The past 2 years i have free lofted, with minor things didnt like. For example, my bird would "blitz" [charge when door was opened] me as i entered. Honestly, i got sick of that very quickly. I also had him break a feather while being free lofted. This year, hopefully, in order to reduce feather breaking and blitzing i am planning on tethering the bird in the mew. Anyone tether it, or does everyone free loft?
Falcon Boy Apprentice Falconry Administrator
Ethics make the individual, not the other way around.
I can't speak with very much experience but I feel free lofting is the way to go. I think this makes the birds a little more comfertable and less like being caged. I would get sick of blitzing too but thats something that can be fixed. Or so my sposor said. He said we would talk more in detail when comes to check out my mews.
"You're a smart kid Johny, you really are, but as long as I'm around you'll only be second best." The Godfather
F/B: Didn't have the problems you had. Did have a little feather wear, but no real damage. Free Loft, It's enjoyable to watch bird flying and moving around. Thinking back, when I started F/L I'd put a tid-bid on outside perch and she always goes to perch when I enter weathering. Wes
FB, I voted to free loft my birds, but I have had them tethered with no ill effects on them. My bird was really hurting herself in the mew for awhile so I put her onto the bow perch and she did fine after 2 days. I could tell if she had been bating much by the movement in the gravel around her perch. Some days she wouldn't bate at all. A method to stop the mew maddness that I have yet to try is putting up sheets in front of the barred windows to stop any outside stimulation to occur. Without something to bate at, they would calm down. Like I said, I have not tried this, but I may during the winter.
Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines "Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day; give him a religion................ and he'll starve to death while praying for a fish."
what kind of perches do you have in you mews? I have 3. I have 2 on opposite sides bout 3 feet from the ceiling and have a shelfperch in front of the window. I have no probs. Do you feed your bird in the mews? I do not . I also dont let her see me give her food on days we dont fly. She may be comming after you for food.
Do any of you use shelf perches for your RT in the event that you do fry loft them. My sponsor said that these are O.K. but not the best. I plan on using normal bawperch and some near the windows but I would like to put shelves for the bird to sit on in the corner of my mews. What do you guys think about putting these in?
"You're a smart kid Johny, you really are, but as long as I'm around you'll only be second best." The Godfather
Bubbagum- I would only feed a pick-up piece at first, then after the blitzing started i stopped feeding in the mew. I still had the same result though, with the bird blitzing the second the door was opened. As for perches, i have one that goes all the way across the mew about a foot and half back from the vertical barred side, and one that cuts across a corner in the rear. The one that cuts the corner is slightly higher than the front perch, and it is about 4ft off the wall at the center point.
One reason i dont think i will freeloft this year is that i do not have a double door, and i had a few close calls last year
Falcon Boy Apprentice Falconry Administrator
Ethics make the individual, not the other way around.
Well I personally have both in my mew. A shelf where we weigh and change tack ( I pack the scale in with me) and I have some natural perchs that go across corners. Mary usually sits on the perch near the door and waits for me to come in. I sometimes have to put my hand out as I come in and she jumps to it. But if her weight is low then she has no paitents and charges the door. But that is this bird and not the standard. Yes if you havent gathereds by now i do free loft. I started with tethering buut ran into an unusual problem with her not wanting to eat when i first got her and wouldn't eat until being free lofted. But then she came from a rehab so certain patterns were already in place.
Post by Master Yarak on Oct 4, 2004 23:28:19 GMT -5
Too many stories of birds getting constricted or tangled. Fb any food association in the mew combined with territorial issues are a bad combination. I cannot think of a situation that would cause me to tether the bird. Again I will say this preference is just mine. I do not think their is a right or wrong about either one. The things I share on this site have worked not only for me but for many others. Keep in mind also that I have been flown at and footed because I choose to free loft. Normally she is content and sits for hours. I have no problems during the hunting season. So my conclusions are that hormones and frustration create my problems with her. Also the time we have been together is a major factor. In some ways she is like an imprint (ie no fear of me) The more you practice this sport the more you begin to see paterns develop. New bird more experience less problems. At least we hope. Yarak
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away
I am tethering my bird right now forthe following reasons: She can't get out of the mews, she'll learn that bating doesn't earn freedom, and it's easier, and less traumatic on the bird, to get her on the fist for training. I'll probably still tether her to the bow perch until i free fly her. In another thread a mentioned the downisde to tethering the bird in a mews with a pea gravel floor... dulled talons. I hope to free loft her soon because i think that the bird is happier that way. Also, as Wes pointed out, I love watching them fly in the mews! I have a long perch, 3' from the mews ceiling that goes the length of the chamber, a shelf perch on the front window (3' long, 1' wide), and short perch about 18" long near the front to the side. I have my widows covered now, but i'll take that down as she gets manned down.
Here are few pics of my perches and material. Never dulled talons. Also I need to state I do tether bird for the first few weeks till they are freeflyin but after that they are freelofted.
And on the opposite side of the room some 20 feet away
Great info thanks guys. I think that I will put a removable bow perch in the middle of the mew and that way when he is ready I can take it out and free loft him. At that point there will be more perches in the mew for free lofting. My next question is: Do you guys use natural or astroterph perches? I have seen both in mew all over and alot of people have different oppinions. For example Bubba has both in his mew, which ones do the birds prefer and are the most problem free?
"You're a smart kid Johny, you really are, but as long as I'm around you'll only be second best." The Godfather
IMHO I prefer astro turf. Now, I did put a natural branch in the mew but she was bouncing around in there so much that she cut her feet on the bark from pivoting around on it. I would wait until she/he has settled down a bit before putting any natural branches in there. This is JUST MY OPINION. ;D
Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines "Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day; give him a religion................ and he'll starve to death while praying for a fish."