Frank Otta / 30 Nov 2010 17:40

I believe the development of a tippler is still an ongoing process. The
tipplers with undesirable traits which still exist today should be instantly
removed from any one's breeding program. See, it is not just the tumbling
you have mentioned, which many say that takes the energy out of the bird,
but also the lack of the will to fly, flying a just bit off the kit,
nervousness during night fly, lack of obedience, raking for too long, not
trapping in time, dropping on its own, and perhaps some others. These
undesirable traits are still present in tipplers of today after 180 years -
some sources say now 100 years. Some of the undesirable traits have been
confirmed in my loft - namely not enough will to fly - the birds come down
and are not "spent". If I can select a pair(s) that give 50/50 youngsters
(1/4 of the rockets I lose in settling), I am the king :-) ... The NTU rules
stipulate what tippler IS and I do go by these indicators to select my
breeders - not necessarily my flyers. Forget about the colors, length of the
beak, the color of the eye, the shape of the head, and other not that
important things. Check the wish bone and the position of the wings to it,
muscles, and the will to fly in your birds - then tell me what you found.

Submitted by Frank Otta on 11/30/2010 5:40:40 PM