URI:
   DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Roller Pigeons
  HTML https://rollerpigeon.createaforum.com
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       *****************************************************
   DIR Return to: General Discussion
       *****************************************************
       #Post#: 10254--------------------------------------------------
       foster or not?
   DIR By: oldfart
       Date: December 8, 2011, 5:06 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Hey All, I am not sure if I am asking a question or formulating
       my plan but I would appreciate any input. First, a little
       background to clarify my dilemma. I have line/inbred my family
       for five generations using only parent/young pairings,
       mother/son and father/daughter. I use four primary pair of
       breeders, four secondary pair and eight pair of fosters who
       produce nothing of their own. After last years breeding season
       and flying out the young, my birds have improved overall to the
       point I am considering eliminating my foster program and using
       all sixteen pair as individual breeders and allowing all to
       raise their own. I think this will give me a broad base reality
       check on how my program stands on its own merit. I will be
       forced to open up on some pairings to other then parent/young
       matings but will still line/inbreed all pairs. As much as
       possible I will utilize grandparent/grandchildren and
       brother/sister pairings. I guess my question would be, is this
       the right time for such a scheme or should I wait?
       Thanks in advance
       Take care my friends
       Thom
       #Post#: 10257--------------------------------------------------
       Re: foster or not?
   DIR By: Ty Coleman
       Date: December 8, 2011, 5:25 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       I would keep a few pair around to help out with the young hen's
       that tend to give problems but I think your heading in the right
       direction.
       #Post#: 10262--------------------------------------------------
       Re: foster or not?
   DIR By: oldfart
       Date: December 8, 2011, 8:03 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Thanks Ty, I keep a small loft 32 birds through the winter, so I
       don't have any extra.:)
       I have had good luck with my young hens even in their first
       breeding season.
       Take care my friend
       Thom
       #Post#: 10264--------------------------------------------------
       Re: foster or not?
   DIR By: oldfart
       Date: December 9, 2011, 8:09 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Hey Ty, I want to correct a slight mis-statement. My normal
       routine is to keep 16 pair of birds to use as breeders and
       fosters. This year I lost half of my hen kit to an overfly. I
       flew the birds in a clear sky and 30 min. into their flight a
       freak fog rolled in and stayed until six hours later. Only half
       straggled back over the next two days. A man call that found a
       cat killed bird with my phone number band on it over 50 miles
       away. My cock kit was great this year and I had eighteen out of
       twenty one ( twenty three with two for insurance ) 20 to 30'
       with great form and speed, I am pleased! :) So..... I decided to
       hold the good ones over and fly them early next spring. This is
       the first year I have been able to do that! I just wanted to be
       clear.
       Take care my friend
       Thom
       #Post#: 10265--------------------------------------------------
       Re: foster or not?
   DIR By: scott70
       Date: December 9, 2011, 8:15 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       It cant hurt to try what is the worst that can happen it would
       set you back one breeding season. I think to find out how far
       you have come with this family I would do it and see where you
       are at when you fly out the young or you could do your first
       round like this and then go back to your first plan so you could
       see how both ways went.
       You will still have your breeders to fall back on so it isnt
       like you are going to have to start over again.
       The only thing I still dont do is brother sister mating but a
       lot of guys do and have great luck with it.
       Good luck my friend in the end I am sure you will do very well
       #Post#: 10266--------------------------------------------------
       Re: foster or not?
   DIR By: oldfart
       Date: December 9, 2011, 9:35 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Thanks Scott, I have not had much luck with brother/sister
       pairings myself. I only tried one time so my opinion might not
       be fair. The best for me has been father/daughter with
       mother/son a close second. A combination effort might be the
       best. I might ( change every thirty seconds or so! ) foster the
       first round and then let each pair raise their own for the
       remainder os the season. Or........ :)
       Take care my friend
       Come see me in the spring when I bring the holdover cocks out.
       Thom
       #Post#: 10269--------------------------------------------------
       Re: foster or not?
   DIR By: scott70
       Date: December 9, 2011, 12:00 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       That is one thing I have allways liked about you Mr Thom you
       allways take time to talk to the rockies and not just the big
       guys of the sport even if we dont know what we are talking about
       you have away of making it sound like we do lol.
       I do want to come down and see your rubys fly
       #Post#: 10274--------------------------------------------------
       Re: foster or not?
   DIR By: oldfart
       Date: December 9, 2011, 3:17 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Hey Scott,  You will be most welcome! I look forward to your
       visit! :)
       Take care my friend
       Thom
       #Post#: 10287--------------------------------------------------
       Re: foster or not?
   DIR By: charles_b
       Date: December 11, 2011, 3:59 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Oldfart, I believe you are going in right direction. I did
       something similar on my season 5. I made sure I had enough
       holdovers so that a bad breeding season did not hurt too much. I
       had a good breeding season and ended with loads of birds to
       choose from.Trust your birds. They will be fine.
       
       *****************************************************
       Page 1 of 1