Do you?

[SkyGod]

iv been reading a post on here how some people don't weigh there bird but still fly them i was just wondering how many don't bother to weigh there bird

[Gil]

I dont have a bird, but nowadays even if someone has his bird in control i think its best to weigh her anyway because you can get her into an even better weight and be safe (when youre dealing with kestrels etc).
Its like sending post mails that take days when you can just send emails.
and what if you went on vacation and you left your bird to someone that doesnt know it like the palm of his hand?
if you could i think you should.
gil

[Gentle]

What post have you been reading ?

[Gil]

What post have you been reading ?
me? none

[Kennelre]

What post have you been reading ?


http://www.falconryforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=53475


...Rene.

[Andy_G]

with out a doubt every day and i even weigh my food too to see what intake it has etc

[Spring]

with out a doubt every day and i even weigh my food too to see what intake it has etc

Me to and if they feed in the field of quarry i weigh them when i get home to see how much they have eaten.

[Keith Barker]

i have voted yes to weighing my bird.
it is a sure fire way of comparing performance of your goshawk as he performs through his season from training entering and eventually killing, killing consistantly!
i would not dream of flying my goshawk without weighing him on my own set of scales before flying.
telemetry will find him if he his estimated weight is mis judged but will not guarantee his safe return to the fist.
all the telemetry in the world wont revive him if your hawk becomes so low that he dies of starvation through being too low in condition.
weighing scales should in my opinion be at the top of any newcomers shopping list to falconry.
keith

[FalconFred]

i have voted yes to weighing my bird.
it is a sure fire way of comparing performance of your goshawk as he performs through his season from training entering and eventually killing, killing consistantly!
i would not dream of flying my goshawk without weighing him on my own set of scales before flying.
telemetry will find him if he his estimated weight is mis judged but will not guarantee his safe return to the fist.
all the telemetry in the world wont revive him if your hawk becomes so low that he dies of starvation through being too low in condition.
weighing scales should in my opinion be at the top of any newcomers shopping list to falconry.
keith
Spot on as usual Keith with your answers.. I always feel the kneel bone of any bird I have on the glove as a matter of habit too.
, especially when using these cheaper converted digital scales!!!

ATB
Gerard

[M Donnelly]

Always before we go out. Helps me to plan what we will do that day. If he had fed up a lot in the field the day before and was still a little over perfect hunting weight I try and go to the areas of my permission which give easier slips on rabbits rather thanharder ones on Phessies. If too much to really hunt at all I will then do a training session etc.

Why have a frustrating day in the field for both man and bird if they don't feel like hunting?

Martin

[SimonJohn]

It would be interesting to see who voted no, what they fly ,and what they catch.:D

[Pitbull]

I weigh out of curiosity, Response first. There were times that I never weighed the HH for a few days. Maybe complacancy, I new roughly what he should be doing from the activity he had done and what he had from the kill, if anything. Then after about 3 days, I would just check that things were going well. ie he wasn't dropping from the initial weight.

[Little Joe]

It would be interesting to see who voted no, what they fly ,and what they catch.:D

I cant vote with only those two choices. It implies an absolute standard on opposite ends with no grey area in between.

I go long periods without weighing my birds at all - just feeling the keel and watching their attitude when I pick them up, etc. When I see a response that I dont like, I weigh the bird to confirm that its too high or too low, and 99 out of a 100 times I'm right about my misgivings.

New birds I weigh more regularly until they are well entered, then I will push the weight up to the point where they become less responsive and level it out there.

Anyway, this thread is a bit of a duplication. There was a very good post by Mike, saying that he weighs his bird to confirm what he suspects already, not to tell him what to expect.

[SimonJohn]

I cant vote with only those two choices. It implies an absolute standard on opposite ends with no grey area in between.

I go long periods without weighing my birds at all - just feeling the keel and watching their attitude when I pick them up, etc. When I see a response that I dont like, I weigh the bird to confirm that its too high or too low, and 99 out of a 100 times I'm right about my misgivings.

New birds I weigh more regularly until they are well entered, then I will push the weight up to the point where they become less responsive and level it out there.

Anyway, this thread is a bit of a duplication. There was a very good post by Mike, saying that he weighs his bird to confirm what he suspects already, not to tell him what to expect.

This is also a very good post.

[Wheels9R]

with out a doubt every day and i even weigh my food too to see what intake it has etc

Same as.

[OutHawkn]

I didnt vote cause you needed a third answer. I dont weigh every day.( the bird that is.:supz: )

[Redbull]

i think it is totally essential to weigh at least once a day, my eyass female peregrine flys at 1.15 if i fly her half an ounce under she wont go to her full pitch half an ounce over she will refuse quarry, you also have to think of general health, if your bird has i sickness starting one of the early signs are weight loss and none of this is would be possible to monitor without regular weighing.

[Little Joe]

i think it is totally essential to weigh at least once a day, my eyass female peregrine flys at 1.15 if i fly her half an ounce under she wont go to her full pitch half an ounce over she will refuse quarry, you also have to think of general health, if your bird has i sickness starting one of the early signs are weight loss and none of this is would be possible to monitor without regular weighing.

Fair enough about weighing your bird to ensure response. But I disagree with you that weight loss is the first sign of disease. There are numerous other signs that will tell you something's amiss long before you can see it manifested in a loss of condition.

[MarshallDirect]

The birds im flying at present need weighing every day. I had a tiercel that I could read like a book. If he jumped to fist in the free lofted mews and pumped away on fist he was ready to rock and roll. If he batted about from a perch to perch he was to high. Even then though I'd weigh him every other day just to see what weight I'd got him up to.

SL

[SparsTheOne]

i have voted yes to weighing my bird.
it is a sure fire way of comparing performance of your goshawk as he performs through his season from training entering and eventually killing, killing consistantly!
i would not dream of flying my goshawk without weighing him on my own set of scales before flying.
telemetry will find him if he his estimated weight is mis judged but will not guarantee his safe return to the fist.
all the telemetry in the world wont revive him if your hawk becomes so low that he dies of starvation through being too low in condition.
weighing scales should in my opinion be at the top of any newcomers shopping list to falconry.
keith

This is a great post, one that should be taken notice of by any falconer be you a newbie or not.

jase.

[Redbull]

Fair enough about weighing your bird to ensure response. But I disagree with you that weight loss is the first sign of disease. There are numerous other signs that will tell you something's amiss long before you can see it manifested in a loss of condition.
if you read what i said correctly i think you will find i said ONE of the early signs of sickness is weight loss, to an inexperienced folconer that may not pick up on other things, weight is a good way to start. any beinners reading take note of this, weigh your bird every day.
steve.

[Little Joe]

if you read what i said correctly i think you will find i said ONE of the early signs of sickness is weight loss, to an inexperienced folconer that may not pick up on other things, weight is a good way to start. any beinners reading take note of this, weigh your bird every day.
steve.

Yes absolutely, beginners should weigh their birds religiously!

[Rob999]

it would be irresponsible not to weigh.
Question? do you drive without checking the fuel content..............eventually it'll either dry up or go wrong.
likewise the birds will either be too hungry or full......either way it'll be a **** day flying.....and more importantly you'll not get to know your bird as it's weights will change through the season!
that's my humble opinion for what it's worth.

how do we learn from when things don't go as planned??
stated already...........should be in top 5 of shopping list!!:supz:

[MattyM]

doesn't it all depend on what bird you have aswell... coz with some birds u need to weigh them everyday

[A1Gos]

Well as the poll says " do you know your bird like the back of your hand " pretty much, but yes i still weigh her every day

[PenelopeP]

I said yes but I dont weigh everyday in all honesty. If I am doing jump ups for example to stepladder on garden on days when I cant fly I dont always weigh my Gos. More often than not I do, but occassionaly I will judge his response on fist (he tends to be batey when overweight) and feed accordingly. But when flying I ALWAYS weigh him, just for peace of mind really. Plus as others have said, I feel his keel every time I pick him up. Just habit really. This is my first Gos but I am getting to know him really well and am usually right before I weigh him weither he is on hunting weight or over. But still weigh to be safe/sure when going loose.

[Eagle Owl]

I added a third option to the poll.

[Little Joe]

I added a third option to the poll.

Thank you Dominatrix Owl Lady, at last Little Joe can satisfy his burning desire to be a statistical contributor... :rolleyes:

[BladeRunner]

Before and after. Gives me an idication of how he will behave in the field and what to expect the following day.

[Hatchero]

i think that for the most part scales have caused almost as much harm as good. falconers tend to read the scale as if it were the oracle of truth. certainly the scale can be the oracle of truth--if you already know what the truth is. it has been my long standing practice(and advise) that one should put the scales in the closet when getting a new bird up to speed. i pull the scales out when my falcon is flying well and use it as a tuning tool that i use maybe twice or three times a week. scales are only a rough guide that one must be careful not to let have undue influence on ones decision making when it comes to falcons. behavior, feel on the fist, feel of the keel and legs, and scale--in that order is the true path to wisdom about a falcons current condition. then again, i could be wrong
Jim

[GregMik]

I just got a RT that I am watching for a freind. She has caught 4 rabbits in the last week. I asked her what her bird weighed..

She said she put the bird on a scale TODAY, and it was About 1300g's.

I asked when did you last weigh her? She said...."Three weeks ago":roll:

This a a 16yr old RT that my freind knows....

I weigh my birds everyday....This freind is one that catches stuff all the time and rarely uses a scale.....

Greg

[Keith Barker]

I just got a RT that I am watching for a freind. She has caught 4 rabbits in the last week. I asked her what her bird weighed..

She said she put the bird on a scale TODAY, and it was About 1300g's.

I asked when did you last weigh her? She said...."Three weeks ago":roll:

This a a 16yr old RT that my freind knows....

I weigh my birds everyday....This freind is one that catches stuff all the time and rarely uses a scale.....

Greg

must be great when you lose your red and can just nip out and catch another.
keith

[GregMik]

must be great when you lose your red and can just nip out and catch another.
keith

After 16 yrs with the same RT....Sorry.....


Greg

[CJTaylor]

Been reading this thread with interest , experience is the key here , something gained over many many seasons , many falconers myself included can judge the birds potential to fly tomorrow , today ! simply by its work and feeding , without the use of scales , also a birds reaction on simply being picked up is enough for me to gauge her.I possibly with more experienced birds weigh just to see what weight i can get them up to yet still hunt...Here is the key though...there is a difference completely on flying a bird on weight/hunger , and flying a bird on pure appetite , the latter comes into play with more experienced birds who you have built up a partnership with , many sadly dont hold their birds long enough to gain this ...also to consider is feeling the keel , this often give a bigger indication than even weight ,as this gives the birds condition ,but again this is difficult to teach ,and is only gained through experience...body weight and phsical condition have not much in common at times.:yawinkle:....colin

[Little Joe]

Here is the key though...there is a difference completely on flying a bird on weight/hunger , and flying a bird on pure appetite , the latter comes into play with more experienced birds who you have built up a partnership with , many sadly dont hold their birds long enough to gain this ....colin

I couldnt agree more!

[Tony James]

i think that for the most part scales have caused almost as much harm as good. falconers tend to read the scale as if it were the oracle of truth. certainly the scale can be the oracle of truth--if you already know what the truth is. it has been my long standing practice(and advise) that one should put the scales in the closet when getting a new bird up to speed. i pull the scales out when my falcon is flying well and use it as a tuning tool that i use maybe twice or three times a week. scales are only a rough guide that one must be careful not to let have undue influence on ones decision making when it comes to falcons. behavior, feel on the fist, feel of the keel and legs, and scale--in that order is the true path to wisdom about a falcons current condition. then again, i could be wrong
Jim

Jim my friend, it's a pity you're so far away --- I'd be round with a drink if it weren't for the 6000 miles. Perfectly said.

Best wishes,

Tony.

[Bullet]

i weigh my bird every day, i even weigh her food too, and weigh her after ive fed her after flying, always have done and always will do:wink:

[OutHawkn]

i think that for the most part scales have caused almost as much harm as good. falconers tend to read the scale as if it were the oracle of truth. certainly the scale can be the oracle of truth--if you already know what the truth is. it has been my long standing practice(and advise) that one should put the scales in the closet when getting a new bird up to speed. i pull the scales out when my falcon is flying well and use it as a tuning tool that i use maybe twice or three times a week. scales are only a rough guide that one must be careful not to let have undue influence on ones decision making when it comes to falcons. behavior, feel on the fist, feel of the keel and legs, and scale--in that order is the true path to wisdom about a falcons current condition. then again, i could be wrong
Jim

Very well said Jim...:supz:
I agree completely.That is the best explaination I have heard.Its what I call the "art" of falconry.

[RabbitHawker]

Once you know your bird, the work it has done and the weather you should get a pretty good feel for the amount of food it needs to maintain weight etc, this combined with the bird's response should relegate the scales to a 'check' that you are right. I fly a male perlin daily although hunting less this year due to work committments and the need to find new land, but almost all who have seen him hunt are impressed, he flies everything from red legs downwards including blackbirds and starling under license.
Chris