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I don't thinks it's been too bad down here so far, I don't think we've got as big a problem with Peregrine attacks down here as other parts of the UK, I'm not saying we haven't got a few around but I don't think they are as bad. We've certainly lost a lot fewer birds since we stopped racing from the West !!!Andy wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2024 8:07 am The biggest problem around here are the numbers of youngsters being lost from training. One fancier lost 40 in one toss. A couple of club mates have already lost half of their team. I think a few are going to be down to very low numbers by the time racing starts.
Do you think that's all down to B.O.P. ?, or do you think other factors are at work.Andy wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2024 8:07 am The biggest problem around here are the numbers of youngsters being lost from training. One fancier lost 40 in one toss. A couple of club mates have already lost half of their team. I think a few are going to be down to very low numbers by the time racing starts.
It would be wrong of me to solely put it down to BOPs Albert. I do think it is getting worse down here. I have lost more old birds from flying around the loft than in racing this year. Some of these are birds that have had lots of races from different directions. I lost my best racing cock a week ago. He’d had 10 races this year and been my first bird 4 times and second bird twice. These birds haven’t just got lost, they must have been taken. The strange thing is that I haven’t had anything come back injured. They’ve either been fine or not come back.Albert wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2024 9:01 amDo you think that's all down to B.O.P. ?, or do you think other factors are at work.Andy wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2024 8:07 am The biggest problem around here are the numbers of youngsters being lost from training. One fancier lost 40 in one toss. A couple of club mates have already lost half of their team. I think a few are going to be down to very low numbers by the time racing starts.
That description around your loft would indicate S/H, I have already had to deal with that issue this week. But fanciers aren't as selective as they once were, and that in it's self can cause health issues, and also result in heavy losses. There is a problem with the peregrine out there, especially this time of year. But in racing you get races with dodgy returns, and you get races with great returns, is the peregrine having a day off on the good days. I think with young birds you have to watch where you toss the first 2 or 3 times if you get a hit after that, they can deal with it better, my usual practice is to liberate in a large town the first couple of times, so the birds get a chance to orientate.Andy wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2024 3:09 pmIt would be wrong of me to solely put it down to BOPs Albert. I do think it is getting worse down here. I have lost more old birds from flying around the loft than in racing this year. Some of these are birds that have had lots of races from different directions. I lost my best racing cock a week ago. He’d had 10 races this year and been my first bird 4 times and second bird twice. These birds haven’t just got lost, they must have been taken. The strange thing is that I haven’t had anything come back injured. They’ve either been fine or not come back.Albert wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2024 9:01 amDo you think that's all down to B.O.P. ?, or do you think other factors are at work.Andy wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2024 8:07 am The biggest problem around here are the numbers of youngsters being lost from training. One fancier lost 40 in one toss. A couple of club mates have already lost half of their team. I think a few are going to be down to very low numbers by the time racing starts.
Some club mates have been training their youngsters in groups. A couple of groups have got home fine but another one decimated.
But I do think there are other issues as well.
I’m think because of the issues with the BOPs people think they have to breed a lot more. Which is fine if you have the room. But many are just keeping more youngsters in lofts/sections not big enough, designed for 30 and housing 40 etc. I think that with overstocking you are bound to get health issues.
There is no way that a few hawks can take the number of birds being lost but they probably contribute to others being lost or hitting things.
I do think that a lot of rubbish is being bred just to make up numbers and too much is often asked of the birds. If you had a bad/hard toss like I did yesterday how many would stick them back in again the following day? My first youngsters yesterday flew 2 hours, the longer ones over 4 hours. If it had been an old bird race most would have given them a rest for a couple of days.
I have sparrow hawks here Albert but don’t find any signs of feathers or bodies. We have quite a high walled garden so would have thought I would have found something. The peregrine was flying over the loft yesterday afternoon. I might be wrong. Maybe it is the sparrow hawk.Albert wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2024 6:42 amThat description around your loft would indicate S/H, I have already had to deal with that issue this week. But fanciers aren't as selective as they once were, and that in it's self can cause health issues, and also result in heavy losses. There is a problem with the peregrine out there, especially this time of year. But in racing you get races with dodgy returns, and you get races with great returns, is the peregrine having a day off on the good days. I think with young birds you have to watch where you toss the first 2 or 3 times if you get a hit after that, they can deal with it better, my usual practice is to liberate in a large town the first couple of times, so the birds get a chance to orientate.Andy wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2024 3:09 pmIt would be wrong of me to solely put it down to BOPs Albert. I do think it is getting worse down here. I have lost more old birds from flying around the loft than in racing this year. Some of these are birds that have had lots of races from different directions. I lost my best racing cock a week ago. He’d had 10 races this year and been my first bird 4 times and second bird twice. These birds haven’t just got lost, they must have been taken. The strange thing is that I haven’t had anything come back injured. They’ve either been fine or not come back.
Some club mates have been training their youngsters in groups. A couple of groups have got home fine but another one decimated.
But I do think there are other issues as well.
I’m think because of the issues with the BOPs people think they have to breed a lot more. Which is fine if you have the room. But many are just keeping more youngsters in lofts/sections not big enough, designed for 30 and housing 40 etc. I think that with overstocking you are bound to get health issues.
There is no way that a few hawks can take the number of birds being lost but they probably contribute to others being lost or hitting things.
I do think that a lot of rubbish is being bred just to make up numbers and too much is often asked of the birds. If you had a bad/hard toss like I did yesterday how many would stick them back in again the following day? My first youngsters yesterday flew 2 hours, the longer ones over 4 hours. If it had been an old bird race most would have given them a rest for a couple of days.
Its definitely the Sparrow hawk that I have trouble with here, but I rarely find much sign of it in my garden so goodness knows where mine do actually get hit !!Andy wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2024 7:41 amI have sparrow hawks here Albert but don’t find any signs of feathers or bodies. We have quite a high walled garden so would have thought I would have found something. The peregrine was flying over the loft yesterday afternoon. I might be wrong. Maybe it is the sparrow hawk.Albert wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2024 6:42 amThat description around your loft would indicate S/H, I have already had to deal with that issue this week. But fanciers aren't as selective as they once were, and that in it's self can cause health issues, and also result in heavy losses. There is a problem with the peregrine out there, especially this time of year. But in racing you get races with dodgy returns, and you get races with great returns, is the peregrine having a day off on the good days. I think with young birds you have to watch where you toss the first 2 or 3 times if you get a hit after that, they can deal with it better, my usual practice is to liberate in a large town the first couple of times, so the birds get a chance to orientate.Andy wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2024 3:09 pm
It would be wrong of me to solely put it down to BOPs Albert. I do think it is getting worse down here. I have lost more old birds from flying around the loft than in racing this year. Some of these are birds that have had lots of races from different directions. I lost my best racing cock a week ago. He’d had 10 races this year and been my first bird 4 times and second bird twice. These birds haven’t just got lost, they must have been taken. The strange thing is that I haven’t had anything come back injured. They’ve either been fine or not come back.
Some club mates have been training their youngsters in groups. A couple of groups have got home fine but another one decimated.
But I do think there are other issues as well.
I’m think because of the issues with the BOPs people think they have to breed a lot more. Which is fine if you have the room. But many are just keeping more youngsters in lofts/sections not big enough, designed for 30 and housing 40 etc. I think that with overstocking you are bound to get health issues.
There is no way that a few hawks can take the number of birds being lost but they probably contribute to others being lost or hitting things.
I do think that a lot of rubbish is being bred just to make up numbers and too much is often asked of the birds. If you had a bad/hard toss like I did yesterday how many would stick them back in again the following day? My first youngsters yesterday flew 2 hours, the longer ones over 4 hours. If it had been an old bird race most would have given them a rest for a couple of days.
both very apt.