How much leash

[UKJay74]

hi guys and gals just out of interest from chatting to another forum member how much leash do you make available for a tethered bird???

5-6-8-12 inches???

[OutFlying]

depends on the bird and type of perch its attached to.

[IAmTheWeasel]

It also depends on if your talking about with the jesses or just the leash length. Without the jesses, I leave about 6" on the leash and the jesses are another 8 inches long

[UKJay74]

basically i am looking at a harris flying weight 1lb9 on a bow perch ? i have noticed he is really stressed with human company (obviously due to moult but i am looking at later in the year after moult and training time :)

[IAmTheWeasel]

Well, Just be cautious of him bateing all the time as he will damage the leg scales from repeated bating no matter what the leangth. I would leave somwhere around 12-14 inches of total slack from the anklets to the ring. I would really have to see the perch design and then tie it so it fits correctly to that particular style. Too little and they can get hung up, too long and they can potentially break a leg.

[OutFlying]

the length of leash I would use for a hawk tethered on a bow perch, is just enough for the leash to tie to the ring - whilst the hawk is perched in the middle of the bow. So the jesses hang down and the remaining distance to the ring is taken up by the leash. too long and the hawk can build to much speed whilst bating (as stated above).

Are you moulting out on a bow perch ? why is the hawk stressed ?

[Darren]

Iam moulting on a bow perch & I give him about 5 to 6 inches of the leash plus his jesses....i dont want him to be able to gain too much speed & distance before been stopped. His weight is upto 1lb 113/8 oz now so he should start moulting very soon. He is calm in his mews & doesnt bate, he only bates when he is on the lawn tethered & I go to pick him up & he is still happy feeding off the fist.

[Harris.Hawk]

I leave just enough length for the bird to go up on one leg without lifting the ring and havent had any problems.

[Bubo]

please dont take this the wrong way guys but i am curious to know why you choose to tether your birds during their moult?
bubo

[Darren]

i dont have the room or facilitys to freeloft him, so he is tethered to his bowperch

[Bubo]

thank you darren

[Jiff]

i'm a novice myself and i know the small things make a big differance,you think you have everything covered then a thing like leash length causes you headaches,you'll have many more headaches over things like this believe me mate,when i bow my female harris out i tie off so that theres no slack,i.e from the anklet through the jess,then the leash to the ring is continueous with no spare leash,sky can still lift any leg easilly as the ring just lifts with it,i must stress tho that i'm fortunate enough to have been given a well made and designed bow pearch,she does bate occationaly for no apparent reason (only she knows why) but upto now it's been a perfectly safe set up,one point worth a mention,when i made my first leashes they were too long by far,which meant that once tied off there was alot of leash left over,this was tied off with second and third falconers knots which made the whole thing a problem waiting to happen,now through experience and the fact i now know how much leash is required to tie off safely to my perticular perch,i make my leashes to measure.

[Wightwings]

please dont take this the wrong way guys but i am curious to know why you choose to tether your birds during their moult?
bubo

some peeps like to keep the manning up too bubs to make re-claiming easier and quicker.

[North East Harris Hawker]

have your leash like jiff's if you have loads left over beyond the knot, then cut it off (that way you will never give a long leash)
obviously make sure you have enough to tie it again.
nice and short mate, then theres no chance of the bird hurting itself :wink:

[Hawkmaster]

Short as possible just enough to sit on the perch.