birds have never been out in there life and they panic when they get outside. birds that have flow out before even from other lofts have more confidence and know what to do when they are let out.

 

Thats my theory anyway.

 

Jas.

 

[THE FIFER]

they are all different m8, i have a porter & richardson hen i got a few years ago got out once by mistake, was away for 3 weeks, came back.didnt trust letting it out agai, but it did by mistake, was away for 2 weeks. never been out since, as this bird must be trying to go home to nottingham,

[THE FIFER]

they are all different m8, i have a porter & richardson hen i got a few years ago got out once by mistake, was away for 3 weeks, came back.didnt trust letting it out agai, but it did by mistake, was away for 2 weeks. never been out since, as this bird must be trying to go home to nottingham,

[billt]

These birds have been prisoner stock birds, might have paid a lot of money for them

[Guest joshdonlan]

Ive been told that birds bought in as YBs and never flown out have no chance. They dont seem to have the ability to circle the loft, they just head off in a straight line  :-/

[Guest bakes]

most the stock ive got in my stock loft has raced for previouse owners and took high performances wouldnt think of letting them out they go in aviary thats its cost me way to much money to risk blowing 100's of pounds down the drain the main problem with birds that have been bred from top birds that have put in the performances and go straight into stock loft and never flown out only fly in aviary is like said before they pannick when they ascape you got more chance of breaking flown out brought stock on eggs or youngster to an stock bird that has never been out side any loft boundrys

 

all the best.

[micko and jack]

if i paid 100's for a stock bird i wouldnt be letting it out but im talking about stock birds in a loft for years in the avairy having a look about escaping and taking off

[Guest cloudview]

Ive been told that birds bought in as YBs and never flown out have no chance. They dont seem to have the ability to circle the loft, they just head off in a straight line  :-/

 

yes very true im afraid , ive done it umpteen times over the years , and broke very few , these are birds bought in as squeakers, and been in aviary,s , but for some unknown reason they take off and keep going .

if not there next day i just put it down to being brainless and better off without them

[Guest IB]

It does seem odd as the bird should have some sort of 'fix' on loft location. Maybe homing ability is a skill that's lost over time if not used? Agree with 'panic' thing, plus strangeness to everything out there could get it into trouble by attracting unwelcome attention..

[Guest BRYANBROCK]

Was told once if having problems breaking in birds sure fire way to get birds to break was to not feed till they took peanuts from your hand

let them see you feed the birds but they got nowt hold your hand out for the bird or birds to take peanuts it takes about 3 to 4 days

it a bit severe but am assured it works as i tried a couple of times it took about a week first time  let bird out next day came in no bother

But i dont keep prisoners now so have never used it again

As i said bit severe but it does work   ;) ;)

[hotrod]

i have found that i know right away if they will break or not and about 99% of the time im right ,i bought in two hens last year(paid £300 for both) had them less than a month but knew they WOULD BREAK , let one out one weekend and the other the next and both broke no probs apart from the one night out ,ps they were mature yong birds moulted right through and both were not paired up ,also after years of experience at breaking birds you tend to know but you have to catch the right weather /time getting out etc. ps i never keep prisoner stock  and never will

[budgie]

If they are from a stud and are by the Yearling Stage never had their freedom we never see them again despite being in avaires for around 6 months.

[Guest stb-]

If they are from a stud and are by the Yearling Stage never had their freedom we never see them again despite being in avaires for around 6 months.

 

total sh$te rule would apply there then m8

[Guest slugmonkey]

If I take the time and effort to go locate a bird I will be using for stock you can be sure I will not try to break it to my loft where it can get lost or eaten by BOP

[Tenny]

When people say to pair birds and wait til they on young and you will have bo trouble breaking them . I think this refers to breaking birds to the old bird shed as they raced to the young bird shed the year before.  Complete prisoners will not be so easy!!

[Peckedhen]

It does seem odd as the bird should have some sort of 'fix' on loft location. Maybe homing ability is a skill that's lost over time if not used?  

 

Agree, my birds are always 'rusty' when they are taken about five miles from the lost after the winter rest.

 

A local top fancier died. His daughter fed and watered the birds for several years and, finally decided to sell them. Everyone clamoured to buy these winning stock and....they did didly squat!